MENLO PARK, California – In 1961, a group of visionary golfers along with a respected developer discovered a unique San Francisco Bay Area mid-peninsula site, a venue providing an opportunity to create a golf course of the highest caliber. Hence, the family-centric Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club came to fruition.
The site was one of rolling hills dotted with splendid stands of native California Oaks. Since its inception, SHGCC has attracted an elite membership and offered an unparalleled experience both on the course and in the clubhouse.
In 2019, the club selected Todd Eckenrode-Origins Golf Design to create a master plan for the golf course from which a significant renovation would emerge. Todd Eckenrode-Origins Golf Design (well-known for their expertise in creating long-range master plans) took immense pride in collaborating with the Club and its committees in the development of a comprehensive plan, the blueprint for a successful $20M renovation.
The Club commenced construction on an impressive renovation of the entire golf course in early April of this year, and the project is progressing according to plan.
According to Eckenrode, the renovation is multi-dimensional, ensuring enhanced playability and heightened interest in the golf play, improved aesthetics throughout, extensive improvements in the golf grounds from tee to green, and with a commitment to sustainability supporting SHGCC’s Green Initiative.
Among the key elements of this project, are:
- Reforestation and Tree Management: Removal of select trees that had been planted without alignment to natural settings over the years, returning the course to one more in keeping with its original design. Adding more native tree species (i.e., California oaks and sycamores) will help ensure a reduction in water usage. The reforestation efforts will also help showcase existing mature native oak trees throughout, which are a signature of the course.
- Water-Wise Sustainability: Coupled with the use of recycled water, a new irrigation system will replace an outdated 30-year-old system, reducing water consumption and adding greater efficiencies overall. Also, there will be expanded recycled water storage capacity by renovating, deepening, and lining the irrigation storage lake.
- Renovated Tees, Cart Paths, Greens, and Bunkers: All tees are slated to be re-built increasing overall size, and creating a more natural shape and style, and with select new tee locations added. Significant reduction of non-permeable cart paths to only tee and green areas will improve playability and aesthetics. Fairways will be expanded for added playability and strategic interest while greens will be re-designed to offer an increase in hole locations and enhanced variety. All bunkers will be renovated, including new bunker locations to improve strategy, interest in play, and aesthetics.
- Improved Turf and Drainage: All tees, greens, chipping areas, and fairways will be seeded to modern, improved bent grass varieties for highest quality, firm and fast playing surfaces. All turf areas will be sand-capped, with sub-surface drainage added throughout to enhance growth and facilitate better drainage.
The Club anticipates course construction will be completed by late fall 2023., with an opening of spring 2024.
