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| Root Growth-Putting Green |
Since breaking ground on July 14th, the golf course restoration has been progressing steadily with the full team of architects, contractors, and our Hyde Park Grounds staff working side by side to bring Donald Ross’s vision back to life.
Design & Leadership
Architect Tyler Rae and his associates Jim Ryan Jr. and Matt Fauerbach have been onsite weekly to direct shaping of greens, tees, and bunkers. Their guidance ensures each feature not only matches Ross’s design intent but also functions for modern playability and maintenance.
Sequencing Strategy
The sequencing of work has been intentional. Construction has focused early on holes farthest from the clubhouse, where travel times are longer and soils hold more moisture. These conditions required more shaping and drainage, and this area also includes several of the new greens being rebuilt (Holes 3, 4, 6, 7, 14, and 15). By addressing these challenges first, we maximize productivity during the long summer days and allow the new greens and bentgrass approaches the longest possible grow-in window before next season.
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| Green Expansion #5 |
Our main focus is to have all bentgrass approaches, tees, and sodded greens grassed by mid to late September, ensuring plenty of establishment time before winter. The rough will be sodded later in the project as finishing work.
Construction Partners
McDonald & Sons – primary contractor, leading green construction, bunker work, drainage, cart path removal, and shaping.
Ley Irrigation – installing the new HDPE irrigation system; new pipe and sprinklers installed on the Putting Green, Holes 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Golf Preservations – drainage specialists, scheduled to install slit drainage in fairways on Holes 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 13.
Ewers & Sons – cart path installation and base work.
Technical Choice – GPS staking and layout support for irrigation
At peak times, there can be 75–80 people working on-site each day, reflecting the scale of this project and the close coordination required among all partners.
Hyde Park Grounds Team
Our Grounds staff have been critical throughout the project — watering and maintaining new sod, assisting with shaping preparation, compacting greens, hydroseeding swales, and mowing completed areas. Their efforts are ensuring smooth transitions between contractors and daily progress across the property.
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| Bunker Drainage #4 |
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| Jared- Rolling to smooth the putting green |
Highlights to Date
Greens Sodded: Putting Green, Holes 4 and 7 are complete. Holes 3 and 5 are scheduled for sodding this week.
Irrigation: New irrigation installed on the Putting Green, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Zoysia Fairway Expansions: Roughly 70% complete across the course. These areas are establishing well but will require smoothing and refinement next season.
Bunker Work: Several bunkers have been reshaped and drained, with sod and sand installation beginning.
Tees: Rough shaping and expansions on Holes 3, 4, 7, 11, and 15 provide new variety in setup and strategy.
Cart Path Work: Paving has occurred on Holes 5 and 6, while removals have taken place on Holes 14, 11, and portions of 15.
New Greens Grow-In
The new greens have now been mowed several times. The goal at this stage is not to achieve low mowing heights, but to promote smoothness and density through:
Regular sand topdressing
Rolling
Aerification once rooting has occurred
This grow-in process ensures the greens will be health and smooth heading into next season.
What’s Next
Sod installation on greens at Holes 3 and 5.
Bentgrass seeding of approaches and tees across the course.
Fairway drainage installations on Holes 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 13.
Completion of zoysia expansions, with refinement to continue into next season.
Hydroseeding of fine fescue/native areas.
A view of the 7th
Despite over 5 inches of rain since July, work remains on schedule. The combined efforts of our partners and Grounds team, the project is on track for substantial completion by early November. Please note, however, that this schedule is weather dependent, and prolonged rainfall could affect final timelines.
To find more information and video clips, please follow Hyde Park Golf & Country Club on Instagram. Follow me on LinkedIn and on X- @pobrienhpgcc, or schedule a tour with the Golf Shop.
Thank you again for your patience and questions during this historic restoration
Grounds Superintendent
