Gaunt Golf Design, in a joint collaboration with Donald Steel, has been acclaimed for their work on the Carlson Farm Course at Greensboro Country Club, North Carolina.
‘Golf Magazine’ has just released its 2010 rankings for the Best New Golf Courses and Best Renovated Courses of the year and Gaunt Golf Design, in a joint collaboration with Donald Steel, has been acclaimed for their work on the Carlson Farm Course at Greensboro Country Club, North Carolina. This has been named the “Best Renovation of the Year out of approximately 700 courses that were completed or redesigned in 2010.
This was Gaunt Golf Design’s first joint design collaboration with the renowned British golf course architect, Donald Steel.
Writing in the January edition of ‘Golf Magazine’, Senior Editor (Courses/Rankings) Joe Passov says: “Since its 1909 inception, Greensboro Country Club has been the most prestigious golf institution in town, but its Carlson Farm course was never a source of great pride.
“The suburban 1963 Ellis Maples design was intended to be a meaty, modern alternative to the club’s shorter Donald Ross course at its downtown facility, but Carlson Farm failed to take advantage of its potential.
Forty years after the club acquired the course, it enlisted Donald Steel for an extreme makeover, ably assisted by Jonathan Gaunt.”
Jonathan Gaunt explains, “Work has involved the complete reconstruction of all tees, fairways, bunkers, greens, lakes, upgrade of the drainage system and a new TORO irrigation system.
“The course is set in mature oak and pine woodland, with dramatic contours, deep valleys and large water features. The new Donald Steel layout has used parts of the site which had otherwise been largely ignored by the course’s original architect, Ellis Maples. There are two completely new holes – #5 and #14 – both dramatic par-3’s – both completely different – the former set on a steep hillside in mature woodland and the latter located next to a large lake. There are big changes to 6 other holes and the layout of the remainder has been retained, but remodelled.”
Joe Passov concludes: “Two new par 3s, the 5th and the 14th; completely rebuilt greens and bunkers; new zoysia grass fairways; and dramatic alterations to seven other holes have infused the Farm with the kind of challenge and playability that can compete with any course in the region. In a year when Old Macdonald captures top new course honors, it’s only fitting that the renovation award goes to the Farm.”
Gaunt Golf Design www.gaunt-golf-design.com
Greensboro Country Club www.greensborocc.org