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By
PGA.com news services
10.11.2006
08:23 pm (ET)
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Sedgefield Country Club, designed by Donald Ross and made famous by Sam Snead, will undergo an extensive restoration project by noted golf course architect Kris Spence. Total cost for the restoration is $2.7 million. Spence breaks ground on the famed layout Nov. 1. The restoration is expected to wrap up by late June 2007, with the course re-opening in early fall after a grow-in period. Sedgefield carries a storied history. Ross sculpted the classic design in 1925, and it went on to host the PGA Tour's Chrysler Classic of Greensboro over a span of five decades (alternating some years with Starmount Forest). During that time, the tournament, long known as the Greater Greensboro Open was the personal playground of Snead, who won the event a PGA Tour-record eight times. "Sedgefield features an outstanding and very unique routing for this area," said Spence. "The land is very graceful and intriguing with subtle twists and turns. Mr. Ross had a knack for creating great golf courses in such settings and we intend to fully preserve that." Sedgefield General Manager Bob Chrushch said it was very important to the club and its membership to reclaim a Donald Ross course that has been lost over the years to the forces of nature, as well as a renovation about 15 years ago. "We saw the work Kris has done with a lot of other Ross courses," said Chrushch. "He seems to have the passion to want to preserve what Donald Ross did and not just bulldoze it and start again new. We want this to be a true Donald Ross golf course and that's what Kris Spence brings to the table." In addition to Spence doing the design work, his company -- Spence Golf Inc. -- will handle the construction aspect. The project will include restoration of the original Ross greens and bunkers, renovation of the tee complexes, a new Toro OSMAC irrigation system, new cart paths where needed, and a re-grassing from common Bermuda grass to Tif-Sport hybrid Bermuda. Copyright 2006 PGA.com. All rights reserved.
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