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Ed Oden

  • Karma: +0/-0
After the Restoration
« on: January 05, 2008, 08:07:16 PM »
My apologies in advance if this has been addressed in prior threads.  My club has a Ross course that is currently being restored by Kris Spence.  It occurs to me that when Kris is done it is then up to the club and its membership to make the most of what he provides us.  So I'd be interested in hearing from those in the business and others that may have been through this process about things to do/avoid once the restored course is "turned over".  How have clubs screwed up once the architect leaves?  What can we do to fulfill the potential of our restored course?    

JSPayne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:After the Restoration
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2008, 08:17:58 PM »
Always remember to do what most historians are trying so hard to find right now, document, document, document. Take pictures, make notes, save designs. As you move forward in the future, if you truly want to hold on to what you are now getting, always keep the proof of the end product close at hand. And remain in close ties with your architect. As questions come up about changes in design and "keeping with the times" he will be the expert opinion from which you need to draw and it was his vision (or interpretation of an eariler ODG vision) that restored the course to it's original charm.

I know at Meadow Club, when I was there, I took tons of pictures, as did the assistant. One unique thing we did after enlarging all the greens back to their original sizes was to go around and measure the distance from the green edge to as permanent a landmark as you can find (we used the greenside sprinklers as there is really no reason to ever move those) in order to make sure you retain the size of the restored green over time. You'd be amazed how much simple daily greens mowing can change the shape and size of your greens.
"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing it's best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." -E.E. Cummings

J_ Crisham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:After the Restoration
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2008, 08:37:02 PM »
Ed, I also belong to a Ross club in Chicago that had an extensive renovation performed by Ron Pritchard. I believe that preservation of the finished project is a must. Unfortunately the temptation to replant trees, soften the depth of bunkers etc is the fear I would have of future greens commitees. Beverly at one time was a claustrophobic club that had some poor greens as a result of shade and poor air movement. Some 600 trees were removed and its still very wooded but  the greens are now as good as I remember. Best of luck!

Ed Oden

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:After the Restoration
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2008, 08:39:26 PM »
Thanks!  Restoring green size is one of the main reasons we did the restoration.  It is unbelievable how small they had become over time due to mowing/neglect.

Ed

Ed Oden

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:After the Restoration
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2008, 08:57:07 PM »
Jack, the tree removal at our club (by the way, it is Carolina GC in Charlotte) has been dramatic.  Although there has been some grumbling at the scope of tree removal, I think for the most part the membership has embraced the concept.  One question:  Previously, individual holes were largely defined by trees.  Now those trees are gone and the course is primarily open.  Does this place a premium on conditioning in order to create definition for the holes?  Thanks!

Ed

J_ Crisham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:After the Restoration
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2008, 09:12:21 PM »
ED, I suspect it does create a bit of a premium on the conditioning but my guess is that the mowing becomes easier as there are less trees to have to negotiate while in the rough. I have heard good things about your clubs project-hopefully it will be all that you expected.  

Bill Brightly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:After the Restoration
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2008, 10:12:46 PM »
Ed,

Do your club's by-laws prevent future Greens Committees and/or Boards from making changes to the course?

Ours requires plans drawn by our architect and approved by vote of the entire membership.


John Moore II

Re:After the Restoration
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2008, 10:20:55 PM »
I would suspect that the removal of the trees would at least require better definition from fairway to rough, but not markedly better conditioning I would not think. As for the tree removal, that can only be a good thing as it will get the course back to what it originally was. I know at Southern Pines, there have been 3 tree removals recently, 2 done by the club and one done by nature with a storm, but that course plays entirely differently than it did before. The tree removal will only benefit the club in the long run

Mike McGuire

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:After the Restoration
« Reply #8 on: January 05, 2008, 10:54:13 PM »
Ed,

Do your club's by-laws prevent future Greens Committees and/or Boards from making changes to the course?

Ours requires plans drawn by our architect and approved by vote of the entire membership.



Bill-

How do you define changes to the course?



Dean Paolucci

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:After the Restoration
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2008, 12:05:06 AM »
A few things:

Vote the Master Plan as a permanent document into the Clubs charter.

Budget for return visits by your GCA annually for status updates.

Get a GPS of all restored features and an aerial of the after restoration.

Have the architect discuss maintenance practices with the Superintendent before you sign off on the project.

Increase the Green Budget to account for added maintenance of restored features.

Be sure to set aside Cap Ex monies for additional equipment requirements as needed

Above all be patient!
"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."  --  Mark Twain