Nov. 2, 2015 was an exciting day for EcoBunker. At Hobe Sound, Fla., Bobby Weed’s much anticipated remodelled Medalist Course was opened to golfers for the first time. Just five hours earlier, a full course Ecobunker renovation at the world famous Pennard links got underway, following weeks of planning, and involvement from Tom Doak and his European representative, Clyde Johnson.
(Pictured: Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Fla.)
Following a five-month complete renovation by Bobby Weed and built by LePanto Golf Construction, Medalist reopened to golfers. The course, originally built in the early 1990s, had lost much of its original character. A cornerstone of the project was returning sod wall bunkers to the layout. The natural sod-wall bunkers first built –with their sharp edges and clean lines – became victims of erosion. As part of a new bunkering scheme, Weed relied exclusively on Ecobunker to re-establish the sod walls.
Once again, the long and strong lines with strategic angles central to the course’s strategy stood out. Medalist now features more Ecobunker material than any course in the United States (nearly 7,000 square feet). The impact on playability and aesthetics has been dramatic. Pete Dye, the original designer, is highly satisfied by the work carried out there.
Across the pond, Huw Morgan, club manager at Pennard Golf Club in South Wales, has been seeking advice on the placement and shaping of its revetted bunkers from Doak and Johnson as the club commences with the course-wide installation of EcoBunker. Construction started using predominantly in-house labor with regular supervision and support from Johnson and EcoBunker’s construction manager Llewellyn Matthews. Johnson and Matthews share a passion for golf course design and shaping, and the two struck up an immediate rapport. Consequently, they were able to clearly explain and demonstrate their preferred design philosophy to the local greens team.
