PROJECTS

Steps in Restoration/Preservation of a Golf Course

Step 1

When considering golf course projects for restoration and preservation, Keep It Classic (KIC) has certain fundamental requirements that must be met, including:

• The course must be open to the public at large, preferably a municipally owned course;

• The course should be a classic course built during the Golden Age of Golf, usually recognized as beginning with the opening of National Golf Links in 1910 by C.B. MacDonald to the beginning of World War II when golf course development stopped until after the war.

Over 75 such courses have been identified by Keep It Classic.

Step 2

Development of Preliminary Assessment Reports (PARs) for these courses, including:

• An initial analysis of Greens, tees, bunkers, fairways, drainage, micro climates, traffic & landscaping

• A meeting with the responsible persons in the municipalities to:

o Review course history/background information on the property

o Understand financial, maintenance, design, and aesthetic issues/concerns

o Discuss key goals and objectives of the course

o Understand dynamics/ needs for children in the municipality and accessibility of venue

• A written overview containing:

o A summary evaluation of the overall property

o Our initial “hole by hole” assessment of the golf course design/architecture

o A simple color drawing of the routing

o Preliminary cost estimations

o Conclusions and Recommendations

Step 3

Conduct a feasibility study, including investigating as to preservation status

Step 4

The Municipality must agree to:

• Apply for preservation status for the golf course

• Develop a plan to use recommendations by KIC’s architectural committee for cost effective means of on-going course maintenance, subject to KIC’s ongoing review and inspection to ensure that the course continues to be maintained as intended.

• Develop a golf program for children that permits access to the course and practice areas and teaches fundamental golf ethics.

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