It's almost time! The lower level artificial tee will open for hitting next week, weather permitting. There is a strip of artificial turf covering it temporarily, while we continue to wait on our Turfhound material for permanent installation. We will use our mats on top of that artificial turf for the best hitting scenario for right now. We are waiting on a few warmer days before we open the larger artificial tee at the top. The fescue surrounding that newly poured concrete needs a little longer to take root before it can stand the traffic. A separate email explaining all the must knows about how to access that tee, where to park, max yardage and other helpful information will be sent from the golf shop prior to opening. We are hoping for our Turfhound delivery around May, so its installation will likely coincide with the laying of the Tahoma 31 Bermuda on the full range tee. Work continues on the practice greens. The old practice bunker has been filled in and the new practice bunker is complete. Fescue around the practice greens has been laid. Sanders was finishing up irrigation and greens mix today. We will sod the fairway area in between the two practice greens and seed the new green in the next few days.
We have our heads down pushing hard for a mid-April full course opening. Please do refrain from any further rain dancing between now and then.
If you see our Course Maintenance staff in the near future, please give them a much deserved pat on the back. They began the daunting task of firing up irrigation for the first time following construction today. After a few blow outs, continuously running heads, countless wiring issues, and all the bugs to work out with the completely new irrigation on Hole 11, I know they would be appreciative of any kind words you have to share.
We completed full course aerification last week on a cold day without play. Greens have been solid, deep tine aerified and fairways were solid tined as well. This weather will turn for good before we know it and we are happy to have that beneficial project out of the way.
Locker Room counter tops were installed yesterday. Door frames for our new enclosed water closets were installed today. The plumber will be back tomorrow and Thursday to complete fixture installation. We have a small amount of carpentry work to complete there along with paint, some odds and ends, and furniture installation then Locker Rooms should be ready to open around the first of April. They have come so far, you may have a hard time remembering them in their former state. We certainly do!
The 19th Hole opening will follow the Locker Rooms by a few days. Stone install is scheduled for April 13th. We are expecting furniture around April 24th. Furniture will be the final piece and we will open fully, as soon as it is installed.
There will be a new addition in the unused space next to the stairs. For years we have wanted to build our wine program into something really special, while also being able to provide you access to temperature controlled storage. We are making that happen during this phase of construction. Details will be released soon around the limited opportunity to add your name to the LFCC Wine Society Founders Plaque and our new temperature controlled wine locker program. It will be a beauty!
Tennis and Pickleball should be ready for play around Derby. Our Our electricians were working on the final pieces of lighting today. Stay tuned for guidelines on Pickleball opening, hours of operation, and court reservation stipulations. We've nearly made it!
| Whew! It has been an eventful two weeks as we completed (almost) our upper level refresh in time to reopen on the 25th of January. We still have minor painting touchups to complete upstairs, while they have moved downstairs to the Pro Shop to keep us on target for timeline there. All the year-old flooring on the upper level will be replaced, as a result of our Christmas Day irrigation line flood. That will wait, as we are focused on finishing up downstairs, and there is no need to have both areas closed at one time. Sanders worked frantically before sun up to past sun down every day that weather would permit and have covered a lot of ground. We are soggy from the rain earlier in the week but hopefully today's ridiculous wind will dry us out a bit. The lower level project is moving right along. We anticipate being able to move operations and merchandise back into the completed ProShop after next week, as painting and flooring will be completed there. |
| Bunkers |
| - All bunkers on hole #1 are shaped, ready for edging and drainage - The bunkers on the left and right sides of hole #9 are shaped. - All sand and drain lines have been removed from bunkers on the remaining holes on the front nine. - The plan is to move he dozier to hole #2 tomorrow. - The sod that was delivered on Monday finished 15, 16, and 17. - Other than our punch list, the back nine is complete! |
| Practice Facilities |
| Irrigation is being installed on the range and main tie-ins are underway. The new chipping green bunker has sand, we are just waiting on sod. |
| Pool Area |
| Plumbing and framing are underway at the pool |
| Lower Level Renovations |
| - Pro Shop Ceiling Tile has been installed - Pro Shop painting is underway - Pro Shop Floor installation begins February 15th. - Tile Installation is underway in the Locker Rooms - Painting in the Locker Room and 19th Hole begins on Monday in preparation for ceiling grid install - Ceiling Grid Install begins on Tuesday - Flooring install will continue into the 19th Hole beginning February 20th - Stay tuned for a Design Board of finish selections coming soon! |
| The Clubhouse insulation project began as scheduled on Monday, January 2nd. Up until this point, this building has been unbelievably inefficient. Our utility bills are staggering, as everything we pumped in, went right back out. This will be at least a three week project as Spray Tec works in sections to remove the existing batt insulation and seal us up properly with new spray foam insulation. We are also insulating the lower level during this process, as downstairs demo has exposed exactly what we assumed based on our internal temperatures, essentially nothing effectively protecting the inside from the outside elements. This aspect of the project will make a measurable improvement on the comfort we all experience inside the Clubhouse, make an immediate positive impact on expenses, and put significantly less strain on our HVAC system, most of which has been replaced in the last few years. We began demo on the lower level on December 19th. Significant progress was made in the first four days. We uncovered a few surprises, as usual in construction, were thankful they were minor, determined how we were going to address them, and then took a break for the polar vortex and the Christmas holiday. Instead of resuming work as scheduled on December 27th, we took another break to remediate the ongoing impacts resulting from the severe cold and to dry out a bit. We went back to work on demo Monday the 2nd and are making excellent progress once again. |
| As we reported in our last update, we've been patiently, impatiently waiting on sod. The ability to cut, to transplant it is based on weather conditions and let's just all agree that the weather has been less than cooperative. We received a sod shipment on Thursday, December 22rd and were able to install it that day prior to the weather going haywire. The only bunkers left to shape on the backside are the two greenside bunkers on Hole 16. 17 greenside bunkers are sodded. Hole 17 fairway bunker is partially sodded. With the Zoysia we received in our last shipment, we finished Hole 11 and headed on to part of 14. Temperatures have been much more pleasant this week but the four plus inches of rain we received the first part of the week certainly didn't do us any favors. Everyone, especially our Sanders Crew, is ready to get on with it. We don't need perfect conditions to continue to make real progress, but a little cooperation from Mother Nature would be most appreciated. |
So much progress has taken place in the last two weeks!
Meyer Zoysia sod is on its way to us from St. Louis. As soon as it arrives, we will begin facing the bunkers on 18. Next steps will be drain pipe and sand!
| Next steps for the practice facility are drains and irrigation. We are patiently waiting on back-ordered swing joints and sprinkler heads to be delivered and we will be back to work on that project as soon as possible. Sanders has given us a timeline that includes all golf related projects being completed by the end of February of 2023, with the exception of the warm season turf install on the driving range tee. We are optimistic that we won't experience any unanticipated delays and that timeline will remain accurate. |
Pickleball Court construction is well underway. This project will continue until the first of the year while Tennis Technology works around the weather.
What a difference a week makes! We are making great progress and have additional crew arriving daily. Each crew member performs a specific, specialized function and it's exciting to watch them work. Sanders has been fantastic in abiding by our request, to keep as many holes open at a time, as possible. Now that we are well underway we recognize that is not the best approach. Sanders can move faster if we will allow them more room to work. For the benefit of completing this project in the least amount of time possible, we are closing holes 10-18 beginning November 1st until bunkers on those holes are completed. Upon completion, the back nine will open and construction will move to the front. Thank you for your patience as we will remain flexible throughout the project to ensure the best outcomes.
Progress continues! We break ground on our Pickleball Courts next week. That construction is going to cause the cart path in that area to be rerouted earlier than anticipated. Once construction begins, when you cross Landmark after playing hole 9, please take the sidewalk onto Club property as indicated.
Practice Facility Progress Pictures
Warm Up Area
With the Practice Facility closure, we have set up a warm up area to be utilized immediately preceding your tee time. The intention of this area is to offer members the chance to take 10 to 15 swings to loosen up prior to teeing off. This area is intended for warming up only, not practicing. These stations are set up in the field adjacent to #1 Tee Box. The chipping green is currently open for putting only. We will update you as soon as construction prohibits the use of that area.
Bunker Construction
Bunker Construction has begun! Hole 18 will be closed until further notice. Holes 18, 17, and 10 will be under construction first. We are hoping to close one hole at a time with the 17 remaining playable through our progress. We will update you with hole closure information as it becomes available.
| It is time! We have received word that Sanders will begin construction on the golf portion of the Enduring Legacy Project this week. While we were prepared for the short notice, we do have an unexpected change to our construction schedule. Sanders has a shaper that specializes in tee shaping available to start immediately, but we are still a couple of weeks away from a bunker shaper becoming available. This means that we will begin construction on the practice facility first, with bunkers soon to follow. While we understand that this is short notice for you as well, we trust that you are also excited for construction to finally begin. Just as most worthwhile things in life take time, our practice facility construction will be a process. While Sanders will have completed all golf course construction by February of 2023, our new 40,000 square feet of Tahoma 31 Bluegrass tee cannot be sodded until May/June. We expect it will be in use by August of next year. Our new 25 stations of installed artificial turf will be ready for your use as construction is completed in early 2023. The Practice Facility will be closed as of tomorrow October 13th. In the meantime, we will have a warm up station available for you to use prior to your tee time to hit a few balls. This is not intended for practice and can only be used for warming up prior to your tee times. Thank you for your patience as we work to be the best we can be for the long term. Minor inconvenience equals years of success! Practice Facility Renovations to Include - 25 hitting stations of installed artificial turf - 40,000 sq ft of laser graded Tahoma 31 Bluegrass tee - New irrigation - 8,500 sq ft chipping green - Existing chipping green converted to putting green true to putting conditions on the course - Areas designated for warm up, practice, as well as instruction - Room for everyone! |
We are still awaiting expectations for hole closures during bunker construction. We know you are anxious to understand the process and as soon as we know what to expect we will communicate that to you.
Turf area sprayed around new bunker sites has died off as planned. Please keep in mind that this area also includes bunker facing that will be new Innovation Zoysia, which is why the affected area seems so large. If your ball lands in these areas, count your blessings that construction isn't completed and seek relief at the nearest point of play no closer to the hole.
| The LFCC Board of Directors has awarded Sanders Golf with the bid for all Golf related construction of the Enduring Legacy Project. For a list of Sanders' extensive project history, please click here. |
| If you have any questions, please contact General Manager/COO, Susannah Miller smiller@lakeforestgolf.com |
It’s been almost a year since we came to the membership of Lake Forest with an exciting new initiative. We called it the Enduring Legacy Project because that best summarized the spirit of our commitment to improving all aspects of the family experience at LFCC.
The project was received with great enthusiasm and anticipation by our membership and our team here at Lake Forest hit the ground running with our plans, budgets, and timelines.
As General Manager of the Club, I’ve been responsible for much of the planning and execution of the Enduring Legacy Project. It’s been a challenging process with the state of the economy, the thin labor force, and the hyper-inflationary price environment we entered this past year, but all things considered we feel great about the direction we’re heading.
As you utilize the Club not much progress is visible yet. Whether you were swimming at the pool, playing a round of golf, or enjoying the dining facilities, you may be wondering what’s been done up to this point.
To date, considerable work has gone into the planning, pricing, permitting, repricing, and logistics of the project. Now we’re entering the exciting phase where we get to execute and see the progress with our own eyes.
I’d like to share this message from Jay Arnold, our Long Range Planning Chairman, with updates about progress on the Enduring Legacy facility enhancement project and our plans moving forward.
Updated Project Timeline Based on Contractor Estimates
As this important project progresses we are committed to giving you more frequent, regular updates. We will continue to update our Enduring Legacy website as new information is available as well as email you important updates and notices directly.
We are grateful for your patience as we navigate the challenges of this undertaking. Our commitment to you as a member is to uphold our standard of excellence in every aspect of our club experience. Thanks again for being committed to Lake Forest Country Club and The Enduring Legacy Project.
Sincerely,
Susannah Miller, CCM
General Manager/COO
We are only a couple of weeks away from beginning bunker construction on the golf course. Yesterday, Architect Spencer Holt marked bunker placement with pink flags. As the areas are sprayed and dried, the pink flags will come up. The turf in these areas will die by design. This process will eliminate the amount of living plant matter that will need to be hauled off, thus reducing costs.
It will be reasonable for you to be prepared for hole closures on some days while construction is underway. As soon as we have more details from Sanders Golf regarding timing, we will communicate that so you are aware and know what to expect.
Click the image below to view the full bunker design
We are only a couple of weeks away from beginning bunker construction on the golf course. Next week, Architect Spencer Holt, will begin marking bunker placement in red paint. Our Director of Grounds, Brian Curtis will spray these areas in order to kill that turf. This process will eliminate the amount of living plant matter that will need to be hauled off, thus reducing costs.
It will be reasonable for you to be prepared for hole closures on some days while construction is underway. As soon as we have more details from Sanders Golf regarding timing, we will communicate that so you are aware and know what to expect.
Because of the design of the golf course, Sanders will be mobilizing from a central area around the Clubhouse. We are still working on these details with the understanding that we have overlapping projects and contractors, so coordinating scheduling will be impactful to the overall progress of our Enduring Legacy Project.
We are expecting a visit from Sanders Golf next week to help us finalize practice facility plans and tighten up project details. Now that we are to this stage, we expect this process to begin to move quickly and progress that you can see, to be right around the corner. Exciting!
Click the image below to view the full bunker design
Outdoor lighting improvements have been made this week with the installation of light poles around the parking lot areas. A few of the lights will remain non-functional until we close the pool, and can disrupt that area. We will need to re-locate a light near the baby pool as well as pull wires to that location.
Bollard lights have successfully been installed both in front and behind the clubhouse for additional lighting near the sidewalks and cart path.
Our lamp posts in the circle are going to take a bit longer. We are also still waiting on fixtures for the exterior clubhouse and memorial garden.
Today, we received a shipping notification for our new benches and tables for the Tennis Court viewing area. We are continuing to be plagued with excessive shipping times, so we know this has been quite a wait. We are really looking forward to seeing things start to come together!
If you have any questions, please contact General Manager/COO, Susannah Miller
14000 Landmark Drive
Louisville, Kentucky 40245