The Centurion club opened its door for business in June of this year,after many years “in the making”. It has certainly fulfilled expectations with Golf World featuring the course in their August edition as part of their “ world’s best places to play” series.
The European Institute of Golf Course Architects now encourages those students wishing to develop a career in golf course architecture to be mentored by an existing member. Simon Gidman has agreed to mentor Neil White from student to Associate standard. He started work in May and comes to the office regularly to meet the demands of the Institute’s Education Board.
SGGCA have recently obtained planning permission for an extensive Academy facility on land adjacent to the existing golf course. It will include practice ground, practice putting and chipping greens and raised tee with artificial turf. The works will commence in Feb.2014
Final plans are being prepared for the planning application for an extensive housing and other integrated services on land to the south of the front nine of the golf course. David Lock Assoc. are heading up the application on behalf of Bovis Ltd. SGGCA are preparing the golf course proposals.
The company have recently been awarded the contract to prepare the layout and details for the new 9 hole golf course which will replace the existing 9 hole course at the Ferrybridge Power station. It is hoped to start work on the new course in 2014.
– Blue Course – The Blue Course ,now nearly 20 years old has recently hosted the Buildbase Open on the Europro Tour and also this year the English Amateur stroke play event.
The company have recently been involved with introducing the Bunker Blinder concept to some of the bunkers at the Burford G.C., with a view to extending this to many more of their existing bunkers over the forthcoming years.
The company designed the course in 1996 as part of a development which saw the renovation of the Vale Royal mansion and the construction of some 50 – 60houses. Since then the company have been involved with the general tightening and lengthening of the course so that now, at 6463 yds., the course represents a surprisingly tough test both for the low, mid and high handicap golfer. The existing features of Rookery pool and the ha ha that fronts the house are all carefully integrated into the design
Longcliffe G.C. is a testing and challenging golf course of 6625 yds. par 71. However as with many golf courses these days many of the fairway bunkers are irrelevant and only come into play for the mid/high handicap golfer. For the low handicap golfer a majority of the bunkers have become redundant. Some of the bunkering is also fairly ‘penal’ in its location and proposals have been drafted to make the fairway bunkering more strategic. The course was originally designed by Mr. T. Williamson in 1904 and because of the general age of the course it was felt that an historic style of bunkering for example similar to that of Harry Colt should be incorporated.
After much discussion with the local authorities the Club have eventually been granted permission to re-house their 18th green through former orchard back to the clubhouse. This has also enabled the 1st tees on both the South and North Course to be re-sited closer to the clubhouse. In order to compensate for the loss of some of the woodland a new orchard will be planted over the carry of the former 1st hole. The works were undertaken by Josef Potter in September / October 2008 and it is anticipated that the hole will open for play mid summer 2009.
