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Arnold Palmer Hospital Celebrates 20 Years of Caring
August 31, 2009
The hospital turns 20 on the 80th birthday of its legendary namesake Arnold Palmer
August 31, 2009 (Orlando, FL)
-- Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children will celebrate its 20th
birthday on September 10, coinciding with its legendary namesake, Arnold
Palmer's 80th birthday. For the past 20 years Arnold Palmer
Hospital has been providing advanced, highly specialized medical care
to children and women from across Central Florida and the world.
To commemorate this milestone birthday, several celebration events are
planned throughout the month of September including a community leader
breakfast hosted by the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce and hospital
visit by Arnold Palmer (September 4), a VIP 80th Birthday
dinner for Arnold Palmer hosted by Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal
Studios Orlando® (September 5) and a community block party (September
26). For more information, log on to www.arnoldpalmerhospital.com/
"We are honored to be celebrating 20
years of caring along side Arnold Palmer as he celebrates his 80th
birthday. We are extremely appreciative of all he and his family have
done for the babies, children and women here in Central Florida and
beyond," said John Bozard, president, Arnold Palmer Medical Center.
"Through his generosity and those of others thousands of lives have
been touched over the past 20 years and we look forward to continuing
the Palmer legacy of caring for many years to come."
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children opened
its doors on September 10, 1989, as Central Florida's first freestanding
children and women's hospital. The 281-bed facility offered pediatric,
obstetric and women's services all in one facility and was built to
accommodate 6,500 births. Over the past 20 years, the hospital's staff
has delivered 179,000 babies, cared for 296,000 inpatients and 840,000
outpatients. It also saw the birth of a new facility, Winnie Palmer
Hospital for Women & Babies, named after Mr. Palmer's late wife
Winnie. The 285-bed facility opened on May 30, 2006, expanding the hospital's
obstetric, neonatal and gynecological services. With the opening of
Winnie Palmer Hospital, Arnold Palmer Hospital became a dedicated, 158-bed
children's hospital and the two facilities in addition to the Howard
Phillips Center for Children & Families formed the Arnold Palmer
Medical Center, which is one of the largest children and women's facilities
in the nation.
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children,
supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed
facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in
Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties
such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma
care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, neurosurgery, oncology,
orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit arnoldpalmerhospital.com
to learn more about all of our specialties.
###
Posted: August 31, 2009 11:28 AM
PALMER CELEBRATES 80TH BIRTHDAY WITH STYLE
August 26, 2009
This September 10th, 2009 legendary golfer and philanthropist Arnold Palmer celebrates his 80th birthday in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of his namesake hospital. The hospital opened in 1989 as the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women, becoming children-only in 2006 when the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies opened.
The milestone birthday will be ushered in with a week long celebration beginning in Orlando and then heading to his native state of Pennsylvania.
The festivities will begin with a hospital birthday breakfast with Palmer on Friday, Sept. 4. On Saturday the 5th, Palmer will be the main guest at the Party at the Portofino Bay Hotel where his unparalleled commitment in support of the Arnold Palmer Medical Center will be honored.
The next week Palmer will fly his Cessna Citation X to Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe, PA and on Tuesday, September 8th he will attend a dinner at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, home of the Pirates. Before dinner, Palmer will throw out the ceremonial first pitch as the Pirates play against the Chicago Cubs. That night will be Arnold Palmer Bobblehead Night at PNC Park and will mark the first time Palmer has been honored with a bobblehead created in his likeness. The following day Palmer will participate in a golf outing and dinner in his honor at Laurel Valley Golf Club.
And to celebrate his actual birthday on September 10th? Palmer and some of his closest friends will tee it up at his home course, Latrobe Country Club.
Posted: August 26, 2009 03:45 PM
Pebble Beach
August 24, 2009
In preparation for the 2010 U.S. Open Championship, the iconic course on the Pacific did a little shaping up. Arnold Palmer and the excellent team at his design company made the difference—and planned very, very carefully before they sent in the earth-movers…
When designers Jack Neville and Douglas Grant saw Pebble Beach Golf Links open in 1919, they couldn’t have known that their creation would become one of the most lauded courses anywhere—and perhaps the greatest public course of all time.
A visual stunner that winds its way along Northern California’s rocky Monterey coast, Pebble Beach also has been a fantastic player and tournament venue since it first hosted the Monterey Peninsula Open in 1926.
Next year it’s hosting the 2010 U.S. Open Championship, and the Arnold Palmer Design Company has helped it get ready with a little facelift—not that it needed much.
“I didn’t try to change the golf course. I tried to make some additional things that would play better for the Open,” said Palmer. “We added a couple hundred yards. But you do need to respect the traditions of these great courses.”
In fact, APDC’s work is as much restoration as it is renovation, based largely on the original layout (though they did add a few surprises). The changes weren’t made willy nilly, either. They came after long consideration and planning, and not just by the design team.
Some years ago, the Pebble Beach Company’s Senior VP of Golf R.J. Harper presented Palmer with a few ideas for course improvements. Pebble Beach’s owners and board, which includes Palmer, the actor Clint Eastwood and business icon Peter Ueberroth, among others, discussed the proposed changes and the overall master plan. When Palmer brought the ideas to his team, the reaction was a mix of excitement and awe.
“He walked in with a set of plans and said, ‘I need some help with these plans, guys,’” remembers Thad Layton, an APDC architect. “[Architect] Dave Couch and I looked at each other and said, ‘This is going to be fun.’” The overall idea was to add a bit of length, in line with the modern game, and to restore the original designers’ intended flow of play by restoring the challenge.
Changes
Any other “rehab job” likely wouldn’t have received the same amount of excitement, but Pebble Beach is iconic and it pushed the designers to plan carefully before any shovels went into the ground.
“We were googly eyed about it,” says Layton. “Digging up some old photos from the early 1900s of the golf course, it looks a lot different than it does today. It got a bit rounded off over time. The old black-and-white photos are really flamboyant, really splashy. We tried to inject a little of that old character back into it and bring it up to today’s standards in terms of length.”
The most significant changes were done on holes 6 and 18, on which the ocean was brought more into play with strategic placement of bunkers and Cypress trees. On 6 specifically, the large fairway bunker at the lower landing area was replaced with five new bunkers that shift the landing area towards the ocean. On the iconic 18, two Cypress trees and a fairway bunker were added in the landing area, which forces longer hitters to aim left towards the Pacific.
“I just got to play a few weeks ago, and I hadn’t seen a lot of the changes; It’s a lot tougher than the last time I played,” said Sally Dodge, an LPGA Master Pro (and Pebble Beach Golf Links’ first female assistant pro) who’s been at the course for 33 years. “They’ve got a lot more places where you have to stay out of trouble. On 15 they added a lot of bunkers, and on 6… They’ve done a lot all over. It’s really toughened the course up.”
And how’s this going to affect the 2010 U.S. Open? “It’s going to be pretty spectacular,” she says.
When all’s said and done, four greens and 16 bunkers were rebuilt, altered or installed; 11 tees received enhancements; six holes had trees added or adjusted; and the total course length was extended to 7,014 yards.
“Our goal has been to strengthen Pebble Beach for today’s player, while maintaining its timelessness,” said Palmer of the changes. “I believe we have accomplished this goal with the many improvements made over these past few years.”
Notable Moments
Players of years past would probably agree with Palmer—and the course certainly has posed a challenge. The best evidence of that may have been Tiger Woods’ incredible U.S. Open win in 2000—he was the only player in the field to shoot below par, scoring 65-69-71-67 to tie the Open record with 272. His 12-under-par total was 15 shots better than the joint runners-up, Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez, and the largest margin of victory ever recorded in a major championship.
In contrast, the 1926 Monterey Peninsula Open—the very first tournament at Pebble Beach—was won by Harry “Lighthorse” Cooper of Texas with a score of 293. The first major came in 1929 with the U.S. Amateur. Defending champ Bobby Jones would have made it three Amateur titles in a row had he won, but a Minnesotan named Harrison Johnson had other ideas. (“Three U.S. Amateurs in a row” wouldn’t happen until Tiger Woods finally did it in 1996.)
The 2000 U.S. Open was the fourth to be hosted by Pebble Beach, which also hosted the 1977 PGA Championship. Additionally, since 1947 the course has been one of the venues for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (formerly known as the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am or the “Clam Bake”), while The Champions Tour Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach comes here in September.
Tiger Woods pictured during his 15-shot victory in the 100th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links
Today
With the changes made by APDC over the last few years, there’s no question the 2010 U.S. Open should be an interesting one to watch. Furthermore, everyday golfers who visit this beautiful property should find the alterations as pleasing as the pros that take it on. As Mr. Palmer himself put it: “Pebble Beach is a national treasure to the game of golf. I am proud to have had a hand in preparing it for the 2010 U.S. Open and for all golfers who come to Pebble Beach to enjoy its many challenges. ”
Stay and Play
For the true Pebble Beach experience, we recommend you don’t just rush in, play the course, and leave. Rather, take your time to appreciate the natural beauty of this marvelous golf setting. Pebble Beach seems to have its own unique light, and the best way to capture the full spectrum is to stay on site for two or three days—experiencing dawn, sunset and everything in-between. Naturally there is a range of accommodation on offer as well as a variety of courses to play. Our favorite is the The Lodge at Pebble Beach; it boasts a truly glorious ocean-side setting and, despite its grand and stately architecture, manages to get the balance between relaxed and elegant just right. Exquisite dining, excellent service and spacious guest rooms all add up to an unforgettable experience.
Casa Palmero is to be found along the first and second fairways. Comprising 24 spacious rooms and suites amongst verdant landscaped grounds, this elegant Mediterranean-style enclave offers the ultimate in modern comforts. At the authentically restored main house, guests enjoy a luxurious living room, library, billiard room, heated outdoor pool, and complimentary evening refreshments in the bar and lounge.
The last option is the largest: The Inn at Spanish Bay is set amongst groves of tall Monterey pines and offers golfers and holidaymakers alike 269 rooms and a whole host of facilities. We thoroughly recommend all three. Do visit www.pebblebeach.com for further information, rates and packages.
What’s New?
A hole-by-hole look at Pebble Beach Golf Links’ improvements in preparation for the 2010 U.S. Open
Hole #1
Rebuilt #1 green to USGA Specifications and enlarged by 700 sq.ft.
Extended left greenside bunker to wrap the length
of the green
Split right greenside bunker into two bunkers
Hole #2
Added new championship tee (15 yards)
Planted trees to create a narrow chute for the second shot just prior to the barranca bunker
Extended last right-hand side fairway bunker into landing area
Rebuilt green to USGA specifications
Pinched front two bunkers into approach area to create
a smaller opening from the fairway
Installed a fairway bunker on left-hand side of fairway near landing area
Hole #3
Rebuilt green to USGA specifications and enlarged
by 200 sq. ft.
Tent Pad renovations—lowering and re-grading
Installed Cypress trees along left side of the dogleg
Added new championship tee (15 yards)
Installed three new fairway bunkers along right side
of the fairway
Hole #4
Planned changes to fairway bunkers—flip pot bunker towards coastline and add a bunker upper left of landing area in the fairway
Hole #5
Installed Seawall to protect the entire green
Lengthened championship tee by 10 yards and rebuild all teeing surfaces
Hole #6
Added new fairway bunker 75 yards short of the green on the left side of the second shot landing area
Removed large bunker at lower fairway landing area and install five new bunkers along the left side
Hole #7
Rebuilt entire tee complex and move cart path out of line of sight
Hole #8
Added upper tee surface
Hole #9
Added new championship tee—50 yards total since 2000
Hole #10
Planned change to add a new championship tee—35-50 yards
Hole #11
Added a new championship tee—10 yards
Hole #12
No changes
Hole #13
Planned change to add a new championship tee
Hole #14
Installed two bunkers along the left side of the fairway to pinch the landing area
Installed one bunker along the right side of the fairway to pinch the landing area
Rebuilt and lowered teeing area
Planted one large Cypress on right side of the fairway 100 yards out from the green to pinch the landing area
Hole #15
Removed roadway (Live Oak Meadow Road) in front of teeing area
Rebuilt green to USGA specifications
Installed five new bunkers along the left side of the fairway, which includes a pot bunker placed 10 yards in the fairway, all near the landing area
Planted Cypress trees along right-hand side of fairway
Hole #16
Rebuilt teeing grounds
Planted three large Cypress trees (two before the barranca bunker to create a chute towards the green and one near the bridge to create a true dogleg on the hole)
Hole #17
Enlarged tee complex
New path and hedge replacement on right side of the hole
Hole #18
Replaced big pine in front of the green with a large Cypress tree
Installed one fairway bunker along the right side of the landing area near trees in the fairway
Replaced two trees in the fairway and adjusted them towards green to protect new landing area—20 yards
Seawall fairway bunker expansion
Posted: August 24, 2009 04:40 PM
PALMER AND HIS DESIGN COMPANY RENOVATE BAY HILL COURSE
August 20, 2009
ORLANDO, FL – This summer, Arnold Palmer and the Arnold Palmer Design Company tweaked his classic course, the Bay Hill Club & Lodge, host course for PGA Tour event Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, under the thoughtful experienced eye of Palmer himself.
"Bay Hill is a great golf course. We don’t want to change it; let's tweak it.", said Arnold Palmer to his design company architects Erik Larsen, Thad Layton and Brandon Johnson during initial project meetings at Bay Hill, where the design company and Invitational offices are also located. "Let's get the greens closer to the water and take the sand where you can see it."
"We had the unique ability for our event staff to work on-site with Mr. Palmer, APDC design architects, Roy Saunders and employees of the Bay Hill Club. Matt Beaver, John Anderson and the Bay Hill grounds crew worked closely with the Landscapes Unlimited team to make this renovation a success. Having everyone here has been a distinct advantage for our event." said Tournament Director Scott Wellington. "Players are really going to enjoy the changes."
The specific goals of the renovation were focused in three distinct areas: Agronomic/Maintenance (greens), Playability and Aesthetics.
The previous greens needed to be completely removed because of nematodes in the soil, small plant-parasitic pests, that made it difficult to maintain good turf quality. "To improve the turf conditions on the greens, new Emerald Bermuda grass was installed and proved to be the best performer in test plots grown at Bay Hill prior to construction." said Matt Beaver. "This new grass requires less maintenance than the previous and the new irrigation heads around the greens will provide a more precise application of water."
With Palmer's lifetime of experience designing courses around the world, to actually building push-up greens with his father Deacon at Latrobe Country Club, he was extremely hands-on with the entire renovation process from start to finish. "I love the Bay Hill course, it's my home, which is why it was so important to me to be involved with everything." said Palmer. "The renovations really add some new dimensions of play for Tour players and our members."
"I've introduced firm, fast playing conditions on slopes around greens mowed at fairway height that run away from the green surface and take the ball farther away from the intended target instead of stopping it, like the previous heavy rough did." said Palmer. "With these new conditions we hope to add creativity to recovery shots. Along with putting new pin positions around the outside of the greens and cutting bunkers up closer to the greens we have made my course more interesting to play and view."
"PGA Tour Shotlink data was used extensively to properly site bunkers and now reflects the new distances of the modern game." said architect Brandon Johnson. Over time the edges of the greens had shrunk significantly and a few greens had too much slope to place a pin, especially on the edges of the greens. Johnson goes on to say, "The new greens allow us to increase the pinnable areas on the edges of the greens for the Invitational and make the players think a little bit more about shot and strategy in their pre-tournament preparation and during play."
"We really improved the turf conditions and playability of tees by making them all consistently level." said architect Thad Layton. "Some of the narrow "runway" tees are now more visually appealing and large enough to handle wear from high golf traffic."
Course aesthetics have received a boost in visual impact with the bunker renovation. "The bunkers will give Bay Hill a new look and will help define the tee and approach shots into more visually and strategically intimidating golf." said Roy Saunders of Bay Hill. "The entire APDC team has been a pleasure to work with on these changes. I would recommend this talented and professional team to any club seeking to revamp their course. I appreciate our members' patience during this process and am confident they will be very pleased with the end results."
"I'm very proud of everyone involved to make the Bay Hill course renovation a success. Especially, since the renovations had to be completed in 2 months so the course can properly grow in and open in September." said Arnold Palmer. "I know the 2010 Invitational will be very exciting to watch with these new course changes in place."
For detailed hole-by-hole renovation descriptions please read below. For more information or to renovate your course please visit the Arnold Palmer Design Company website at www.arnoldpalmerdesign.com.
ABOUT THE ARNOLD PALMER DESIGN COMPANY
The Arnold Palmer Design Company has long been regarded as one of the premier companies in the golf course architectural industry. Founded 37 years ago in 1972, APDC has created approximately 300 courses around the world. APDC's design philosophy is straightforward: to design beautiful golf courses that are fun to play while maintaining the utmost respect for nature. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, at Arnold Palmer’s winter home, the Bay Hill Club and Lodge, this location allows clients to come enjoy Palmer's world-class resort and play on the renowned golf course which hosts the annual Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard on the PGA Tour. For more information on the Arnold Palmer Design Company call (407) 876-1068 or visit www.arnoldpalmerdesign.com.
Bay Hill Course Renovations Hole-by-Hole
Hole #1
The tees were widened and shifted right to provide a better angle to access the fairway. Bunkers 180 yds off the tee to the right were eliminated and converted to rough. Bunkers outside of dogleg were enlarged to provide visibility from the tee. Greenside bunkers were moved closer, deepened, and flashed higher to frame the green. Interior of the old green surface was replicated and the edges softened to provide better hole locations closer to the bunkers.
Hole #2
One of the few "major" changes, this green was rotated 30 degrees clockwise to enable players to hold long iron and woods into green. A natural slope on the right utilized to feed shots onto the green enabling shorter players to access front right pin locations. The front left bunker was eliminated and converted to fairway run-off area. Tees were realigned and moved closer to cart path. With the green now rotated and back tee expanded, this hole can play as long as 245 yards.
Hole #3
The tees were realigned and moved closer to the cart path opening up an unobstructed view of the fairway. The first fairway bunker on the right was converted to fairway. The second fairway bunker was enlarged and moved closer to the landing area. The fairway leading into the green was expanded, enabling a ground approach into green. The green was expanded towards the water to create an array of pin positions tight to the hazard. The greenside bunkers were moved closer, deepened, and flashed higher to frame green.
Hole #4
This hole was converted into a true par 5 without lengthening the hole. This was achieved by moving out the fairway bunkering into the 270-300 yard range, a new lay-up bunker was added to the left of the fairway 100 yards from the green to guard the lay up area, bunkers adjacent the the green were re-configured, a reduced green size with an elevated green surface with tightly mown surrounds and deep bunkers.
Hole #5
The tees were realigned and moved closer to the cart path which opened up an unobstructed view of the fairway. Bunkers were enlarged and repositioned to force decisions off the tee. A new fairway cut over the left fairway bunker provides the opportunity for a drivable par 4 from the forward tee. A steep slope on the front right of the green will provide a new layer of difficulty on this crowned green surface.
Hole #6
The tees were raised and moved closer to the lake. The first fairway bunker was eliminated. The sand in the next two fairway bunkers were taken higher to increase visibility from the tee. The green was expanded toward the water to the front, left, and rear. A fairway cut was introduced to collect shots hit through the green and to provide shot options that were previously non-existent. This allowed us to create a new tournament viewing area behind the new #6 green.
Hole #7
The tees were expanded and fanned out to the left. The fairway cut short of the green, steepened to repel shots short of the green to the bottom of slope. The greenside bunkers were deepened and pushed tight to the green. A new front right pin location will be quite a test for members and tournament players.
Hole #8
A new tee was added on a spit of land surrounded by mature trees. The tees were shifted to the left for better views of fairway from all tees. The fairway bunker was flashed higher for better visibility from the teeing areas. Expanded the green left toward the water and softened the back right of the green to create a difficult hole location between the bunkers. The first half of the greenside bunker on the right of the fairway was filled to better show off 2 new bunkers adjacent to the green.
Hole #9
The tees were widened. The fairway bunker on the left was shifted 40 yards down the fairway to better challenge tee shots. Two fairway bunkers on the right were converted to rough. The green was rotated to the right to engage the re-configured bunker complex to the right of the green.
Hole #10
We made the left fairway bunkers slightly larger and shifted them to the right to engage the fairway. The right fairway bunker was moved 50 yards forward to bring it more into play. Very subtle green modifications were made by squaring off the edges to introduce pins on the corners. The approach and side slopes of the green surrounds were made sharper to introduce a tightly mowed slope on the surrounds.
Hole #11
The right side fairway bunkers were shifted closer to the fairway line and repositioned to fit today’s distance requirements by eliminating the first bunker and converting it to turf and replacing it with one at the 285-300 yard turning point. Certain areas around the perimeter of the green were smoothed out to introduce pins closer to the greenside bunkers and lake edge. A roll off left and behind the green that blends into the #12 tee was introduced.
Hole #12
The three hidden fairway bunkers that were located at the beginning of the fairway were eliminated and replaced with two bunkers; One protecting the inside right corner at approximately 260 - 270 yards off the tee and one protecting the outside left corner of the fairway at approximately 300 yards from the back tee. The left fairway line has been shifted slightly to the left to widen the fairway and provides an obscured view from the fairway for the second shot. The second landing area fairway bunkers were repositioned for visibility and to engage play better. Old shaping and mounds that blocked views into the bunkers and green complex were removed. The green side bunkers were reshaped, positioned for visibility and moved closer to the green to protect the corner pin locations.
Every effort was made to keep the original character of this green which was slightly modified to introduce corner pin locations behind bunkers and adjacent to the steep shaved slopes on the green surrounds.
Hole #13
The Championship tee was pushed back ten yards and all the tees were repositioned. Before the renovation there were three hidden fairway bunkers on the left side of the golf hole. During the renovation this bunker complex was reshaped to include two highly visible bunkers that were shifted and repositioned closer to the fairway to become more in play off the tee. The right fairway bunker was reshaped and shifted closer to the fairway too.
This green previously had a lot of movement along the edges that did not allow for pin positions close to the lake edge or greenside bunkers. The perimeter rolls were softened and the green enlarged on the front right and back right to introduce pin locations all along the lake edge and close to the greenside bunkers. The greenside bunkers were also reshaped for visibility from tee and fairway and shifted closer to the green.
Hole #14
This hole has a significant visual change. Previously, 90% of the bunkers on this hole were not visible from the tee and neither was the green surface. The old green had sharp rolls along the edge that did not allow for perimeter pin locations or pins behind the bunkers.
The front right bunker complex was eliminated and a tightly mown grass slope along the entire right side of the green was created. The left greenside bunkers were reshaped and moved closer to the green to better protect pin locations on the left side of this green. The greenside bunkers behind the green were reshaped, made visible and shifted closer to the green surface to protect back right and back left pin locations. The green surface has been smoothed out to allow for more pinnable space but still retains a hint of the old green contours.
Hole #15
A back tee was built that could add 50 yards to the hole if desired. If used, this new back tee will bring the reshaped fairway bunker more into play and turn it into a real obstacle off the tee. Originally there were two fairway bunkers protecting the inside right corner of the fairway. The bunker complex was reshaped with one large bunker that was slightly repositioned to bring it more into play. This green complex received three changes. Firstly, it was reduced in size and moved out of the shadows cast by the surrounding trees. Second, the green was shifted away from the cart path. Third, the green size and contours were made more appropriate for the type of shots played from the original back tee location. The front greenside bunkers were reshaped, repositioned and moved closer to the green surface allowing for a more intimidating approach shot. The right green side bunkers were removed and replaced with a tightly mown grass slope. The back greenside bunker was reshaped for visibility and moved closer to the green surface. While this green did change slightly there are several elements from the old green that were incorporated into the changes.
Hole #16
Tees – The tee complex was shifted left to utilize the natural ridge line and to increase visibility down the golf hole. A large swale was reshaped from the back tee down to the fairway that increases overall visibility and opens up a view slot down to the fairway.
The two right side fairway bunkers were reshaped, combined to make one large fairway bunker that is now highly visible from the tee, and shifted closer to the fairway to bring it more into play. Two of the left side fairway bunkers were removed and converted to rough. This allows for one prominent fairway bunker to protect the left side.
The green complex was reshaped and the beach bunker removed to incorporate shaved slopes and collection areas on the middle right, back right and back left of the green. The front greenside bunker was reshaped and moved closer to the green. A small back right greenside bunker was added to help protect the back right pin locations. The green surface was smoothed out to allow for more pin locations around the perimeter, lake edge and beside the bunkers. While the green was modified for increased pin locations the original green contours were incorporated in the renovation.
Hole #17
Visually this hole will look different and slightly more intimidating, but strategically should play better with increased pin locations along the perimeter of the green with reshaped bunkers that are closer to the green surface. The most dramatic change on this hole is the expansion of the beach bunker. The green was shifted seven to ten feet to allow for the beach bunker to be reshaped and contoured for drainage, playability and visibility.
Hole #18
A back tee was added to increase the hole yardage by approximately 10 yards. The renovated green is almost a carbon copy of the old green with slight modifications in the green size to accommodate an additional front pin location and middle back pin location.
Practice Green
The practice green tries to replicate the golf shots you can expect on the "new" Bay Hill course. A large fairway cut was introduced around the chipping green. Repositioned the bunker to hit down the length of the green, allowing golfers to practice both long and short sand shots. The bunker tripled in size and deepened to reflect new bunkers on the course. The "False front" on the chipping green will allow golfers to practice this difficult short shot.
Posted: August 20, 2009 11:02 AM
PALMER DESIGNS NEW NCSU GOLF COURSE
August 13, 2009
RALEIGH, NC – On July 31st, Arnold Palmer was present for the grand-opening of the Lonnie Poole Golf Course at North Carolina State University. Two Arnold Palmer Design Company architects, NCSU graduates Erik Larsen and Brandon A. Johnson, worked on this special project with Mr. Palmer.
The 18-hole, 7,358-yard, par 71 course located on Centennial Campus will serve as the home course for the men's and women's NCSU golf teams, but also grow into its role as a 250-acre outdoor classroom and living laboratory for students enrolled in the Professional Golf Management major. More than 200 undergraduates in the turfgrass program will utilize the course for field labs and about 20 graduate students will tend to environmental research projects.
"The Lonnie Poole course has been a very special project for myself, Erik and Brandon. We all have some roots in North Carolina and we're very excited to see the project become such a success for the school and community." said Palmer. "The course also provides an excellent example to students on how to design a "green" course that is sensitive to the environment."
"This golf course is pure golf." said APDC Excecutive Vice President Erik Larsen. "No interruptions from housing or roads. Just a great walk on beautiful rolling NC land. Big views to the Raleigh skyline, pleasant streams, thick woods and open meadows all contribute to the round of golf. Bunkers are big and nasty looking, however the golf course is easier than it looks. Perfectly maintained Bermuda fairways and tees, plus bent grass greens contrast dramatically with the native roughs and woodlands. This course has US Open qualities. This players course will be fun for everyone to play, certainly to look at and just enjoy being there."
Larsen continues with his alumni perspective. "As an Alumni, I am very proud of the quality of the golf course. It has been a great reward to give something back to NC State by virtue of what the university taught me; design. Working for Arnold Palmer has provided many incredible opportunities, but this rates as one of the best for me personally. The course will be a gem for the teams, recreation, horticulture and agronomy for NC State."
APDC architect Brandon Johnson had heart-felt Alumni sentiments toward the project as well. "I was always extra excited to make site visits because I felt like I was coming home. It is certainly a dream come true and an opportunity of a lifetime to work with Mr. Palmer and Erik on designing the Lonnie Poole Golf Course at NC State University. Another satisfying experience during the course of the project was being able to reconnect with two of my most influential design professors, Art Rice and Fernando Magallanes, who I owe many thanks for their support and guidance."
Johnson talks about Lonnie Poole and reminisced further about his deeply rooted connection to the course. "To hear Lonnie Poole tell his story of putting together the donation funds for the golf course and the great deal he got in 1997 takes me back. In 1997, I graduated from NC State and shortly before graduation I visited Claude McKinney at Centennial Campus to talk about the proposed golf course. I remember walking away from my visit thinking 'I sure missed getting to play the golf course as a student'. But 12 years later I was lucky enough to be involved as a professional to help design the course. In retrospect, I think I got the better part of that deal."
The News & Observer wrote: "It’s a golf course that offers interesting topographical contrasts. The front nine is more wooded, the holes intermingled with small streams. The back nine has more dramatic elevation changes — and more scenery. Stand on the 11th tee and the Raleigh skyline is more than visible — it’s close at hand, with the tee less than two miles from the city center. Visitors also can see the university’s Bell Tower in the distance."
"The thing I like best about this course is that you could put it anywhere and it would be a fantastic course, but when you put it with the views of the city and the proximity to downtown …" said Chip Watson of Carolinas Golf Group and the general manager of the golf course. “Arnold Palmer said it best: ‘We’ve never built a course anywhere close to a city like that.’”
"We hope to have designed a fun, beautiful and strategically challenging golf course that the University and the public will enjoy and compete on for a long time." said Palmer. "We wanted to use the natural big roll of the property to help dictate hole strategy and options for play. On the majority of the holes, we wanted that days' pin position to influence strategy and decision making on the tee."
"The player will find on some fairways unusually wide in spots, like holes 5 and 7. Without careful study, that feeling of width may lull one into a false sense of security off the tee. For example on hole 5, if you're in the fairway to the right, your approach shot will be hindered by the treeline. Players will need to have some experience on the course to be able to fully understand the ideal angles and lies to play from."
On Aug. 15-16, the V Foundation will hold its Golf Classic for Cancer Research at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course, a fitting host site for fans and friends of Jim Valvano.
View the full press conference TV coverage from WRAL – 25 minutes: http://www.wralsportsfan.com/rs/video/5700313/
ABOUT THE ARNOLD PALMER DESIGN COMPANY
The Arnold Palmer Design Company has long been regarded as one of the premier companies in the golf course architectural industry. Founded 37 years ago in 1972, APDC has created approximately 300 courses around the world. APDC's design philosophy is straightforward: to design beautiful golf courses that are fun to play while maintaining the utmost respect for nature. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, at Arnold Palmer’s winter home, the Bay Hill Club and Lodge, this location allows clients to come enjoy Palmer's world-class resort and play on the renowned golf course which hosts the annual Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard on the PGA Tour. For more information on the Arnold Palmer Design Company call (407) 876-1068 or visit www.arnoldpalmerdesign.com.
Posted: August 13, 2009 11:22 AM
ARNOLD PALMER-DESIGNED ZHAILJAU GOLF RESORT TO HOST THE FIFTH KAZAKHSTAN OPEN
August 12, 2009
This September 17-20, 2009, the lucrative Kazakhstan Open, now in it's fifth year on the European Challenge Tour, will be hosted on the championship course at the Arnold Palmer Design Company-designed Zhailjau Golf Resort in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The event carries the largest purse (€400,000) for a regular Challenge Tour event and will now be hosted beside a new residential development and luxury hotel in the shadow of the vast snowcapped Tien Shan mountain range.
“We designed Zhailjau Golf Resort with our standard preoccupation to quality golf, but did not know who may play it other than the President. We are happy it has been discovered by the Kazakhstan Open and the Challenge Tour. We are confident it will represent itself well. Hopefully, the event will draw many people to play there." said APDC Executive Vice President Erik Larsen.
The Arnold Palmer Design Company layout will provide one of the most captivating stages on the Challenge Tour schedule. The course has significant elevation changes, a routing that constantly changes directions to take advantage of the wind and with five par 5's and five par 3's there is a great variety in distances that will require every club in the bag. Water comes into play on only 5-holes, but the 7,197 yard, par 72 course should provide a stern test for the Challenge Tour Membership.
“We finished the course back in 2005 and had high hopes that it would one day draw people in to play from around the world. Obviously, we are very pleased that the Challenge Tour has discovered our design in Almaty and deemed it fit to host one of their prestigious events." said APDC Architect Thad Layton.
Alain de Soultrait, Director of the Challenge Tour, said: “The Kazakhstan Open is undoubtedly one of the most important tournaments on the Challenge Tour schedule, so it is essential that we find a course capable of staging it. The Zhailjau Golf Resort is certainly a fitting venue, and I have no doubt our Members will enjoy playing there. Any course which carries the great Arnold Palmer’s signature is sure to provide a true test. The Kazakhstan Open has developed and improved significantly over the past five years, and moving to a new course is an exciting stage in that process.”
Nurtay Abykayev, President of the National Federation of Golf in Kazakhstan, said: “We have thoroughly enjoyed staging the Kazakhstan Open at Nurtau Golf Club, but the chance to move to Zhailjau Golf Resort should open up a new chapter in the development of the tournament. It is a great layout – tough, but fair – and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the players fare in September. We should thank the members for allowing us use of their fabulous course for what promises to be another great week. I am confident that the new venue will ensure the tournament continues to go from strength to strength.”
“It is very rewarding to be part of growing the game in this emerging part of the world.” said Arnold Palmer. "I think the course will provide excellent championship level play."
To underline its importance, in each of the four years since Ireland’s Stephen Browne won the inaugural event, the Kazakhstan Open champion has progressed onto The European Tour at the end of the season.
ABOUT THE ARNOLD PALMER DESIGN COMPANY
The Arnold Palmer Design Company has long been regarded as one of the premier companies in the golf course architectural industry. Founded 37 years ago in 1972, APDC has created approximately 300 courses around the world. APDC's design philosophy is straightforward: to design beautiful golf courses that are fun to play while maintaining the utmost respect for nature. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, at Arnold Palmer’s winter home, the Bay Hill Club and Lodge, this location allows clients to come enjoy Palmer's world-class resort and play on the renowned golf course which hosts the annual Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard on the PGA Tour. For more information on the Arnold Palmer Design Company call (407) 876-1068 or visit www.arnoldpalmerdesign.com.
Posted: August 12, 2009 11:18 AM
