Sand Valley Golf; Design and Construction Blog: Hell

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.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Hell

It's been hot, the guys have been in the sun fine tuning the waste bunkers, both sweating and drinking gallons.

One of the workers described the work as "Hell". I can't say I disagree, can only thank them for toughing it out.

Cleaning the edges, bringing sand up to them, and raking out the bunkers by hand.

I wasn't sure about these guys (Speedy & Co) when they started, but they became professional bunker finishers, and really caught the team spirit. Hoooooowaaaaaaaaah!

Coming in for another load of spoils.

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

Tony Ristola

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Short Project History; The Good and Bad

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Hell