COURSi DfVHOPAfNl Briefs 'X-ray' machine breaks into golf By Mark Leslie tion and slope of the drainage tile system. get what they thought they were paying for... A new technology that surveys under- 'The survey is done with a radar signal Sometimes they put on their three-piece ground will help prevent some of the existing similar to the oil-field seismic process," Gockel suits and find someone to sue. Sometimes vague specifications and faulty judgment said. "Radar is a shallow investigative tool. It they bite the bullet, feeling they thought found in construction, claims is as precise as one-fourth inch, maybe one- what they were doing during construction Charles Gockel of Agri-Systems of Texas, eighth inch." was right at the time." Inc. The technology is used in other fields. Gockel said the firstjo b for this subsurface Agri-Systems, a soil-testing laboratory in Archaeologists use it where they're looking survey is at a prestigious Mid-America golf Tomball, Texas, and Environmetrics of for anything unnatural to an area. Foresters club that just two to three years ago recon- Houston have introduced "a non-destructive, have used it to track the growth of a tree's root structed some of its greens. "They have been subsurface survey of golf greens and other system. non-performers since Day One," he said. "It sports turf structures," Gockel said. Gockel believes faulty construction—most was one of those 'better ideas.' A lot of these The companies say the survey is very of which is accidental — is a major cause of cases (of failure) have been done in-house. exact and provides a complete profile of each greens failures. In this case the superintendent was told to of the layers of materials used during con- Saying a lot of the laboratory's work is keep his nose out of it... He got fed up and MATTHEWS COURSE TO OPEN IN AUGUST struction — from the seedbed mix to the forensic, Gockel added: "So many times left." Officials expect an August opening for the choker layer and gravel, as well as the loca- courses were constructed and the folks didn't Cnntinued on page 41 front nine at Railside, an 18-hole champion- ship course under construction south of Grand Rapids, Mich. Jerry Matthews of Matthews and Associ- New course construction 1986-90 ates in Lansing, Mich., is designingthe course. Figures are in: It will be a semi-private facility with 110 home 400 sites. Construction The course will have Penncross bentgrass greens, tees and fairways, continuous cart rose again paths and seven acres of native wildflowers, according to superintendent William Foun- New course construction con- tain, who worked with Matthews on the award- winnig Timber Ridge Golf Course in East tinued to gainmomentum in 1990, Lansing. according to National Golf Foun- Charles Knowles, who has been head dation figures illustrated here. professional at Fiddlesticks, The Vines and The Forest in Ft. Myers, Fla., will be director The graph, at right, shows the of golf at Railside. yearly rise in public, private and total number of courses built an- PLAYER SIGNS ON FOR ST. LOUIS COURSE nually since 1986. ST. LOUIS — Sunset Hills city officials have endorsed a golf course and resort The chart below compares the community that will feature a number of daily-fee, municipal, signature layout. private and undetermined Tapawingo (Indian meaning "Place of Joy") courses either opened, under will be a 27-hole course surrounded by 260 home sites and a 200-unit conference center construction or in planning on 400 acres, according to Stephen G. through the first 11 months of Symsack, executive vice president of the 1990, along with the same num- 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 developer, Symcor Companies. Gary Player Design Co. President Jim bers for all of 1989. Source: NGF Applegate said preliminary environmental research studies are being done to help Open Under Construction In Planning Totals maintain "the natural characteristics and 1989 1989 1989 1989 historical legacy of the development." 1990 YTD Year-end 1990 YTD Year-end 1990 YTD Year-end 1990 YTD Year-end Golf pro Mike Murphy said "a variety of Daily Fee 167 156 296 218 352 251 815 625 terrain" on the site will offer Player "an enor- Municipal 36 35 72 63 125 85 233 183 mous advantage for creativity and quality." Private 78 99 186 177 284 245 548 521 FOUR HOURS, 174 MEMBERSHIPS Undetermined — — 4 ' 5 12 22 16 27 PORTLAND, Ore. — Membership sales Totals 281 290 558 463 773 603 1,612 1,356 for The Oregon Golf Club hit 174 within the first four hours, said Jim Hardy of Golf Ser- f All 1990 YTD figures as of Nov. 30, 1990 vices Group, whose Golf Group, Inc. is de- Source: National Golf Foundation veloping and will operate the private club. Membership will be limited to 400. The 7,159-yard par 72 18-hole course is being built on 445 acres at a cost of $12 Don January returns to design side million. Indian water Tour pro Peter Jacobsen and Ken Kavanaugh of Tucson, Ariz., are co-archi- of business, aims for playability tects. A July 4,1992, opening is planned. —Longtime PGA Tour profes- Tour schedule to devote to this venture. rights play THAILAND DEVELOPER INKS GARL sional Don January has returned to the golf January intends to use "the old style or RAYONG, Thailand, — American golf course design business in which he was once classic designs that allow the golfer to put role in resort involved. the ball on the ground and still gain access to course designer Ron Garl has been retained By Bob S p i w a k January, who designed 15 courses when the target. by Dr. Nob Stayasai to design two 18-hole golf Concern over water shortages by the he retired from the Tour in the mid-1970s, "This gives the player more options of courses here. Yakima Indian Nation and Colville Confed- has joined sonTrm and Craig Curry in January shot selection and, I believe, leads to better The courses will be part of the Dokkrai erated tribes could affect the proposed $400- Group, Inc. here. Golf & Sports Club, an 800-acre project that shot-making, better players and... a lot more million four-season Early Winters ski resort will include a 200-room hotel and 600 Tim January is joining him after 10 years fun. These are some of the reasons our and golf course at Mazama, in north-central homesites and villas. working with Myers Development as well as emphasis will be on classic, user friendly, Washington state. The development is 60 miles southeast of Wadsworth Golf Construction Co. Curry has older style golf courses. We are a new ven- A state-sanctioned water committee rec- Bangkok near the resort area of Pattaya. been with and Associates and ture selling old ideas." ommended a moratorium on building and Thailand has more than 60 golf courses, the Nelson Corp. in the golf course develop- January has become one of the leading well drilling in much of the Methow (MET- with another 40 under construction. ment and construction business. professionals on the Senior Tour, winning how) Valley. "Such a moratorium could halt almost 30 tournaments. Garl is headquartered in Lakeland, Fla. Don will take time from his PGA Senior Continued on page 40

GOLF COURSE NEWS March 1991 37