Pro-Turf International's Bunker Refurbishing Leaves Stonecreek GC Regulars Smiling

(PHOENIX, AZ) - The regulars at Stonecreek Golf Club in Phoenix, AZ, have been very happy with their golf experience - for the most. They love the challenge of Stonecreek, designed over 30 years ago by Pete Dye and renovated recently by Arthur Hills. They enjoy the beauty of the layout, and the private-club-like service they receive from the Stonecreek staff.

What they weren't too thrilled with, however, was the condition of the greenside bunkers. Inconsistent sand and poor irrigation systems made a difficult part of the game - escaping from bunkers - nearly impossible.

So when Fore Golf Management took over the operations at Stonecreek May 1, the first thing they decided to do was refurbish the bunkers. And the company they called on to do the facelift was Pro-Turf International.

"They were competitively priced and they have a reputable name within the region," said Stonecreek Golf Course Superintendent Casey Ruddick.

There was no question what Fore Golf's focus would be immediately after taking charge.

"About 90 percent of any complaints we received about the golf course were our bunkers," said GM Jason Kronholm. "We had issues with both the sand quality and the drainage. It was a major project, but we knew it had to be done."

The worked started on July 19 and was completed this week.

"We removed the old sand first, then we checked the drainage in each bunker, to see if there were problems we needed to address," said Kip Wolfe of Pro-Turf International. "After that we graded the bunker floors and faces, established new bunker edges and then installed the new bunker sand. The project went very smoothly. The folks at Stonecreek were terrific to work with."

In total, PTI refurbished 26 greenside bunkers and one practice bunker.

"We are very satisfied with Pro-Turf's work," said Kronholm. "They were very professional and timely. We had heard good things about Pro-Turf in the past, and now that we have worked with them, we would highly recommend them."

Added Riddick, "Pro-Turf International did a great job. The project superintendent Marc Francoeur was knowledgeable and professional, and the crew was skilled and friendly. I would use/recommend PTI in the future."

There is one other important result from Pro-Turf International's refurbishing of Stonecreek's 35,000-sqaure feet of bunkers. The product is so good now, the staff's morale is up.

"We are very proud of the new bunkers," said Kronholm. "It is great to hit crisp shots out of the bunker and watch the ball spin, and not roll 20 feet by the hole. Aesthetically, the sand looks better - it's lighter. We have a nice, clean, crisp look around the greens now."

For more information about PTI, visit www.pro-turf-intl.com/, or call 877-421-1223.

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