First Look: New Greens, Bunkers at Grande Dunes Resort Course

Grande Dunes Resort Club’s PGA Head Golf Professional Tom VanHoogen talks about how the new course renovations are being received by local and visiting golfers

Reaction’s been very, very positive out here. They’re loving the new greens, loving the extended fairways and the brand new bunkers. Gaining four acres of greenage out here is unbelievable, so people have definitely noticed. They actually almost think we recontour the greens, but we didn’t. They’ve just expanded so much that it brings extra slope into the greens.

We have a GPS system and we have to have five positions on the greens. With the new increased size, we had to go from five separate positions to nine positions, so that’s nine different areas on the greens that our superintendent can lay out the pins. You can be at the 150 marker and look up and you might have 198 yards to the pin if it’s in the back position, or vice versa. You can you at the 150 marker and a front pin might be at 120 yards.

The new greens right now are unbelievable how good they roll, how true they roll, the bunker conditions. It’s very consistent. No matter what you’re going to get, you’re going to get a good lie out there. I think we’re all aware you sometimes you go into a bunker and you don’t know if you’re going to have four inches of sand underneath the ball or no sand, it’s going to be hardpan. Out here, when you hit into a bunker, the way they’re designed, they’re meant to be a consistent level of depth of sand, so it’s going to be consistent. Whether you’re in the first bunker or the last bunker of the golf course, you’re going to be knowing that you have a good amount of sand underneath the ball and they have great conditions.

Tom VanHoogen, PGA Head Golf Professional

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Grande Dunes Resort Club

4.4/5
(551 reviews)
$158 early am
$163   am
$176   pm
$146 late pm
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