Courtesy of Plover Cove Golf Club (2)
A nearly one-mile retaining wall has been constructed at Plover Cove Golf Club, a new 18-hole, par-71 course set to transform the Shuen Wan landfill in Hong Kong.
The project will represent a new standard in both design and conditioning. The retaining wall, also known as a reinforced fill slope, is an integral component by providing long-term stability and a foundation offering integrity in the construction as well as environmental protection and safety.
Averaging around 20 to 26 feet in height, the wall improves functionality by expanding the playable area in the project footprint, creating level surfaces, and offsetting uneven terrain and elevation changes. It supports course design by enhancing drainage and allowing flexible layout options, while offering protection against erosion by stabilizing the soil against rain, wind and irrigation.
With the retaining wall taking shape, levelling work is also being carried out on existing ground, enabling the transfer of select fill materials and drainage filter layer (rockfill) with geotextile and geogrid. The materials will be compacted into layers a maximum of nearly 16 inches in depth, using a roller to achieve the required standard.
Temporary drain channels have also been created on top of the reinforced fill slope to collect surface runoff water, preventing water from pooling inside the filling area and instead enabling its flow to percolate through the geotextile filter to achieve the accepted water quality according to government policy.
“This is a significant milestone in the delivery of a transformative project that will measure up to some of the finest golf courses in the world” Plover Cove general manager Dean Nelson said. “The project footprint is transforming in front of our eyes, and we will continue to work in a manner that safely strikes the balance between ecological preservation and world-class development.”
The Plover Cove Golf Club project is being developed in collaboration with Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design, agronomy and sustainability consultants Turfgrass, and Flagstick Golf Course Construction Management. The project, set for completion in summer 2027, will transform more than 130 acres of restored landfill into a championship course measuring over 6,600 yards.
Jason Straka discussed the project on episode No. 107 of the Tartan Talks podcast.