Techniques for improving established golf courses: Restoration, renovation, and redesign. An improvement plan for the Meadow Club (Fairfax, California) Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Thawley, Mark Todd Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 24/09/2021 01:30:55 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/278733 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. 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Bell & Howell Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 TECHNIQUES FOR LMPROVING ESTABLISHED GOLF COURSES: RESTORATION, RENOVATION, AND REDESIGN AN IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR THE MEADOW CLLB (FAIRFAX, CALIFORNIA) by Mark Todd Thawley A Thesis Submitted to the Facult> of the COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2000 UMI Number; 1399739 UMI UMI Microformi399739 Copyright 2000 by Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. 80x1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fuUiIlment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrows under the rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has beenapproved on the date shown below: / / Margaret Livmgs^. Ph.D. Date Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture J ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are several individuals who have contributed to the completion ot'this thesis and to my overall education in Landscape Architecture. I apologize in advance tor anyone leti out. as it was certainly not intended. First, are the members of my thesis committee: Margaret Livingston. Randy Gimblett and Mike DeVries. As the director of my committee. Margaret has shown a great deal of patience and commitment towards the difficult task of organizing and editing this thesis. Randy has also helped keep me on track of organizing and interpreting my results. I would especially like to thank golf architect. Mike DeVries for taking me on as an intern and teaching me the many subtleties of quality golf course architecture. 1 am proud to have played a part in the completion of The Kingsley Club, his tlrst solo design. Furthermore, it was Mike who invited me to study at the Meadow Club and to use this information as part of this thesis. There are also several golf course superintendents, architects, and writers who have gone out of their way to provide me with the information I needed for this study. They are: Sean .McCormick. Dean Gump. Jeff Markow. Brian Sullivan. Paul Remina. Sam Williamson. Bruce Williams. Bob Klinestekar. Rob Collins. Tom Doak. Baice Hepner. Don Placek. Tom Marzolt'. .Andy Banfield. Carter .Morrish. John Harbottle. Ron Forse. Jim N'agle. Gil Hanse. Keith Foster. Geoff Shackelford and Tom Naccarato. 1 would also like to thank everyone at the .Meadow Club for allowing me to study their golf course and to use it as the main focus of this thesis. Information provided by Dr. Gar>- Nelson. David Sexton. Don Ham. and Steve Snyder has been extremely helpful. Vlost importantly. I would like to thank, my parents. Stan and Betty Thawley. and my wife. Mary. Without their tremendous support and love this would have ne\er been possible. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES 7 LIST OF TABLES ABSTRACT 10 1. INTRODUCTION 11 PURPOSE OF STUDY 11 OBJECTIVES 12 2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 13 THE HISTORY OF GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTURE 13 Introduciion 13 Foundations for Golf and Golf Course Architecture (Scottish Links).. 13 Golf Moves Inland 16 Early .American Design 18 The .Modem Era 20 Contemporary Trends 22 Summar\' 23 METHODS FOR GOLF COURSE IMPROVEMENTS 26 Introduction 26 Restoration 26 Renovation 31 Redesign 37 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Coniimied 3. METHODOLOGY 41 INTRODUCTION 41 CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 42 4. RESULTS 43 Case Study =1: VALLEY CLUB OF MONTECITO 43 Case Study #2: PASATIEMPO GOLF CLUB 52 Case Study ?3: CYPRESS POINT CLUB 65 Case Study =4; BEL-AIR COUNTRY CLUB 73 Case Study =5: OJAI VALLEY INN & SPA 83 Case Study =6: LOS ANGELES COL'NTY CLUB (North Course) 1 Case Study =7: PAR.\DISE VALLEY COUNTR\' CLUB 100 Case Study =8: TUCSON C0L:NTRY CLUB 110 SUMMARY 118 5. DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 119 DISCUSSION 119 RECOMMENDATIONS (Steps for successful course improvements) 123 Introduction 123 Overview of Improvement Process 124 Explanation of Improvement Process 124 Example of Improvement Process 129 6. CONCLUSIONS 152 CLOSING (The Importance of Restoration) 152 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY 154 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDY 155 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued REFERENCES 7 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1. Example of reduction in green size 28 FIGURE 2. Section of typical USGA green 34 FIGURE 3. Section of typical "California" green 34 FIGURE 4. Example of native grass area 39 FIGURE 5. Example of redesign 39 FIGURE 6. Masonite forms used to restore buni<.ers 50 FIGURE 7. 10''' hole at the Valley Club prior to restoration 51 FIGURE 8. 15''' hole at the Valley Club after restoration 51 FIGURE 9. 12"' hole at Pasatiempo after restoration 56 FIGURE 10. 36-inch drain tile 57 FIGURE 11. Restored "Mackenzie bunker" 57 FIGURE 12. Pasatiempo before trees 60 FIGURE 13. Pasatiempo after trees 60 FIGURE 14. Restored shoreline at Cypress Point 70 FIGURE 15. Original green complex at the "Mae West" 12''' hole (Bel-Air) 80 FIGURE 16. Restored bunker on the 13'*^ hole at Bel-Air 80 FIGURE 17. New 7'" hole at Ojai Valley 86 FIGURE 18. Original 3'^'' hole at Ojai Valley 88 FIGURE 19. New 6''' hole at Ojai Valley 88 FIGURE 20. 6''' hole at L.ACC prior to improvements 97 FIGURE 21. 6''' hole at LACC after improvements 97 FIGURE 22. New tee at Paradise Valley 103 FIGURE 23. 9'*' green at Paradise Valley, prior to redesign 108 FIGURE 24. 9"^ green at Paradise Valley, after redesign 108 FIGURE 25. Plan of 9''' green at Paradise Valley, prior to redesign 109 FIGURE 26. Grading plan for redesign of 9''' green 109 FIGURE 27. A short hole at the Mackenzie designed Sitwell Park golf course 134 8 LIST OF FIGURES J FIGURE 28. Example of Mackenzie's bunkering at Cr\ stal Downs 134 FIGURE 29. Ideal two-shot hole designed by Dr. Mackenzie 135 FIGURE 30. .Meadow Club before tree plantings 140 FIGURE 31. .Meadow Club after tree plantings 140 FIGURE 32. Original 17''' green at the .Meadow Club 141 FIGURE 33. Seventeenth green at the Meadow Club. 1999 141 FIGURE 34. Mackenzie diagram of the 2""^ green at the .Meadow Club 142 FIGURE 35. Original 2"'' green at the Meadow Club 142 FIGURE 36. Mackenzie diagram of the 5"' green at the Meadow Club 14S FIGURE 37. Original 5''' hole at the Meadow Club 148 FIGURE 38. 5'" hole at the .Meadow Club. 1999 149 FIGURE 39. .Mackenzie diagram of the 4''' green at the Meadow Club 150 FIGURE 40. 4"' green at the .Meadow Club. 1999 150 FIGURE 41. Detailed diagram of recommended chang es to 4"M"iole 151 FIGURE 42. .Meadow Club plan prior to any improvements 152 FIGURE 43. Meadow Club plan showing proposed improvements 152 9 LIST OF TABLES TABLE L Summary of Case Study Analysis 117 TABLE 2. Criteria for Restoration 118 10 ABSTRACT This study examines current techniques tor impro\ ing established golf courses. The three general approaches to improving established golf courses are: Restoration. Renov ation and Redesign. To avoid confusion of these terms, each has been clearly detlned. In order to understand characteristics t'ound on golf courses built in different eras, the history of golf course architecture has been summarized.