The Franklin, Wis., property is updating its irrigation system, adding new tee boxes, and extending the length of its golf course as part of a long-term plan that will be complete by spring 2019. The project is being funded by new legacy memberships, as well as loans and gifts from members.
Tuckaway Country Club in Franklin, Wis., will be “brought into the 21st century,” according to Club President Brett Law, with $3.2 million in improvements, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
C&RB reported on members’ approval of the plan in November.
Tuckaway Country Club dates back to 1926 with the course at its current location opening in 1967. The course’s irrigation system is around 50 years old and was starting to show its age; Law said most systems have a life expectancy of 30 years, the Journal Sentinel reported.
The decision was made to upgrade that system, but then plans started to take on a life of their own. “What we felt was needed was more of a long-term plan for the course itself,” he said.
Improvements beyond irrigation were added to the plan, such as 25 new tee boxes with seven championship tees extending the course length from about 6,950 yards to 7,200, 14 new forward tees for juniors and women, and four senior tees, the Journal Sentinel reported.
Tuckaway brought in industry experts to prepare the long-term plan, which was prioritized around the irrigation system with pump-house improvements, drainage upgrades, and all bunkers getting reconstructed with “21st century graded sand in line with PGA Tour standards,” Law said.
Part of the irrigation plan required expansion of a pond which has been completed, Law said. Contracts and bids are in from various contractors which Tuckaway is currently vetting. Law said he anticipates a contract will soon be awarded. Construction will likely begin around spring 2018 and picking up speed in summer, and then completed in March or April 2019, the Journal Sentinel reported.
To cover the $3.2 million cost, Tuckaway has three legs of financing. The first is a new membership class called “legacy membership” limited to 10 members which were all filled and, in total, contribute $1 million to the cost through membership fees, the Journal Sentinel reported.
Tuckaway also asked members for loans and they received in excess of $1 million, which will be repaid in a five-year period, Law said. The club also received $1 million in gifts from members, which rounded out the total, the Journal Sentinel reported.
“We feel these updates and upgrades will enhance the playability of the course for members,” Law said. “It will bring (the course) back to a championship level.”
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.