Orchard Lake's restoration complete

[Niall Hay]

Orchard Lake's restoration complete
17 June 2013

The course at Orchard Lake Country Club in Michigan has reopened following a restoration and redesign by golf architect Keith Foster.
Foster undertook the restoration at Orchard Lake, the classic design was originally done by Harry S. Colt and Charles H. Alison of Colt & Alison, and aimed to give the course a more contemporary style.

Features of the restoration include state-of-the-art bent grass greens and large, deep bunkering. The new greens have been planted with Pure Distinction bent grass, a technologically bred grass that flourishes in hot and humid weather, ideal for the Michigan summer climate, and is designed to be resistant to most diseases that affect bent grasses.

The course’s bunkers have also seen vast changes, with Foster creating large sand-faced bunkers using the modern technologies to ensure effective drainage and sand distribution. Large areas of the course have also been converted from heavy blue grass that required maintenance, to natural, eco-friendly areas that require less maintenance.

 
http://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/Article/Orchard-Lakes-restoration-complete/2784/Default.aspx

[Niall Hay]

Orchard Lake Country Club Invests in Classic Design and State of the Art Technology with Golf Course Restoration
 
Orchard Lake Country Club reopened its newly restored golf course featuring a classic design reimagined by world renowned architect Keith Foster with state of the art bent grass greens and bunker construction.
 
Bloomfield Hills, MI (PRWEB) June 13, 2013

On Saturday, June 8, 2013 Orchard Lake Country Club reopened its newly restored golf course featuring a classic design reimagined by world renowned architect Keith Foster with state of the art bent grass greens and bunker construction.
 
CLASSIC DESIGN
 
In 1926, Orchard Lake Country Club’s golf course was designed by the internationally heralded golf course architecture team of Harry S. Colt and Charles H. Alison (Colt & Alison). Colt & Alison are famous for their work on great courses including Pine Valley, Milwaukee CC and Sea Island (Seaside) in the U.S. and many others around the world. Alison, who was the lead designer of Orchard Lake CC, was known for his strategic design as well as his dramatic, large deep bunkering.
 
Over the years, many of those elements were lost. To find them again, OLCC engaged renovation specialist Keith Foster to restore the strategic elements of the course and create a modern version of Colt & Alison’s vision. Mr. Foster has worked on many outstanding courses throughout the U.S. including: Colonial CC, Southern Hills CC, Wilmington CC and many more. His work at Orchard Lake CC has created a classically designed layout that is unsurpassed in strategic design and beauty.
 
STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY
 
Within the new design at Orchard Lake lies the most up-to-date technology available. The greens have been planted with a new breed of bent grass, Pure Distinction, never before used on any golf course in the world. Pure Distinction has been bred to flourish in the hot, humid summers common in Southeastern Michigan and is also resistant to most diseases that affect bent grasses. This grass will yield consistently fast, smooth greens from early spring through late fall.
 
In addition, to create the large sand-faced bunkers that Colt & Alison envisioned, Mr. Foster used the latest in bunker construction which will insure effective sand distribution and drainage throughout the playing season.
 
Finally, large sections of the course, which were not in play, were converted from maintenance heavy blue grass to low maintenance natural areas to create a far more eco-friendly and sustainable golf course.
“With the restoration of the overall course design and the new greens, fairways, bunkers and vistas, there isn’t a finer or more enjoyable test of golf in the area. We are thrilled with the results,” stated OLCC President David Woodruff.
 
http://www.prweb.com/pdfdownload/10828578.pdf
 
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/6/prweb10828578.htm