Hudson National Golf Club in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, has reopened following a Fazio Design renovation.
The project was led by architects Tom Marzolf, Rick Phelps and Jeff Lawrence. Part of their brief was to complete changes with an eye on modern hitting distances. LaBar Golf Renovations was the contractor executing the work.
The brief has seen the architects reevaluate bunkers, with many fairway bunkers relocated to around the 315 to 340-yard mark, challenging the big hitters’ tee shots. More than 75 bunkers have been rebuilt, with them all now featuring Bunker Solution liner.
Some of the changes include the expansion of the bunker on the left side of the fairway at the par-four fifth to create more of a challenge for players’ tee shots; the addition of a new sightline bunker at the short par-four seventh that narrows the landing area; and at the eighteenth, the landing area is now protected by a new left-side bunker.
The project has also included rebuilding all greens, which have been regrassed with 007XL bentgrass. Some greens have been relocated, several have been redesigned and a few were reshaped to create new hole locations. Another change around greens has been the addition of low-mow areas.
One of the changes on greens has been the first hole, with the front of the putting surface now eight yards further back and the rear of the green extended to allow for new hole locations behind the front-left bunker. Also, beyond the green, a new low-mow collection area has been added.
One hole that plays quite differently from before is the par-five fourteenth with the architects connecting two sections of the fairway together to tempt the big hitters to try driving beyond the expanded fairway bunker for a chance of going for the green in two. The large water hazard on the right is now more in play, aided by some new layup bunkers left and centre, and a berm about 90 yards out, hides the surface of the new, long and narrow green.
The fourteenth’s green was moved around 20 yards back and right to wrap more around the water and is protected by new bunkers and low-mow turf. A new tier has also been added to the middle of the green.
Other work at Hudson National has included tees, with new back tees added at holes six, ten, twelve and fifteen, updating fairways to a newer variety of bentgrass and rough to a new fescue, and the installation of a new irrigation system.
“We were excited to work with team Fazio and to recognise their enhanced vision for the golf course, making a great golf course even greater,” said Phil Moyles, Hudson National’s club president.