Pete Dye Golf Course Restoration Pictures

See some of the highlights from this past years work on the golf course. Navigate the slides by using the arrows below.

Pete Dye Visits Ford Plantation to Continue Design



Rain, sleet or snow did not stop Mr. Dye from working during his mid-December visit a week ago at TFP. Okay… it is South Georgia, so it doesn’t sleet or snow… However, it was cold and the golf course received significant rainfall as the Hall of Fame Architect made his way around the 18 hole course. Watching Pete Dye drudge through the torrential rain, mud and muck was simply inspiring. When the visit was completed, the club was awarded with a great photograph, (captured by Dr. Bill Thompson, Restoration & Green Committee Chair) of Mr. Dye on the 14^th golf hole encompassed by a colorful rainbow. A photo for the archives… Great shot Dr. Thompson!     

Mr. Dye reviewing the work at 9 green.

The main objective of Mr. Dye’s visit was to sign off on holes 7, 8, 9 and then continue design work on holes 10-18 and #1. In addition, a major point of emphasis was given to the 18^th, where Mr. Dye spent a couple of hours.

Some of the work being conducted currently includes:

·         Bunker drainage at 7, 8, 9, 12 and 13

·         Green drainage installation at 9

·         Earthwork at #1 golf hole

·         Storm water pipe installment at #2

·         Storm water pipe installment at #3

·         Green development at golf hole 1

·         Golf course drainage at 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 18

·         Bunker construction at 11

·         Storm water pump installation at 18 tee with discharge pipes incuded

·         Irrigation pump installation at the Lake Dye pump house

·         General grading and staking is occurring on the front 9 golf holes

·         Laser leveling of tees is beginning on specific holes

MacCurrach Golf Construction Company will resume work on the course on Monday the 30^th of December. Also, the construction company will observe New Year’s Day on the 1^st and then resume work following the holiday. Enjoy the latest photos from Mr. Dye’s most recent visit below and Happy Holiday’s from the Golf Course Maintenance Department.



#8 green has been developed.

Pete Dye and Project Architect Tim Liddy discussing strategy at a green side bunker.

Tim Liddy takes notes as Dye describes the design features for the 13 green complex.

Mr. Dye and Nelson flagging the 13th tee.

Dye and Liddy reviewing the #14 green site.

The rain belting in on the team. 

Mr. Dye took time to visit the staging area and review the infrastructure. The HDPE irrigation system shown in the back.

Mr. Dye designing the 16th green complex as Tim Liddy looks on.



Chris Kleinsmith and his team from MacCurrach Golf look on as Dye and Liddy discuss the 18th. 

Finally, Mr. Dye on the 13th golf hole as a rainbow stretches out over the horizon.

New Assistant Superintendent Joins GCM Team

The golf course maintenance department is excited to welcome our new Assistant Superintendent, Dane Alexander, to our staff.

Dane comes to us from the Nicklaus Course at Colleton River Plantation in Bluffton, SC where he was a 2nd Assistant. While obtaining his Bachelor's Degree in Agronomy from Purdue University he interned at Colleton River and The Ford Plantation. During his internship at The Ford Plantation, Dane was awarded The Pete Dye Scholarship.

We are extremely excited to have Dane join the Golf Course Maintenance Team. If you see Dane on the course please introduce yourself to him and welcome him to The Ford Plantation.

Golf Course Restoration Update for the Week of December 1-7, 2013

An incredible amount of work was completed last week on the restoration project of the course. Here are a few of the highlights of the activity:

• Irrigation at holes 7,8 and 9 have been staked out and the wire for the system on hole 7 is already laying on the ground. Bob Scott, TFP's irrigation consultant form Atlanta, GA was on property to supervise the staking of the irrigation and he will return soon to deliver more directives.
• The irrigation road crossings have been patched up by the Crosby Paving Company.
• TFP's project architect, Tim Liddy has been on site for the last several weeks to implements Mr. Dye's latest directives. Last week, Mr. Liddy implemented Dye's vision on golf holes 11,12,13,14,15,16,17 and 18. Mr Dye is scheduled to be back this week.
• The bulkhead at 2 has been removed in the demolition program.
• Strom water drainage installation is occurring at golf holes 1,2,9,10,11,14,17 and 18 last week and this week.
• The greens at holes 7 and 8 were drained and had the 4 inch gravel installed in them.
• Bunker drainage at holes 7,8,9 are being completed.

The gravel to 7 green has been added. The green complex looks amazing.

The bulkhead at #2 golf hole has been removed and new drainage is being installed.

#6 green complex shown here is being roto-tilled. A critical demolition step.

The irrigation wires for 7 green complex are waiting to be installed.

The bunker drainage at 7 green complex has been installed.

8 green has had the drainage installed and the gravel blanket laid over the top.

The old irrigation pump station skid has been removed.

The Ford Plantation Construction and Tree Protection

Protecting trees at The Ford Plantation during the construction process has been a focal point for the Golf Course Maintenance Department. Preserving trees that add aesthetic beauty as well as challenge golf shots can yield big rewards for the club. The trees on the course enhance property values and provide wildlife habitat.

Almost two miles of tree protection has been erected around the trees across the golf course. Maintaining these two miles of fence is the best way to enhance tree performance for years to come.

Properly constructed tree protection will deter traffic away from the tree.

Tree protection on #9

Tree protection #2

Pete Dye Designed #7 Golf Development

 

Pictured here, #7 golf hole at TFP. This image was captured by satellite in 2012 during the overseeding grow-in process in the Fall . One main characteristic of this golf hole is the littoral shelf located at Lake Sterling's banks. Over the years, the shelf has become contaminated with cattails and other undesirable species, diminishing the design and aesthetics of the hole.   

Pictured here, at shot of 7 golf  hole under construction with the old littoral shelf still in place.

 

MacCurrach Golf Construction Company enhancing the littoral shelf at lake Sterling.

The old weedy plant material generated a lot of debris to be cleaned up.

 

An elevated picture of the 7th golf hole shows the littoral shelf cleaned up and an exciting addition to the shelf that will now stretch nearly 1,400 feet with beautiful aquatic plants.

A reverse look at the hole looking from the green down towards the tee shows the scale of the littoral shelf to be installed.

Look in the water behind the MacCurrach Golf Employees installing drainage at 7 green and you will notice how the shelf.

This image demonstrates a littoral shelf diagram that is similar to the one which will be installed at TFP. The predominate plant species Fuzzy Davis has decided to install is the Purple Pickerweed, which is a TFP member favorite. This Pickerweed and other aquatic plants will provide habitat, erosion control and improved aesthetics. This diagram is courtesy of the Pelican Landing Community.    

 

 

 

Faces of the Golf Course Restoration Project

The 2013 Georgia Environmental Confrenence

Pete Dye Restoration Visit, November 15, 2013

Mr. Pete Dye was again on property Thursday and Friday to design the TFP golf course. The main objective of the visit was to focus primarily on putting greens and green surround design at golf holes 7-15. In particular, the functionality of the playability, strategy and agronomy of the green sites were studied and then executed.

Pete Dye and Tim Liddy Study the 15th hole.

Mr. Dye giving Kevin from MacCurrach golf design direction.

Nelson and Mr. Dye looking at the contours of #10 green.

Mr. Dye drawing his ideas in the dirt with Tim Liddy.

CW looks on at the 12th as course superintendent Jared Nemitz gets low to see the design line.

Mr. Dye explaining the13th  green complex to Restoration Chairman Dr. Bill Thompson and others. 



Mr. Dye with Nelson and Kevin at the par 3 12th.

Mr. Dye Checking the grades at #10 green... Everything checked out!

In addition, “Macro” direction concerning infrastructure, agronomy and design was given by Mr. Dye at golf holes 16, 17 and 18. Those directives will be performed over the next several weeks. TFP Members will start to see progress on the finishing holes soon.

Don’t forget to join us on November 26^th for the next golf course tour. Nelson, CW and Dr. Bill Thompson will be guiding members through some of the work that has been completed and be available to answer questions.

Pete Dye Visits; Restoration Update

Mr. Dye made his third site visit to TFP last week (the first since construction started) and it was a successful work session. He arrived at the Plantation around 3:00 pm on Friday afternoon and worked on the course until dark. Mr. Dye was accompanied by Tim Liddy (Project Architect), representatives from MacCurrach Golf Construction (including Allan MacCurrach, CEO) and Nelson. The first order of business was walking from golf hole 9 backwards to golf hole 5 to review the details of the proposed golf course. In particular, we discussed the infrastructure installation and demolition program currently taking place. The evening finished with a wonderful dinner at the Clubhouse where Mr. Dye and company continued the discussions from the field. Friday was a great team building day.

Saturday morning started with breakfast at the Main House where Mr. Dye took time to appreciate Mr. Ford’s old home and proclaimed, “I haven’t been in this house in 30 years… but it still looks the same”. He exited through the back door and said, “What a spectacular view”, then, he paused in admiration… After, it was quickly back to work. We arrived at the staging area and joined the rest of the restoration team. First, we walked holes 9 back to 7 and reviewed those golf holes again, taking detail architectural direction from Mr. Dye. Next, we transitioned from the front 9 to the back 9. Mr. Dye gave particular attention to golf holes 10 and 15. He shared his vision for the 10^th and 15^th putting greens, and before we knew it, the staff from MacCurrach golf had the greens “roughed-in” (a term in golf course construction used to describe preliminary construction activity) for his review.

Mr. Dye staking the 9th green at TFP

Finally, Mr. Dye ended his visit back at the staging area, but not before reviewing the 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th golf holes again for the third time. The team adjourned and Mr. Dye smiled with approval. His next visit will be in several weeks after the restoration team has completed his directives.

Much progress has been made since the start of the restoration. A list of the work currently being performed includes:

·         Mainline irrigation installation on the club’s main road and major road crossings is being conducted

·         Cart path removal on the front 9

·         Roto-tilling and bermudagrass clearing continues

·         Irrigation pump house disassembly continues

·         Greens complex demolition

·         Bulkhead removal at golf hole 7

·         Cordgrass removal on the back nine

·         Golf hole design and development being implemented on holes 7, 9-11 and 15

·         Storm drainage installation at holes 7, 9, 10, 15, 16, 18 and the practice facility continues

·         Materials continue to populate the main staging area at the practice facility

·         Photographic documentation is being conducted

Mr. Dye and Tim Liddy calculating their next move

Restoration Update

Enjoy the latest photos and captions from the course. Another week is coming to an end and progress on the project has been aggressive. Please make sure and join us for the next golf course tour early next month to see all the improvements being made first hand. 

#18 before the restoration.

#18 with the bermudagrass killed and ready for the demolition program.

#18 green after the sand has been harvested from the core. The demolition continues...

#2 green before the restoration

#2 Green awaiting demolition.

A panoramic shot of the 9th green being roughed in.

#9 tee complex development.

#7 golf hole roughed in awaiting Mr. Dye's comments.

#6 green complex demolished quietly awaiting Mr. Dyes arrival.

A look back at #7 from behind the new green complex which was recently developed.