Pottawattomie Country Club in Michigan City, Indiana, has selected Raymond Hearn to develop a long-range restoration/renovation plan for its golf course.

The original nine (current holes ten to eighteen) was designed by Tom Bendelow, and in 1965, Indiana-based architect Bob Simmons designed the second nine (current holes one to nine).

“What an honour and privilege it is to work with this great historic club,” said Hearn, who is currently engaged by three other clubs with Bendelow courses. “Our goal is to create a comprehensive masterplan that involves sympathetic restoration with some conventional restoration. The history, membership, terrain and course routing are all outstanding.

“The club is so unique with its membership drawing from three different states (Indiana, Illinois and Michigan). It is located minutes from Lake Michigan on a beautiful site. The masterplanning committee is comprised of very passionate individuals that care deeply about their historic club. I look forward to working closely with them.”

Greens committee chair David Baldwin said: “As soon as we began to work with Ray, everyone saw why we chose his company for the project. His work at Midlothian Country Club and Flossmoor Country Club in the Chicago area really impressed us. Ray shares the same passion and respect that we have for our unique Bendelow-designed back nine and Simmons-designed front nine. He talks of polishing up a real gem of a golf course.”

Hearn’s masterplan will include a combination of renovation and restoration elements (Photo: Pottawattomie Country Club)

Hearn’s role will include collaborating with the club’s committee and staff on design ideas, priorities and phasing of work.

“I liked the way Ray approached the club and our golf course,” said Baldwin. “I think some of us were concerned about having an architect come in and say they want to change things dramatically. It was clear from the start Ray wanted to preserve our history.”

“After hearing him talk, I saw he realised we have a course with two nines from different eras, but nines that complement each other,” said Jamie Baldwin (no relation to David Baldwin), masterplan committee member. “I was also pleased he wanted our perspective on it. He watched four of us play, riding along, pointing out things he could see in the design that Bendelow created. He saw what we love about our golf course. He is also willing to listen and work with us so that we don’t have to shut down the course completely.”