Conroe, Texas - Jacobsen Hardy Golf Course Design soon will break ground on a multiphase renovation project at Wedgewood Golf Club. Phase I of the master plan calls for the complete renovation of holes one, two and three; the creation of an island-green par 3; and development of a practice facility.
"The schedule calls for construction to take place this spring, with the new holes and driving range to reopen for play this fall," says Rex VanHoose. "Wedgewood is already one of the area's busiest daily-fee courses and the site, adjacent to Lake Conroe, is blessed with some beautiful sandy soil. That's not unusual for this area, but it's a big reason why Wedgewood remains so dry and busy. Because the course gets so much play, our clients at Wedgewood have brought us in to improve the playing conditions while making the course more playable and dramtic. And that's exactly what we're going to do."
Wedgewood was purchased by Logeman Homes, Ltd. during the summer of 2005. The new ownership immediately laid plans for upgrading the property. A retail development now is under construction along Highway 105, which borders the club. Logeman is also planning to break ground this summer on a new clubhouse and a 24-building, upscale apartment home project atop the old driving range.
This first phase of the course upgrades (there are five phases in all) includes relocating Wedgewood’s driving range to a new parcel recently acquired by the club. As a result of this move, Jacobsen Hardy was charged with designing two new opening holes. The third hole has also been redesigned.
“The island-green third is going to be something special,” VanHoose says. “We’ve created a wetland theme around the island similar to the water-born plantings we created at Blackhorse. So many island greens look naked and abrupt to players on the tee. By surrounding the putting surface at Wedgewood with lateral shelves and incorporating wetland plantings, we’ll soften that abruptness and make the target look bigger. When it opens in the fall, this little devil is going to be one of the most talked-about holes in Houston.”
Wedgewood head golf professional Mike White agrees.
“The little island-green par-3 is going to be our new signature hole,” he says. “It’s going to be a really neat hole, but what’s really interesting about Jacobsen Hardy’s plans is they’re going to make this course a lot better and a lot easier to get around. For example, the current No. 3 hole - a par-5 that’s going to be our new second hole, when the work is finished - now requires a forced carry into the green. Jacobsen Hardy is filling in the front of that green, which will help the average golfer play that hole.”
“We couldn’t be more excited about Jacobsen Hardy’s plans for our golf course,” adds Karen Day, marketing director at Wedgewood. “Our members and local residents are equally excited because Jacobsen Hardy will be making the course better in addition to making some of our holes a lot more playable. And frankly it’s great to be working with a design firm located nearby.”
VanHoose says too many of the green complexes are hinged - when a putting surface is overly defined by mounding or bunker features that don’t relate well to the shape, size or contour of the putting surface.
"We’re going to make sure the grade on each green at Wedgewood is seamless with its surrounding features," he says. "When you hear people talking about a green’s traditional look and feel, that’s what they’re talking about. Wedgewood has the potential to be an outstanding daily-fee golf course, and we intend to fulfill that potential.”