Sand Valley Golf; Design and Construction Blog: Lake Excavation Day 1

Short Project History; The Good and Bad

This blog reveals a snippet of the daily challenge of building a special golf course. The only value in something like this for future investors and golf architecture aficionados is to tell the truth; warts and all.

Before arriving at Sand Valley the project was being constructed according to the "detailed plans" of another golf architect using a "golf course construction company" that had built a number of courses. They broke ground in June 2006. After 10-months the builder had proceeded to rape 14-holes and was fired.

I have been brought in to fix the problem, using locals to build the course. In the process all plans except the general routing scheme have been abandoned. The current course is being designed in the field, seizing every opportunity to improve the course as we go. That's the value of time. You can see the project from all angles, in all conditions, you have time to think about the problems and come up with the best solutions, and then refine them with the guys doing the building... in real-time. This is how many of the great courses were constructed. It only makes sense. More time, more input, more communication produces the best possible result.

That's why Sand Valley, though it had a rough start (using the "Typical Method") should have a fantastic finish.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Lake Excavation Day 1

This is our first full day at excavating the remainder of the lake. The start, less than half the excavation was completed by the previous construction company, and they left us with a couple challenges.

1. All the water bordering our excavation and…
2. They did not dig to the prescribed depth. Our side of the pond must make up for this deficiency.

The day went well, the hauls are short, and the material and weather cooperative.

To the left of the water is a short, brighter green vegeatation where the topsoil has been removed. This entire section need be excavated to bring the water feature to its full size; about 150 meters by 40 meters by 2.5 meters deep.

Tony Ristola
agolfarchitect.com
+1 (909) 581 0080

Tony Ristola

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Short Project History; The Good and Bad

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Lake Excavation Day 1