Delightful Heckenkemper Design Receiving Raves for Area Players
[CLAREMORE, Okla.] – The much-anticipated opening of Stonebridge Golf Club in Claremore – a championship course routed by the award-winning golf designer Randy Heckenkemper and managed by Billy Casper Golf – is now complete and players are already enjoying Oklahoma’s newest layouts.
Known for his outstanding designs, Heckenkemper – who has three courses on TulsaWeb.com’s top ten list of public golf courses in the state – has fashioned another enjoyable test of golf in Stonebridge that is exceedingly playable for golfers of all skill levels. Rolling fairways, subtly undulating putting surfaces, strategically-placed hazards and a mix of holes varying in length and difficulty place a premium on course management.
Playing to 6,510 yards from the back tees, Stonebridge requires accuracy and feel, rather than brute length. Contoured bunkers with a bright white sand give the course a unique look and help define the shape of Stonebridge’s holes. The course’s Penn A-1 bent grass greens are impressing players and already rolling in the double digits on the stimpmeter. The superior condition of the new course is a credit to Scott Schurman, the dedicated superintendent who has been overseeing maintenance and grow-in of the layout since late 2004
"We are getting nothing but praise from players," says Stonebridge General Manager Rob Overgard. "Stonebridge Golf Club is a premier layout for golfers in the Tulsa area."
Each nine at Stonebridge has its own distinct characteristics – the front is open with a linksy feel, while each hole on the back side is tree-lined. Both nines open with shorter par fours, however players should not be lulled into a false sense of security. Stonebridge’s muscular third is a classic par-3 measuring 180 yards that is all carry over a lake stretching the entire length of the hole.
The 17th is a classic example of Heckenkemper’s approach to the course. Not a long hole, the tee shot must avoid a gaping bunker on the right and a hazard all the way down the left of the fairway. Like a number of holes on the back nine, 17 also utilizes an old oak tree to front the right-hand side of the green. There is also a creek guarding the entrance to the putting surface. Two solid shots may provide a birdie opportunity, but a miscue brings in all sorts of trouble and a potentially big number.
Located less than 30 minutes from downtown Tulsa at the intersection of Highway 266 and Route 66, Stonebridge is also an excellent venue for golf outings and there are a number of annual memberships available for families and businesses. For more information about the course, please call 918-266-5000 or visit www.stonebridgeclub.com.
About Billy Casper Golf
Billy Casper Golf, headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, was co-founded in 1989 by professional golf legend Billy Casper, the Masters and two-time U.S. Open winner who ranks sixth all-time with 51 PGA Tour wins. BCG serves its clients through three divisions: Billy Casper Golf Management, the full-service manager to golf-property developers, owners and government agencies; Buffalo Communications, the publicity and media-relations agency representing people, places, products, services, organizations and companies in golf; and Buffalo Golf Trail, the customer-reward program providing consistent, high-quality golf experiences to golfers at BCG-managed golf clubs nationwide. For more about BCG, visit www.billycaspergolf.com , call 703.761.1444, or send email to info@billycaspergolf.com .
Contact:
Alex Behrend
Billy Casper Golf/Buffalo Communications
703-891-3324 (O)
703-635-5409 (C)
abehrend@billycaspergolf.com
