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TORONTO, ON – With six projects on the go and a
couple more brewing in the hopper it's going to be a busy summer for Kevin
Holmes and Toronto-based MBTW Golf Design. Holmes, who has designed a couple of
the province's top public golf courses including Watson's Glen GC in Pickering
and Crimson Ridge GC in Sault Ste. Marie, has projects on the go in Brampton,
Tillsonburg, Newmarket, Bright's Grove, Wasaga Beach and Lisle. He has been the
lead architect for MBTW Golf Design for the past decade, a division of The MBTW
Group - a multi-disciplinary firm of landscape architects, urban designers and
planners, and golf course architects that has provided professional consulting
for over 25 years.
2008 PROJECT
OVERVIEWS
Baywood G&CC – Wasaga Beach - Two New Holes
A part of a
larger plan by the MBTW Group to make changes to Baywood's residential
community, MBTW Golf Design will build two new holes and driving range this
summer. To allow for changes within the subdivision two existing holes will be
taken out of play in 2009 and the new holes, a par- 3 and a par-5, will be
added.
Cardinal Golf Club – Newmarket - New 18-hole Course
Construction
of a fourth course at Cardinal
Golf Club is 70 per cent complete. Holmes' 5,400 to
6,800-yard, par-71 layout features 75 bunkers and an old canal waterway that
winds through the property. "This may be the most challenging golf course I have
built," says Holmes. "That said, we have minimized the forced carries from the
forward tees, by either putting them as close as we could in front of the water
or putting them on the other side of the hazard." Two-thirds of the course is
located in floodplain so typical of many courses found in Florida water is
strategically introduced on all but four holes.
"This is going to be a
high-end facility that will get people talking about Cardinal as a place to play
for years to come," Holmes says. Three holes remain to be shaped. Half the
course was grassed in the summer/fall of 2007 and the remaining holes will be
grassed this spring. A separate entrance to the course off Keele Street will
lead to a new clubhouse when facility opens in the spring of 2009. With part of
the course bordering the Oak Ridges Moraine, Holmes worked closely with the Lake
Simcoe Region Conservation Authority throughout the approval process. The club
donated 63 acres to the Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust. It also cleaned up a
former asphalt and concrete plant that was on part of the site. Aurora-based
Terramac Corp. is carrying out course construction. For more information about
the club visit - www.cardinalgolfclub.com
Huron Oaks – Bright's Grove - Renovations
The 18-hole
course in Bright's Grove near Sarnia where Mike Weir played a lot of golf before
turning professional is receiving a facelift from MBTW Golf Design. As part of a
new residential development on the property, the course is being upgraded and
reconfigured as part of a five-year master plan. Phase 1 in the fall of 2006 saw
three new holes, 15, 16 and 18 built along with a new practice range. Phase 2 in
the fall of 2007, doubled the size of the irrigation pond that now comes more
into play on holes No. 3 and 6. Two new holes, No. 6 and 8 were also built.
Phase 3 in the fall of 2008 will see a new entranceway to the property, as well
as a new first hole. Campbellville-based NGF Golf is overseeing construction.
For more information visit - www.huronoaks.com
Riverstone G&CC – Brampton - New 9-Hole Regulation Course &
Executive Par-3
As part of the new 583-home Riverstone G&CC
residential community in Brampton, Holmes and MBTW will unveil a new 2,700-yard,
par 35 nine-hole course that will be open to the public. There will also be a
private 900-yard executive par-3 course for the exclusive use of community.
While it's not long, the nine-hole course promises to be an interesting
challenge as it routing meanders along tablelands overlooking the West Humber
Valley River and several holes cross the water from the back tees. It's located
on the site of the former Woodlands GC. "While there's water lurking around
almost every corner, we have designed a course that caters to families and
people living in the community," says Holmes. "It's an easy walk, enjoyable to
play and parents and kids should be comfortable playing it." Construction
started in December 2006 and was completed last fall. The entire course was
sodded with bluegrass except for seeded bentgrass greens. It's expected to be
ready for play in July. Expansion of the nine-hole regulation course to 18 holes
is in the final planning stages. Course construction by Gateman-Milloy Inc. is
expected to start in 2008 to complete a 2,800 to 6,100, par-70 layout. For more
information visit - www.riverstonegolf.com
Silver Brooke Golf Course – Lisle - Nine-Hole Expansion to 18
Holes
MBTW Golf Design has put together a new masterplan for the back
nine of this residential golf community located just north of Orangeville,
adjacent to CFB Borden. Golf course construction is set to start this summer on
a second nine designed by Holmes. It will be added to the existing holes that
opened in 2005. The remodelled 5,600 to 6,600-yard, par-72 layout will be ready
for play in the summer of 2009. The front nine wanders throughout of a mixture
of maple, birch and pine forest, while the back nine holes will have more of an
open fescued links look and feel. Silver Brooke GC is a member of The Audubon
Cooperative Sanctuary System of Canada. For more information about the club
visit www.silverbrooke.com
Tillsonburg G&CC – Tillsonburg - Addition &
Renovations
Construction of 12 new holes will keep Holmes busy throughout
the summer of 2008. As part of the $2.7 million expansion project, the original
83-year-old nine-hole course will be reduced to six holes and upgraded. It will
be coupled with the new 12 holes to for a 6,600-yard, par-71 championship
design. The new holes are being built on a fabulous stretch of land with a
routing that plays in and out of the scenic Otter Creek River Valley. Future
plans call for a new clubhouse, practice facility and maintenance area.
Gateman-Milloy is the general contractor for the project. For more information
visit - www.tillsonburggolfclub.com
Photos available upon request. For more
information about any of these projects contact:
Kevin Holmes
Golf Course Architect
MBTW Golf Design
255
Wicksteed Avenue, Unit 1A
Toronto, ON M4H 1G8
416-449-7767
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.mbtwgolfdesign.com
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