The work is finished. The course (Gold Course) is now in overseeding. The Blue Course will open this coming week. November will be a great time as both courses will be ready. There may be a few of the new greens which putt slightly slower. This is because much of the sod specially grown for new greens was underwater in Indio, California after a flood (August) and could not be used. The replacement sod was not managed for greens but we had no choice.
Summary of Gold:
Bunkers restored to RTJ's 1963 shapes and depths. A few added and a few shifted, but almost all he left there were carefully re-built under direction of Patrick Burton, one of my associates. All tees were re-built as nearly all were crowned. The No. 17 green was shifted to the edge of the pond. No. 18 is a newly created dog-leg left (420-yard, par-4) which plays across a diagonal canal and then to an approach to a green set dangerously along the same canal at the left. The Gold now plays to 7,400-yards (tips) and will be marketed as Arizona's Monster. I am not sure it will live up to the name, but it is plenty of golf course. We added some green areas to a few holes and, at every turn, tried to embrace RTJ's philosophies on heroics and shot-making.
Summary of Blue:
The Blue became a means to add a major parctice venue, something the Wigwam was lacking. The range is now 300+ yards and features a teaching school at the opposite end from resort and member use. There are carefully planned target greens and bunkers. Two chipping greens flank the area, both with practice bunkers. A large area called "The Village Green" is a series of putting greens with walkways, bars and fire pits. This area is for groups, nightime strolls and special events...and, of course, practice. The Blue was altered to allow for the practice and "Village Green" area, but again, we kept the RTJ spirts in all we created. Nos. 14 is a short par-4 to a large green; No. 15 is a 140-yard shot to an island green in a new lake; No. 16 is a par-4 to a well guarded green amongst some mature trees planted even before Jones work; No. 17 is a par-3 across a lake (it resembles, in plan form, No. 16 at Augusta, but a mirror image); and No. 18 is a long par-4 to the old green site of No. 18 Gold. Confused? It makes sense if you will recall the old routing and course.
In total we removed 450 trees. Both irrigation systems were replaced. the Gold entirely and the Blue about 50%. (Rest of Blue will occur next year.)
The Wigwam, for those who are unfamiliar, is a parkland course that was once a charming RTJ (Sr.) product. Over the years it lost lustre and it became an orphan of sorts. As Phoenix and Scottsdale became obsessed with target and desert course, the Wigwam lost favor. Greens were not managed well and the bentgrass that once graced the site was lost forever.
We decided to keep the parkland feel. Although we removed about 20 acres of turf (and plan on a bit more next year), the course has a stately feel. The 1960s and 1970s charm is back. Long tees aircraft carriers...large greens (Gold Course)...and RTJ bunkers with high flashes (throughout).