HOLLAND, Mich. – Raymond Hearn Golf Course Designs Inc. is making progress with remodeling improvements at historic Schenectady Municipal Golf Course in Schenectady, N.Y.
“I am proud to report that our team completed Phase 1 of the remodeling improvements this fall,” said Raymond Hearn, president and founder of Raymond Hearn Golf Course Designs, Inc. and member of the ASGCA.
Schenectady Municipal was one of the first courses built after The Great Depression in 1935 by Jim Thompson and A.F. Knight with funds from the Federal Emergency Relief Administration and Works Progress Administration.
Hearn said Union College (Schenectady, NY) supplied dozens of historic photos.
“Unemployed men savaged by the Great Depression were thrilled to work on the golf course when there was little work to be found if any in the United States,” Hearn said. “There are some remarkable photos of the original construction. In one photo, men using pick axes in 20 degree below zero weather are shown creating a trench for the herringbone drainage pipe and gravel.”
Hearn said his company’s goal is to restore lost features and remodel other features necessary to improve strategy and shot value considering advancements in ball and club technology that have rendered certain risk-reward scenarios obsolete. Also included are functional items such as improved tee size, drainage, irrigation, cart paths and tree removal.
“The site is a wonderful lay of the land routing that uses all the hills, kettles and kames created by glacier,” Hearn said. “This is municipal golf at its finest. It has been on honor for all the consultants involved to work with the City of Schenectady on this project.”
Brian Vinchesi of Irrigation Consulting, Inc. in Pepperell, MA, handled the irrigation design and Daniel Shrearer of Saratoga Associates in Saratoga Springs, NY, directed the permitting and engineering. XGD Systems of Stuart, FL, performed the construction and Mike Scesny, the golf course superintendent at Schenectady Municipal, oversaw the grow-in.
“It has been an outstanding job to this point by all involved,” Hearn said. “There is excitement generated by what we’ve accomplished so far, and we look forward to continuing with the other phases of the project as the City directs us.”
Please contact Ray Hearn or Greg Johnson for questions and addition plans or photos.
Raymond Hearn, President Raymond Hearn Golf Course Designs, Inc., (O) 616-399-7686, ray@rhgd.com. Also, visit www.rhgd.com for more information.
Greg Johnson Media, 616-560-8995, greggie24@hotmail.com
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