Famed Sacramento layout receives special attention from local golf product
PALO ALTO, Calif. (July 27, 2018) – Inspired by the golf legacy of North Ridge Country Club over the past seven decades – which includes a personal connection with its staff – Robert Trent Jones II (RTJ II) Golf Course Architects has completed its restoration project on the iconic Sacramento golf course. The restoration was officially unveiled on June 24.
“Our objective was to restore the legacy of this classic, strong golf course,” said Jones, Chairman and Master Architect for RTJ II, which has built more than 280 courses in 40 countries. “The success of this project resulted from our regard for the history and tradition of the club and its passionate membership.”
Mike Gorman, an RTJ II Project Architect who worked closely on the restoration, is a native of the Sacramento area who competed in junior and high school competitions at North Ridge Country Club.
“The big picture was to return the golf course to its heart and soul,” said Gorman, who teamed with Bruce Charlton, President and Chief Design Officer for RTJ II on the restoration. “We preserved the rhythm and flow of the routing while relocating bunkers to more strategic places and shaping the greens with more space and contours. The golf course now has more variety and a lot of different options for shot variety.”
North Ridge Country Club was originally designed by golf architect William F. Bell, under the direction of his father, William Park “Billy” Bell – each a legendary figure in California golf course architecture. The first nine holes were completed in 1954, the second nine in 1955.
“We embraced the original characteristics of the golf course, while creating new strategy and a new golf experience that is more playable,” Charlton said. “It remains a great walking course, which contributes to North Ridge being a true golfer’s club.”
Gorman was struck by how dedicated the members of North Ridge Country Club – where the motto is, “Come for the golf and stay for the friendship” – are to the game.
“It was 8 in the morning on a Tuesday, half the course was closed, and the other half had temporary greens, but the parking lot was full,” he said. “It was great to see that level of participation, which gives you a feel for how passionate this membership is about golf.”
Visit www.rtj2.com to learn more about RTJ II’s courses, sustainable designs, water conservation, and world-class public golf courses.
