Ponderosa Golf Course gets a new look
A PGA pro designs a new course as part of a $1 billion project in the B.C. Interior.
: The Ponderosa Golf Course will reopen early 2012 and the plan for the surrounding area calls for 2,000 residential units with community amenities over a 15-year period.—Photo courtesy of the Ponderosa Golf Course
Golfers in Peachland may be bummed that the Ponderosa golf course is closed for redevelopment until the spring of 2012, but the finished result is sure to push the facility into an elite category as a world-class golf destination.
Of course, having PGA pro legend Greg Norman's design team on board doesn't hurt.
The current owners, Richmond-based Treegroup Developments Corp., managed to acquire an additional 400 acres and put together a plan to give the course and it's surroundings a completely new face-lift.
Vast potential
Originally a 9-hole course built in 1979, expanding to 18 in 1990, the course boasted mountainous terrain and stunning viewpoints of Lake Okanagan.
Ownership changed hands in 2005 when Treegroup Developments Corp., led by Norm Porter, bought the golf property and selected Norman's company, Greg Norman Golf Course Design (GNGCD) to create a completely new championship course.
Scott Dawson, general manager of the Ponderosa Golf Course, says Norman was immediately taken with the course potential and surrounding country and approached the project with a personal hands-on work ethic.
"That's the neat thing with Greg, he's been on-site several times, he walks every hole, he makes notes on every hole," said Dawson. "He's very involved with the design and build."
The Shark gets involved
Hailing from Australia, Norman, affectionately and respectfully known as “the Shark,” turned pro in 1976 and went on to secure his name in history as one of the greatest golfers of his generation.
With Norman's golf career spanning decades and his experience playing on courses across the globe, Dawson says Treegroup's management was excited to hear from Jason McCoy, president of GNGCD, "You've no idea what you've got here."
Norman's team went to work and designed the 7,114-yard course to wrap around nearby Pincushion Mountain, utilizing the slopes, forests and benches to offer a variety of hole lengths and challenges. Each hole will have five different tee-off boxes.
While some courses are known for a having a famous signature hole or two, Dawson believes every hole on this course will hold a special place for golfers. He admits the view coming down the final 18th, parallel to Lake Okanagan, will make it "one of the finest finishing holes in the area."
So much to offer
A new clubhouse will be the centrepiece of the course and a driving range and golf academy are in the works to provide first-rate practice facilities for golfers of all levels. Real estate planning and construction by Treegroup Development Corp. includes 2,000 residential units of various styles over a 15-year period, a luxury hotel, an Olympic-sized ice rink, tennis facilities, a cultural centre and a winery—all within Peachland civic boundaries.
The golf course and community will also feature numerous parks and a network of woodland trails designed to link up with existing pedestrian routes in the city. Dawson feels the new course and recreational facilities will benefit the city and current residents and serve as a regional draw for tourism.
Construction broke ground last April and will wrap up between fall 2011 and spring 2012.