Hole By Hole Overview
Amarillo Country Club is incorporating a great new design on the golf course. The goal in the design is to maintain the classic look that Jay Moorish preserved in 1983 while adding variety and challenge for every level of golfer. The project is referred to as a "shaping" project in the golf industry. While some holes are in the same location, the look of the entire course will change by shaping. This shaping will result in a course that feels more natural, as if it grew out of the ground rather than landed on top of it. The course will be re-routed for safety, added variety, and will play to par 71.
Greens
Every green on the course will be new from scratch. These greens will have USGA compliant drainage, base, irrigation and bent grass. While many of the greens today have mounds surrounding them, the new design will bring the greens themselves up to the golfer's eye and some surrounds will "fall away." This accomplishes two things. The target areas will be more visible and the bunkers and other greenside features will be more prominent without being larger or more severe.
Sand Bunkers
The lower profile bunkers will have less facing and subsequently less wind erosion. However, the integration with the green design will allow them to be more visible. Much consideration is being given to bunker design from every aspect of budget, maintenance, aesthetics, and playability.
Tees
There will be four tee placements ranging from 4899 to 6929 yards in length. All tees will be leveled and squared for a classic look. Where needed, tees will be tiered to allow visibility from each tee. Additionally there will be mown walking transitions from green to tee, again adding to the traditional feel of the club.
Fairways
In general terms, every fairway will change to some degree. Some of the existing fairways have good movement and will simply be contoured for drainage and re-surfaced with a blend of blue and rye grasses. These are cool season grasses that will be green much longer during the year. Other fairways will be shaped to enhance consistency and new fairways will be created for the new hole routings.
Rough and Native Areas
Roughs will be planted with a blue/rye and fescue cool season grasses. "Native areas" are somewhat of a misnomer in our area because there are few "native" grasses that will grow without care and still offer any playable surface. These areas will be planted by the ACC staff but will have very little maintenance associated with them. In the Texas panhandle, even in growing season these grasses may be yellowish which will provide a good contrast to the lush green grasses in the playing areas.
Trees
There will be between 75 and 125 trees removed with the re-routing; most will be the elm varieties. Every effort is being made to preserve the pines and hardwoods. These varieties will be transplanted when size appropriate. The course architects will provide the club with a tree palette and plan for future removal and plantings.
Irrigation
The irrigation system will be completely new from the pump house and new larger storage lake to the heads and controls. This system is the key component to the entire project.
Practice Areas
The range will be completely re-shaped. The existing concrete will remain, but the tees will be shaped to encourage shots away from the street. The target areas will be contoured to create driving lanes and target greens topped with bent grass surfaces. A unique feature of the range is that it will be playable as a fun "short course" when the club chooses.
The short game area and practice green will be enlarged and rebuilt from the ground up. This is a challenging area as it is land-locked and can only be changed as much as prudently safe.
An additional short game area is being bid as an alternate on the site of the current 12th green. The area will be completely rebuilt in the new style by removing the mounds, lowering the catch areas and changing the bunker profiles. This area is considered an alternate based on budget considerations.
Hole by Hole
Hole 1 - Par 4 - 349|340|315|253 Yards
The first hole is a fair start. There is no significant change from the original design. The fairway will be widened back to its intended width. There is an added fairway bunker planned on the left which defines the landing area. The stylistic change to the green complex will give the hole a new feel in the same location.
Hole 2 - Par 3 - 174|163|131|115 Yards
Number 2 will remain basically the same. The cart path will be moved to the east to improve the view of the hole. The approach will be shortened giving the appearance that the hole is longer. The green and bunkers will be reshaped.
Hole 3 - Par 4 - 460|437|409|332 Yards
The re-routed cart path will cross to the left of the tees. The back tee moves west, closer to the fence, and the forward tee moves closer to the fairway. The path will re-join the existing path where it turns to proceed up the left side of the fairway. Three is basically unchanged; the fairway is a little wider, the green moves slightly to the south and east.
Hole 4 - Par 4 - 441|406|373|305 Yards
The new routing begins on the 4th. The tees will play from the northwest corner of the cart barn angling west of the current fairway, then turn west to the existing 5th green. This will be a healthy dog-leg left par 4. There is a very large pine tree on the left of 5 that is planned to remain, and it will split the landing area near the corner. Playing from the appropriate tees, players can try to carry or simply pass the tree to the right. The fairway will be shaped and bunkered to encourage the turn up the hill and the green approach will change to accommodate the slightly new angle. The last 100 yards will play up the current 5th fairway.
Hole 5 - Par 4 - 396|381|356|290 Yards
Another exciting change is in store for 5. It starts on the old 6 tee. The water feature is completely removed. The fairway will be reshaped supporting a dog-leg right into the existing site of the 4th green. Obviously the green complex will be completely retooled to accommodate the reversed approach. Existing tree lines support this route nicely. As with all the re-routed holes, tree lines will change.
Hole 6 - Par 3 - 176|168|156|122 Yards
The 6th is truly a new hole, the only one on the front nine. The hole starts near the old 5th tee but plays to the north. There's a new irrigation storage lake on the left. The lake will range from the south rough of the current 7th to almost the tree line to the south of 8 and as wide as the low area, running from 8 to 12+ feet deep. It requires moving the current restrooms on #7. The new green will be located in the open area to the northeast of those restrooms. This will be a great signature par 3!
Hole 7 - Par 4 - 392|381|359|292 Yards
The championship tees will be near the west cart path on the existing 9th across from the beginning of the 9th fairway. The tee shot from three of the tee areas will require a carry of the north end of the lake. From this location, it creates an uphill dog-leg right into the existing 7th green location. The landing area will be guarded by fairway bunkers. The green is cut with three distinct pin locations, front right, mid-left and back right.
Hole 8 - Par 4 - 441|426|401|324 Yards
Number eight is fundamentally unchanged with a minor exception. Tee shots hit long and to the right will now be in danger reaching the new lake. The green complex will see significant changes. It will be extended northeast and the bunkers will be repositioned, two left and one back right. The shaping here will be extremely different with the reduction of the mounds.
Hole 9 - Par 5 - 490|468|442|359 Yards
The new cart path will pass in front of the back tees allowing you to reach the new 9th tee, the old 18th. There are many logistic and strategic advantages for changing the holes. The back tees will share an enlarged teeing area. The ninth fairway will see significant contouring to give it some personality. Fairway bunkers will be added to the left. The green will be located on the northeast corner of the clay courts creating a slight right turn at the end, possibly guarded by the existing pines on the right. There will be a bunker in the center of the fairway and in front of the green to encourage players to lay up short and wedge on to the green. The contouring beyond the green will catch wayward shots without blocking the view from the clubhouse. Turning here puts you immediately at the halfway house and 10th tee.
Hole 10 - Par 4 - 398|381|359|292 Yards
Hole 10 gets the biggest face lift of any existing hole. Tees, fairway and green move north. The lake is re-shaped and will be on the right side of the fairway. A shot over water is no longer required. A risk reward decision is created off the tee for an accurate driver. The green is located in the open area to the northeast between 14 and 15 fairways, which will make it a straighter hole. In essence, it's a new hole in the old location.
Hole 11 - Par 3 - 169|162|144|122/91 Yards
Eleven is the new hole on the back nine. The tips will play from the old 10th green location. The forward tees will be situated near the water's edge. The first shot must carry the water from each tee location. The large green will sit between the tree rows of ten and the old eleven with a landing area in front of the green. There is adequate space from the back of the green to the extended tennis barn. As with the sixth, eleven will be a beautiful, picturesque, "signature" par 3 hole.
Hole 12- Par 4 - 473|451|436|395/318 Yards
The twelfth is a big change from the old 11th hole. It will play from the old eleventh forward tee area to the old twelfth fairway. The combination of uphill, length and the prevailing wind will make it a great challenge. Two sets of tees will have a carry over the water, with the forward tee playing to a significant advantage. The fairway moves more to the south to move it away from the tennis building. The hole turns left, playing to a new green on the left center of the current 12th approach. The old 12th tee and approach are abandoned creating a significant buffer for the parking lot. The new green will angle away and to the right with bunkers on the right.
Hole 13 - Par 5 - 564|534|509|486/387 Yards
Thirteen gets new forward and back tees. The fairway will see substantial dirt work and shaping to address the fairway area that is lower than the water beyond it. The green complex and approach will be reshaped to challenge the second shot. Bunkering will narrow the lay-up area. This will give a good hole a fresh face.
Hole 14 - Par 4 - 420|401|376|306 Yards
The primary changes on this hole are safety related. Number 14 fairway will move west. The center line of the fairway will be the previous western border. The western border of the fairway will be the existing cart path. Bunkers and trees will be added between the fairway and the fence line to add more buffer. The green will move away from the corner, shortening the hole approximately twenty yards.
Hole 15 - Par 4 - 451|434|408|377/332 Yards
The championship tees for 15 are pushed almost to the fence and the forward tees are moved forward. Contouring will shape this fairway, and some trees will be removed along the right side. The green is moved slightly to the south and west. The green surface should be more visible from the fairway.
Hole 16 - Par 4 - 381|366|342|279 Yards
Sixteen remains fairly the same, with shaping and contouring sprucing it up. The concrete creek will be removed and replaced with a more natural looking and playable set of collection areas and drains. This will move water from the drain on the north side and in the bottom of 15 through the low area and off the property at 17. The new green will be more triangular in the same location.
Hole 17 - Par 3 - 219|206|200|192/162 Yards
This hole remains the same but will cosmetically change. A tee ground south of the trees and cart path with offer a different look alongside the existing tees. The ditch will be removed. The approach will be shortened giving the perception that the hole is longer. Sand bunkers will replace the grass traps on the front left. Reshaping will change the mounded look and add fairway cut chipping areas back and right.
Hole 18 - Par 5 - 535|514|483|395/355
Again you cross in front of the new 9 back tees reaching the former 9th tee, which shares a teeing area with the new 9th. The new forward tee moves closer to the fairway, beyond the split in the cart path. Fairway bunkers create a sight line on the right near the current mounding. The fairway will get character contouring and move a little to the west leading in to the new green complex. Roughly in the same location, the green will be well bunkered, especially on the left side, making a long run up shot more difficult. Low catch areas provide more visibility for galleries on the finishing hole. The visibility of both the 9th and 18th greens from the Antler Room and balcony enhance a great clubhouse view of both sides finishing par 5 holes.
Summary
The new design enhances the classic feel of Amarillo County Club. Aesthetically the course will soften by removing concrete flumes, ditches and paths from sight lines. It has variety in distance, shape and approach to holes that were previously redundant. There are options for course set up that didn't exist before and the grass palettes will provide quality playing surfaces many more months per year. With our constantly changing weather, this course can bring a different challenge on a daily basis. The new teeing grounds encourage golfers of every age and skill level. It will prove to be an investment that the club will profit from for many generations to come.
Disclaimer
These are the plans as they exist on paper today. The routing and design has been approved by the golf committee and the board and will not substantially change. As with any construction project, there will be changes made in deference to safety, logistics, budget and improvements in the field.
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