New eighteenth green and putting green take shape at Holywood GC

Swan Golf Designs is creating a new eighteenth green and putting green at Holywood Golf Club in County Down, Northern Ireland.

The new eighteenth green was built at a revised location in December 2017, and with final preparations taking place before it is introduced to the course.

The new putting green will be floodlit and is comprised partially of natural turf and partially of artificial turf. That is taking shape this month.

Holywood is the club at which Rory McIlroy learnt his trade and is currently undergoing a major clubhouse renovation. This will see the development of a new gym and indoor practice facilities.

Howard Swan, who has led projects at Holywood at various points over the past 20 years, is overseeing the work.

“Holywood is a great example of a club that is always looking to improve its facilities, continually investing in its course and clubhouse to reach their objective of being ‘more than just a golf club’,” Swan said. “The addition of the new fitness and practice suites is just the latest such development and, while it requires some minor changes to the layout, the club has taken the opportunity to further improve the course. Such a positive approach is typical of the club and great credit is due to its management for always pushing Holywood onwards.”

The club has also turned to Ecobunker to improve the design of selected bunkers.

“Swan Golf Design has cleverly used our flexible Ecobunker system to solve two different challenges,” said Richard Allen, CEO and inventor of Ecobunker. “On the ninth hole, a steep bank and bunkers prone to washout influenced a deeper face design. On the other hand, the softer contours around the 18th green were complimented by our lower edge solution, which has recently also been used to great effect at Denham, Dudsbury and Newark to name but a few.”

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