In its 25-year history, Gainey Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale, AZ, has been known for two main things. One is the diversity of its three nine-hole courses. The other is that prior to being a golf course, the property served as an Arabian horse ranch.
Now there is a third topic for conversation. All the greens on two of the three courses are basically new putting surfaces, thanks to the work done by Pro Turf International, a golf course construction company based in Arizona.
PTI just completed work on the nine greens of the Lake Course at Gainey Ranch ahead of schedule and under budget. Last summer they resurfaced the greens on the Arroyo Course.
Pro Turf was contracted to strip the existing turf off of the Lakes 9 greens. They removed 3 inches of old greens mix and installed 3 ½ inches of new greens mix while tilling new mix into existing green cavity. The greens were then floated out and fine graded in preparation of hydro-sprigging TifEagle.
In addition, green complexes on holes #7 and #8 were totally renovated. All turf and drain gravel was disposed of while the greens mix was used for topdressing fairways while closed. Pro Turf re-shaped the green floor, installed drainage, drain gravel and new greens mix. All construction was per USGA green construction specifications. The greens irrigation loops were reconfigured as well as new bunkers.
“Our old putting surfaces were “328” hybrid Bermuda grass, and most of the green complexes are severely sloped,” said Damien Smith, Director Maintenance at Gainey Ranch. “With the new TifEagle, some of those slopes were too severe for the new speed of the greens. Those two greens were the most severe on the course, so we felt we needed to make the changes and soften them.
“I am absolutely pleased with the work PTI did,” Smith continued. “We all worked together well in coming to agreement on what should happen on those greens and where we would end up. I knew from the work they had done on the Arroyo nine that they would do a good job on the Lakes nine.”
Kip Wolfe, Director of Operations for Pro-Turf International said, “We were pleased to return to Gainey Ranch and work with Damien and his staff on the Lakes Nine. It is a beautiful property and a great golf course. I think the golfers will be really pleased with the final product.”
Mike Gogel of Mike Gogel Golf Design in Scottsdale provided the designs for the new green complexes.
“Both the greens had some pretty hard contours for trying to find fair pine placements,” said Gogel. “That gave us the opportunity with Pro Turf to basically blow the greens up and start over. We stayed in the framework of the existing core, but leveled out parts of the green to provide better pin options.”
Gogel also admired the work of PTI.
“They were a pleasure to work with,” he said. “Their guys did very efficient work. I know the challenges that companies like PTI face day in and day out, especially with tight budgets. But they met every challenge. They stayed within the plan and budget.”
PTI is a unique corporation combining the finest talent available in the golf course and landscape construction industry today. With a combined experience of over sixty years, the PTI team has been involved in several of the most prestigious golf facilities in the country. PTI provides a wide range of services with the experience to offer consulting, golf course architect selection, design and budget review, project management and supervision, full-line construction, remodeling and complete golf course grow-in maintenance.