British website features youth course
MATT JASINSKI PHOTO
This aerial photo shows the grading zone for a new nine-hole youth golf course currently under construction at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park. The 1,600-yard course is being developed to the north of the existing 18-hole course, which was built in 1995.
The now-under-construction junior golf course at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park is drawing lots of attention.
Both local, and international attention.
The new Tom Watson-designed course in Maryville is the subject of an article by Sean Dudley in the current edition of “Golf Course Architecture” magazine, published by Tudor Rose in Leicester, England.
The spread contains quotes from Dr. Bruce Twaddle, the Maryville dentist who spearheads the local development project, and Bob Gibbons, the architect of the new 1,600-yard course being developed adjacent to the existing 18-hole Mozingo Lake course built in 1995 under the supervision of the late Don Sechrest.
“From a design perspective, when I first visited the site, I thought the lay of the land was good, and that we wouldn’t have to move a lot of dirt,” Gibbons said in the article.
“We’re stripping off the topsoil and doing enough shaping to get the project to drain — drainage is key to everything in golf,” he added. “We were very fortunate that the site had good topsoil and it’s pretty rock free.”
The challenge for Watson and Gibbons, however, was “designing a course that will be played by golfers of varying ages and abilities and provides a series of challenges and considerations,” Gibbons said.
“For me, it’s difficult to determine what is the landing area, because it’s so different for every child and their skill level,” Gibbons said. “So it’s not like building a regular course where you might put the bunkers 250 to 290 yards out. How do you shape this for a beginner, or a 7- or 8-year-old? Or a 13- or 14-year-old?
“I honestly can’t tell you what par is out there. It’s going to have to be one of those flexible things to meet a kid’s ability. It’s certainly different in that respect.”
The piece in “Golf Course Architecture” focuses on both the design challenges and the need to bring more new players, young and old, into the game.
“What started as an idea to bring affordable golf to the youth of our community looks to serve as a beacon for others around the U.S.,” Twaddle said.
“The big push everywhere is to get more people involved,” Gibbons said. “You’ve got to find a comfortable way to get kids, and in particular girls and women, started in the game. This course is not just for kids. It’s going to be for anybody that wants to take up the game.”
In addition to nine regulation holes, the new junior facility will have a large pitching and putting practice area that Watson has described as essential to the development of young golfers.
Anticipation over the course has breathed new life into efforts by city officials and others to find a developer willing to invest in a Mozingo lodge and conference center.
“We are certainly still talking to people about the potential for future development at Mozingo,” Maryville Assistant City Manager Ryan Heiland said Wednesday. “And this is certainly not hurting anything as far as interest is concerned.”
Mozingo golf professional Kyle Easter said his unofficial tally for play at the course, year to date, “is up a little bit from past years.”
He estimated that the total number of rounds played this year at “about 17,500,” which he said was probably near two-thirds the volume the course could comfortably handle.
“With all the events we have, like leagues for men, women, seniors and our junior program, plus the tournaments, there are not really too many slow times,” Easter said.
