Redmond, Ore. - Jacobsen Hardy Golf Course Design broke ground on an 18-hole layout at Brasada Ranch, a resort community taking shape 20 minutes from central Oregon’s golf Mecca of Bend.
Developed by Eagle Crest, a division of Jeld-Wen Corp., Brasada Ranch will feature 900 real-estate units spread throughout 1,800 acres, half of which will be preserved as open space. The course will occupy about 200 acres, winding its way through the property’s high-desert landscape replete with miniature canyons and sage brush.
The resort sits 3,500 feet above sea level on the western slope of the Cascades, presenting golfers and residents striking views of Mount Jefferson, the Three Sisters, Broken Top and Mount. Bachelor.
“We’ve never seen a property quite like this one,” says Peter Jacobsen, partner with Jim Hardy in Houston-based Jacobsen Hardy. “We can’t wait to start fitting golf holes into the landscape. The canyons here presented us a tremendous opportunity for invention. We’ve routed several holes down in the canyons, while other holes play across the tops and along the edges.
“The site has an old trestle bridge coming off the 18th hole,” he adds. “We’ll be using this elevated structure to bring golf carts back to the clubhouse. It used to be an aqueduct, and we’re retrofitting it. The club’s entry drive will pass right underneath the trestle, actually. It’s a spectacular feature.”
Weather permitting, course construction will continue through 2005, with a grand opening scheduled for early 2006.
Plans call for the irrigation system to use effluent water. The irrigation system will be tied into a central weather system on site to automatically adjust for weather patterns. The sewer treatment plant will produce the cleanest effluent possible, and the gray water will be reused to irrigate the golf course. Plans also include moving 100,000 cubic yards of dirt – mostly to create an irrigation pond. Additionally, limited turf acreage will be used.
“On many holes, we’ll be building perimeter tees where you walk through desert areas back to a series pods,” says Jim Hardy, whose estimated that less than 100 acres of the course will be maintained as turf. “Basically, we’ve kept grassing to a minimum, which reduces overall irrigation allotments.
“The majority of the native vegetation here is a sage brush-type plant material,” Hardy adds. “We’ll focus on our areas of disturbance and bleed our landscaped golfing areas into these natural areas. There are a number of sandy washes running through the golf course. We’ve made a point to preserve and incorporate them. In fact, several holes at Brasada are bordered by them, so they've become natural, strategic elements.”
Brasada Ranch will be the fifth Jacobsen Hardy project to debut in Oregon.
“We’ll be creating different groupings of golf environments out here: canyon holes, ridge-top holes, holes set amid the sage meadow environment,” Hardy says. “By going back and forth, we’ll achieve the variety that all golfers want in a resort experience. We do have elevation changes of 50 feet or more on certain holes, but most of the movement is more subtle and golf-friendly than that. And we’ve routed the course to be very walkable.”
