The Williston Municipal Golf Course, a nine-hole layout in the Bakken Oil Fields of western North Dakota, is set to be redesigned and expanded to 18 holes by golf course architect Kevin Norby. The project forms part of a near-800acre development known as Williston Square, converting the former Sloulin Field International Airport into a mixed-use development that includes housing, commercial, retail, medical and recreation. “The city of Williston has experienced rapid growth over the past 20 years due to fracking and the presence of oil and gas resources,” says Joe Barsh, executive director of Williston Parks. “As a result, the city is now well-positioned for housing development and quality of life investments. This project aims to address both by creating a premier golf facility in the heart of the community, while also promoting housing development to meet the current housing demand.” In June 2025, city residents passed a sales tax referendum that will fund the golf course renovation. Norby’s new routing will see the course completely redesigned and rerouted, with more space for practice facilities. The first five holes, plus nine, seventeen and eighteen, will play on gently rolling land with mature trees that is occupied by the existing nine-hole layout. The back nine will be laid out on an area of the site that has dramatic elevation changes, deep ravines and native prairie. A new clubhouse will be built in a similar location to the existing building, with holes one and nine finishing close by. The driving range will also be in a similar location but expanded and oriented in a different direction. “In addition to expanding the course to 18 holes, one of my goals was to create a more spacious routing with expanded safety corridors and improved visual separation,” says Norby. “I walked the site to identify potential green sites and lines of play. The new property to the north of the existing golf course has dramatic topography which makes for some interesting par three holes, but makes it somewhat difficult to route par fours and par fives with good sightlines off the tee. The new par-three eleventh is a 260-yard hole that will play downhill to an 8,000-square-foot green positioned in a natural bowl. Shots Photo: Kevin Norby The nine-hole Williston Municipal layout in North Dakota is being expanded to 18 as part of a city redevelopment project. A community investment REPORT 89
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