11 DIGEST Photo: The Club at Ibis X marks the spot for Florida’s Club at Ibis The Club at Ibis in West Palm Beach, Florida, has opened its new 19-acre practice area to members, following a renovation by Nicklaus Design. “The original practice area was very flat and drained poorly,” said Chad Goetz, ASGCA, of Nicklaus Design. “Members wanted a more modern and interesting practice experience.” Five new target green complexes have been created. “An X-shaped fairway pattern was created between the target greens to allow players to practice all sorts of shots,” said Goetz. “The 14.8-acre range is nearly symmetrical from both ends, allowing golfers to spread out and enjoy a similar experience from either end. The north is focused more for shorter warmups prior to a round, while the south is focused more on practice and features Toptracer technology along the entire length of the tee.” In the latest podcast from Golf Course Industry’s “Tartan Talks” series, Trey Kemp, ASGCA, discusses the architects that have influenced him and the impact of his work on municipals in Texas. Kemp has studied the work of George Thomas, Bill Coore, ASGCA, and Ben Crenshaw, but says he has been most influenced by ASGCA Founding Father Donald Ross, visiting many of his courses too. “What stuck with me the most is the impact a quality routing does to a golf course,” says Kemp. “That’s the most important thing, having a routing that flows from one hole to the next.” The newly elected member of the Society has worked extensively in Texas, including on many municipal courses. “In Fort Worth we worked at Rockwood about four or five years ago,” says Kemp. “It was in really bad disrepair; they were probably doing less than 20,000 rounds and losing approximately $300,000 dollars a year. Now, after our renovation, they are making about half a million a year; their revenue has completely turned around.” Listen to the full “Tartan Talk” at golfcourseindustry.com. “ What stuck with me the most is the impact a quality routing does to a golf course” Trey Kemp, ASGCA • Todd Clark, ASGCA, talks about sand greens and designing for multiple generations. • Harrison Minchew, ASGCA, discusses his RainDance National project in Colorado. Here are links to other recent “Tartan Talks,” now featuring over 50 episodes:
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