This par-5 of 530-meters has been a lot of work. It's in a low area, was wet... probably not in its original state, but for some reason the original plans called for lowering the fairway. This was done according to the design of the previous planner, and executed by the previous builder. What resulted was breaking of the old German drainage lines ...and a series of wet spots. Added to the situation... domes of dirt were strewn here and there. These piles had small tree stumps, trunks and branches within; useless material for shaping.
The hole has been rerouted to take advantage of the higher ground, the old cuts where the German drainage was broken... filled in and drainage repaired. Basically the land has been restored similar to what it once was, with the addition of a pond-lake where the old fairway was planned.
The tee area was a lot of work too... but another story.
Some days ago we cut four fairway bunkers. Then converted one medium sized bunker into three bunkers. Now we have the "Bomb Garden" in the landing zone of the tee shot.
Drainage had been installed to control the level of the lake-pond on the second shot, and additional drainage installed. The greensite has had sand pumped into it.
Now we are spreading topsoil over the landing area. Then we will cut a waste bunker the length of the lake-pond (about 200 meters).
The hole is coming together.
Tony Ristola
agolfarchitect.com
+1 (909) 581 0080
Tony Ristola
- www.tonyristola.com
- A rarity in golf course architecture: Working with the builders, crafting the details of my designs in the field on a daily basis.
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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.
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.
