Why are we remodeling bunkers at the Big Meadow Golf Course?

After 30 years, any golf course needs to be updated, if they want to stay competitive. Golf equipment has changed so much over the years and new club and ball designs allow the ball to fly further. Therefore many of the old fairway bunkers were no longer in play.

The new bunkers will cause golfers to evaluate both our courses so they have the right strategy to make them interesting and fun for
players of all abilities.

This is the first year of an eight-year master plan to improve both Big Meadow & Glaze Meadow golf courses. The Board of Directors approved this first project for 2005. The project includes repositioning some bunkers and rebuilding others where they currently exist. The new style of bunkers is known as “Cape and Bay”, with the grassy capes extending into the sandy bays of the bunkers.

We are also fixing and improving bunker shapes, drainage, irrigation, and other problems to keep the golf courses in the best condition all season long. A total of 65 bunkers will receive work, including sparkling white sand from Emmet, Idaho.

The bunker design work was created by Robert Muir Graves, of Graves & Pascuzzo Ltd, a golf course design firm. Mr. Graves was the original designer of the Big Meadow Course and always considered it one of his personal favorites. He passed away in 2003 and his partner, Damian Pascuzzo, is completing the work with the help of Jeff Fought, BBR Director of Golf, Gus Johnson,  Big Meadow Superintendent and the golf maintenance staff at Big Meadow Golf Course.

The Tee Project
Year Two of the Golf Course Improvement Master Plan

Beginning October 17, 2005, the tees at Big Meadow will be realigned to compliment the new bunkers that were added last year. The project is expected to last throughout the winter and be ready for play next spring. It will allow Big Meadow to reach to 7,000 yards from Championship Tees. The project includes adding a fourth set of tees on each course, rating both courses for both men and women from multiple tees, returning the tee shapes to their original Curvilinear design.

Click on the photo for a larger view

Golf Course Architects Discuss Site October 28, 2004	Big Meadow 18 December 3, 2004
Working in the Snow Big Meadow 16 January 7, 2005	Laying Sod Big Meadow 8 April 21, 2005
New rolls of Sod April 21, 2005	Materials April 21, 2005
Laying Sod April 22, 2005	The finished product May 2005

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800-399-2322 | 541-595-1500
golf@blackbutteranch.com