The oldest 18-hole course in the desert, Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, had a two-year restoration that involved more than just switching out previous generations of grass for fresh grass.
Nick DeKock, director of golf at Thunderbird, said, "It was maintaining the history of the property, reviving the golf course
and redoing bunkers to make them aesthetically beautiful. "And it was a fantastic chance to replace the grass and instal hybrid wall to wall. if you will, "killing two birds with one stone."
The reopening of the course on November 19 marked the formal conclusion of the repairs, which had been underway since the summer of 2021. The course
which debuted in 1951, was open for play throughout the winter and spring of last year, but all nines were closed in April to allow for substantial work on the greens, fairways, and trees.
Through the efforts of Oklahoma-based architect Tripp Davis, only the first three holes and the practise areas of the course underwent some improvements in the summer of 2021.
Although the course still follows the same layout as before, according to DeKock, Davis' tinkering, notably with the bunkers, has given it new life.
The golf course's turf, the majority of which was normal Bermuda grass, could be completely removed thanks to the April closing dates set by Thunderbird officials.
Mini verde, a grass that is gaining popularity because it requires less overseeding in the winter, was planted on all of the putting surfaces along with newer hybrid grasses like tifdwarf on the course.