84 Horse course Kevin Hargrave has created a short track at a Kentucky horse farm It’s not every day a golf course architect is asked to visit a thoroughbred horse farm, so when a call came into his office in April 2021 with exactly that request, Kevin Hargrave’s interest was immediately piqued. Kentucky racehorse owner and breeder Terry Green wanted to introduce a small golf facility at Jackpot Farm, and invited Hargrave to take a look around. Green had originally thought about putting a practice area on a relatively f lat piece of land at the farm, but after exploring the site Hargrave felt there was potential for something special, particularly if he could use some of the land that extended further northeast, on more interesting ground. “Terry liked the idea, so I put together a routing,” says Hargrave. “He loved the layout and f lew in a few days later to walk it with me.” Hargrave’s routing comprises three synthetic grass greens, each with two pins, and multiple teeing locations to allow for a nine-hole round of 1,139 yards. Holes one and nine play to the southernmost green, which is protected by two bunkers. The central green is set on the highest point of the property and is played to four times, for holes two, five, seven and eight. “This green is definitely the most difficult for it is the narrowest of the three and has the most movement on the putting surface,” says Hargrave. The northernmost green is used for holes three, four and six. “This green sits beautifully into the back northeast corner of the farm,” says Hargrave. “Minimal shaping was done because everything was already there. All three visits to this green require a shot over a natural creek, but from different angles and varying lengths.” Bespoke tee markers and f lagsticks have been created to emphasise the land’s connection to horse racing. “We also took one of the small jockey statues that Terry has throughout the farm, which are painted with the farm’s racing attire, and replaced the lantern and bracket with a golf club, so it looks like the jockey is leaning against it,” says Hargrave. “This will be placed by the first tee, to start the round.” As a final touch, lighting was added so the course can be played at night. Green debuted the course to friends and family during the week of the 2022 Kentucky Derby. GCA Images: Kevin Hargrave HOL ING OUT
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