Famend golf course architect, Ross Perrett, continues to deliver us insights into the excellent work undertaken along with his two late former companions, Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge. This month he seems to be at their revamp of the Clearwater Bay course in Hong Kong.
The Clearwater Bay Golf Membership, Hong Kong, is among the extra dramatic golf programs on the planet. It’s positioned on a rocky peninsula on the north west of Hong Kong island.
It was designed by Japanese golf architects T Sawai and A Furukawa. The Lowland 9 was the primary inbuilt 1982 and because the title suggests is extra intimate with the ocean. To construct it first was each logical and good apply. Throughout development when engaged on a tough a website, it’s fascinating to work out from the extremities to keep away from working over completed work.
The Highland 9 adopted in 1987 and had related logistical issues. The Clubhouse opened in 1989. When the course was being constructed, the golf course architects adopted a daring strategy with the earthworks and tree clearing. This was simply as nicely as a result of it was their one likelihood to render the land appropriate for golf this meant severe earthworks. In flip, it demanded some very giant gear for use.
The sixth inexperienced at Clearwater Bay, present process a Thomson Perrett Wolveridge makeover.
This precipitated some environmental issues about over clearing and extreme earthworks. However the finish outcome was price it.
Following opening the course to a lot fanfare, the dreaded critics relished the thrilling golf on supply proper on the shoreline.
Wind is all the time a problem at Clearwater Bay, blowing from the north within the winter and reverse in the summertime. The impact of
the wind is additional exacerbated by the cleverness of format which has holes working to all factors of the compass.
The great thing about the place and the Hong Kong way of life all the time attracted prime quality ex-patriate employees. Present Director of Golf, Peter Downie is a Scottish skilled ably assisted by Grant Gibson and Kingsley Lengthy, each of whom are lengthy serving Australian instructing professionals.
Clearwater Bay’s management all the time ensured that the membership had a coverage of continually enhancing the ability.
For a few years, Thomson Perrett Wolveridge was briefed on a set after all tasks and over time all holes had been upgraded, some greater than others. Darry Koster, an American superintendent was a perfectionist and through his 16 years in his function he re-grassed your complete course. In addition to managing the plethora of tasks, he helped our associate, the late Peter Thomson, organise the renovation, the precedence and the sequence of all upgrades to the course.
These tasks needed to be managed very rigorously as a result of there have been no exterior assets of supplies out there and we successfully had a closed website. It was all the time labour-intensive because of the ever current rock. To help Darry and the staff, the membership engaged Stuart Stone of Linkshape, an Australian {golfing} contractor, to execute the works. So gap by gap we lined the entire course in a little by little course of whereas retaining the course in play.
To minimise any pointless collateral harm throughout development, the works areas had been strictly managed as had been the entry areas. Stuart used shapers aware of the positioning significantly coping with the rocky floor that was in all places.
Distinctive surroundings, a spectacular golf course. Trying in the direction of the third inexperienced at Clearwater Bay.
Clearwater Bay is extraordinarily windy and inserting the bunkers to cease sand blowing away was one other large job.
To finish the undertaking, bunkers had been completed by a mix of two strategies – Eco bunker and Capillary concrete.
One methodology was used to repair the sting of a bunker and the opposite to repair the sand in it.
Peter Thomson and his staff had pulled off a tremendous renovation of the course however that was solely a part of the story. There have been main renovations to the clubhouse; the driving vary was upgraded; and plenty of tasks on the rest of the land had been accomplished. They Included the conversion of the par 3-Course from grass to artificial; and the renovation of the Nation and Tennis golf equipment’ surrounds.
One issue that deserves particular point out is the meals and beverage providing which is top notch and delivered in a pleasant ambiance. Wonderful and assorted menus exist for breakfast, lunch and dinner nicely supported by an intensive wine listing.
On each go to to Clearwater Bay Golf Membership there may be all the time one thing new and thrilling to expertise because the membership consistently pushes ahead.
– with Michael Davis
