Golf course architect Doug Carrick has completed a five-year renovation project at Fontana Golf Club near Vienna, Austria.
The project has included rebuilding tees, fairways, bunkers and greens as well as some rerouting to allow for a future residential development. The former seventh, eighth and sixteenth holes were eliminated for the development, while four entirely new holes were created.
This year’s work was the final phase and focused on the first, ninth and tenth holes. At the first, Carrick introduced new tees and fairway bunkers and rebuilt greenside bunkers and the green. Work on the ninth has seen tees moved back and left to soften the angle of the dogleg, while all bunkers were reshaped, a new bunker was added near the landing area and the green was also rebuilt. Better Billy Bunker was selected for the project. Tees have been moved back and right to soften the dogleg angle at the tenth, with all bunkers reshaped along and a new fairway bunker has been added on the left corner of the dogleg.
“I am very pleased with the results,” said Carrick. “It has given the course a major facelift and improved the challenge, playability, aesthetics and flow of the golf course tremendously.”
The pandemic prevented Carrick from making site visits in the final phase, but he conducted regular video calls with Barry Britton, the former course superintendent at Fontana, who oversaw construction throughout all phases, including design refinements made on site and continues to provide agronomic advice to the club.
“Hopefully the members and guests who play the course on a regular basis will enjoy the changes and the new look of the golf course,” said Carrick. “I am very excited by how much more exciting and challenging the finishing holes are now at Fontana, including the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth holes.”
Carrick has also expanded the practice green and softened contours to provide more pin locations. The chipping green and practice bunker were rebuilt and there are plans to update the driving range and short game area.