An extensive renovation of the Tom Fazio-designed Hudson National Golf Club in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, is underway. Leading the project are Tom Marzolf, Rick Phelps and Jeff Lawrence of Fazio Design.
A golf-only club from its opening in 1996, Hudson National, located 40 miles north of New York City and featuring expansive views from high above the Hudson River, has long been a favorite of better players in the competitive New York market, and a regular host of area tournaments. The club’s commitment to pure golf has made it a stalwart on Golf Digest’s list of the top 100 courses in the U.S.
The course closed this month and will reopen in spring 2024. During this time, significant changes will be made to greens, bunkers, grassing, and irrigation, with LaBar Golf Renovations and a crew of 45 handling construction work.
“We’re excited to be working with Team Fazio to recognize their enhanced vision for the golf course and to make a great golf course even greater,” said Phil Moyles, the club's president.
All 18 greens are being rebuilt to USGA specifications. Most will remain in their original locations, but some will be moved, and a number are being redesigned with more contour to match the others. Further, a few greens will be resized or reshaped to create new and more challenging hole locations; others will see changes to their surrounds, including the addition of low-mow areas.
All fairways are being regrassed. Bentgrass fairways and fescue/bluegrass rough will be reseeded with new, improved turfgrass varieties. In addition, every bunker on the course will get Bunker Solution liners to improve sand performance. More than 78 existing bunkers will be rebuilt, and many fairway bunkers relocated further from the tee, forcing better players to weigh laying up versus trying to fly over them.
New fairway bunkers are being added to nine holes, while some existing ones will be extended into areas of play, pinching landing areas for longer hitters.
GOING SOCIAL
Just at the beginning stages of our work @InterlachenCC but the energy and support for this restoration is off the charts. So thrilled to be a part of it!
Great people ✔️
Unbelievable history ✔️
Amazing ground for golf ✔️https://t.co/FfmuUJkGYW— Andrew Green (@GreenGCA) June 8, 2023
RTJ II TO RENOVATE BILLY BELL DESIGN
Municipally-owned Corica Park in Alameda, California, four miles northwest of the Oakland International Airport has retained Bay Area-based Robert Trent Jones II to complete renovations to its venerable North course. Construction began in June, with Jones’ goal as always to deliver a memorable, challenging golf experience for all players that takes a holistic approach to design and sustainability. The North course dates to 1927 and was originally designed by William P. “Billy” Bell. Bell’s son William F. Bell created the complex’s South course in 1957. In 2018, Rees Jones, brother of Robert Trent Jones Jr. redesigned the South, which embraced a firm-and-fast, Australian Sandbelt theme.
The North’s renovation trajectory is complicated. When Rees Jones reworked the South, he teamed with the management services of Greenway Golf, led by George Kelley, a former Tour player and Marc Logan, its Vice President of Agronomy. Greenway began a renovation of the North’s front nine in 2018 with architecture guru Ron Whitten assisting and completed work in 2021. Greenway acquired new owners, Avani and Umesh Patel in 2020. When the Greenway/Logan relationship went sideways, however, back nine improvements ceased. With that litigation resolved early in 2023 (albeit with further proceedings pending involving the City and Greenway), work on the project re-started, with Greenway selecting the firm of Robert Trent Jones II to perform a full renovation on the back nine and provide small alterations to the front nine.
“What Greenway is doing at Corica Park is impressive and truly different,” said Trent Jones, son of Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Chief Operating Officer of Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course Architects. “Their efforts to transform the site into a vital ecological habitat and socially inclusive resource are a model for the golf course industry and represent a shared values system and inspiration for our team. We’re looking forward to enhancing the golf experience at Corica Park with purposeful design and thoughtful challenges for golfers of all levels.”
Greenway expects the North course to reopen in December 2024.
TOM CLARK TO SPRUCE UP VIRGINIA'S BEACON HILL
In late June, Resort Development Partners acquired Loudoun County’s Beacon Hill Golf Club. The former Golf Club of Virginia that opened in 2001 near Leesburg was originally designed by Hall of Fame golfer Johnny Miller. Renamed Beacon Hill Golf Club, the private facility closed in 2006 due to financial difficulties and has languished as a neglected and overgrown site in need of restoration.
Resort Development Partners entered into an agreement with the Beacon Hill Community Association to revive the 27-hole course with a view to reopening in 2024 as The Preserve at Beacon Hill. Plans include converting the 27-hole golf course to 18 holes. Later scheduled improvements will be the addition of a nine-hole family course, a new clubhouse and a golf practice and improvement center. Virginia-based architect Tom Clark, who worked with Miller on the original layout, will handle the renovation and redesign efforts.
“Our sleeves are rolled up and work begins immediately to transform this property into an extraordinary golf experience commensurate with the beauty and prestige of the community,” said Frank Denniston, Resort Development Partners co-founder and managing partner.
Beacon Hill residents are pleased that golf will return to their community. According to Sid Rudolph, Beacon Hill Community Association president, “The commitment and support to reinstate golf have led to this opportunity to finally fulfill the promise that Beacon Hill was founded upon more than 20 years ago.”
Resort Development Partners offers expertise in operations and strategic planning for hotels, clubs, and residential and resort communities throughout the U.S. Their portfolio of clubs includes: The Country Club of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana; Hidden Valley Country Club, Salem, Virginia; Pine Island Country Club, Charlotte, North Carolina; Out Door Country Club, York, Pennsylvania; Timacuan Club, Lake Mary, Florida; and Cat Island Club, Beaufort, South Carolina.
