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Golf course lays out ambitious plan

Apr 19, 2017 | 12:00 PM

The North Battleford Golf and Country Club (NBGCC) is dreaming big, as the long-term plan for the course isn’t just about renovations but, in some cases completely redesigning holes.

The NBGCC held a meeting last night at the club to present its future plans to members. The course is 50-years-old and according to Guy Browning, a golf course architect, it looks its age.

Browning was brought in to help with the revitalization plan for the course. Even though he said there are concerns with wear of tee boxes and drainage, apparently the course has stood up to the test of time extremely well.

“There is tremendous potential here,” Browning said. “The infrastructure is here, the bones are here. It is one of the most beautiful parkland courses I have ever seen. It is 50-years-old though and 50-year-old golf courses need some work and some upgrading. Not just because of wear and tear but, because of how the game has changed.”

According to Browning, the game is a different sport now than it was 50 years ago. The majority of courses are now appealing to the recreational player, as opposed to the competitive golfer.

One of the first changes Browning would like to make are forward tees on each hole. According to Browning, that is something the majority of golf courses in North America have already done to appease beginner golfers. The forward tees would be placed roughly a quarter to half way closer to the green.

Another major issue Browning wanted to address were the drainage problems. This is where his ideas took a pretty extreme turn. Anyone who has played the course early in the year knows Hole Four’s fairway is almost unplayable due to how wet it stays. The middle of the fairway is usually taped off for the first month and the course asks golfers to move balls to the outskirts if shot into the taped off area. Browning’s plan is to completely change the hole.

“I always say there are three main problems with every course; drainage, drainage and drainage,” Browning said. “Doesn’t matter how new or old a course is; drainage is always the major issue.”

Right now the hole plays northwest. There is some land not being used to the west of the hole and Browning would like to utilize that land to make the hole play pretty much straight north. According to Browning, this would help solve the drainage issue because the new hole would be located on higher ground. It would also provide more room for driving range expansion, as the range is located right beside the fourth hole.

Browning claims if the course made the change to the fourth hole, it would be one of the nicest holes on the course.

“It would become a jewel of a short par four,” Browning said. “All the best courses have one. Instead of playing 400 yards, it would play about 315 but, it isn’t about the distance of the hole. It is about the challenge and how the hole plays.”

Another idea the architect had was to create a new, much bigger pond to help take all the drainage. The new pond would feed into the old one and also create a water hazard around “amen corner” comprised of Holes 16, 17 and 18.  

There were a couple of other holes where Browning suggested a complete do over but, for the most part the only change he wants is to bunkers. He said the current bunkers play a little flat and don’t factor into a golfers mind off the tee. Browning wants to raise them up a bit so they are very visible and play with a golfers mind a lot more. 

“I want the bunkers to speak to you,” Browning said. “I want golfers to be forced to play some real golf. I want those bunkers to be in their face when they tee off. If a player can really hit the ball and wants to shortcut a dog leg; I want them to have to hit a perfect shot or end up in some trouble.”

A continuous cart path and clubhouse expansions were also touched on at the meeting. Browning admitted he isn’t a fan of cart paths.

“Cart paths are the bane of every course designer’s existence,” Browning said. “They are ugly and tough to design but, they are also a necessary evil.”

Browning, along with NBGCC board president Chad Gartner, stressed these changes will not be coming overnight. This was just a presentation of a long-term plan. Browning said most courses do little changes each year depending on what the course can afford. Sometimes the changes can take decades. 

Browning has revitalized and designed roughly 30 courses, so he is pretty seasoned when it comes to this kind of work. He compared the change the NBGCC is looking at to Canyon Meadows in Calgary. He admitted it wouldn’t be the same funding situation because Canyon is a private course and decided to shut down for a year to complete the renovations as quickly as possible.

Revenue, fundraising and funding through the city and the town are the three main ways Gartner is hoping to raise money for the renovations in the future.

 

Greg.Higgins@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @realgreghiggins