Country Club of Buffalo
The bunker restoration process and fairway contouring was another step in the restoration/renovation of this fine Donald Ross course. The age of the course had taken its toll on some of the fundamental features of the course. Bunkers had been removed, some had been relocated, some had become obsolete and others dilapidated. Additional tee space was needed to offset increased play and new forward tees were becoming a reality. The drainage of some portions of the course was necessary to reach higher levels of daily maintenance conditioning.
The approach was to develop a Master Plan and to develop continuity from tee to green. The new tees were located and sized to complement each hole and to add more dimension to the set up of the course. Tree removal was a delicate political matter that required many trips around the course to explain and justify the removal of matured trees that were having adverse affects on the play and condition of the turfgrass. The development of a tree program was a component of the long range plan as well.
The unveiling of many 'overgrown' holes was typical. The majority of the holes all had trees blocking or interfering with play or sunlight exposure to some degree. The size and shape of most fairways had been altered. Many fairways were smaller and the edges were all very straight. Forward tees were shunned at first by many of the skeptics. The membership had aged and the reluctance to move up was slowly overcome in time. The issue of 'change' on any course is always difficult. The modernization and upgrading process is very often slow to be accepted.
Restoration of green sizes and shapes were implemented but with a slower approach. Each fall, the Superintendent would begin to enlarge the perimeters on a few greens were designated by Schreiner Golf, Inc. The process of aeration and topdressing was increased in the expanded areas for the following year until the surfaces and sub-surfaces matched the balance of the putting green. Some irrigation heads had to be pushed back to the edges in order to expand the greens. This process was very controlled and many hardly noticed the process until the new flagstick locations were used.
