Construction/Grow-in Pics Patagonia

[MClutterbuck]

I have seen a few posts lately encouraging people to post contruction and grow/in pictures including one from Colorado. I enjoy pictures like this a lot.

I had been hesitant to post of our course in construction because I do not want any post to be perceived as marketing. This will be a private course for homeowners with some limited play available for out of town folks, but generating revenue out of green fees is not an objective and I would bet there is not a single potential homesite buyer on GCA.

This is a Greg Norman Signature course in the Patagonian Andes, designed to be playable for golfers of all abilities. Fescue tees, fairways and roughs, bent greens. Real natives in native areas. We hope to play it fast and dry. Limited amount of bunkers, tightly mown green surrounds with plenty of movement. Bump and run chips will be encouraged. Very wide fairways with multiple strategic options within each hole. We envision out of bounds only on holes #2 and #4 as they straddle a property line. While there are houses on some holes (and only on the higher side of the fairway) these are so far away we envision no out of bounds.

While in the mountains and not sand based soil, Norman has tried to incorporate as many links features as possible. Unfortunately carts will be needed for most people. An interesting plus to the project is that 100% of irrigation is by gravity, not a single pump involved.

I am including an aerial picture of the site and will follow-up with pictures of the first 9-holes which are already seeded and growing-in if there is any interest.

[Tom_Doak]

Marcos:

That looks even steeper than I visualized.  How much elevation change is there from the highest hole to the lowest?  Is that the practice range / nursery down at the bottom, or a polo field or something else?

[Thomas Dai]

Very much a "wow" looking backdrop. Were you in a 'plane or heli or on another mountain when you took the photo?

Will the course be open all year or is there a weather related playing season?

atb

[MClutterbuck]

Marcos:

That looks even steeper than I visualized.  How much elevation change is there from the highest hole to the lowest?  Is that the practice range / nursery down at the bottom, or a polo field or something else?

Sorry, I have reposted the picture at a reasonable size now. Tom, the lowest part of the course (#7 green) sits at 980 meters over see level. The highest (#11 tees) at 1150 meters. There are 95 vertical meters between #9 green and #10 tee which will require a cart shuttle for those that walk.

You are seeing 2 polo fields at the bottom. Or as our shaper said, 2 gigantic tees. Polo has been played in the area for 100 years. 

[MClutterbuck]

Very much a "wow" looking backdrop. Were you in a 'plane or heli or on another mountain when you took the photo?

Will the course be open all year or is there a weather related playing season?

atb

I believe it was taken from a helicopter, by a renowned nature photographer and he sent it to us. The course will not close seasonally, but from June through September you might get a 3-4 instances per year with 4-7 days with some snow cover and then a few days to let it dry out. The upside is you can ski those days in the nearby ski resort.

[Randy Thompson]

By all means follow up with more pictures. I hope sales continue to go well.

[Bart Bradley]

Show us more

[MClutterbuck]

I am going to post in order of construction. The front 9 required 80% of the earthworks of the total project as they had more side slope. The back 9 are on a plateu and have minimal earthworks other than topsoil collection and screening.

Hole 8, Par 5, 541 yards, uphill

Shaping done, prior to top soil replacement


Top soil replacement and volcanic sand greens mix


March 2014

[Tom Kelly]

Wow, I'm seriously jealous of anybody who gets to work in a place like that! Where in Patagonia is the site?

I've only been as far south as Bariloche as by the time I got down there the weather was closing in for winter and with limited time and money I decided to head across the border to Pucon and then back north. The area though is one of the most amazing places I've ever been and I'm determined to make it back down there at some point so I can get down to Torres Del Paine and maybe onto Ushuaia.

I'm looking forward to more photos!

[MClutterbuck]

The site is approximately 120 miles north of Bariloche next to the town of San Martin de los Andes, a well known fly-fishing and ski resort. It is a much smaller and more upscale town than Bariloche. It is fairly close to Pucon. More pics to come. Thanks.

[MClutterbuck]

Hole #7,Par 4, 340 yards

A short par 4 with 4 options off the tee: (a) safe iron short of the cross bunker to the right of the fairway leaving a longer mid iron to the green with a relatively good angle, (b) longer safe iron to the left of the fairway leaving a tougher angle to the green over the deep bunkers (c) drive over the cross bunker that might bounce left short of the green, or (d) aim for the green with bunkers short and left, and a steep dropoff if long.

[Carl Nichols]

Marcos-
If you're free to share, who are your target golfers? 

[Steve Okula]

That looks like a fantastic golf course on an outstanding site.

Is the climate as dry as it looks from the photos?

[MClutterbuck]

Marcos-
If you're free to share, who are your target golfers? 

Carl,

This is a private course for members and you have to be a property owner to be a member. There will be some outside play for tourists, but it is certainly not a focus for the club to have high usage, nor many repeat guests. San Martin is a tourist town and sees a lot of travel from Europe and the US, especially fishermen, skiers, outdoors adventure and hunters. There is also a very good Nicklaus golf course across the street.

Currently we have members from the United States, Europe, some Latin American countries, as well as Buenos Aires residents and local residents.

The design is intended to be friendly for the member. We asked Greg Norman for a course that the average member on vacation here would want to play 30 days in a row, and possibly not loose any balls, while still making it a good challenge for the better players. Wind will be a factor.

[MClutterbuck]

That looks like a fantastic golf course on an outstanding site.

Is the climate as dry as it looks from the photos?

Steve,

Thanks. In Patagonia, all weather comes from the Pacific, with strong winds and dumps a ton of rain on the mountains and then crosses into the dessert really dry. It rains as much as 150 inches per year in the mountains and 12 inches in the desert. 98% of Patagonia is dry and barren.

The property sits right on the transition between the humid mountains and the dry dessert. It encompasses 2500 acres, and it is often raining in the west side of the property and sunny on the east side. We get 30 to 35 inches of rain per year, and mostly May through September (late Fall and Winter), the low season.

The course will be very dry and very fast through late Spring to early Fall and we intend to limit water usage. We explain to all property buyers that they should not expect this shade of green they see during grow-in and for the fescue fairways to blend in more with the native grasses.

[MClutterbuck]

Hole #4, Par 4, 466 yards

From Pro tees


From Forward tees


From Ladies tees


View of green and approach area


From the green back


From side of green showing closely mown mounds and natural sloping fairway


Approach and green area from further above the property


View from above

[MClutterbuck]

Update pictures of hole 7, par4, 340 yards after its first winter and now open for play. Still playing a bit "greener" than intended, now coming out of the more humid Spring and into the dry Summer months.

[Paul Gray]

Not that it looks narrow but it does still appear there are places where some removal is still needed. Will that be done?

[MClutterbuck]

Paul, maybe selectively in some areas, but nothing major is planned. This hole has between 80 and 90 yards of width between trees. I dont think they are in play at all. M

[James Bennett]

Looks like Meadow Club in another hemisphere.  With less rain and more sunshine.

James B

[Dave McCollum]

My sons and I drove from Puerto Montt, Chile to Bariloche about 10 years ago and must have been within 50 miles of this site at some point in the trip.  Correct?  Very beautiful country.   

[JWL]

Marcus,
I have a course in my mind for your neighborhood.      Can't wait!
Merry Christmas, my friend.

[Randy Thompson]

Looking great! Hopefully will be there in Feb and if your available, love to tour it with you!

[Ronald Montesano]

The site is approximately 120 miles north of Bariloche next to the town of San Martin de los Andes, a well known fly-fishing and ski resort. It is a much smaller and more upscale town than Bariloche. It is fairly close to Pucon. More pics to come. Thanks.

Watch the movie "Motorcycle Diaries" and you'll get some footage of this area in the first 30 minutes.

[Paul Gray]

Paul, maybe selectively in some areas, but nothing major is planned. This hole has between 80 and 90 yards of width between trees. I dont think they are in play at all. M

I was actually thinking of those pictures of the 8th. Again, it's not that it looks narrow but I have visions of a player carving one out right and, despiter remaining on the short stuff, having to flick a wedge back in to play due to the pines.