Winter work at Falkenstein focuses on greenside bunkering
A new phase of renovation work is under way at Hamburger Golf Club in Germany, under the direction of Frank Pont and Hendrik Hilgert of Infinite Variety Golf Design.
The firm is implementing a long-term plan it created for the Falkenstein course, which was originally laid out by Colt, Alison & Morrison in 1928. Restoration work began in 2016, initially focused on altering mowing lines to return greens to their original size and shapes and reintroducing closely mown areas around greens, before moving onto bunkering.
This winter will see work on seven more bunkers, after which almost all of the club’s greenside hazards will have been renovated and restored to their original shapes and depths.
On the short par-four thirteenth, the prominent heather-lipped fairway bunker is also being restored. As part of their research for its restoration, the designers have referenced footage from a Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf match in 1965, as well as historic photography.
Mark Turner is doing all bunker shaping work and the Blinder bunker liner is being installed by Profusion Environmental.
Hilgert said Infinite Variety’s “dedication to rigorous and detailed research allied with a profound knowledge of the architects of the early twentieth century delivers courses which are more fun to play, more pleasing on the eye, and more respectful of their heritage.”
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Hendrik Hilgert
The par-three eighth at Falkenstein, which Infinite Variety restored in 2018
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Hendrik Hilgert
This winter the distinctive heather-lipped fairway bunker on the thirteenth will be restored
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Courtesy of Hendrik Hilgert
Archive footage shows how the bunker looked in the 1960s
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Hendrik Hilgert
Construction in progress on the par-five seventeenth
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