Interviews

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Four-month renovation at Papago begins next month
Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: News

Four-month renovation at Papago begins next month

Troon and the Arizona Community Golf Foundation (ACGF) will begin a four-month renovation project at Papago Golf Club in Phoenix, Arizona, in June.

Ron Despain, Troon’s senior vice president of golf course development, will be leading project management and design work while Gregg Tryhus is overseeing the project for ACGF. Heritage Links and Casa Verde Golf will be handling construction.

A new Arizona Golf House – located next to the ninth and eighteenth greens and Evie’s Pavilion – is scheduled to be built in 2023. Therefore, this year’s renovations will focus on relocating the ninth and eighteenth green complexes as well as the first and tenth tees. The ninth green will be moved to the edge of an existing pond, creating a par five with a risk and reward element, while the eighteenth green will be repositioned, which creates a new angle for approach shots.

Other work on the course includes lengthening the 442-yard par-four sixth by 20 yards, rebuilding every bunker, levelling tees, adding new cart paths around tees and greens, and removing more than 10 acres of turf from the course in an effort to reduce water usage.

“The revitalisation of Papago continues with this series of upgrades and improvements,” said Daryl Crawford, general manager at Papago. “The bunker renovations and tee levelling will be welcome improvements, while the enhancements to ninth and eighteenth holes will help us prepare for the new and exciting Arizona Golf House. With the course remaining open during renovations, many of our regular golfers will be able to track the progress of the enhancements.”

The course, which is home to the Arizona State University golf teams, will have temporary greens in play for the sixth, ninth and eighteenth holes, with temporary tees in operation at the first and tenth.

Troon expects the course to reopen in late October.

Previous Article Brandon Johnson renovates PGA West’s Palmer course
Next Article Wicker Point: Lakeside drama
Print
2758 Rate this article:
No rating
ADd Image Credit here for home page
Troon
Richard Humphreys

Richard HumphreysRichard Humphreys

Other posts by Richard Humphreys
Contact author

Contact author

x

Subscribe to the Golf Course Architecture newsletter


  • ©2025 Tudor Rose. All Rights Reserved. Golf Course Architecture is published by Tudor Rose.