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Paul Richards

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Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« on: February 04, 2004, 08:11:55 PM »
renovation update - from Elite Magazine, February 2004



Driving Ahead - Southland's seasoned country clubs navigate a new century


by Greg Houghton



BEVERLY

Opened in 1908, Beverly Country Club is a cultural icon of Chicago's South Side.  The club's golf course has witnessed great moments in tournament play, as shown in vintage photos curated by club historian Paul Richards.  In the pictures, champions including Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus stand with trophies as they smile for the camera.

Mindful of its history, Beverly looked to the future with a recently completed program "to make a great golf course magnificent," said club general manager Tom Harrigan.

"Members came to us and said it is time for a facelift,"  he said.  "They love their golf course and they wanted to make it greater."  

The course in its current form is an exceptional Ross design.  The clubs hired Ron Prichard, a Ross devotee, to serve as architect Prichard's challenge was to lengthen the course from 6,900 yards to 7,040 yards (at par 71), while not losing the essential Ross character.

Harrigan declined to give a cost figure but the renovations were major.  All bunkers were reshaped, moved, or in some cases eliminated.  Crews expanded the greens back to their original dimensions.  Tee boxes and fairways alike got new contouring.  Also, the architect said there were too many trees, a common trait for an older course.

"Trees in the wrong places impede play.  Also, bad trees affect the growth of good, durable trees.  We decided to cut back carefully, and where we had 2,400 trees, we now have 2,200," Harrigan said.

The club manager said the renovated course will help retain members and bring in new ones.

"Retention is not a big concern, and outside interest is building now that we have completed the work," he said, adding that Beverly currently has a waiting list of 30 to become new members.  "And I expect more to come when we reopen in the spring."

Harrigan said he hopes the golf course will receive fresh attention in national rankings.  "I think we deserve to be ranked among the top 50 courses in the country," he said, "Aronimink (a Ross course in Pennsylvania) is rated 52 and I like our course better than theirs."

He added the club is trying to secure a "national amateur event" for Beverly's 100th year, 2008.



« Last Edit: February 04, 2004, 09:47:01 PM by Paul Richards »
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"Something has to change, otherwise the never-ending arms race that benefits only a few manufacturers will continue to lead to longer courses, narrower fairways, smaller greens, more rough, more expensive rounds, and other mechanisms that will leave golf's future in doubt." -  TFOG

A_Clay_Man

Re:Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2004, 09:14:17 PM »
Paul- I sure hope it's a typo or somebody caught the biggest word in the article that is missing.

Quote
"Trees in the wrong places impede play.  Also, had trees affect the growth of good, durable trees.

Isn't it turf ?
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Paul Richards

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Re:Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2004, 09:46:31 PM »
Adam:

Actually, it was BAD, not HAD.

Thanks for catching it.  I will correct it!
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"Something has to change, otherwise the never-ending arms race that benefits only a few manufacturers will continue to lead to longer courses, narrower fairways, smaller greens, more rough, more expensive rounds, and other mechanisms that will leave golf's future in doubt." -  TFOG

SPDB

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Re:Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2004, 09:59:53 PM »
what's a durable tree?

i would actually take Adam's suggestion, notwithstanding what was intended.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2004, 10:00:30 PM by SPDB »
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Mark Studer

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Re:Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2004, 10:21:08 PM »
Paul-CONGRATULATIONS to you and ALL your MEMBERSHIP. These projects cannot happen without  a TEAM of  educated  members that are proud of their club's past heritage & traditions and are able to put a MASTERPLAN in place.  Rick Holland hosted me at your fine club last June and I  was totally impressed  with Mr. Prichard's  initial bunker and tree work that had been done on #14 as an  example of what Beverly could be  AGAIN.  I look forward to seeing your club's work on the other 17 holes.   Thanks to you and your membership for realizing how great your course really was.... and is again today.      -Mark
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The First Tee:Golf Lessons/Life Lessons

A_Clay_Man

Re:Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2004, 11:08:44 PM »
And of course congratulations.

What is it they say, "there's no such thing as had press"

 ;D
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Dunlop_White

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Re:Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2004, 01:01:30 AM »
Likely, what Harrigan means when he says "bad trees were removed in favor of durable trees" is exactly what A. W. Tillinghast meant when he said that tree removal will "bring to view the best trees which long have been hidden away among unloving companions." ....

Grand oaks and other specimens will become exposed and highlighted upon the removal of unattractive trees, brush, and midget saplings in the understory.

Basically, it's an untangling of the mess which visually buffers specimen hardwoods and obstructs recovery play options.

Congratulations!
« Last Edit: February 05, 2004, 01:02:24 AM by Dunlop_White »
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Paul Richards

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Re:Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2004, 07:02:04 AM »
Dunlop:

That is exactly what Tom meant.  After the Dutch Elm disease hit Chicago, most private clubs overreacted and started planting different types of trees everywhere.  So around each oak, or elm, you invariably find a bunch of scrub trees.  This gets especially bad when the oaks and elms actually lived - now you have four junk trees surrounding and competing with your speciman tree!  Tom's point is we removed the junk so that you could see the speciman trees.

Mark:

Thanks for the kind words.  We're looking forward to your revisit.

 ;)
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"Something has to change, otherwise the never-ending arms race that benefits only a few manufacturers will continue to lead to longer courses, narrower fairways, smaller greens, more rough, more expensive rounds, and other mechanisms that will leave golf's future in doubt." -  TFOG

TEPaul

Re:Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2004, 07:12:22 AM »
The fact there are so many truly good looking specimen trees hidden by large numbers of crappy trees (generally pines!) on so many golf courses in America is the supreme irony of the tree-hugger mentality, in my opinion!
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Jeff Goldman

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Re:Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2004, 02:37:13 PM »
Just noticed that Beverly now has a good website, beverly-cc.com, with a terrific history, written (any doubt?) by Paul Richards.  Also, I've been looking near the Board of Trade in Chicago for the Elite magazine with the article in it, but no one seems to have it.

Jeff Goldman
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That was one hellacious beaver.

Paul Richards

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Re:Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2004, 08:18:48 PM »
Jeff

Elite is from the Southtown Economist.

 ;)
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"Something has to change, otherwise the never-ending arms race that benefits only a few manufacturers will continue to lead to longer courses, narrower fairways, smaller greens, more rough, more expensive rounds, and other mechanisms that will leave golf's future in doubt." -  TFOG

Paul Richards

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Re:Beverly CC renovation update - from Elite Magazine
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2004, 08:22:31 PM »
the link to Beverly's history is:

http://www.beverly-cc.com/325986.html


thanks to Beverly CC golf professional, John Varner!

 ;) :)
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"Something has to change, otherwise the never-ending arms race that benefits only a few manufacturers will continue to lead to longer courses, narrower fairways, smaller greens, more rough, more expensive rounds, and other mechanisms that will leave golf's future in doubt." -  TFOG
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