University of Maryland Golf Course won first place in the Golf Inc. Renovation of the Year Competition, with Hudson National Golf Club winning for projects under $1 million and Saucon Valley Country Club taking top honors for private clubs over $1 million.
Brian Kington and Bill Love, who grew up playing on the University of Maryland course, were the lead architects behind the renovation. Wadsworth Golf Construction handled the $3.5 million construction. The university owned course beat out stiff competition from across the world to win the ‘best of competition’ honor.
The St. Regis Resort at Princeville Makai in Kauai, Hawaii, and Masonboro Country Club in Wilmington, NC placed second and third respectively in the public over $1 million category. St. Regis also placed second overall in the competition.
Two European courses, Upsala Golfklubb in Sweden and Toscana Resort Castelfalfi in Montaione, Italy followed Saucon Valley in private clubs over $1 million. Fazio Golf Course Designers were the architects for both Saucon Valley and Hudson National.
“This was one of the finest pools of entrants since the competition started in 2004,” said Jack Crittenden, Editor In Chief of Golf Inc. magazine. “All of the honorees were rated by the judges as outstanding quality.”
Judges were Dr. Michael Hurdzan with Hurdzan-Fry Environmental Golf Design, Oscar Rodriguez, Vice President Construction Manager with The Weitz Company, and Jim Bellington, Senior Vice President of Development Services with Troon Golf.
The winning projects will be featured in the Summer issue of Golf Inc, due out in June.