Sand Valley Golf; Design and Construction Blog: 15 Green Shaped and Floated

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.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

15 Green Shaped and Floated

Unlike the 7th and 16th, this green was a pretty quick and painless affair to create. After the material was blocked in there was no question where the general contours would flow.

The green is slightly elevated above the river, the front two-thirds draining in that direction with some subtle contours and a crowned area transitioning to the back one-third of the green draining towards the tees on 16.

The warden watches as guys pose for shots on and below the 15th green.

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

Tony Ristola

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Short Project History; The Good and Bad

Sunday, October 14, 2007

15 Green Shaped and Floated