The enhancement, which closed the course in June and reopened to the public on October 1, is the course’s first since opening 16 years ago. The project included complete restoration of 18 greens and all green-side bunker complexes, new grasses, and updates to drainage. Work on the property’s National Golf Course is set to begin late next spring.
The International Golf Course at the Omni Orlando (Fla.) Resort at ChampionsGate, has reopened after what officials are referring to as a revitalization, GolfAdvisor reported.
On the surface, the golf course looks much the same, but new grasses, drainage and restoration of greens should help the course play firmer and faster, more like it was intended as an Australian coastal links design, GolfAdvisor reported.
The enhancement is the course’s first since opening 16 years ago. One of two championship courses at the resort, the par-72, 7,363-yard International Course, former home of the Father/Son Challenge (2003-08), closed in June and reopened to the public on October 1, GolfAdvisor reported.
The project included the complete restoration of 18 greens and all green-side bunker complexes to their original size, look and feel. Resurfacing the original Floradwarf turf greens, which were contaminated with paspalum encroachment, included the sprigging of Champion Bermuda and replacing the original paspalum turf green surrounds and par-3 tee surfaces with 419 Bermuda, GolfAdvisor reported.
“The biggest thing we’re excited about is we picked up an extra 42,000 sq. ft. of grass on the greens,” said Director of Golf Patrick Dill. “There’s a dramatically noticeable difference in the size of the greens. Most of the greens picked up two to three additional pin placements, and some greens as much as six.”
One reason the facility picked Champion Bermuda was that they could keep the green speeds consistent throughout the year. The breaks are subtle on the greens, Dill said, but they’re hardly easy. “There are a lot of pin positions that will look easy, but will be really tough just because of how the green falls off and slopes around,” he said.
Sprigging on the course was done by July 4, GolfAdvisor reported.
“We went 35 bushels per thousand square feet, which is a lot of sprigs,” Dill said. “The intent was to get it to fill in fast, so we could open by October.”
Crews also battled the weather, especially in the last few weeks. From mid-September to October 1, the course received 15 inches of rain, and that was before the brush by Hurricane Matthew, GolfAdvisor reported.
Work on the other 18-hole course at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, the National Course, is set to begin late next spring and will include much of the same work, GolfAdvisor reported.
The course work comes in conjunction with significant renovations at the overall resort scheduled for spring 2017. That’s when the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate will break ground on a $40 million expansion project that includes: 23,000 sq. ft. of additional pool deck and recreational space; installation of Orlando’s only resort wave pool; a new property villa building and a redesign of Trevi’s Restaurant that will include an outdoor garden terrace and bar. The expansion will also include the addition of 100,000 sq. ft. of event lawn and conference center space, GolfAdvisor reported.
“We have poured a lot of energy and planning into the transformation of Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate and are proud to reveal expansion plans,” said General Manager Robert Stanfield. “We are excited to begin this significant renovation project and further extend an unparalleled level of quality to our guests.”
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.