John Fought selected to lead renovation of North Course at Carmel Country Club
Golf course architect John Fought has been selected to lead a renovation of the North Course at Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The North Course is the older of the two courses at Carmel CC and was originally designed by George Cobb. The North Course opened in the 1950s before being redesigned by Tom Jackson in the 1970s.
When looking to rework the course, the team at Carmel CC wanted to enhance the traditional and strategic character of the course.
“As we evaluated our options, it was determined that John would be the ideal architect to bring out the best in the course and its terrain,” said John Schultz, general manager at Carmel CC. “John’s classic design will be an ideal complement to the more modern style of our South Course, renovated four years ago by Rees Jones.”
Fought will rework the course’s fairways and greens – which will see the introduction of bermudagrass – as well as rebuilding the bunkering.
“This course has so much potential with its great topography, elevation change, and beautiful trees,” Fought said. “When completed, it will be made to look like a Donald Ross layout, giving it nearly a brand-new classic feel. There will be subtle contours to the greens, many different types of tee shots, and improved shot values for the modern game. Plus, with the new grass bunker faces, the design of the golf holes will be aesthetically spectacular.”
Part of the project will also focus on improving the club’s existing facilities, and as many as five of the North Course’s holes will be rerouted to accommodate for the expansion of the club’s practice area.
Fought added: “Players will have to think their way around it, and we’re also building in a risk-reward element that’s missing now. When it’s completed, Carmel CC will have two great golf courses that will get noticed well beyond the Charlotte area.”
Construction work is being handled by Medalist Golf and will be supervised by Brannon Goodrich, Carmel CC’s director of Greens.
Work is scheduled to get underway in early November.
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A rendered version of the seventeenth hole at Carmel CC’s North Course
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How the sixth hole on the North Course is set to look after renovations
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