The Powelton Club in Newburg, N.Y., has planned a bunker renovation to restore Devereaux Emmet’s original vision; Poplar Grove Golf Club near Lynchburg, Va., is on pace to complete a $3M renovation that includes an expansive tree-clearing project and restoration of the historic Manor House; and the West Bay Club in Estero, Fla., has reopened following a $4M renovation of greens, bunkers, drainage and re-grassing.
The Powelton Club in Newburg, N.Y., has hired Tripp Davis and Associates (TDA) to oversee a major bunker restoration project. The historic club in the heart of the Hudson River Valley was founded in 1892 and is one of the oldest clubs in the U.S. The course was originally designed by Devereux Emmet in 1926.
The TDA plan is to rebuild the bunkers in Emmet’s style with steep grass faces and strategic positioning, while keeping the overall square footage more manageable. The bunkers at Powelton had become too large, historically speaking, and the TDA team will carefully downsize the overall square footage throughout the golf course, in keeping with Emmet’s style of designing slender bunkers.
The project will also involve functional improvements, as TDA, along with golf course builder Frank O’Dowd of Intergolf, installs better drainage, bunker liners and a better grade of sand, so that the playing quality of the bunkers is improved and the sand is easier to maintain over time.
“We were honored to be selected for this renovation and restoration work at The Powelton Club,” said Davis. “Once we have completed our work, the members are going to see their golf course suddenly look ‘older’ with a more classic bunker style but with much better sand. Even though bunkers are supposed to be places to avoid strategically, I am really looking forward to seeing the members play out of them.”
Construction for the Powelton project started in early October of 2018 and should be completed by the spring of 2019.
Poplar Grove Golf Club, the Sam Snead / Ed Carton collaboration in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Lynchburg, Va., reported that it is on pace to complete its course renovation project ahead of the 2019 golf season.
C&RB reported on plans for the full scope of the project, which also involves the creation of a new boutique hotel and wedding venue on the historic property, in December.
The club’s ownership has set out to return the golf course to its original design intent, in homage to Snead. Poplar Grove was Snead’s final project before his death in 2002.
When it’s all said and done, Poplar Grove will invest $3 million into the course renovation project, which includes re-building bunkers, teeing grounds and green complexes; updating drainage; clearing trees; remodeling practice areas, and renovating cart paths with a new fleet of golf carts.
The course will remain open for play during the project, with completion of Phase I projected for early spring 2019.
The course restoration will be led by Carton, a Virginia native who worked with Snead on the original creation of Poplar Grove. Carton honed his golf architectural prowess under Tom Fazio, Michael Hurdzan, Gary Player and Raymond Floyd.
Phase I of the project is making swift progress, the club reports, as bunkers have been cleared and prepared for drainage replacements. Seven new tee boxes will add length to the course, returning it to a formidable test that is being designed to stand up to golf’s elite players while providing playability for the everyday amateur.
A $400,000 tree-clearing project will provide golfers with more strategic options and better views. Snead, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, was inspired by courses he played during his career that accumulated a record 82 PGA Tour wins, including seven majors. As a result, Poplar Grove will continue to feature elevated tee shots on a majority of holes.
The historic Manor House, the property’s storied centerpiece built in the 1700s, will also be restored and expanded to provide for larger groups and events. A 100-seat, indoor-outdoor dining space, several member-exclusive areas and overnight accommodations are among the planned additions for Phase II of the project.
West Bay Club in Estero, Fla., has reopened after a $4 million renovation by architects Dana Fry and Jason Straka. Course renovations included enhancing green complexes, rebuilding and repositioning bunkers, improving the course’s drainage system and re-grassing the course with new turf grass.
West Bay’s original 18-hole golf course opened in 1999 and was designed by Pete and P.B. Dye. In April 2018, the club began the extensive project.
The member-owned private golf club and community is located on 868 acres adjacent to Estero Bay and bordering 500 acres of nature preserve and wetlands. Troon Privé, the private club operations division of Troon, manages the club and community association.
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