BBR rebuilds golf course for the more powerful modern game

The Big Meadow Golf Course at Black Butte Ranch has gone through a radical evolution. Over the winter, fairways sprouted treacherous new traps and old traps changed shape and depth. The natural course of fairways bends in subtle new directions.

According to Jeff Fought, Director of Golf at Black Butte Ranch, the course opened 35 years ago, in 1970. The changes are an extension of the original vision of course designer Robert Muir Graves.

“In 35 years the (golf) equipment has changed so much,” Fought said, that “turning points” at bunkers placed at 210 yards now need to be set at 235. The changes are necessary “to make sure we are staying up to par with everyone else.”

The changes were done under the direction of Graves partner Damian Pascuzzo, of Graves & Pascuzzo of El Dorado Hills, California. Robert Muir Graves died in 2003, but was involved in the planning.

Sand traps first catch the eye, much whiter, deeper, frequent and demanding, including a new one on the right edge of the first fairway, just waiting for big hitters to push the ball a little to the right.

Several now guard the green, and they are deeper, sculpted into capes of grass jutting into bays of sand.

Fought said that the relatively short hole now suggests to golfers that they need to use a wedge to drop onto the putting surface, no more easy bump and run up onto the green.

The sand is from Emmett, Idaho, shipped to courses around the world. Maintenance crews at the ranch took the time to pack the bunkers, because it would take too long to settle on its own and Fought did not want every shot into the bunker to just “plug.”

In addition to rebuilding every trap on the course, installing drainage and reshaping, the number of traps was increased from 47 to 65, according to Fought. It feels like more.

Although fairways are narrower in many spots, forcing golfers to think and adapt, Fought thinks the course feels more “open,” with some mounds cut down to widen the vista from tee to green.

The fourth hole, a par three slightly uphill, has a new trap at the back to snag those who hit long. Always a tricky downhill chip down to the hole, golfers who overdo their tee shot will now have to blast out of the sand and stop the ball.

“We are trying to keep your interest in staying focused on your golf game,” said Fought with a smile.

The 14th hole is often considered Big Meadow’s “signature” hole, with aspens framing the green and Mt. Washington in the background. The hole is now even more stunning, with larger and more detailed white sand traps defining the fairway.

Transformation of Big Meadow will continue next year, when tee boxes are redone and “championship” tees are added to the “back,” “middle” and “front” tees.

The lake along the 18th fairway will be extended to the green, making water on the left a factor for every shot on that hole, with the rebuilt bunker on the right making sure golfers don’t take an easy route.

The ranch is spending about $500,000 per year on the improvements, part of an eight-year program that will extend to the Glaze Meadow course when Big Meadow is done.

The evolution of Big Meadow makes the course more challenging, frames the holes and adds intentional beauty to an already spectacular setting, and modernizes the course.

One good golfer finishing up said the changes “add a lot of intrigue. It is going to be awesome.”