15 Nov 2012

Good news this month from Canada, that promising young architect Jeff Mingay has been given the green light to redesign the golf course at The Derrick Club in Edmonton, Alberta. Mingay is one of the most passionate and talented designers in the business today, and the project scope here allows for significant enhancements to be made to the golf course.

According to the press release, the 18-hole course will be completely redesigned and rebuilt beginning in spring 2013.

Established in 1959, The Derrick Golf and Winter Club is a multi‐purpose private club located in the heart of Alberta’s thriving capital city, that offers a wide‐range of athletic and recreational facilities, including fitness and aquatic centres, tennis and badminton courts, curling rinks, casual and fine dining, and an 18‐hole golf course.

Directors and management commissioned Canadian golf architect Jeff Mingay to study The Derrick Club course and recommend improvement beginning in spring 2010. “I immediately noticed two fundamental problems,” explains Mingay. “The course is laid‐out over a relatively flat property, with heavy soils, so drainage is quite poor in many areas. The general layout and sequence of holes had also been significantly changed since the course was originally designed. These are the two most important elements in golf course architecture. If the club wants the best course possible, significant improvement to drainage and the routing and sequence of holes is absolutely necessary.”

Over more than two years, Mingay developed an ambitious golf course improvement plan for The Derrick Club, including a comprehensive sub‐surface drainage system and major adjustment to the general layout of the course and sequence of play. Six new holes, which will improve flow and enhance variety, are planned to be created; the other twelve holes will play through existing corridors, but every feature – including tees, bunkers and greens – will be redesigned.

When we’re done, The Derrick’s essentially going to have a brand new course – one to match all of the other excellent facilities at the club,” adds Mingay. `

The project is scheduled to be completed in two phases. Holes 1‐3, 12‐18, and a short game practice area, featuring a three‐hole pitch‐and‐putt loop, will be completed in 2013; then the remaining holes and an improved practice range in 2014. Nine holes will be available for members’ play throughout the duration of the project, with the new 18‐hole course scheduled to debut in 2015.

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