Former Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course completely re-designed; Set to open to the public May 26th
PALO ALTO, Calif. – OB Sports Golf Management is proud to announce it has been selected by the City of Palo Alto to operate Baylands Golf Links. Scheduled to re-open to the public May 26th, architect Forrest Richardson led the reconfiguration of the original William F. Bell design, which was formerly the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course.
“We are excited to be chosen to lead such a special endeavor, with an extremely bright future,” said Phil Green, COO of OB Sports. “Every aspect of Baylands Golf Links has the potential to be best in class, and we look forward to working with the City of Palo Alto as we prepare to re-open this beautiful facility to the Bay Area market, and the residents of Palo Alto.”
“We are delighted to work with OB Sports on this project,” said Rob de Geus, Deputy City Manager. “The new Baylands Golf Links includes a more environmentally-sensitive design, and a more exciting golf course to play. We believe these characteristics will make Baylands stand out in a competitive regional golf market, while still allowing for a much more efficient use of park land.”
The re-designed golf course will feature 55 acres of native Baylands vegetation and wetlands areas, a 40% reduction of managed turf areas, a 35% reduction of potable water use, and additional 10.5 acres added to the Baylands Athletic Center for future recreational use, and 7.4 acres of land converted into in-stream marshland terrace habitat within an expanded San Francisquito Creek for increased flood protection.
Founded in the mid 1950’s, the municipal course is operated by the City of Palo Alto as part of its Baylands Nature Preserve District, adjacent to the coastal land bordering Palo Alto along the San Francisco Bay. The San Fransisquito Creek, a historic waterway, runs along the course and is a major flood conveyance stream.
Construction began in mid-July 2016, with removal of most of the non-native trees throughout the golf course. Tree removal was mitigated through the planting of 300 new native trees on the reconfigured course, along with the planting of two acres of native bay ecosystem habitat in Byxbee Park, as well as the protection and monitoring of 500 naturally-occurring oak saplings in the Pearson Arastradero Preserve. The site was recontoured using soil from the large on-site stockpile, which created an undulating landscape and elevated scenic views of the Baylands and San Francisco Bay that will enhance the golf experience. The golf holes will be separated by large natural areas planted with wetlands plant species that improve habitat for birds and wildlife, and integrate the golf course into its Baylands setting.
For continuous updates on Baylands Golf Links, visit baylandsgolflinks.com, or call (650) 856-0881.
About OB Sports
Baylands Golf Links is professionally managed by OB Sports Golf Management, a diversified, golf-oriented company with a long history of success in the golf industry. OB Sports currently manages around 60 premier golf courses and country clubs throughout the United States and the Bahamas. Known for its comprehensive and personalized services since 1972, OB Sports has become widely acclaimed as the leader in boutique-style golf course management. Named a Top 100 Business in Golf by the National Golf Foundation in 2018, visit obsports.com to get more information, or call (480) 948-1300. Become a Fan of OB Sports on Facebook, follow OB Sports on Twitter, or visit the OB Sports YouTube channel.
Contact:
David Bataller
(480) 948-1300
dbataller@obsports.com
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