Restoration Timeline: Philly Cricket's Wissahickon course (Tillinghast / Foster)

[Powell Arms]

A process that started in 2007, and gained momentum from Gib Carpenter's "In My Opinion" piece in 2007 HERE
is now under construction under the guidance of Keith Foster.

It will be a fun few months of construction, and then grow in over the fall and spring for a reopening in May 2014.

Reconstructed and restored bunkers, reclaimed and regrassed greens, regrassed fairways and modern irrigation.

Exciting times!!!

[Mark McKeever]

We want more pictures Powell!!

Mark

[Tim Martin]

Powell- Now that Wissahickon is temporarily out of the rota how do you split your plays between Militia Hill and St. Martins?

[Rory Connaughton]

I can't wait to see the results of this work.  I suspect that it will be fantastic.

[Ben Voelker]

Powell,

Thanks for the update.  I can't wait to see some photos of the finished product.

[Mark McKeever]

The bulk of the construction we were told will be in a 3 month window.  Then we need to just sit and watch....

Mark

[Dan Herrmann]

Congratulations!

[Powell Arms]

Powell- Now that Wissahickon is temporarily out of the rota how do you split your plays between Militia Hill and St. Martins?

Tim,

I suspect there will be a lot of weekday afternoon/evening rounds at the 9 hole St Martins course (1898, Tucker) and weekend morning rounds at the Militia Hill course (2002, Hurdzan / Fry).

Other clubs in the greater Philly area have been extremely supportive, and we have reciprocal tee times with over 65 courses.

[ward peyronnin]

Powell

What role will the Super play. Is Dan Meersman still there?

[Powell Arms]

Powell

What role will the Super play. Is Dan Meersman still there?

Dan is still here, and will play a huge role, working 7 days a week to oversee and direct the contractor.  I played a round with Dan Sunday night before the course closed, and he was giddy that work was starting.  The photo above is one he tweeted this morning.  The photo below is as the final group approached 18 on Sunday before the backhoes moved in.

[ward peyronnin]

Wish him luck for me. I don't tweet but i wish I could keep in the loop

[Powell Arms]

Wish him luck for me. I don't tweet but i wish I could keep in the loop

will do

[John Mayhugh]

Hope you can make it out and share photos as things progress.

Look forward to seeing the finished product.

[Powell Arms]

Hope you can make it out and share photos as things progress.

Look forward to seeing the finished product.

John, our head pro, Jim Smith, is leading "restoration site tours" most Saturday mornings.  I will be out on a few of them.  Anyone interested in coming along, just drop me a note.

[Tom_Doak]

Powell:

Just curious, what is the price tag for all of that work?

[Jim Sherma]

I had the pleasure of playing the course with Powell recently and had a wonderful day out. The course was extremely enjoyable and I am sure the renovation will only improve an already great place. Powell, could you please discuss the decision around which iteration of the course to benchmark the restoration to. I believe you mentioned the original Tillie and post Flynn work as two of the options when we played. Thanks.

[Niall Hay]

Congrats! Keith Foster does really great work.

Having seen what he did at Orchard Lake you guys should be very excited.

[Powell Arms]

Here is a time lapse video showing the work done to the 5th green. The duration is 1 day!

5thGreenTimeLapse

Overall, the work will be completed over the next 14 weeks - and then the membership gets to sit and watch it grow in through the fall and spring growing seasons.

The contractor is Medalist. They recently completed a project a Charlotte Country Club.

I will get to the other questions shortly.

[Powell Arms]

Three days of construction and the fifth green is stripped and ready for lasering. 

[Powell Arms]

Tom, I know the club wouldn't want the cost posted, but I will describe the scope of work:

Kill and seed fairways with bent
Rebuild and sod greens with A1/A4 bent (have never been rebuilt since opening in 1922)
Install drainage and rebuild bunkers (these are also original construction)
Restore bunkers that have been lost over time
Reconstruct and sod tee boxes
New irrigation system (the current system is ca. 1960)

Much of the work is deferred maintenance - deferred over 90 years.

There was significant tree removal work done in the winter of 09 and 10. The majority if that work was done in house, except for the big stuff which required experts. That work was done under the guidance of Keith Foster's master plan.

[Powell Arms]

I had the pleasure of playing the course with Powell recently and had a wonderful day out. The course was extremely enjoyable and I am sure the renovation will only improve an already great place. Powell, could you please discuss the decision around which iteration of the course to benchmark the restoration to. I believe you mentioned the original Tillie and post Flynn work as two of the options when we played. Thanks.

Jim, good question. The course opened in 1922, and in 1928 Flynn was brought in to do some work. It was originally characterized as a turf project, but grew to include some bunker work. Most of that work was on the front 9, adding bunkers on the right of both 6 and 9. Overall, Flynn supervised the addition of three new tees (6,8,11) ; eight new fairway bunkers and three enlarged fairway bunkers, and raising of the 10th tee.

The decision was made to restore the course in accordance to the Tillinghast plans and design intent, but keeping some of the bunkers added by Flynn. The basis for his decision is that the course is predominantly Tillinghast, with some enhancements delivered by Flynn. Picking a specific architectural theme allows for clarity in research of what to restore and deliver, and clarity for what the finished product will be.

[Powell Arms]

Removing decades of sand buildup from the front of 4 green to improve visibility on the approach to this par 5.

[Charlie Gallagher]

   This is such a cool property. I was fortunate to play it on the 8th of June with two members. I can't wait to see the restoration of Hell's half acre on 4 and the quarter acre bunkering on 14. It will also be neat to experience the new tee and green reconstruction on 15, the redan. I'm trying to imagine the existing 7th as a long par 4. It's a stout test now, I'm certain it will be even better next year after it reopens.

Congratulations to the members for having the vision and patience for the transformation.

[Powell Arms]

   This is such a cool property. I was fortunate to play it on the 8th of June with two members. I can't wait to see the restoration of Hell's half acre on 4 and the quarter acre bunkering on 14. It will also be neat to experience the new tee and green reconstruction on 15, the redan. I'm trying to imagine the existing 7th as a long par 4. It's a stout test now, I'm certain it will be even better next year after it reopens.

Congratulations to the members for having the vision and patience for the transformation.

We will likely return the course to the original routing. 1-2-3-7-8-9-4-5-6. Tough opening seven!

That was the routing for the first 30 years or so. The reason for the change is lost to history.

[Tom_Doak]

Tom, I know the club wouldn't want the cost posted, but I will describe the scope of work:

Gas and seed fairways
Rebuild and sod greens (have never been rebuilt since opening in 1922)
Install drainage and rebuild bunkers (these are also original construction)
Restore bunkers that have been lost over time
Reconstruct and sod tee boxes
New irrigation system (the current system is ca. 1960)

Much of the work is deferred maintenance - deferred over 90 years.

There was significant tree removal work done in the winter of 09 and 10. The majority if that work was done in house, except for the big stuff which required experts. That work was done under the guidance of Keith Foster's master plan.

Jim:

It's too bad that the club does not want the cost of the work posted.  There is no way for other clubs to figure out whether such work is affordable and practical, when you post all the info about a big renovation online EXCEPT what it costs to do it.