Architect is overseeing phased work to two Donald Ross courses, largely focused on bunkers, tees and trees
By Alex Smith |
Tim Gerrish is overseeing renovation work at Shennecossett Golf Club (pictured above) in Groton, Connecticut, and Triggs Memorial Golf Course in Providence, Rhode Island.
Both projects form part of a busy workload for Gerrish, who has 14 projects at various stages of development.
The architect has worked at Shennecossett since the mid-1990s when he was an associate for Cornish, Silva & Mungeam. Gerrish later developed a masterplan on his own for the club in 2008, and over the past 16 years, he has overseen gradual improvements, focusing on bunkers, tees and trees.
“Almost every year we’ve tackled the more heavily used bunker complexes and tees,” says Gerrish. “This fall, we are rebuilding the first hole’s greenside bunkers and reorienting the second tees as they blend together. We are also rebuilding the second green’s rear bunker and the back tee on the third hole.”
The work on the third hole is also addressing a later alteration to the course. A tee was raised by around three feet to improve visibility of the right fairway bunkers. “The funny thing is that you couldn’t see them – even after we rebuilt those bunkers a few years ago,” said Gerrish. “Ross clearly meant for them to be blind!”
Historical documentation is informing the restoration process. Shennecossett superintendent Eric Morrison has researched photographic and press archives. “Eric really loves the course history,” said Gerrish. “He’s dug way deep into photo and press archives. We use the images he finds along with a 1934 aerial to evaluate what existed then and what our goals are today.”
Meanwhile, at Triggs Memorial, where Gerrish began working in 2023, he has been overseeing similar work to the Donald Ross layout – bunkers, tees and trees.
“They have a set budget each season, and we address projects that are in most need,” said Gerrish. “Sometimes it’s the less appealing drainage project; sometimes a very engaging one, like the strategic approach bunker on the par-five tenth or restoring a previously removed left greenside bunker on the fourteenth.”
Tim Gerrish has overseen renovations to the Donald Ross course at Triggs Memorial since 2023 (Photo: Tim Gerrish)
At both courses, bunker renovations have addressed issues including exposed rock, poor drainage, and sand conditions, while the geometry of the restored features has been influenced by modern maintenance requirements.
“The play these bunkers receive have made look like they belong in a minimal design, like at Sand Hills,” said Gerrish. “Aesthetically, that is not what Ross had originally. One of my first conversations with the superintendents and owners is to determine the maintenance demands and their ability to meet them. We’ve achieved that balance. From a player’s experience, the sympathetically restored bunkers are wonderful. They have new, clean bunker sand, they drain well, the bottoms are recoverable for players; all I ever hear are appreciation and compliments. The bunkers are like night and day.”
At Shennecossett, contractor DHT has overseen work, while at Tripps Memorial, long-time shaper Rick Marcos has been key.
“With limited maintenance, we focus on machine mowable grassed faces,” said Gerrish. “This has gotten a little better with the use of autonomous mowers, but they are still limiting. They cannot mow 2:1 or even 3:1 bunker faces. I push the slope as much as possible to maintain the Ross character at least aesthetically. Sand lines are as low as I make them, while still maintaining some visibility and the bathtub edge to prevent sand washing during storm events. I’ll even slightly widened the bunker floors, while maintaining the original scale, to at least 12-14 feet to allow the mechanical bunker rake to more easily navigate.
“So much of this restoration/renovation work rests on the maintenance staff. The construction work is usually spot on, but then 30,000-40,000 rounds come through the course. That’s actually a baseline figure at many courses I work with. The least experienced staff are the ones prepping the bunkers... I wish that public officials would better fund maintenance budgets allowing for more and better employees.”