Phil Mickelson National Golf Course
 

Another big mixed-use for the west side. Can't help but think this is huge news for the golf community here:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/busines...997/story.html

While Mickelson is certainly a bigger and better name than the previous names attached to the project (the lovable Stephen Ames and Johnny Miller duo) the concept has been something of a joke in the industry (at least in the construction and maintenance side of the industry) since its inception.

For one, the "architect" hasn't even been to the site yet but has a layout and yardage picked out already (its the same one they've had for years); not exactly a Gil Hanse, Coore-Crenshaw or Rod Whitman approach to a sustainable golf course. A design team with no experience in a climate like this (with very little experience altogether really), a lack of construction people with experience in a climate like this and pre-set paramaters for length to tournament chase are just horrible ways to build a golf course. The Glencoe and Blue Devil already renovated/built courses that had Golf Canada chomping at the bit in their desperate hope of finding other venues for the Canadian Open because of how few clubs are able to host it (and how few of those actually want it), but this now screams "gimmicky" even more so now than it did before attaching a "Mickelson National" name to it. I've got nothing against Phil but this whole move represents everything that went wrong with the golf industry in the past 25 years.


There was an opportunity to build a fantastic golf course there. One with a fantastic backdrop, be a game-changer in sustainability and environmental stewardship and get away from the outdated model of golf course design and build it for the average player but they've gone in the complete opposite direction.

Care to back any of this up with fact?? Or are we supposed to accept your drivel as gospel truth? Anything that competes against the Glencoe is surely crap.

Sounds like a scorned lover. . .

Not many facts, no, just a finger on the pulse of the industry I guess. Take it for what you want (I stand to benefit more from this place being constructed than not).

The Copithorne Club has been an 8,000 yard idea for years now with one goal in mind. Here's an article from 2011

http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald...a-955bb82e2d42
Windmill also is ready to start construction on the Copithorne Club near Springbank Airport, a proposed 18-hole championship course measuring more than 8,000 yards and designed by former PGA Tour legend Johnny Miller with input from Calgary-based PGA Tour pro Stephen Ames.

Jackson Kahn design that came up with the original layout for the behemoth had pretty lofty goals for the place as well

http://www.jacksonkahndesign.com/mobile/copithorne.html

...the course is slated to host the 2016 Canadian Open

This is just the most recent team (the third to be exact) to be attached to the project.

8,000 yards and 'sustainable' are not really compatible. An architect being forced to fulfill preset yardage desires are also a problem when it comes to golf courses because now you're not building a course to fit the natural landscape, you're molding the landscape to fit the course you're building. Basically learning from the champion of unsustainability RTJII ('The Forest' is probably the least sustainable property in the province, not sure they want to compete with that, but adding over 300 yards is a good first step).

Mickelson Design has worked on five courses on three properties (Arizona, southern China x2) and one restoration (San Diego). With the exception of the restoration these courses have seen considerable land moving and shaping, hallmarks of the boom in construction in the early 90s and the opposite of the 'minimalism' that the likes of the current darlings of golf design (Coore-Crenshaw and Gil Hanse among others). The other hallmarks of sustainability are architects that have a very high "on-site" time. As long as Phil is a player he will never have that, but I won't hold that against him (i.e. a guy like Jack is unlikely to even visit the properties his design company attaches his name to, at the very least Phil has had the courtesy to do so at his designs), but his people don't have that reputation either. Plus 'starting construction this fall' before the named architect has set foot on the property is a head-shake moment.

I'm not exactly sure who is going to be doing this construction, the two big players in Alberta are currently pretty busy (Puddicombe up North with their own courses, Goodwin Golf with Kananaskis) EDIT: with use of the 'National' name I guess it's safe to assume that Fazio is involved, so that at least has some foothills/cold climate credentials /. So not only do you have a design team with limited experience in cold climates but you're bringing in non-local contractors. All of these things added up: the length, the choice in designers, the contractors, the lack of a superintendent and the timeline are not how you build a sustainable golf course 'for elite and average' golfers. Too often you have to pick one or the other (Phil has been pretty critical of Rees Jones for picking the former when he is asked to do redesigns for clubs that host tour events) at at 8,000 yards its obvious what one they're picking. This is a new golf course built with a mid-90s attitude.

GDS / Les Furber?

I can't see them wanting to take orders from another design team for a construction like this, though I do tend to forget about them since they haven't done much in Calgary recently despite having a handful of courses to their name.

Can any golf course ever consider itself to be sustainable, or an environmental steward? They take up massive plots of land, displace local flaura and fauna, probably require a ton of water (and pesticides) to keep green, encourage sprawl, and are used by a minuscule amount of people for their size. I know that there different degrees of sustainability, and finding ways to be more efficient is always a good thing, but not unlike finding efficiencies in a coal power-plant, you're fighting an uphill battle right from the start.

Maybe we need to ask ourselves if we need any more golf-courses at all.

Can't really see it myself either but he does have relationships with the contractors who can handle the work.

I think the last 'new' full course of his in Alberta is the 27-hole Quarry in Edmonton. He is currently building the new Rotary Links GC in Fort McMurray as well as 4 new holes at Highwood in High River.

Looks like this is going to be a 5 star golf course. Was just thinking having a big name like Mickelson behind this, along with the huge course, tournaments including PGA, and mixed-use village tied to it would be a good boost to tourism and the Calgary area in general. Like a Spruce Meadows for Golf.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/busines...?size=620x400s

http://www.calgaryherald.com/busines...?size=620x400s
http://www.calgaryherald.com/busines...997/story.html

Ha. Start construction this fall. Right. Mickelson has never been to Calgary, for the record.

These guys don't have any of their services, etc. lined up. One day, but not anytime soon

They definitely can be. Many are one or the other (we might have different ideas of sustainability in this case), unfortunately very few are both.

These are all legitimate and is what the industry has been fighting for a while. It is also a good summary of why I hate the last golf course boom generation of courses and how they were built. Done so with little to no integration or concern with the environment in large part because the layout was pre-chosen (the environment would be houses) and that causes architects to just design what they want rather than what is best done with the land.

Golf courses can be very good additions to communities when done right. While it is a large space, it is at least a green space and grass doesn't get the love it deserves when it comes to environmental benefits. Water usage is an issue but it is an industry that is the first to adapt because it is the first at risk of losing water licenses. When courses are using collected storm-runoff and effluent from surrounding communities as the water that leaves the course is often cleaner than the water that entered it (sand and soil are fantastic filters). There is a growing acceptance of 'brown is the new green' and just letting the grass be as nature will water it which has reduced water usage significantly. More natural grasses are encouraged and being maintained green area, noxious weeds are kept in check.

While this is a lot of industry talking points, the reality is hitting hard that lip service isn't good enough any more and a concentrated effort is happening to make the push from being "less bad" to actually being beneficial. People want their recreation space and any maintained turf will have the same drawbacks as a golf course, albeit on a smaller scale, so golf courses don't need to be bad. This course could have been a game changer in the golf world. Engineered wetlands, max. efficiency irrigation, low input playing surfaces, embracing tee it forward and building it for the average golfer rather than the best 50 players in the world etc.

I just see it as a missed opportunity that completely ignores the challenges the industry is facing going forward.

Given the fate of the Hamptons and Blue Devil I would have figured that the market answered the question if any more expensive and private courses were needed, but what can ya do?

After witnessing the destruction of wildlife corridors, recreational trails and forests in Canmore, I'd be hard pressed to see give a crap about a golf course anywhere. They totally butchered the valley.

Construction has started:

WATCH: A hall of fame golfer is bringing his course designing skills to Canada for the first time, and close to Calgary. Brendan Parker explains.

CALGARY – After years of dreaming and planning, Barry Elhert’s vision of a building one of the finest golf courses in Canada is finally taking shape.

Construction has now begun on the over 200-acre lot, just west of Calgary in Rocky View County, at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Story continues below

RELATED

Phil Mickelson designing pro golf course near Calgary

“Every time I come out here something’s changed, and the project’s evolved,” said Ehlert, managing partner of Windmill Golf Group. “It’s exciting. We’re thrilled to be a part of it, and can’t wait to have the golf course open.”

He’s not the only the one who’s excited–it’s the first signature design in Canada by five-time major champion Phil Mickelson.

“I’m thrilled that we’ve begun work on a project we’re confident will be one of the outstanding courses in Canada,” Mickelson said in a statement. “The land and setting give us a great opportunity to create a versatile course that will both challenge the world’s best players and be great fun for amateurs of all levels.”

Mickelson National Golf Club of Canada is the centrepiece of Harmony, a 1,750-acre community built by partners Qualico Communities and Bordeaux Developments.

“He’s engaged, he’s really, really positive about the project, and excited to be part of Calgary,” said Ehlert.

“We think it’s special. Quite frankly, Phil doesn’t want to do a whole lot of course design–he wants to do maybe 20 around the world–which probably means there’s going to be one or two in Canada at the most,” added Ehlert.

The hope is once finished, Mickelson National will be a suitable host for a PGA Tour event and maybe one day, the Canadian Open.

“Would love to see, of course, anything that’s related to the PGA Tour or big events is great. We know we need to build the golf course first, and that’s what our big focus and emphasis is today,” said Ehlert.

The goal is to open the course in fall of 2017.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2048051/co...-near-calgary/

Yeah. The Glencoe, Pinebrook, Elbow Springs, Wintergreen, and Redwood Meadows are not enough golf course for the area. What a joke :yuck:

Windmill can't even take care of their current courses. Can't wait to see the awful condition this one ends up in.

Great news that they're moving ahead!

You can never have too many golf courses, bro.

I kind of agree with J-D - west of the Bow River, south of Highway #1, north of De Winton and west of the foothills...

1. Canyon Meadows
2. Priddis Greens
3. Heritage Pointe
4. Blue Devil
5. Sirocco
6. Maple Ridge
7. Willow Park
8. Glencoe
9. River Spirit
10. Redwood Meadows
11. Wintergreen
12. Valley Ridge
13. Springbank Links
14. Livingstone
15. Shaganappi
16. Calgary Golf &Country Club
17. Lakeview
18. Earl Grey
19. Richmond Green
20. Elbow Springs
21. Pinebrook

And I've probably missed some in that area I defined above.

13. Springbank Links is North of Hwy #1