In early 2006, Watermark Golf/Nathan Crace Design was retained by The Bluffs to renovate the 17th hole--a dramatic par 3 which drops 60' to a peninsula green with Thompson's Creek as a backdrop.  The Bluffs has been a perennial favorite of golfers throughout the southeast since opening in 1988 and was recently named the "Top Course Anyone Can Play in Louisiana" by Golfweek Magazine.  However, a waste area left of the 17th hole had been designed into the hole in 1988 and had become filled with silt and overgrown with encroaching grass.  At the end of the former waste area, the silt and water runoff had washed out the asphalt cart path, making crossing the low end of the waste area difficult after hard rains.  Additionally, the tee complex was inadequate to handle to increasing amount of play and was showing excessive wear.  

Mr. Crace designed a 400' long rock-lined streambed with a recirculation pump to create a continuous flow of water moving at 250+ gallons per minute with a new 16' long timber bridge and new approaches for the cart path leading to the bridge.  The tee complex was also demolished, renovated, and laser leveled prior to being sodded.  Timber retaining walls to match eh new bridge were also installed in the tee complex to maximize the new tee space--nearly triple the total size of the original tee complex!  Mr. Crace also designed new landscaping throughout the tee complex and along and left of the new streambed and bridge to highlight this new area and transform what was becoming an eyesore into a showpiece. The work was completed in approximately five weeks.

Before -- View from tee (above)

During Shaping -- View from tee (above)

After Sodding -- View from tee (above)

Before -- View from bottom (above)

During Shaping -- View from bottom (above)

During Rock Installation -- View from bottom (above)

After Sodding -- View from bottom (above)

Before -- View from midstream (above)

During Shaping -- View from midstream (above)

During Rock Installation -- View from midstream (above)

After Sodding -- View from midstream (above)

During Rock Installation (above)

View of new bridge from lower streambed (above)

Before -- Tee complex was too small (above)

Demolition -- Top three tees are stripped and razed (above)

All tees are enlarged and laser leveled (above)

Walls are installed to maximize tee space (above)

View of green after sod is installed (above)

Be sure to check back with us.  We will be adding more "After" photos soon.