Golf Course Architecture - Issue 64, April 2021

29 Mackenzie & Ebert has recently completed the second phase of renovations of the links at Hillside Golf Club in Southport, England. The latest work has focused on the fourth, fifth and eighth holes with other changes being made on the second, third and sixth. A master plan for golf course renovations was developed in 2018 following a Historic Research Report. The first phase was completed in winter 2019/20, which involved dune construction between the first and ninth holes and along the entire right side of the eighteenth. This phase also included adjustments to fairway bunkers on the first and eighteenth holes, the doubling in size of the practice tee, the reconfiguration of the second tees and the introduction of a new grass path system. “The second phase has continued the theme of developing dunes between holes to give the front nine more drama, a feature that is so memorable on the back nine,” said Mike Howard, design associate at Mackenzie & Ebert. “The fourth has seen the entire area, apart from the green, reshaped. The tees have been reconfigured with a shorter tee introduced on a friendlier angle and the back tee extended slightly stretching the hole to 203 yards. Dunes have been added right and left with pockets of open sand within them. The green surrounds have been completely reshaped with the left- hand bunkers removed and converted to a tightly mown runoff, another theme that is common across both phases of work with well shaped green surrounds being produced where possible.” Also part of the second phase has been the removal of two left-hand bunkers on the eighth hole, with new ones added to the right that are set into new dunes. The fairway short of the bunkers has been widened to give golfers more options from the tee, however, it narrows between the second bunker and the large dune to the left to challenge longer hitters. The club hopes to open the holes and reshaped areas later this month. Mackenzie & Ebert renovates six more holes at Hillside A dune ridge has been built along the entire right side of the eighteenth Photo: Beyond Drones