One of Bert Stamps’ many Golden State gems
PLEASANTON, CA – Golf Architect Neal Meagher recently completed an extensive golf course renovation project for the Belmont Country Club in Fresno, California. Belmont was constructed in 1956 as the second of 16 courses to be built by the noted golf professional and designer, Bert Stamps.
The club chose Meagher, Associate Member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASCGA), to redesign and renovate the fairway and greenside bunkers. Meagher maintained Stamps’ original routing. “Much of the original strategy had been usurped by today’s superior playing equipment. So, I worked closely with the club to determine which bunkers were appropriately placed,” Meagher said, “This helped us determine which to re-construct and which to replace.”
Meagher then focused on those that no longer provided the challenge intended by Stamps. These were then rebuilt in new locations. Finally, Meagher replaced some bunkers with banked landforms. Meagher worked these new contours into the course’s flat terrain to provide more strategic playing options.
In all, Meagher rebuilt a total of 50 bunkers. Many were sculpted as part of a larger swale, or excavation area. “Aesthetically, we wanted these to look completely natural, to blend seamlessly into the native topography. The site’s native sandy loam soil made it easy for us to create beautiful strategic and visual companions to the sand bunkers. I’m very proud of the work we did.”
Belmont Country Club is now in a position to capitalize on these improvements as it moves beyond its 50th anniversary. Located in a fast-growing area of Fresno, Belmont Country Club maintains a full-service clubhouse with dining and banquet facilities and a fully-stocked golf shop headed by long-time professional, Kenny Collins.
Work at Belmont Country Club was begun in mid-November 2007 and complete by early March 2008. The grand opening was held on June 21, 2008. Construction management services were provided by Dale Siemens of Fresno, California.
Specialized Shaping of Forest Ranch, California oversaw construction of Meagher’s work. Art Strain is the owner of Specialized Shaping, a small firm that believes in individual attention to each project. The company provides both new and renovation services for golf courses.
Neal Meagher is based in Pleasanton, California, and has practiced golf course architecture since 1984. His practice focuses on only a select few projects at any given time to allow for a high level of craftsmanship to naturally evolve; each new or remodeled course is a result of carefully and studiously working with the owner and/or superintendent and builder. Please visit www.nealmeaghergolf.com
Contact:
JOHN SHEEHAN
jsheehan@nealmeaghergolf.com
415-381-8844
