Renowned Golf Course Designer Improves Aesthetics, Playability at Prestigious Private Club
(SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) – Schmidt-Curley Design – the full-service golf-course architecture, master-planning and construction-management solution – announces its renovation of Oakmont Country Club in Glendale, Calif. is complete and open for play.
Since September 2008 the firm and its sister company, Flagstick Golf Course Construction Management, have worked to elevate the aesthetics and strategic options for all players on the parkland-style course originally designed by Max Behr in 1922. Specific alterations include the creation of several new holes and green complexes, updated bunkering, opening of playing corridors to enhance vistas and maximize turf quality, doubling the size of the practice area and more.
Some of the most creative renovation work revolved around a concrete channel running through the center of the property. Once a natural arroyo, architect Brian Curley returned it to a more natural state by softening its edges with the introduction of a sandy transition area creating a “California Native” look.
“The change to the arroyo accomplished three important ends,” says Curley. “One, it increased playability as the wet, tangled rough that bordered the channel was replaced with player-friendly, hard-packed sand; two, it improved the health of the big Heritage Oaks running along the waterway, which don’t thrive in irrigated areas; and three, the course now features a much more pleasing, natural look.”
Other notable improvements to Oakmont include creation of a drivable par-4 and, in a nod to its reputation as a “player’s course,” combining two old holes to fashion a challenging par-5 finish. In addition, Schmidt-Curley introduced rough-edged bunkering throughout the layout to match the arroyo’s meandering, radiating borders. A further step toward returning the course to a more unspoiled, open state was the elimination of all hedges and planters. Five sets of tees allow the course to be played anywhere from 5,300 to more than 7,000 yards, making it attractive to players of all abilities.
“Schmidt-Curley and Flagstick have done a masterful job,” says Mike Hyler, General Manager, Oakmont Country Club. “They’ve exceeded all our expectations, completing the project on-time and under-budget. Their skill and professionalism throughout the process has thoroughly impressed our membership.”
Adds Curley: “Oakmont’s once again worthy of mention in the same breath as greater Los Angeles’ impressive roster of distinguished private clubs. Although it lost its original feel from tinkering over the years, we believe our renovation’s reclaimed its luster.”
Some of Schmidt-Curley’s other acclaimed Southern California credits include Oak Quarry Golf Club in Riverside and Terra Lago Golf Club in Indio. For more information about its completed and current projects, visit www.schmidt-curley.com or call 480.483.1994.
About Schmidt-Curley Design
Founded by partners Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley with offices in Scottsdale, Arizona; Haikou, Hainan Island, China and Kunming, China, Schmidt-Curley is a full-service, international golf course architecture and master-planning firm with more than 100 layouts in 24 countries, including the U.S., Thailand, China, Vietnam, Mexico, Egypt, Sweden and Korea. The tandem is responsible for crafting 10 of the 12 courses at storied Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China – the largest golf complex in the world.
Schmidt-Curley teamed with long-time partner Nick Faldo, as well as Pete Dye, Jose Maria Olazabal, Ernie Els, David Duval, Annika Sorenstam, Vijay Singh, David Leadbetter and Jumbo Ozaki to create a golf experience unlike any other globally. High profile, award-winning projects from Schmidt-Curley include Bali Hai and Siena Golf Clubs (Las Vegas), Amata Spring Golf Club (Chonburi, Thailand, three-time host of the PGA European Tour’s Royal Trophy), Terra Lago Golf Club (Indio, California, site of the Skins Game from 1999 – 2002), Twin Creeks Golf Club (Cedar Park, Texas) and Crosby National Golf Club (Rancho Santa Fe, California).
Schmidt-Curley has also worked extensively with golf’s biggest names – including Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Fred Couples and Faldo on numerous high-profile projects – and boasts four ASGCA members (Lee Schmidt, Brian Curley, Grant Haserot and Andy Raugust).
Flagstick Golf Course Construction, Schmidt-Curley’s sister company, offers a range of invaluable services. Its pre-construction preparation ensures clients will have a precise understanding of the overall construction process, which reduces the inherent risks involved in the project and maximizes efficiency and project execution, making it more rewarding for all involved. Additionally, Flagstick’s ability to manage the myriad administrative tasks associated with any golf course construction project, such as staffing, budgeting and scheduling, is unmatched.
Producing demanding yet beautiful and enjoyable courses, Schmidt-Curley strives to create golf experiences that stir the senses and elevate golfers’ appreciations for the land and the game. By balancing classic golf course architecture with ever-changing contemporary technology, Schmidt-Curley places an emphasis on site-adaptive courses, memorable and enjoyable for all levels of play and always designed for cost-efficient maintenance and operations.
Contact:
Shane Sharp
Buffalo Communications
704.519.8381 (cell)
ssharp@billycaspergolf.com
www.buffalocommunications.com
Stephen Reynolds
Buffalo Communications
703.761.1444
sreynolds@billycaspergolf.com