Howes to refresh Braid design
Irish design practice Jeff Howes Golf Design has been to redevelop Newlands Golf Club in Dublin.
The course's proximity to the busy M50 motorway has led to part of the land being compulsorily purchased by the country's National Roads Authority; the club lost an entire hole to Ireland's growing road network a few years ago.
The original layout was designed by James Braid in or around 1926. The land take will result in the loss of an original Braid hole. "The relocation of this hole has a domino effect and will result in the redevelopment of several holes," said Jeff Howes. The club has also decided to remodel all the course's bunkers and tees. The works will be carried out over two phases, while the members operate with temporary greens on six holes. Howes expects the renovated course to be ready for play in spring 2010.
"We are very familiar with Braid's courses, and we're looking forward to the challenge of working on a tight site, and trying to be sympathetic to the original Braid layout while blending old with new," said Howes.
This article first appeared in issue 14 of Golf Course Architecture, published in October 2008.