Chartham Park Golf & Country Club has embarked on an exciting bunker redevelopment project designed to elevate the course’s playability, visual appeal and long-term sustainability. The work is being led by renowned golf course architect Jonathan Gaunt, whose portfolio includes some of the UK’s most respected modern course renovations. Construction is being expertly handled by…
England’s North East isn’t a place one typically associates with world class golf, with players’ imaginations in that part of the world understandably captured by courses further north across the border. That is, however, slowly changing, with courses like Goswick Links and Seaton Carew becoming increasingly celebrated once again and giving the area’s golf offering…
Ramside Hall begins course renovation programme Ramside Hall has begun a major renovation of its two championship layouts as part of a multimillion-pound investment into the County Durham-based hotel, golf and spa resort. Following the opening of a new 43-bay Toptracer range and indoor 10-pin bowling venue last month, attention is now turning to the course…
At Trentham GC, Gaunt Golf Design worked with Profusion Environmental and their team on a total (56 in total) bunker remodelling project at this high-profile, Harry Colt designed, parkland course. Profusion has done an amazing job of completing the work on budget and on time – the Club is thoroughly delighted with the result. The…
In September 2016, Whittington Heath Golf Club was granted planning permission for a course redevelopment project that will enable the club to continue successful operation after the HS2 (High Speed 2) railway line is built. The HS2 route, which links London with Birmingham and the north of England, will pass straight through the clubhouse and…
Blackwell Grange Golf Club was a private members golf club when, in 2013 Darlington Council, the local authority, requested that they make a planning application for a housing development on the land they owned, which part of the golf course was built on. In return for using golf course land for a housing development, Darlington…
In 2013 I was approached by Cornerstone Golf Consultants to discuss the feasibility of building a flood storage embankment on the golf course at Handsworth Golf Club. The Environment Agency was planning the construction of a flood storage reservoir within the flood plain of the River Tame as it flows to the north of the…
Back in 2006 we advised Meltham Golf Club on the conversion of an historic barn on their land, called Headyfields, to residential use. The property, which had previously been used for storage by the greenkeepers, was finally sold for development in 2016 and developed into three private residences. This sale funded the redevelopment of, in…
GGD was appointed in 2011 by The Parklane Group, a Leeds-based property developer of apartments and hotels in Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle, to undertake a full review of the 18-hole Wike Ridge course (originally designed by Donald Steel) and to put together a masterplan to upgrade all of the facilities. Leeds is the city where…
The 18-hole course was designed in the early 1990’s by golf pro’ Patrick Tallack and is set within the magnificent grounds of the 320 acre Kenwick Park Estate, near Louth in the Lincolnshire Wolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Best Western Kenwick Park Hotel is located adjacent to the course and offers accommodation…
The Wildernesse Club embarked on an bunker remodelling programme in 2013 to rebuild and remodel all course bunkers in a modern “parkland” style that will provide consistency in terms of aesthetics, strategy, maintenance and playing quality. The course was originally laid out in 1890 by an unknown professional golfer, but was later modified by James…
GGD completed a total bunker renovation at Howley Hall GC, south of Leeds in 2016. Howley Hall was founded in 1900, and Dr Alister MacKenzie advised on upgrades to the club’s course in 1913. Jonathan Gaunt says: “The property is attractive – quite moorland-like in many ways, with a fair bit of heather and wispy…
There is nowhere else like Knole Park – a beautiful parkland setting, home to hundreds of native deer, in the pleasure grounds of the impressive Knole Park House, home to the Sackville Family. In fact, on the 1st November 1924, Lord Sackville of Knole Park drove from the first tee of the newly completed John…
The golf course at Moor Allerton GC is unique, in that it is the only course in the UK designed by Robert Trent Jones snr., one of the most influential American golf course architects of his era. The course was designed as 27 holes in three distinct loops of nine in 220 acres of undulating…
The Tytherington Club is one of 13 Country Clubs in the UK operated by the Club Company, combining a traditional golf environment with state-of-the-art health and fitness facilities for the whole family. The Tytherington Club offers a variety of facilities, including gym, group fitness studios, swimming pool, wet spa, crèche, health and beauty, tennis, championship…
The new 17th and 18th holes at Wetherby Golf Club have now opened for play, designed by Gaunt Golf Design and built by NLS Contracts Ltd. This has enabled the course to have a dramatic par-5 finishing hole in close proximity to the clubhouse, with a view from the terrace stretching from green to tee.…
Whitley Bay Golf Club, one of the oldest clubs in the north-east of England, has completed a major course upgrade programme with the assistance of golf architect Jonathan Gaunt. The club was founded in 1890 and moved to its present location, only half a mile from the North Sea, in 1906. The course, which measures…
GGD has been advising Hallowes GC, one of the oldest courses in Yorkshire on bunker remodelling and re-alignment since 2016. It is said to have been designed originally by George Duncan, a Scottish professional golfer, who was also a golf course designer. His much sought-after professional teaching and swing analysis skills lead to him being…
Fairhaven GC has an excellent reputation as an “inland links” on flattish land, interspersed with pines, gorse and heather. The course is listed by Golf World in ‘The Best 10 Open Championship Qualifying Courses’ and ‘Great Britain & Ireland’s Best 10 Opening Holes’. Fairhaven moved to its current location, in what was then Lytham Hall…
We have been advising Dunstanburgh Castle GC since 2016 on design improvements to a number of holes on the classic traditional links course. Our work here has involved working closely with and advising the young greenkeeping team during the highly successful BIGGA Bunker Camp, hosted by Dunstanburgh Castle GC every November. All construction work is…
The York Golf Club is situated on Strensall Common, 5 miles north of the historic city of York. The course is a blend of heathland and parkland, with undulating fairways and few artificial features. With the course measuring 6,290 yards (competition tees) and 5,627 yards (ladies tees) York offers a fair challenge to all levels…
Worplesdon was originally designed in 1907 by John F Abercromby and was later remodelled by Harry Colt. The club made the decision to proceed with a complete bunker restoration programme on the Surrey heathland classic course, over three years and the work, undertaken by Grassform Ltd, was completed in 2004. Using photographic records, Jonathan embarked…
The golf course at West Hill was originally designed in 1909 by Cuthbert Butchart and Willie Park jnr. Jonathan was appointed to undertake a full course audit in 1997, which led to a course improvement masterplan. The club embarked on a 3 year remodelling project which involved the reconstruction of all bunkers to a style…
GGD undertook a course audit of the Harry Colt/Alister MacKenzie (and later Hawtree) designed course at Headingley Golf Club, which was established in 1907 and is set on a beautiful undulating heathland/moorland site to the north of Leeds. There are some stunning examples of Colt and Mackenzie’s finest work on bunkers and greens, however, some…
The golf course at Doncaster Golf Club has been in play since 1909 and it has . The golf course at Doncaster GC has a fascinating history. The course has been modified over the years by, in particular, two illustrious golf course architects – Alister MacKenzie and Fred Hawtree (with advice also offered by James…
Jonathan has been a playing member at Cavendish Golf Club since 2010. Since 2011 he has been on the Greens Committee and has been advising the club on course improvements, including drainage works, bunker remodelling and tee reconstruction. A course masterplan was prepared in 2016 with a view to continuing these improvements, aiming for completion…
