The municipal golf course is continuing to take steps toward smoother greens, improved drainage and an overall rejuvenation of its Donald Ross layout by hiring John Fought to work on the design. The project will follow plans for the original layout, sketches of which have been preserved by the Tufts Archives in Pinehurst, N.C., with some modifications.
The Wilmington (N.C.) Municipal Golf Course continues taking steps toward smooth greens, improved drainage and a rejuvenated Donald Ross layout by hiring architect John Fought, the Wilmington-based Star News Online reported.
Last month the city hired Fought, a former U.S. Amateur champion and two-time PGA Tour winner, as architect for the project. Fought received $105,000 for the design and up to an additional $16,000 to cover travel costs. He’s home in Arizona designing preliminary plans for all 18 holes and is scheduled to return to Wilmington the first week of December, the News Online reported.
Muni pro David Donovan and a committee selected Fought from a field of nine candidates, the News Online reported. “I spent five hours with him walking the golf course, and I liked his vision and his plans,” Donovan said.
Fought plans to follow the original Ross layout according to Donovan, who said he emphasized that point in discussions with each potential architect. Ross’ sketches and notes for 17 of the 18 greens have been preserved by the Tufts Archives in Pinehurst and are available to Fought and the city, the News Online reported.
“This could be the first time that we have the true Ross design,” Donovan said.
Still, there could be modifications such as shifting the landing area and green to the left on the dogleg right par-4, No. 3 while also adding a new back tee box to the right of the current cart path, the News Online reported.
A preliminary sketch of the No. 1, depicts that green being elevated two feet and expanded roughly 30 percent to 6,400 sq. ft. Improving the drainage in front of the greens is also a priority, as those areas are often soggy, which prohibits golfers from bouncing their approach shots onto the putting surfaces and is contrary to the original Ross design. Shifting the sprinkler placement and upgrading the soil quality should help alleviate those problems, the News Online reported.
Once the preliminary plans are prepared, Donovan anticipates a public presentation. After Fought’s plans are finalized, construction companies begin bidding on the project in mid-February. From there, the renovation is scheduled to begin April 1 on the 10 holes across the road from the clubhouse. By adding a temporary par-3 on the practice area right of the No. 9, the Muni will have a nine-hole course open until mid-May, when the entire course will be closed, the News Online reported.
Assuming the weather cooperates, the greens will be sprigged with ultradwarf Bermuda grass no later than July 15, allowing at least a six-week grow-in period before all 18 holes reopen to the public on September 1, the News Online reported.
Total cost of the project is unclear at this point, although initial estimates were $700,000. The Municipal golf course is a self-supporting entity, generating revenue via green fees and cart fees from approximately 58,000 rounds annually. The Muni’s enterprise fund has a balance of more than $1 million. None of the financial burden will fall on taxpayers, the News Online reported.
While the construction crew is handling the greens restoration, Donovan plans to use the Muni maintenance crew to address other areas on the course such as the fairway bunkers and senior tee boxes. Upon completion of the project, he also hopes to add two seasonal workers to the maintenance crew to help maintain the greens and bunkers at a higher level, the News Online reported.
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