David Hemstock returns to The Manor to begin five-year renovation
David Hemstock has returned to The Manor Golf Club, located between Leeds and Bradford, England, to begin a five-year renovation.
The project is being completed under the management team of Andrew and Mark Cook, the sons of the original developers, brothers Bill and Eric Cook.
The first phase of work at The Manor – which Hemstock designed in 1995 – has started with the replacement of drainage systems on several holes.
Hemstock says the putting surface outlines have altered since he originally laid out the course, with some of the more challenging putts lost to mowing changes. Work to reinstate the original shapes of greens by tracing the gravel bed and mowing-in has been completed, with around 10 per cent of green area gained back.
The first phase of work also includes the construction of a new eleventh green as well as work on bunkers that have suffered from sand-splash build-up. The original turf banks will be renovated, and the bunkers will be re-faced back to how they were originally designed, this time with a stabilising layer added.
“The walk around the course to plan the upgrading strategy was set in the wonderful new woodland landscape,” said Hemstock. “At least 90 per cent of the thousands of trees planted in the mid-1990s have matured, improving the ecological value of the site hugely over the original agricultural ‘desert’, which had only one mature tree in the centre and no open water. Now we have a series of ponds and watercourses, woodland, and permanent rough grass.”
The second phase of work, which will take place in 2021, includes remodelling the tenth hole by making use of some additional land. There are also planned changes to the academy golf area as well as turf areas around the driving range and clubhouse. The six-hole par-three course is to be worked on, with extended family golf areas also under consideration.
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