The Fried Egg
Was it a slow week on the golf architecture beat? Yes. Do I have a couple of fun things to talk about? Always.
Zinkand Golf Design, headed up by former Coore & Crenshaw associate Dave Zinkand, has completed a multi-year restoration project at Old Elm Club in the Chicago suburbs. Old Elm boasts a unique design pedigree: Harry Colt drew up plans for the course in 1913, and Donald Ross oversaw construction. The two legendary Golden Age architects likely spent about eight days together on site. Old Elm’s routing and bunkering are typically attributed to Colt, while its greens are thought to be Ross’s creations.
Old Elm’s recent restoration* was a collaborative effort as well. With the help of superintendent Curtis James, Ohio-based architect Drew Rogers began the master planning process in 2010. Rogers initially focused on recapturing the width and scale of the course by removing trees and adjusting mowing lines. He then brought on Zinkand to help with bunker and green shaping. Today, Zinkand Golf Design is the club’s architecture firm of record.