[Ari Techner]

I am just getting started working on a restoration/renovation project at a 9 hole course in Eugene, OR called Laurelwood Golf Club.  Laurelwood has a rich history but has been neglected and abused over the last 50 years. 
The course was originally designed by Golden Age Pacific NW GCA Clarence Sutton.  Mr. Sutton came to Oregon from Kansas as a little boy around the turn of the century on a wagon train.  He was a lifetime resident of Oregon and designed courses across the state and a couple into Washington. 
The course opened in 1928 and was the first real 18 hole course in Eugene.  (Eugene CC's Eagan course would soon follow)  The course was so highly regarded at first that it held a PGA Tour event from the mid 30's to the beginning of the 50s. 
At the end of the 1950's the club was hurting financially and sold off the land that 3 of the holes were on to make room for a neighborhood.  At that point they decided to close 6 holes and start operating as a 9 hole course.  (The bare bones of the other 6 holes still exists in the woods adjacent to the current course)
From there things continues to get really bad.  The city of Eugene took over the course when the country club disbanded after the sale of part of the course and they were not kind to it at all.  They slowly started to lose the original design of the existing 9 holes.  Originally large and heaving with classic almost geometric lines, the greens started to shrink in size and over the years have lost somewhere between 35% and 50% of their original size.  They are now small round circles or ovals that bare no resemblance to the great greens that Sutton built.  The bunkering has also been pretty much completely lost over the years.  What were originally MacDonald/Raynor or Langford/Moreau looking bunkers that wrapped around parts of the original greens are pretty much completely gone.  There are a few small shapeless bunkers that were put in over the years but the original Sutton bunkering is completely gone. 
Things got worse in the 1980s when a new manager took over the course and tried to do what he could to make it "better".  He decided that building a second green on every hole would make it a more interesting 18 holes to play.  Fortunately he only made it to the third hole with this double green concept but there are second greens on holes 1-3.  (The first hole originally had a huge double tier green that they split up into 2 small round greens)  He also brought in a landscape architect to plant rows of trees and transform what was once a barren wind swept hilly site into more of a forest.  So now mixed in with some of the natural original 250+ ft Douglas Firs there are a bunch of small immature trees lining almost every fairway.  He also decided to weave a concrete cart path around the course mostly in not the best places.   
It is a mess out there right now but the course has so much potential we are extremely excited about it. 
The Master Plan has 5 main components right now. 
We are going to reclaim the original bunker style and placement around the green complexes. 
We are going to take down most if not all of the non original trees that were planted. 
We are going to get rid of or mostly reroute the cart part. 
We are going to get rid of the second greens on holes 1-3 and restore the original huge 2 tier green on 1. 
Lastly we are going to slowly reclaim all the old green space and remake the greens how they were originally. 
The greens will be the best and most unique part of the course as most of them have some kind of punchbowl type ridge running along one or more of the side of the green along with some fallaways and great internal contour. 
I will post some pictures once we have done enough out there to make it worth while.  If anyone plans to be stopping by or driving through Eugene send me a PM or email ari_techner@scratchgolf.com.  I would be happy to take anyone out there that is interested, show the planned work and get opinions. 

[Pete_Pittock]

Ari,
I have never played Larelwood, which sucks for a native Oregonian. I will stop by in less than a month. Will contact you a few days out.

[C. Sturges]

Ari,

Will the course have hickories available to rent/ use?

[Matt OBrien]

I think they will have scratch irons and wedges and persimmon woods in the demo bags. I think they will get people to go to the course just to rent clubs!!  I know I would if I lived closer

[C. Sturges]

Matt, You are right!  There clubs are great!  I will never play another wedge.

[Matt OBrien]

If you only have wedges then you have to get the irons. They are AMAZINGGG

[Ari Techner]

Found some original tees in the woods today for our 7th hole.  Apparently when the course was changed from 18 to 9 holes the rerouted this hole to play from different tees.  It is currently a 310y par 4 with a downhill tee shot and a really neat (even better when restored) green on the top of a big hill.  It is a slightly awkward tee shot where you really cannot see the green and the hole moves a little right.  The original tees make it @ a 345y par 4 that is just great looking.  The tee shot is even a little more downhill but you have a full view of the green which is perched on top of a hill and a sweeping view of the rest of the course.
The question is whether we go back to the original tee.  It will mean a longer walk from the 6th green to the 7th tee (about 120yards and a little uphill) but will result in a much better and original hole.  The flat teeing grounds are still there and just need to be mowed back to tee height.  I dont even think we need to restore any lost fairway as it is just 160 yards downhill to the fairway.  There is one tree that will have to be removed but not much work will need to be done to make this happen. 

[Ari Techner]

Ari,

Will the course have hickories available to rent/ use?

Chris,

When the course is done I will make sure there is a set or 2 of hickories that people can rent and play with.  The course plays very firm and fast in the summer and will be great for hickory play when we are done. 

[Pete_Pittock]

A little bit of procrastination here, playing Laurelwood today for the first time.  Super job on restoration. Routing very good going around the perimeter of the course. They kept the 7th tee where it is, there is a sliver of view of the left side of the green, right side view blocked by a huge! tree. Nice hub on a hill which contains 1G, 2T, 4G, 5T, 7G.  Par 3s seem to all be uphill. 


If you have a couple of hours free time in Eugene, this is a good diversion. Its been a while since I've been on a course with this much slope in the greens. Greens putt fine, but if your putting game is wounded, they will put it out of it's misery. 5th green weak because it is constant shadow, 7th because it is among trees, others fine

[Ira Fishman]

Pete,


A timely bump.  We are going to be in Eugene the first week of September, and Laurelwood seems like a great option to balance out visiting friends and see the town for the first time.


Ira

[Pete_Pittock]

Ira,
Thanks. It is hilly by the way.

[Scott Weersing]

What is overall budget for this restoration?
Are you going to change the mowing lines? (more short grass)

[Pete_Pittock]

Scott,
That announcement was eight years ago. I played this year, liked the course very much, and searched GCA to see if Laurelwood had been mentioned and found this thread. I'm guessing this municipal course work was done in-house.

[Pete_Pittock]

My sources say that Laurelwood is making changes to their last three holes. There is a new green for the 7th hole. Have been told that the 8th hole is now a par 3.

[Ari Techner]

I had so much fun working on Laurelwood back in the day.  This thread brings back great memories.  Past work was definitely done "in house" by Patrick Boyd and I VERY early in the morning before we went to work at Scratch Golf (our real day job at the time)



Glad to hear the work continues I'll have to put in a call and get more info. 

[Kevin_Reilly]

Nice to see this thread.  My son plays Laurelwood all the time (he is a student at U of O).  I haven't had a chance to play it.

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