45 Heritage Links began construction work in October 2021. Seeding of the final four greens was completed in June 2022, with the club on track to reopen in mid-October. In total, the project has included the rebuild of all eighteen greens, rebunkering, the restoration and expansion of tees, the creation of a 36,000-square-foot Himalayas-style putting course, new short-game practice areas, a turf research nursery, relocating the practice facility and installing a two-wire irrigation system with HDPE piping. “This job was a total blow up,” said Wagner. “The club wanted a restoration, and we did have great photography from the 1930s. At the first, fourth, fifth, tenth and thirteenth, for example, we were able to put the holes back as MacKenzie created them. “But we couldn’t do that everywhere. Lake Merced’s property had undergone too much radical change through the years.” In addition to the restorative aspects of the project, Hanse and Wagner have substantially rerouted the course. “This is one of the reasons why people hire Gil and Jim: nothing is ever cookie-cutter with them,” said Oscar Rodriguez, vice president of Heritage Links. “They exhibit so much creativity in the field. “We love working with Gil and Jim… we essentially take their vision and build it. We make it functional, from a sustainability standpoint, with the understanding that a superintendent will have to grow grass there and maintain it. The new practice range was moved to the north end of the property so members would always have a place to practice when we’re tearing up and growing in their golf course.” Rodriguez reports that around 75,000 cubic yards of earth were moved at Lake Merced, with the total inf lated by the creation of two new holes – the parfour tenth and par-three sixteenth. “The sixteenth was an attempt to achieve that MacKenzie vibe,” said Wagner. “It plays over the beginning of a barranca, to a green on this little ridge that sits across the expanse. Very much like you would see at Pasatiempo. At the same time, that green is set right beside the green at thirteen, which is a hole we restored using great old photos that really showed everything, the unique green setting is tucked into that hillside. So, that was daunting, to create a new green in the MacKenzie style that sits beside a restored original.” Photo: Lake Merced Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner restored the par-three thirteenth to Alister MacKenzie’s original design
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