Glaze Meadow Golf Course nearing completion

Construction crews are working to put the finishing touches on the last four holes yet to be seeded on the new Glaze Meadow Golf Course. The front nine, the practice putting green and five holes on the back nine are finished and the grass is growing. The construction foreman hopes to have the remaining holes and the driving range finished and seeded by the first of August.

The golf course was closed at the end of last September and the renovation project began immediately. The 35-year-old golf course was in need of a major upgrade of the general infrastructure and irrigation system, and the decision was made to completely rebuild it. Golf course architect John Fought was hired to design the project. John Fought, the brother of Black Butte Ranch director of golf, Jeff Fought, is an accomplished and well-respected designer of many prestigious golf courses around the country including Pumpkin Ridge and Crosswater in Oregon.

The new Glaze Meadow Golf Course will be unique in Central Oregon. John Fought's design inspiration is from the Golden Age of golf course architecture. The golf course will have the feel of a classic from the early twentieth century, yet benefit from state-of-the-art maintenance technology.

Helping maintain the turf is a new irrigation system, which is computer controlled and will be 35 percent more efficient than the old system. The sprinkler heads are adjusted for optimum coverage and minimum waste.

Lots of trees were removed, allowing more sunlight for healthier turf conditions. Tree removal was also necessary to widen and lengthen holes. The harvested trees were taken to the mill in Gilchrist, providing revenue which helped pay for their removal. A nice fringe benefit is that many of the great mountain views that were visible when Gene "Bunny" Mason, the original designer, laid out the course are back.

Golfers will notice dramatic changes from the old Glaze Meadow. Among them is the new first hole. The somewhat awkward double dogleg par five has been turned into a dogleg right par four with a wide fairway and a view of the lake beyond. The original first tee area is now a 14,000-square-foot practice putting green. Approximately 700 yards in total length have been added to the course.

The fairways were hydro-seeded with bluegrass. Framing the fairways and tees will be tall, wild fescue. Plenty of ponderosa pines remain as backdrops. The greens have been hand-seeded with bentgrass.

Much of the work is being done by golf course maintenance employees, and the project is always under the watchful eye of Black Butte Ranch Golf Course Superintendent Phil Lagao. Local suppliers and contractors have been used as much as possible.

With the help of good grass-growing weather, which until recently was in short supply, the new Glaze Meadow Golf Course at Black Butte Ranch will open on schedule for the Memorial Day weekend next year.