Renovation complete at Columbia
Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design has completed the major renovation of Columbia Country Club.
The club, managed by Eagle Golf, is located in Columbia, Missouri, and its renovation saw the complete rebuild and rerouting of ten holes and the renovation of the other remaining eight.
The project was overseen by Jason Straka, the principal of Fry/Straka, who faced a number of peculiar challenges when redesigning.
The course is landlocked by development roads and freeways, as well as an abandoned transportation site. A recent resurgence of commercial development along the southeastern boundary of the course posed a further factor to accommodate, as well as the limited size of the land Columbia Country Club owns.
The course was also affected by municipal decisions, such as a new bridge spanning the course’s river, a new freeway exit, and a new access road. Three holes were directly affected by these factors, meaning all the back nine holes faced drastic redesign to maintain the current yardage.
Amongst the facets improved are the course’s irrigation, turf-growing conditions, playability and aesthetics.
The par-71 course ranges from 4,702 to 6,527 yards, and the renovation has seen the majority of holes have been widened, with healthier greens and massively improved drainage.
“Members often wonder what they are getting for their money when their golf course closes for construction,” said Kathryn Comfort, senior vice president of private club operations at Eagle Golf. “Jason’s creative design and sensitivity to the concerns of our longstanding membership, together with the positive attitude of our staff, has kept the members upbeat and made them wonderful ambassadors for their club.”