87 “Jason and Dana’s work has made the practice facilities much more user friendly,” says Darryl Bartlett, senior project manager at NMP. “He has removed the blind shots on the range and ensured golfers can practice proper distance control. We have also enhanced the aesthetic of the range and short-game area with improved landscaping and views.” The second phase consists of holes two to seventeen, which includes some rerouting of the layout. “The routing has been resequenced to provide shorter transitions between holes,” says Straka. “The original back nine now encompasses much of the front nine. The ninth hole will finish at a new comfort station that will double as a community comfort station too. “Holes were also shifted to create room to ‘go vertical’ in many areas, giving golfers both uphill and downhill shots rarely seen in this area of Florida. This also allows for elements such as more dramatic looking bunkering, kickplates, false edges and long-distance views.” These views have been enabled by relocating many trees and removing old landscaping. The course now has new native landscaping, including many new littoral shelves. “The goal was to use as much landscaping as possible to minimise water use and the long-term maintenance cost of reduced turfed areas,” says Bartlett. Water is a big part of the project on the North course, but Bartlett is confident of the task at hand. “Lake excavation can be difficult, but if well thought out, the challenges are minimised,” he says. “The discharge point for pumping water is a critical first step. Several of the lakes relate to levelling pipes, and these pipes will need to be plugged so no pumped water is recirculated back into the lakes we are excavating. We’ll then create a low point in the lake about two to three feet below the lake’s bottom to help lower surrounding water levels under excavation elevation. Ultimately, we want to remove the material as dry as possible so it can be used in shaping of features.” The results of the lake and landscaping work is already promising. “The amount of elevation change this place now has, and the cosy feel of the landscaped berms, makes for a very private feel, vastly different from the former layout,” says Bartlett. “And as a long-time shaper, I can already tell people that this golf course is going to be hot!” Landscaping work has created more elevation change, setting the stage for a revamped playing experience Photo: NMP Golf Construction
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