Golf course architect Tripp Davis recently completed a significant bunker renovation and restoration program at Wichita Country Club in Wichita, Kan. This project follows his 2014 renovation of all of Wichita’s tees with Latitude 36 Bermudagrass.
Originally founded in 1900, Wichita Country Club has hosted a number of prominent tournaments over the years, including the U.S. Women’s Open, Western Amateur and most recently the 2010 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. The membership at Wichita has been actively involved in the game and includes Kansas State Golf Association founder John L. Powell and former USGA President Judy Bell. In 1950, the club moved to its present site and invited architect Bill Diddel to design the golf course. This project came on the heels of Diddel designing the Northwood Club in Dallas, which was awarded the 1952 U.S. Men’s Open.
“Wichita Country Club has a great set of original Diddel greens and a subtly brilliant routing,” Davis said. “In redoing the tees and the bunkers, our objective was to work with the greens and routing to enhance the strategic quality of the course. I could not be more pleased with the way the visual style of the bunkers turned out – very classic.”
The bunker work Davis just completed included renovating and replacing old drainage, the installation of Better Billy Bunker liners, and the use of new blended bunker sand. The restoration of the bunkers gave them a more classic look. The project was inspired by Diddel’s early work that included restoring some of the original bunkering that was lost, and returning the original strategic intent of the bunkers for the modern game. Shaper Jason Gold and Landscapes Unlimited were also involved in the project.