Tripp Davis and Associates announce that their bunker renovation work at FarmLinks at Pursell Farms is now complete. FarmLinks at Pursell Farms is a top Alabama destination golf course located in Sylacauga.
“As an avid golfer and artist, I’ve always appreciated the work of golf course architects,” said David Pursell, CEO and Co-Founder of FarmLinks at Pursell Farms. “As a golf course owner, I’ve been able to see a project go from planning to routing, to growing in, then to the final product. Recently, we engaged Tripp Davis and Kyle Downs to completely redesign our bunkers at FarmLinks, located in central Alabama. I enjoyed their thought process and artistry in making sure the new bunkers were visibly appealing, very playable, and easier to maintain. Each and every bunker was its own masterpiece. They both made many trips to the farm to oversee construction, sometimes making improvements mid-stride. Overall, I was extremely pleased with Tripp and Kyle’s hands-on approach. It has really upgraded the golf experience at FarmLinks, and I could not recommend them more!”
Tripp Davis and his team completely renovated all bunkers as well as two chipping green bunkers. The bunkers are now sodded with Zorro Zoysia and the bunker sand is Tour Angle White. GSI (Golf Sculptors International) owned by Bobby Holmes did the work and shapers Luis Chavez and Eric Mendieta and their crews handled all the onsite shaping. Davis also changed the fairway mow lines to help define the course better visually off the tee.
“The impact of the bunker renovation is huge for our golfers and our team,” said Robert Mitchell, golf course superintendent at Pursell Farms. “It’s already proven itself to be a labor-saving model. The 80 to 100 man-hours we used to spend repairing bunker washouts after a rainstorm is reduced to about 30 with the improved liner and drainage. The new zoysia grass faces also improve costs as we’re not edging or pulling runners as often. Tripp and his team softened the slopes on most of the bunkers which reduced the fried-egg lie, and golfers can now walk in and out more easily. Add this to the bunkers being playable faster after rain, and the guest experience is greatly improved. Everyone won.”
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According to Tripp Davis, “Farm Links at Pursell Farms is simply a special place that also happens to have a great golf course that Dana Fry and David Whelchel built about 20 years ago. With Escalante Golf partnering with the Pursells, we were asked to design and oversee a bunker renovation to replace the old structure and make the bunkers as strategic and as visually interesting as possible. Working with everyone at Escalante, David Pursell, Robert Mitchell, and builder Bobby Holmes, Kyle Downs and I had a great team and we could not be prouder of the results to give this great course another element to make it fun to play and simply to look at. It was an honor for us and I can’t wait to get back and play it for the first time soon. As much as anything, I am looking forward to staying either at their Inn or in one of their great cottages. We worked hard but the whole place made it relaxing at the same time.”
About Tripp Davis and Associates
Tripp Davis and Associates (TDA) was founded in 1994 and has its headquarters in Norman, Oklahoma. TDA practices golf architecture with an unparalleled passion for the craftsmanship of unique landscapes and strategic details. Tripp Davis, a decorated amateur golfer, was a member of the 1989 National Championship Golf Team and a NCAA All-American selection while at the University of Oklahoma. He continues to play in several prestigious amateur events each year.
Tripp’s abilities as a world-class player give him a unique insight into those subtle details in strategy that can make a golf course an interesting challenge for better players while proving an enjoyable test for the average golfer.
His knowledge of the game has also been incorporated into the development of innovative practice facilities that give players the opportunity to practice the right shots in the right way, thus expanding their golfing abilities and their appreciation for the game. Davis earned a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from The University of Oklahoma and is a Member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects.
For more information about Tripp Davis and Associates, please visit the website at www.tdagolf.net or call 405-447-5259.
