The Club at Pelion Marsh (Rookie Competition Entry)
Oct 27, 2018 13:43:58 GMT -5
Elk22, rhino4life, and 4 more like this
Post by XJ_Jagman on Oct 27, 2018 13:43:58 GMT -5
TCPM 5The Club at Pelion Marsh was a course of controversy from the beginning. The marsh land was environmentally protected land, but the new owners saw the potential for a beautiful golf experience. Pelion Marsh Resort, which can be viewed from the course, was built years ago on the coastline. The resort offered boating and fishing recreation from the beginning, but lacked the necessary land to develop a golf course for their high-end clientele. In a desperate attempt to obtain the marsh lands nearby to develop the course, the owners concocted a devious plan to make it a reality.
Further down the coastline was an old, small naval fort from the 1930s still owned by the government, but no longer maintained after World War II. The owners offered to purchase the land from the government under the plan to reinvigorate the small fort as a historical area for tourists. However, that was only a part of the plan. Through a series of smaller “unassociated” companies and activist groups, the owners created controversy around the project. All the time the owners had in mind the final goal of obtaining the championship golf course they always desired.
After obtaining the land and approval for the project, the first step in the plan was hatched. The second step was “discovering” the land was highly contaminated with explosives and ordnance from its World War II days. The group Assemble for the Sustainment of Environments (aka AssSoE) stepped up to create a local calling to clean-up the land in order to save the marsh. AssSoE claimed Pelion Marsh Resort should be required to fund the clean-up as the owners of the land. Pelion Marsh Resort stated it should fall on the government as the new owners were not aware of the land’s condition at the time of purchase. The local and federal courts filled with litigation to resolve the matter. All the time, the owners were in control of the entire scenario as the land was never found to be contaminated. It was just a ruse to get to their ultimate goal.
After many months of the controversy dragging out in the local press, the media, the courts and every local diner within a hundred mile radius, Pelion Marsh Resort offered a solution. The owners would voluntarily fund the clean-up of the marsh, if they were allowed to use the excavated land that was contaminated for recreational purposes while protecting as much of the marsh environment possible. Amazingly, all parties agreed. The owners had accomplished what they set out to gain in the first place and their evil, genius plan worked perfectly. Astonishingly, all of the “contaminated land” requiring excavation resulted in the perfect layout for an 18 hole championship golf course with enough room for a small commercial/retail development at the center.
Pelion Marsh Resort proudly opens the doors to the beautiful 7300 yard course; The Club at Pelion Marsh. At the conclusion of your round or during your stay at the resort, be sure to visit the renovated naval historical site and new home of the local environmental protection group AssSoE.
TCPM 4 by Danny Vaughn, on FlickrThe 18th fairway and green overlooking part of the marsh.
TCPM 3 by Danny Vaughn, on FlickrThe par 5 7th fairway with historic naval area in the background.
TCPM 6 by Danny Vaughn, on Flickr
Thanks for the compliments. I'd say a ton of us in the competition have come a long way over the last few months.
(no grasses on the coastal land, the large lowland high grass only area in the middle of the course and the smaller ponds/lakes around the course with more vibrant plantings). I'm glad to see people enjoying it as it was a lot of fun to design. Thanks again for the Rookie Competition and all the exposure you helped bring to all us new designers in the community like me.