[mike_beene]

Played in a charity tournament across the street from Oak Tree.A friend who is a member at Oak Tree says that it will reopen in June after a total redo. The goal is to put it back to original toughness,put the bunkers and pampas grass like they were,etc.Several specifics include putting a creek in the valley on the inside of the dog leg at 15 taking away the short cut.To the right of 13,the hill is being cut back and pot bunkers put in(no more kicks off the hill).Interesting to see a harsh modern course restored.Going to become a small golf club.Anybody know more about this?

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Pampas grass...

[Matt_Cohn]

They just redid it in 2000 or 2001. Why again? Is Pete Dye doing it personally?

[Anthony_Nysse]

Much to my surprise, It's my understanding that Mr. Dye is not involved. Their last renovation, 2003 or 2004, was more or less, just regrassing the greens.

Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt.
Coloinial CC
Ft. Worth, TX

[Craig Van Egmond]

Tony is correct the last upgrade was merely a regrassing of the greens in prep for the 2006 Senior PGA Championship. However an earlier remodel did soften the course somewhat.  Both remodels were overseen by Pete Dye, but Mark Hayes handled the work.

Last Spring Don Mathis sold Oak Tree to Ed Evans (chief executive of Oklahoma City-based Stelera Wireless and a member of Isleworth) and changes began. They change the membership structure and wanted to renovate the golf course.

Ed Evans on the renovations:

  The Oak Tree Golf Club course shut down
Sept. 9 so the fairways could be killed off
chemically and other renovation work could
begin.
  The driving range and putting green tem-
porarily remain open. The clubhouse still
has food and beverage available.
  The club plans to re-open its course on
July 1, 2009.
  “I think that’s very realistic,” Evans said of
the target date. “We hired some companies
that came very highly recommended.”

   Oak Tree architect Pete Dye recently visited
and shared his views on what would enhance
the course.
   The entire course will have a new irrigation
system.
   All fairways and tee boxes will be replaced
with U-3 bermuda, as will the practice facility
teeing area.
   Nine greens will be slightly to moderately
modified, but none will be completely rebuilt.
   All bunkers will be updated with new sand
and drainage , and a few new bunkers will be
added.

For complete info on the membership changes and renovations, look on page 8/9 of the PDF:

http://www.southcentralgolf.com/documents/SCGM_Oct_Nov_2008_2.pdf

http://www.edmondsun.com/local/local_story_120160059.html

[Derek Dirksen]

Much to my surprise, It's my understanding that Mr. Dye is not involved. Their last renovation, 2003 or 2004, was more or less, just regrassing the greens.

Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt.
Coloinial CC
Ft. Worth, TX

I beleieve it was 03 when the last remodel was done.  We completely reshaped #1 green complex.  The rest of the front 9 greens were cored out and reshaped as well.  The idea was to soften them.   We also did some bunker adjustments on 17,4,5, and think 15.  Pete was involeved in the remodel as he made one site visit during construction.  One of his da's made regular visits as well.  I think Oak Tree did the back nine greens in house in 02.  Mark Hayes did handle the work for the in house work in 02, but he wasn't quite as involved with the front 9 work. 

[mike_beene]

I really like Oak Tree,but 10 and 11 feel like pure housing development.With all the other golf course lots on the other two courses,I sure wish the original developers had stayed away from half the back nine having houses on both sides.I would say go build some holes on the empty land north of the course,but there are some pretty good holes you would miss (12,13,14).

[Matt_Cohn]

Yeah, 12 is probably the best hole out there.

[Craig Van Egmond]

Here are some updates on the work being done at Oak Tree.

   - Tripp Davis is the consulting architect
   - They will add 14 new bunkers, add some waste areas, remove the railway ties and restore native grass areas
   - The tree in the middle of the 10th fairway will be gone, replaced by 6 bunkers and a new waster area
   - #11 will have a new bunker
   - #13 will have about 1/3 less green
   - #14 restored creek to the valley on the right
   - #15 trees have been removed
   - #16 false front on green has been restored
   - #18 more than half of the green has been removed, valley of sin is back
   - Numerous catch basins have been added around greens
   - Membership is down to 225 from 400
   - Annual rounds should be less than 15,0000
   - Expectation  that the back 9 will be 3-4 shots harder for members
   - Current slope rating is 144, second in the state behind Karsten Creek's 152
   - Emphasis was not on adding length or making the greens tricky, but increasing the penalty for missing greens.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()