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

Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: News

Serafin in progress with renovation at Little Turtle

The Golf Club at Little Turtle in Westerville, Ohio, is being renovated by golf course architect Barry Serafin.

The 18-hole course was originally designed by Pete Dye and opened in 1971. The Stonehenge Company bought the club in 2015 and is investing US$100 million into a residential venture, with some of the existing land on the course being used for housing.

Hurdzan Golf completed some work on the course in 2015, including a new par-three ninth hole which plays over Lake Turtle. The new owners then hired former Hurdzan Golf associate Serafin to create a master plan for the course, which includes the reconfiguration of the first two holes to make space for the housing, and a complete bunker renovation.

“We have adjusted a couple of the holes to allow for significant development of this 'land-locked' property,” said Serafin. “Reworking holes one and two has opened up enough area for the development of nine condo buildings, which include 170 units and 204 apartments. The top floor of some of the condo units will have views of downtown Columbus.

“The golf course has not gone through any major renovations for over 30 years. The routing and strategy of the holes is very good, so a majority of the bunkers are retaining the same location. They will be going through a redesign that will return the aesthetics to a Pete Dye look, maintain shot values, and reduce bunker square footage by 40 percent.

“Work started in 2017 with the reconstruction of holes one and two, bunker renovation on some of the front nine, and also the infrastructure for the condos,” said Serafin. “In 2018, hole one was open for play, hole two is growing in, a majority of the front nine bunker renovations are complete, and infrastructure for the apartments is moving forward.”

The clubhouse has been renovated and construction has recently begun for the new fitness facility, pool and indoor practice facility.

In autumn 2018, work will move to the bunkers on the back nine, with the entire course renovation expected to be complete in 2019.

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Slideshow HTML
  • Little Turtle

    The Golf Club at Little Turtle in Westerville, Ohio, is being renovated by Barry Serafin

  • Little Turtle

    Holes one and two have been reworked to open enough area for the development of nine condo buildings

  • Little Turtle

    The majority of bunkers will retain the same location, including on hole three…

  • Little Turtle

    …but bunkers are being redesigned to return Pete Dye’s look and shot values

  • Little Turtle

    Most of the work on the front nine is now complete

Richard Humphreys

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