Interviews

Dave Axland: From the ground up

The shaper-turned-architect has worked alongside some of the most talented designers in the business, but what is his story? Richard Humphreys finds out

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

Dave Axland: From the ground up

The shaper-turned-architect has worked alongside some of the most talented designers in the business, but what is his story? Richard Humphreys finds out

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

Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: News

Jim Lipe completes renovation work on four holes at Castle Pines

Jim Lipe, senior design consultant at Nicklaus Design, has completed a four-hole renovation at Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colorado.

Lipe has worked at the club since the late 1980s, completing various projects throughout the years on the course and practice area.

“The most recent work has involved reimagining the green and tee complexes and introducing a greenside pond/waterfall on the sixteenth hole,” said Lipe. “The existing mountain stream crossing on the fourteenth fairway was relocated along with adding a new fairway bunker. A new back tee was added on the fifteenth hole. The mountain stream on the left side of the seventeenth hole was enlarged and new fairway and greenside bunkers were also added. The tee complex was lowered and realigned in conjunction regrading part of the existing fairway to attain maximum visibility of the stream as it cascaded alongside the new tees.”

The ninth fairway and left-side fairway bunkering were realigned slightly right in conjunction with the reconstruction of the existing mountain stream on the hole’s right side. The fairway was regraded to improve fairway surface drainage and a forced carry pond was eliminated. A new back tee was added that can be used on both the ninth and eighteenth holes.

Jack Nicklaus originally designed the course in 1982 and the renovation work through the years that Lipe oversees is to “reflect Jack’s vision of shot variety and length” and to keep the course relevant and challenging in today’s game.

Whenever work is contemplated, it is planned well in advance and generally starts in October. “We work through the winter months, with the goal being to open as early in the spring as the weather allows,” said Lipe.

The architect has worked alongside the club’s superintendent, Doug Brooks and golf course contractor, Total Turf Golf Construction, for many years, and on the current project.

This clubhouse was also renovated in the past year, with a large fire pit located in an area near the existing small putting green.

“We had discussed for years how and when to enlarge the putting green, and with the new clubhouse and firepit area being constructed, we decided this would be the best time to construct a new putting course,” said Lipe. “The desire was to construct as large a green as we could for the area, and to maximise the size, new stone walls were constructed with planter areas to beautify this new amenity for the club.

“The green will be lit in the existing adjacent pine trees for fun in the evenings. The green is about 14,000 square feet and has interesting internal contouring so the club can have flexibility in laying out a putting course.”

Lipe will return to the club in July 2020 to begin the planning to expand the practice facilities and planning on other hole modifications that will likely commence construction in October 2020.

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Slideshow HTML
  • Castle Pines
    Castle Pines GolfClub

    Jim Lipe has completed a four-hole renovation at Castle Pines Golf Club (sixteenth pictured)

  • Castle Pines
    Castle Pines Golf Club

    The mountain stream on the ninth hole has been reconstructed

  • Castle Pines
    Castle Pines Golf Club

    Fairway bunkering on the ninth has been realigned

  • Castle Pines
    Castle Pines Golf Club

    The putting green has also been expanded, with the opportunity to be lit in the evenings

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Castle Pines Golf Club
Richard Humphreys

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