Rocky Mount, N.C. – Ford’s Colony Rocky Mount, a master-planned residential community in Rocky Mount, N.C. of more than 1,400 acres, has begun construction of an 18-hole championship golf course that is a key element in the overall development program for the community.
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“This property lends itself to the construction of a fantastic layout, with gently rolling terrain and a great combination of heavily-wooded sections and wide open fields,” Johnson says. “We have designed a course that every golfer can enjoy, regardless of handicap.”
Ford’s Colony Rocky Mount is the latest residential development program for Ford’s Colony Communities, which created Ford’s Colony at Williamsburg in 1985, a master-planned community.
The new golf course at Rocky Mount will have five sets of tees on each hole, playing 7,020 yards from the back tees and 4,800 yards from the front tees. As part of the construction program, two additional ponds will be built, and the 18th fairway will run along the existing 80-acre Belmont Lake.
“The design emphasizes strategic play, with the demands asked of players escalating as you move from the front to the back tees,” Johnson says. “While players from the back tee must contend with a few forced carries and cross-bunkers, the front tees offer playing angles where many of the hazards do not come into play.”
Johnson has more than 20 years of experience in golf course design, construction and maintenance, having worked on leading courses around the country, including renovation of the Marsh Hawk Course at Ford’s Colony at Williamsburg in 2002. A graduate of the University of Virginia where he studied architecture, Johnson also served as a part-time member of the golf course maintenance department at Ford’s Colony at Williamsburg during his college years.
For the greens on the Rocky Mount course, Johnson chose a combination of A-1 and A-4 Bentgrass due to its fine texture and superior playing characteristics. Johnson selected 419 Bermudagrass for the fairways, tees and rough areas.
“We will also have some areas will taller native grasses, whose color and contrast will lend a striking appearance to the course,” Johnson says. “Wildflowers interspersed in the native grasses will add a subtle sprinkling of color and additional trees will help frame each hole.”
Johnson drew inspiration from the classic golf course designers of the early 1900s, but environmental concerns of today also played an important role in the course design with protection of wetlands and trees, and the inclusion of natural, low-maintenance areas.
“These natural areas – planted with grasses and wildflowers – will not only be visually appealing for golfers and homeowners, they are environmentally friendly and reduce the need for maintenance,” he says. “We are following the same principles of environmental protection at Rocky Mount as you will find at Ford’s Colony at Williamsburg.”
In addition to providing an important amenity for residents of Ford’s Colony Rocky Mount, the new golf course will also enhance home sites throughout the property, according to Rick Ford, general manager of Ford’s Colony Rocky Mount.
“We are in the process of implementing a long-term master plan for this community, and the golf course is the first major element we are putting in place,” Ford says. “The course will enhance many of the home sites at Rocky Mount and help assure that we meet our goal of creating a community in Rocky Mount that is on par with Ford’s Colony at Williamsburg, offering residents a beautiful natural setting and a wide range of activities for a variety of lifestyles.”
The new course at Rocky Mount will be the fourth golf course owned and operated by Ford’s Colony Communities. Club members in Williamsburg and Rocky Mount will have reciprocal privileges for the four courses, which are about two hours apart.
For more information, call 800-253-6933 or visit www.fordscolonync.com.
