By Channing Hubbard

Scioto Country Club reopened its golf course in May after undergoing a project that began as bunker reconstruction and evolved into a modernization of the original design. Golf Inc. Magazine subsequently awarded the course “Renovation of the Year” accolades for its course routing, aesthetics and improved playability and maintainability.

Prior to the remodel, Scioto was already named one of the top 100 courses in the world. Originally designed by Donald Ross, the course opened in 1910. It had been remodeled only once, in the 1960s.

Despite initial concerns of the members, the goal was never to redesign the course, according to Greg Wolf, Scioto Country Club’s general manager.

“We wanted to improve the playability of the course. It wasn’t that it was not already a great course, it was more that we wanted to rebuild the original design to modern standards,” Wolf says.

Originally, the objective was simply to rebuild the bunkers, a task done about once every 10 years. But as work began, they noticed the bunkers were not really placed according to modern golfer’s standards, and the greens had always had poor drainage. When both architect Mike Hurdzan and golfer/designer Jack Nicklaus became involved, respectively, the project vision expanded.

Work began in the fall of 2005, and continued into the fall of 2006, although major renovation took place after the course closed in July 2007. They rebuilt greens, bunkers and tees, removed and added trees, and moved cart paths to improve the overall terrain of the course.

Club members resisted the changes initially. They were unsure how the private course – that had hosted five PGA tournaments and served as the course on which “Golfer of the Millenium” Jack Nicklaus had learned to play – could be improved.

“They wanted to maintain the integrity of the original design. Many members believed we could very easily screw it up and not very easily make it better than it already was. But once they saw the designs and plans we had, they were much more open to and supportive of the changes,” Hurdzan says.

According to Wolf, by setting goals, utilizing the expertise of both Hurdzan and Nicklaus, and maintaining great attention to detail the project proved a success. Mike Hurdzan agreed.

“This is one of the top 100 golf courses in the United States and it had received some pretty impressive honors and high notoriety prior to the renovations,” Hurdzan says. “With its 90-year reputation and this high quality project, Scioto can only receive more honors and recognition.”

Channing Hubbard is a contributing writer for Upper Arlington Magazine.