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More Awards for our work!
Ole Miss Golf
Course has been named one of the "Top Five Renovations in
America" among public/semi-private courses by Golf
Inc. Magazine in it's 2008 annual survey!
Click
here to visit
the
project page and view photos. |
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Copper Mill Golf Club--voted the "Best New Affordable
Public Course in America" 2004 and the "#2 Course
Overall in
the State of Louisiana" 2005 by Golf Digest! And
recently awarded Four Stars in Golf Digest's
"Places to Play!"
Click
here
to visit the project photo gallery. |
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Golf Digest was named Hattiesburg CC the
"#4 Course Overall in Mississippi" in it's bi-annual
rankings released in the May 2007 issue! Click
here
to jump to the 1999, 2004, and 2006 Hattiesburg CC project galleries! |
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The following is a list of key projects our principal,
Nathan Crace, has been involved with in recent years: |
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(Select grey tab to view land planning/athletics) |
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project |
Cypress Lakes Golf Course
location |
Muscle Shoals, Alabama
scope |
Putting Green Renovation Design
status |
Design Studies Underwayphoto gallery |
Currently Offline |
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synopsis |
Cypress Lakes GC was
bought by the City of Muscle Shoals and became known as a must-play
course in North Alabama. In 2013, the course will convert its bentgrass
greens to ultradwarf bermudagrass and Watermark Golf was called in to
re-design the undersized practice putting green in conjunction with the
re-grassing project, scheduled for summer. |
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project |
Annandale Golf Club
location |
Madison, Mississippi
scope |
Short Game Facility Design and Driving
Range Facility Re-Design
status |
Construction Underwayphoto gallery |
Click
to enter |
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synopsis |
When the Jack
Nicklaus-designed Annandale Golf Club needed a state of the art short
game facility as well as renovations to its existing driving range, the
host facility of the PGA Tour's Viking Classic called Watermark Golf's
Nathan Crace. The work will begin shortly after the completion of
the 2011 Viking Classic and be ready for play by the summer of 2012. |
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project |
Cypress Creek Golf Club
location |
Cabot, Arkansas
scope |
Bunker Renovation Design
status |
Design Studies Underwayphoto gallery |
Currently Offline |
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synopsis |
Cypress Creek was
originally 18 holes of the 36-hole Greystone development until a group
of investors purchased the property to breathe new life into it as a
stand-alone club. They called Watermark Golf's Nathan Crace to tackle
the task of reducing the size of the numerous bunkers without
sacrificing the strategy of the course. Work is schedule for Fall 2012. |
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project |
Green Complex Renovation
location |
Village Creek SPGC
(Wynne, AR)
scope |
Green Complex Re-Design
status |
Construction Completephoto gallery |
Currently Offline |
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synopsis |
The State of
Arkansas has retained Watermark Golf/Nathan Crace Design for a green
complex renovation project at Village Creek State Park GC in Wynne, AR.
Just 45 minutes west of Memphis, the course is on one of the most
spectacular and rolling pieces of property in the region. The project
was finished in 2011. |
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project |
USM Practice Facility
location |
Hattiesburg CC (Hattiesburg, MS)
scope |
Short game practice facility
status |
Construction Pendingphoto gallery |
Click
to enter |
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synopsis |
The University of
Southern Mississippi has retained Mr. Crace to design a unique short
game practice facility for the men's and women's golf teams. The new facility will be
located adjacent to the practice range at Hattiesburg GC in
Hattiesburg, Mississippi--one of Mr. Crace's favorite courses among his
body of work. |
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project |
Tupelo Country Club
location |
Tupelo, Mississippi
scope |
Full Course Renovation Master Plan/
Design/Practice Facility Renovations
status |
Underwayphoto gallery |
Currently Offline |
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synopsis |
In the birthplace of
Elvis Presley, historic
Tupelo CC has hired Mr. Crace to develop a full course renovation master
plan, including a new practice facility and short game area. The
long-term master plan will serve as a road map which, in conjunction
with the new clubhouse, will return the club to its rightful place among
the top facilities in the Magnolia State. |
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project |
Miss. State Practice Facility/Course
location |
Miss. State Univ. GC
scope |
Practice Facility/Course Renovation
status |
Complete/Open for Playphoto gallery |
Click
to enter |
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synopsis |
Mississippi State
University has long been the home of one of the top agronomy programs in
the southeast and one of the original three PGA-accredited Professional
Golf Management programs in the USA. They have called on Mr. Crace
to develop a plan to expand the practice facility at the course as well
as investigate any opportunities for relevant course upgrades. |
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project |
Ole Miss Golf Club
location | Oxford,
Mississippi
scope | Greens
Renovations/Upgrades
status |
Complete/Open for Playphoto gallery |
Click
to enter |
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synopsis |
The University of
Mississippi called on Mr. Crace once again to help with the Ole
Miss GC. This time, the scope involved renovating all green
complexes on the course, new irrigation system, new cart paths, several large
drainage projects, fairway bunkers & new back and forward tees. Construction began in January 2008
and the course re-opened Oct. 1, 2008. |
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project |
Belle Rive
location |
Harahan, LA (New Orleans Area)
scope |
Total Renovation/Re-Design
status |
Design Studies Underway
photo gallery |
Click to enter
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synopsis |
Belle Rive is more
than a new golf course--it's a new way of living in the New Orleans
area. The total renovation and re-design of
an 18-hole golf course centered around a stunning new 17-story condo
tower set on the banks of the Mississippi! Belle Rive is another
step forward in rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
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project |
Bay Breeze Golf
Course
location | Keesler
AFB--Biloxi, MS
scope | Greens
Renovation Design
status | Complete/Open
for play
photo gallery |
Click to enter
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synopsis |
Prior to Hurricane
Katrina, the Air Force planned on repairing the greens at Bay
Breeze. After Katrina's storm surge covered parts of the course
with six feet of water, all of the green complexes
required a complete renovation and Watermark was called in to handle
the re-design. The new green on the par-4 first hole is shown at
left. |
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project |
Champion Hill
location |
Pending official announcement
scope |
New 18-hole golf course/residential
status |
Design Studies Underway
photo gallery |
Currently Offline
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synopsis |
A development
group has hired Mr. Crace to develop a land plan for Champion Hill--an
exciting new multi-use development with a
new 18-hole championship course and residential development centered
around a sustainable land plan. Pending official announcement. |
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project |
Cypress Tree GC (West Course)
location | Maxwell
AFB--Montgomery, AL
scope | Greens
Renovation Design
status |
Complete/Open for Playphoto gallery |
Click to
enter |
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synopsis |
Once again,
Watermark was been called upon to handle the renovation of greens on an
Air Force base golf course. This time, 18 of the 36 holes at
Cypress Tree GC were renovated to "California Green" specs, bunkers were
re-designed and re-built, and irrigation was upgraded. The course
re-opened in November 2008. |
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project |
Bella Solana
Resort & Golf Club
location |
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
scope |
New 18-hole golf course
status |
Pendingphoto gallery |
Currently Offline |
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synopsis |
Watermark Golf was
contacted by a development group based in the Southeastern US who had a
vested interest in a piece of property on the Pacific Coast of Costa
Rica. We were brought on board to begin planning for the new
18-hole course, but the project has been put on hold while the group
retained new investors. |
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project |
Arnold AFB
location |
Tullahoma, Tennessee
scope |
Exploratory Routing/Design Study
status |
Completephoto gallery |
Currently Offline |
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synopsis |
Following two
successful Air Force renovation projects, Mr. Crace was commissioned to
study the possibility of expanding the existing 9-hole course at Arnold
AFB to 18 holes while adding an irrigation lake and new driving reange.
Design studies are complete and any future renovation work is TBD. |
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project |
Old Waverly
location |
West Point, Mississippi
scope | Pintelligence®
Design Mapping
status |
Completephoto gallery |
see Pintelligence.com |
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synopsis |
Ranked the #1
course in Mississippi since opening in 1988, Old Waverly is a special
facility located in the rolling wooded hills of northeast Mississippi.
After hosting the Women's US Open and the Women's US Mid-Amateur, Old
Waverly turned to Watermark's Pintelligence® division to map their green complexes and provide signature
3D
color pin zone charts. |
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project |
Ormond Country
Club
location | Destrehan,
LA (New Orleans)
scope | Greens
Renovation Design
status | Complete/Open
for playphoto gallery |
Click to enter
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synopsis |
Ormond CC is a
growing private club near the New Orleans International Airport and,
following Hurricane Katrina, was one of the first courses in the area
to re-open. As a result, the decision was made to renovate the
course's old existing "Purr-Wick" greens to today's design standards. |
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project | Ole Miss Golf Club
location | Oxford,
MS
scope | New
Practice Facility
status | Completephoto gallery |
Click to enter |
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synopsis |
The University of Mississippi's golf
teams were in need of a larger and more contemporary facility--for
practice and
recruiting. In '05, Watermark Golf was
retained to develop a plan with Head Coach Ernest Ross and in '06 to
design the facility and oversee construction. The new facility
opened in late 2006. |
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project |
Copper Mill Golf Club
location | Zachary,
Louisiana
scope | Course
Consulting/Modifications
status |
Ongoingphoto gallery |
Currently Offline |
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synopsis |
On the heels of
numerous awards from Golf Digest (see link above), the owners
of Copper Mill are not ones to rest on their laurels and have once
again called on Mr. Crace and Watermark--this time for
consulting/modification services. Nathan will also be helping to
designate new native areas, oversee bunker renovations, and re-design
#3 fairway. |
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project |
Ole Miss Golf Club
location | Oxford,
Mississippi
scope | Short
Game Practice Facility
status |
Complete/Open
photo gallery |
Click to enter |
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synopsis |
Ole Miss
signed on with Watermark Golf/Nathan Crace Design to create a unique
short game practice facility for exclusive use by the men's and
women's golf teams. The facility provides a wide range of
shots from 110 yards and in with varying elevations
and both a bermuda and a bent grass green. |
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project | Whispering Pines GC (Ph II)
location | Mississippi
Gulf Coast
scope | Back
Nine Renovation Design
status | Complete/Open
for playphoto gallery |
Click to enter |
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synopsis |
After working on the renovation of the
front nine in 2001 (see below), our principal is back to design the renovation of the back nine of this public layout on
Mississippi's "Golf" Coast. Construction is now
complete
and the back nine is open for play. |
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project | Castle Rock Resort
location | Vanderbilt,
MI
scope | 36 Hole Resort
Land Planning
status | Complete |
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synopsis | A private developer from Detroit wanted a unique and fresh look at a piece
of property in Northern Michigan--and one that reflected his vision of a world class
destination resort. A plan was developed to achieve the best utilization of the
property, including a replica of a gigantic medieval castle as the clubhouse and
off-season ski trails throughout the property. |
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project |
Crane Harbour Golf
Club
location | U.S.
Gulf Coast
scope | New
Course Design
status | Postponed
by Hurricane Katrina |
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synopsis |
A group of
investors has entered into an agreement with Watermark Golf to design
a unique new 18-hole course and residential development on the Gulf
Coast. Preliminary land study surveys and business planning
services are underway.
Visit: www.craneharbour.com |
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project |
The Bluffs CC
& Resort
location | St.
Francisville, LA
scope | 17th
Hole Renovation
status | Completephoto gallery |
Click to enter |
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synopsis |
Ranked
#34 in the U.S. in Golf
Magazine's "Top Places
You Can Play,", The Bluffs retained Watermark Golf to renovate the 17th hole, a downhill par 3
that drops some 60+ feet to a peninsula
green. The scope included drainage improvements, landscaping,
and the creation of a 400' creek with waterfalls, a recirculation pump and rock
ledges. |
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project |
The Bull at
Boone's Trace
location | Richmond,
KY (Lexington)
scope | Development
of a Natural Resource Enhancement Program
status | Pending
sale of property
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synopsis |
In the heart of
Kentucky horse country near Lexington, The Bull at Boone's Trace is a
wall to wall bent grass beauty that sits on a bluff overlooking an
elbow of the Kentucky River. New owners called upon Watermark
Golf/Nathan Crace Design to develop a plan for course
beautification and improvements. |
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project |
Hattiesburg C.C.
location | Hattiesburg,
MS
scope | Development
of a Natural Resource Enhancement Program
status | Complete
photo gallery | Currently Offline
extra
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view
2004 HCC project gallery
extra |
view
1999 HCC project gallery |
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synopsis |
Once again,
Hattiesburg CC has called upon our principal, Nathan Crace,
to assist their club. This time the scope is a long-term course
beautification plan to enhance the natural beauty of the rolling,
pine-lined site in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the hundreds of
trees lost to the effects of the storm. |
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project |
The Bluffs CC
& Resort
location | St.
Francisville, LA
scope | Pintelligence®
Design Mapping
status | Completephoto gallery |
see Pintelligence.com |
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synopsis |
Overlooking
Thompson's Creek about 30 minutes north of Baton Rouge, The Bluffs has
long been a favorite of golfers throughout Louisiana.
Watermark's Pintelligence® division (pintelligence.com)
was retained to map the course's green complexes and provide signature
3D
color pin zone charts and maps for the club. |
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project |
Hattiesburg
Country Club
location | Hattiesburg,
MS
scope | Course
Upgrades & Additions
status | Completephoto gallery |
Click to enter
extra | view
1999 HCC project gallery |
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synopsis |
With the Men's State Amateur coming to HCC
in the summer of 2005, the club wanted
to make some minor upgrades in advance of the event, including a
handful of bunkers and a new tee. Given Mr. Crace's work
with HCC during the 1999 renovation (see below), Watermark Golf was
called in to assist with the design and oversight of the project with
rave reviews. |
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project | Clear Creek Golf Club
location | Vicksburg,
MS
scope | Nine Hole
Renovation Design
status | Complete/Re-Openphoto gallery |
Click to enter |
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synopsis | Clear Creek GC was built by Warren County, Mississippi in 1977 as part of
a public works project. It has long been the only public access facility in the
Vicksburg market, but was in need of updating to attract and retain players.
Watermark Golf was hired to re-design the front nine, which was
renovated in 2004 and re-opened in
Oct. of that year. |
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project | The Bridges @ Casino Magic
location | Bay St.
Louis, MS
scope | Drainage
Improvement Design
status | Completephoto gallery | Click to enter |
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synopsis | The Bridges Golf Club at Casino Magic has been one of the top rated
courses on the Gulf Coast since opening for play. However, time and Mother Nature
have required some renovations to be made to this beautiful Arnold Palmer-designed resort
course & Watermark Golf was called upon to complete the project
design in 2003. |
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project | The Refuge
location | Flowood,
MS
scope | Lake
Renovation/Re-Design
status | Pending |
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synopsis | A number of improvements needed to be made to a key lake on the par 5
sixth hole of The Refuge--the "Best Purely Public Course in Mississippi."
Watermark Golf was called in to handle the design services for the project. In the
photo at left, Nathan Crace (right) is shown reviewing plans. |
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project | Short Course at Copper Mill
location | Zachary,
LA
scope | New Course Design
status | Pending |
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synopsis | Following the success and acclaim the championship course at Copper Mill
has garnered, the owners felt compelled to move forward with
investigating plans for a three-hole short
course in Phase II of the residential portion of this upscale development. |
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project | Public Course, Name TBD
location | Columbia,
MS
scope | Master
Planning/Design
status | Pending/Pending |
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synopsis | Additional sites are currently being reviewed for the location of a new
course to be Master Planned and designed by Watermark Golf in the City of Columbia,
Mississippi. Location A (shown at left) is a spectacular site consisting of open
fields and pockets of wooded areas with sweeping vistas throughout. |
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project | Copper Mill GC *
location | Zachary,
LA
scope | Golf Course &
Residential Design
status | Completephoto gallery | Click to enter |
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synopsis | After nearly six years in planning, this upscale semi-private golf club
and residential development finally got off the ground in late 2001 with an opening in
2003. A mix of classic styling and contemporary conditioning, the course
echoes the detail used in planning the community and has won numerous
awards from Golf Digest. |
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project | Hattiesburg CC *
location | Hattiesburg,
MS
scope | Master
Planning/Renovation
status | Complete/Completephoto gallery | Click to enter |
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synopsis | This private country club in south Mississippi was a PGA Tour stop for
over 30 years. The decision was made to develop a Master Plan that would lead to the
subsequent renovation of the entire course. It proved to be a great success and the
result has received rave reviews since re-opening in the fall of 1999. |
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project | Brookhaven CC *
location | Brookhaven,
MS
scope | Master
Planning/Renovation
status | Complete/Completephoto gallery | Click to enter |
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synopsis | One of the oldest private clubs in Mississippi, Brookhaven CC elected to
undergo a two year renovation plan that would result in transforming the historic nine
hole layout into one of the most talked-about 18 hole courses in the Magnolia State with a
balanced mix of shot-making, aesthetics, and ease of maintenance. |
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project | Caroline GC *
location | Madison,
MS
scope | Master
Planning/Course Design
status | Complete/Completephoto gallery | Click to enter |
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synopsis | As the centerpiece of the 3,500 acre Lake Caroline development, Caroline
Golf Club was destined to be a unique addition to the golf landscape in Mississippi.
The 'links-like" theme of the design is evident on all but a handful of holes and the
850 acre man-made Lake Caroline comes into play on holes 7, 8 & 9. |
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project | Whispering Pines GC (Ph
I)*
location | Mississippi
Gulf Coast
scope | Nine Hole
Renovation Design
status | Completephoto gallery |
Currently Offline |
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synopsis | When limited funds were made available for the renovation of the front
nine of this public course, it provided the opportunity to field test a derivation of the
"California Green" concept of greens construction. To date, the greens
work flawlessly and have helped further the cause for utilizing this technology in
future projects. |
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project | Country Club of Louisiana *
location | Baton
Rouge, LA
scope | Tee Renovation
and Bulkhead
status | Complete |
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synopsis | The Country Club of Louisiana is a perennial member of the Top 5 list of
courses in Louisiana. However, when additional tee space was needed on the par-3
17th hole (shown at left), some creative thinking was required involving the use of a nine
foot wooden bulkhead wall to extend the tee surface out into an adjacent lake. |
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project | Windance CC *
location | Gulfport,
MS
scope | Facility Master
Planning
status | Complete |
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synopsis | Windance is a favorite of both local golfers and vacationing golfers
visiting the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but it needed to address some "growing
pains" and routine improvements. A Master Plan was developed that encompassed
all critical areas of the course from tees and bunkers to landscaping and tree removal. |
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project | Ole Miss Golf Club *
location | Oxford,
MS
scope | Tee
Renovation/Master Plan
status | Complete/Complete |
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synopsis | The University of Mississippi's 18 hole golf course was busy enough prior
to the closing of Oxford CC. When that happened, the influx of play at Ole Miss GC
required immediate action to enlarge the tee complexes throughout the course, repair a key
lake and address some persistent drainage concerns. The end result led to the
development of a Master Plan that details expanding the facility to 27 holes in the
future. |
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project | Clear Creek GC *
location | Vicksburg,
MS
scope | 27 Hole Master
Plan & Ball Fields
status | Complete |
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synopsis | Clear Creek is the only public golf course in the Vicksburg market and a
part of the Warren County Parks Commission. A Master Plan was developed to demonstrate how best to utilize the
additional unused land to expand the current 18 hole course to 27 holes and add much
needed ball fields for soccer, baseball, and softball. |
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project | Pearl Municipal GC *
location | Pearl,
MS
scope | Nine Hole
Addition
status | Complete |
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synopsis | When the City of Pearl made 38 acres available to expand its nine hole
course to 18 holes, careful planning had to be conducted to protect the wetlands on the
property and still fit nine sound holes of golf onto the property. The result
is nine holes of fun, culminating at the striking par-4 18th (shown at left). |
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project | Smyrna Municipal GC *
location | Smyrna,
TN
scope | Short course
study & routing
status | Complete |
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synopsis | In an effort to improve the facility, Smyrna Municipal Golf Course needed
to first assess the viability of using a piece of property adjacent to the existing golf
course and near the local airport. Design studies were completed and a routing plan
was devised that was used to market what would eventually become a nine hole short course
for the First Tee program. |
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project | Ormond CC *
location | Destrehan,
LA
scope | Greens renovation
studies
status | Complete
update |
See 2006/07 project above |
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synopsis | Ormond CC is home to a large number of rounds in the Greater New Orleans
golf market and needed to study the possibility of undertaking the renovation of at least
nine of its 18 greens to update the course. Detailed studies were completed
including pencil sketches of the proposed greens (#12 is shown at left). |
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| more will be listed and photos added as time permits |
since golf course contacts are prone to change, please e-mail us for a list
of project references |
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* Denotes projects
completed by Mr. Crace as the Senior Design Associate with previous employer
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