Scot Sherman renovates Pete Dye layout at Keswick Hall

Scot Sherman is renovating the Full Cry course at Keswick Hall, north-west of Richmond in Virginia, USA.

The Pete Dye layout first opened in 2014 and the course updates are part of a larger investment project at the resort. Work on the golf course will add more variety and challenge, while enhancing Dye characteristics included pot bunkering and railroad ties.

“After working with the Dyes over the years, studying almost all of their courses, and renovating several during my career, I do have a good feel for their work of the past,” said Sherman, lead architect at Love Golf Design. “My observation is that Pete’s best courses are often his most eclectic in style, such as The Golf Club, Harbour Town and Crooked Stick.

“We started with modifications to four holes on Full Cry with additional railroad ties to enhance the theme already influenced by the nearby working rail line. We have also presented more choices on these holes to increase the interest.”

Central pot bunkers were added to the third hole to introduce more playing options and to continue the railroad tie theme. Meanwhile, renovation work was carried out on the large Sahara bunker at the seventh, with a short-cut fairway approach added at the green and an additional pot bunker introduced to replace an existing feature next to the putting surface. “Playing a forgiving 85 yards from the front tee and a daunting 193 yards from the back, the seventh hole is a splendid example of Dye’s genius for visual intimidation,” said Sherman. “The redesign has made a classic hole even better.”

The architect has introduced more lines of play on the thirteenth by adding bunkers and has installed more railroad ties on the fourteenth, to a fairway bunker and along the entire left side of the fairway.

“Pete Dye always liked to tinker and improve his golf course creations, so it’s an honour we’re carrying on his incredible legacy here at Full Cry just as he would have done,” said site owner Robert Hardie. “We are blessed to have one of Pete’s great golf course designs here at Keswick Hall for our members and guests to enjoy for decades to come.”

Rob McNamara, club manager and director of golf at Keswick Hall, said: “Scot is an expert on Pete Dye’s incredible lifetime of work, and we’re thrilled to have him help us make Full Cry even more exceptional. The work has exceeded our expectations and Full Cry has solidified its standing in the upper echelons of premier places to tee it up.”  

Future work on the course will include renovating several turf areas, adding irrigation and reconsidering other holes to improve aesthetics, maintainability, interest and challenge.

Alice ChambersAlice Chambers

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