ON THE TEE
🏌️Annika Sorenstam is reported to now be a member at Augusta National. Isn’t this overdue?
🏌️Brooks Koepka admits he choked in the final round of this year’s Masters that he lost to Jon Rahm. A sign of strength or weakness?
🏌️The Crushers, whose captain is Bryson DeChambeau, won the LIV Team Championship at Doral near Miami. Did you notice?
🏌️Bubba Watson, captain of LIV’s RangeGoats claims multiple suitors are interested in buying his team. Phil Mickelson is guaranteeing more Tour players will sign with LIV this offseason. Are you buying or selling?
🏌️LIV is reportedly seeking exemptions from the British Open and the Masters. The R&A CEO Martin Slumbers and Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National, are throwing cold water on the idea. Don’t they want the best possible fields for their major championships?
🏌️The USGA announced a handful of its future events for Pinehurst, which is now a USGA “anchor” site. Is this move for convenience or bigger profits?
🏌️Eddie Pepperell, the DP World Tour’s leading social media bomb thrower, says Jon Rahm was asked by LIV what figure it would take to get him over the line. According to Pepperell, the ask was too astronomical even for LIV.
🏌️PGA Tour players who lost their exempt status can now get starts on the DP World Tour. Isn’t it inevitable that the European circuit will soon be called PGA Tour Europe?
🏌️Fifteen-year-old Oliver Betschart will be the youngest player in a PGA Tour since 2014 when he competes in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in November. It’s a remarkable feat for him to qualify but is it really good for a 15-year-old’s psyche?
:: Mike Purkey
FEATURES
Reopening of Kapalua's Plantation Course serves as 'good medicine'
While August's tragic wildfires tested the island's resiliency, the PGA Tour's 2024 season-opening course will shine the spotlight on the Hawaiian island's recovery
:: Ward Clayton | Read
BOOKMARKED
Good reads that are mainly about golf, but not always.
📖 Scoop dreams
Shams Charania tweeted his way to the top of the NBA reporting world. He might be the future of sports journalism
:: Reeves Wiedeman | Intelligencer | 10.11.2023
📖 Self-checkout is a failed experiment
Please, not another “unexpected item in the bagging area”
:: Amanda Mull | The Atlantic | 10.18.2023
📖 Meet the North Texas maestro of Tommy John surgery
Keith Meister, a team physician for the Texas Rangers, has reconstructed the elbows of many of the best players in baseball
:: Jeff Miller | Texas Monthly | 05.05.2023
BUSINESS
SCORECARD
1️⃣8️⃣ The golf industry’s week in review — the names, news and notables that are making the headlines. :: Read
PERFECT PUTT
Why TGL will be successful
TGL announced the final five golfers as well as the fifth team last week. Now that we have more clarity on the makeup of the league — I believe they will win. Today’s newsletter details five reasons why they will have success
:: Jared Doerfler | Read
Each Monday, Jared Doerfler breaks down the business of golf. Subscribe to Perfect Putt here.
THE FIRST CALL THIS WEEK
This week’s editions of The First Call:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday
LIFESTYLE
THE STYLE LINKS
Greyson Clothiers is getting its college football spirit on. Crimson Tide gear for alum and Wolf ambassador Justin Thomas.
:: Janice Ferguson | IG: @janiceferguson_thestylelinks
19TH HOLE
Each episode of the “Course of Life” podcast closes with the guest sharing a favorite 19th hole experience.
Sean McLaughlin, participant from "The Bachelorette": “I'm a tequila guy, so usually a tequila and soda or just a smooth tequila on the rocks. I love a good turkey club with fries on the porch of the 19th hole to go with it.”
:: Alex Lauzon | Co-host of “Course of Life” podcast
HOME FRONT
Kohanaiki | Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Listing: Kahakai 27.
Stats: 6,670 square feet | 7 bedrooms | 5.5 bathrooms.
Price: $24,500,000.
About: This masterpiece seamlessly blends sophisticated Hawaiian architecture with the breathtaking natural beauty of Hawaii’s Big Island. Kahakai 27 is located in a prime position on the exclusive Kohanaiki front row and is a modern interpretation of a traditional Shay Zak home, boasting 6,670 square feet of interior living space, a 1,280 square foot lanai, an infinity-edge pool and spa, and unparalleled access to life at Kohanaiki. Its oceanfront location allows owners to enjoy direct access to pristine sandy beaches and panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. The home’s open-concept design, high-end finishes, and cutting-edge technology provide a perfect blend of comfort and elegance. Expansive glass pocket doors disappear to extend the great room onto the spacious lanai with outdoor dining and seating. This home integrates eco-friendly features, including solar power and water conservation systems. The property includes an opportunity to join the Kohanaiki Club, offering access to world-class amenities and services, including a renowned Rees Jones-designed golf course, a luxurious spa, and exquisite dining options.
ARCHITECTURE
DESIGN NOTES
Beau Welling breaks ground on The Peninsula Club
⛳️ The Peninsula Club, a golf and country club located on the shores of Lake Norman in Cornelius, North Carolina, just north of Charlotte, broke ground on an extensive golf course renovation project on Oct. 2.
Led by Beau Welling Design, the project is set to be completed by October 2024 and will feature significant renovations to both the 18-hole course as well as other facilities.
"After a couple of years of planning and preparation, we are excited to break ground on a project that will create a brand new feeling and playing experience for the golf course as well as other facilities for the club’s membership,” says Beau Welling, founder and CEO of Beau Welling Design. "We are proud to add to the tradition of excellence that The Peninsula Club has curated for decades, and we believe this project will enhance the guest and membership experience both on and off the course."
While the routing and footprint of the golf course will largely remain the same, many golf features are being adjusted to deliver a strategic, memorable and playable test for the club membership. The renovation, which is being led by Welling and Beau Welling Design senior design associate Chase Webb, includes major adjustments to the course strategy that encourage shotmaking and creativity from tee to green.
Some additional major updates to the course include:
> Regrassing the entire course utilizing TifEagle Bermudagrass on the greens and Tahoma31 Bermudagrass on the rest of the course including green surrounds, fairways, rough and tees
> Infrastructure overhaul and updates, including a new state-of-the-art irrigation system, upgraded drainage and new cart paths
> Strategic tree clearing for expanded sightlines across the golf course as well as to open stunning views of Lake Norman
> Addition of a native fescue mix to out-of-play areas that will provide a new feel to the golf course with more striking visuals while also decreasing water reliance
> Net reduction of bunker square footage as part of a larger recalibration of bunker strategy
Beyond the golf course renovation, Beau Welling Design assisted the club with campus planning that will lead to considerable golf practice area and amenity improvements. The club’s golf practice areas will be expanded and a state-of-the-art performance center with two teaching bays will be added to the amenities. A new golf pro shop will be constructed and attached to the performance center. The current pro shop will be converted to an adult food and beverage offering for membership. Additionally, four tennis courts and six pickleball courts will be added to the tennis complex. The project will also include improvements to the parking area and the golf course maintenance facility.
“Continuing our legacy and enhancing the member experience is a primary focus for us at The Peninsula Club,” says Mike Hoertt, The Peninsula Club president. "Three years ago, the club envisioned a new and improved member experience, and now, our vision is becoming a reality. This historic project will elevate the club to new heights and pave the way for future generations of members and guests to create lasting memories for decades to come."
READ: This week’s complete Design Notes
RELATED: Design Notes archive
SUBSCRIBE | FOLLOW
The First Call [Monday-Friday edition]: Subscribe
Facebook | Instagram | Linkedin | Twitter