Raymond Hearn design ranked 3rd among public renovations over $1 million
Romeoville, MI – Mistwood Golf Club, the high-end daily fee facility located outside of Chicago, continues to garner national and international recognition for its recent multi-million dollar course renovation.
Golf Inc. Magazine, the leading publication for the golf industry, selected Mistwood Golf Club third in the world among the top public renovations over $1 million. The “2014 Renovation of the Year” selections are in the summer issue. Mistwood’s renovation, which was completed by architect Raymond Hearn, was listed just behind the renovations at Camelback Golf Club in Phoenix and Doral’s Blue Monster in Florida.
In Golf Inc.’s annual Renovation of the Year competition projects were judged on four primary criteria: routing, playability, maintainability, and aesthetics, as well as how the project met its goals and budget. Before and after photos were also reviewed.
“This most recent award by Golf Inc. is a major recognition,” Mistwood owner Jim McWethy said. “As the owner, I am proud beyond words of this recognition, and am extremely thankful to all those who put in their heart and soul to turn a dream into this wonderful course.
“A large number of people worked very hard, and demonstrated tremendous talent, to elevate Mistwood from a very nice golf course, to a truly outstanding golf facility. The golf course staff, contractors, and of course the creative genius and passion for the game of Ray Hearn was critical to our success.
McWethy closed the course on periodic occasions over the last two years to allow Hearn, the courses original designer from 1998, to complete the major $6 million dollar renovation project. The course was also recognized earlier this year by Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine, receiving its “Best U.S. Renovation You Can Play” honors.
The scope of the project was immense and every hole on the golf course was renovated in some shape or form. The renovation included the addition of 20 stacked sod-wall bunkers, a trademark hazard for courses in Scotland and Ireland and now a signature feature at Mistwood. Many of the courses’ lakes and bodies of water were also expanded with beautiful Lannon stone walls making them a strategic factor on several holes.
The most noticeable work was at the par-5 third hole where the green was relocated to create space for a future clubhouse and a double fairway for risk-reward. The creek that used to be in front of the green is now behind it, and it has been expanded with a pond guarding the entire right side of the hole.
A complete new drainage and irrigation system was installed, and tee-boxes were repositioned on each hole. New fairway and rough lines were created, as well as fescue rough was planted throughout the golf course improving the aesthetic presentation. Trees were also strategically added and removed.
“Placing third in a worldwide competition like this was a very significant accomplishment and being recognized by my peers and selected alongside these other great projects was humbling and thrilling at the same time,” Hearn said. “The renovation improvements we completed at Mistwood have helped to elevate the course into a ‘must play’ category among the elite courses in the Midwest. My work for this great course was a true labor of love.”
Mistwood and McWethy have made extraordinary major facility improvements since taking ownership in 2004. In addition to the award-winning work on the course, the creation of the new Performance Center, with its indoor-outdoor hitting bays, elite swing technology, and custom club fitting, has been the talk of Chicago area golf.
“There was some risk in what we did, but in the end we created a great facility with a unique blend of Scottish features with large lakes, streams and stonewalls not found in the Chicago area that all levels of players will want to play again and again,” said McWethy.
For more information and to read the Golf Inc. story, visit http://www.golfincmagazinemonthly-digital.com/golfincmagazinemonthly/summer_2014#pg41
For more information about Mistwood Golf Club, visit www.mistwoodgc.com.
Contact:
Mistwood Golf Club, Daniel Phillips PGA, Director of Golf
dphillips@mistwoodgc.com
Fusion Media Strategies, Kevin Frisch, (989) 614-0241
kevin@fusionmediastrategies.com
Raymond Hearn Golf Course Designs, Inc., Raymond Hearn, (616) 399-7686
ray@rhgd.com
