April 18, 2011 |
Beginning May 2, Willowcreek Golf Course will close for a renovation that will improve the course’s bunkers, tees and driving range tee. The course will be closed through the summer, and reopen after overseeding in the fall.
After a considerable process that created a master plan for the Willowcreek golf course, the plan was approved by the RCSC Board of Directors and the construction drawings and specifications for the work on four projects (renovation of bunkers, tees, driving range tee, and #7 and #9 greens rebuilt) were completed and requests for proposals were submitted to four interested parties. In response, RCSC received three bids for the project. The project has been awarded to Wadsworth Golf Construction Company for the renovation of bunkers, tees and driving range tee only. The greens on #7 and #9 will not be rebuilt at this time. The total cost for the project is $693,583, which will be paid for in full out of the 2011 capital budget for golf.
Wadsworth Golf has 50 years of experience in constructing golf courses. Wadsworth has worked on more than 800 major golf projects, working with nearly all of the renowned golf architects. Many of Wadsworth’s finished projects have been featured in Golf Digest’s Top 100 and many others have been recognized as key amenities at the most successful major resorts and real-estate developments in the US.
Since last fall, senior golf architect for Tripp Davis & Associates Gary Brawley has worked with members of the community and the Willowcreek green committee to develop the course’s master plan and construction drawings. Gary was given four priorities by the RCSC Board of Directors: 1) maintenance – design the courses so that they can be maintained easily and cost effectively, 2) playability – design the courses so that they can be played and enjoyed by all level of golfers, 3) strategy – insure the location of the bunker impacts the strategic playability of the golf hole, and 4)variety – design the courses so that they are not all the same and provide Sun City residents diversity.
Anyone interested in looking at the master plan is able to do so at the Willowcreek Pro Shop. There are laminated 8.5 x 11 color images of each individual hole posted so that parties interested can also read the strategy and design intent of the golf hole. The beloved #15 tee and tree will remain and if cart paths are required to be removed, they will be replaced. It is worth noting that not all of the Master Plan as presented will be completed at this time. Of the 38 bunkers that will be at Willowcreek, 27 are renovations of existing bunkers, 5 are bunkers repositioned on the golf hole to have a better strategic affect on the playability of the golf hole, and 6 new bunkers will be added to provide a greater strategic interest to those golf holes.
In conjunction with the Willowcreek project and closure, Willowbrook Golf Course and the snack shop will have a reduced schedule and will be open from 6am until 11am daily. RCSC appreciates everyone’s understanding and cooperation by respecting when Willowbrook Golf Course is closed. We look forward to opening up both courses and the snack shop on full schedule again next fall.