LANSING, Mich. – To mark its centennial year as the Country Club of Lansing, the club that was first founded in 1908 as The Lansing Golf Club, has hired Saline, Michigan course architect Chris Wilczynski, ASGCA to develop a master plan for the course originally designed by William Langford and Theodore Moreau (L&M).
“I was hired in early 2021 to enhance and improve the golf facility,” Wilczynski said. “This master plan is a road map to help visualize how the golf course can be improved. “So many trees have been planted over the years that they have taken away from the original course intent”
“Our initial thoughts for the CC of Lansing master plan are to restore the angles and strategic bunker positions that once existed.We can also make the course more player-friendly with the addition of forward and middle tees,” stated Wilczynski. “We will also look at recapturing the original green forms and dimensions,” Wilczynski added.
Wilczynski also developed a master plan at another Langford and Moreau course, Blythefield Country Club, just north of Grand Rapids. “We are looking forward to an exciting future,” said the CC of Lansing Superintendent Drew Peddie. “Creating a master plan is strategic because it will help guide the club to make smart decisions when opportunities arise to make improvements to the golf course.”
“Members were impressed with (Wilczynski’s) work at Blythefield. They also liked his initial thoughts and preliminary solutions regarding some of the course layout and maintenance challenges at the Country Club of Lansing,” stated Peddie.
Peddie is the second of only two superintendents the club has had since 1979, according to Dr. Trey Rogers, a member of the club as well as a Professor in the Turfgrass Science Department at Michigan State University. “I think Chris will take the original design of the golf course and bring it into the 21st century, Rogers said. “He wants the course to be fun to play every day for all golfers.”
The elimination of several trees on the golf course will open the playing corridors and showcase the beautiful property that the course sits on. “We are excited to bring back some of the original Langford and Moreau design aspects,” Peddie said. “I am also excited to address the location, size and condition of the bunkers.”
“I believe that I have a good understanding of what is needed at the CC of Lansing after completing the Blythefield renovation and studying Lawsonia Links and other L&M courses,” stated Wilczynski. “We have the original Langford and Moreau plan for the course. Its brilliant and so cool! I am hopeful that we can bring back parts of the plan while modernizing the course and addressing the membership and management team’s needs.”
Contact:
Chris Wilczynski, ASGCA
734.395.7941
chris@cwgolfarch.com
www.cwgolfarch.com
