More than 50 years after it became the
first course on Hilton Head Island, Atlantic Dunes’ owners decided it was time
for a complete makeover. Though it had
been renovated in 1995, the course that
was so successful in driving real estate
sales for the master-planned community
had become choked with trees. Its infrastructure was dated, and the layout did
Atlantic Dunes
by Davis Love III
Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Owner: Sea Pines Resort LLC
Architect: Love Golf Design
Contractor: MacCurrach Golf
Construction
Renovation budget: $10.5 million
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not fit with the native Low Country surroundings.
The renovation, spearheaded by the
architectural firm of veteran PGA Tour
star Davis Love III, addressed a wide
range of agronomic and aesthetic issues.
The team built new greens, tees (
including a new family course) and bunkers,
and added a new irrigation system.
The team reconstructed bulkheads on
lagoons and waterways and improved
cart paths and bridges with designs
that evoke seaside ambiance. The result
is a brand-new course that blends perfectly with the Low Country feel and
is accented by restored dunes, 50,000
new seaside grasses, coquina shells, and
native pines and oaks.
Oscar Rodriguez, Vice President, Heritage
Links. With more than 20 years of experience in golf course construction, Rodriguez has served in executive roles for a
number of golf companies. He is a former
board member of the Golf Course Builders
Association of America.
Matthew Dusenberry, Principal, Dusenberry Golf Course Design. Dusenberry
founded Dusenberry Design in 2013 after
serving as senior design associate with
Greg Norman Golf Course Design for 15
years. His redesign of Keney Park Golf
Course in Hartford, Conn., won first place
in the public course category of Golf Inc.’s
2016 Renovation of the Year contest.
Kirk Kokoska, Senior Vice President, Golf
Services, BlueStar Resort & Golf. Before
joining BlueStar, Kokoska led large portfolios for Raven Golf and Intrawest Golf. He
has been a member of the PGA of America
for more than 20 years and is a past board
member and officer of the Arizona Golf
Industry Association.
BEFORE
AFTER
This daily fee course was a primary recre-
ation component for a large military con-
tractor. It was open to the public but had
had few improvements during the past
half-century. Poor irrigation and under-
sized greens for the number of rounds
played created a course that was showing
its age.
The key element of the renovation was
a new, 1,200-head irrigation system. That
was followed by rebuilding the greens and
surrounds and all 18 tee complexes. Fairways were re-contoured and re-grassed,
drainage was improved, and new sand was
poured into Squaw Creek’s 47 bunkers.
The result is improved playability and
maintainability, a greater variety of tee
positions, and green complexes that are
more player-friendly.
Newly created native areas have helped
reduce the total number of acres that
require maintenance.
“What started out as a tired old track has
evolved into a vibrant, sexy, fun-to-play
golf course,” architect John Colligan said.
Squaw Creek Golf Course
Willow Park, Texas
Owner: Corporate Employee
Recreation Association
Architect: Colligan Golf Design
Contractor: Fleetwood Services
Renovation budget: $2.8 million
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BEFOREAFTER
THE JUDGES
