Indio, Calif. – The Palm Springs area added another golf course real estate development to its massive golf market with the opening this week of the North Course at Shadow Hills Golf Club. The par-three property is a part of Del Webb’s active-adult Sun City Shadow Hills community.
Billy Casper Golf, one of the largest golf course owner/operators with more than 110 courses in 26 states, is managing the new North Course. It opened for public play on Feb. 1.
Designed by the noted Schmidt-Curley golf-course architecture firm, the North Course – located in the third phase of the Sun City Shadow Hills community built by Del Webb – is constructed to take advantage of more natural plant materials which consume less water and promote ecologically-friendly agronomic practices. Turfed with Bermudagrass and dotted with flowering shrubs, the short course is perfect for golfers looking to sharpen their iron games. With holes ranging from 135 to 210 yards, precision is paramount as either a large waste bunker or lake protects every hole. Approximately 40 percent of the course is turf and showcases multiple water features, fairway undulations and several tee boxes to challenge new golfers and seasoned players.
“The North Course is a departure from the typical California-desert layout,” says Brian Curley, principal of Schmidt-Curley Design. “Rather than featuring wall-to-wall manicured turf, it’s punctuated by natural waste areas evoking a feel more typically associated with Sonoran Desert ‘target golf’ courses.
Like it does for the 18-hole, championship South Course at Shadow Hills, BCG will manage all aspects of the North Course’s operation. This includes golf-course and property maintenance, staffing and training, clubhouse operations, food and beverage, merchandising, golf instruction, marketing and public relations, special events and financial management.
“We’re thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive response by people who have sneak-previewed the course,” said Bob Paradise, director of land development for Sun City Shadow Hills. “The perfect mix of water-efficiency, diverse play and stunning natural beauty makes this course special.”
With a vibrant resort-style feel to the community and unparalleled amenities, Sun City Shadow Hills is bustling with activity since its opening in early 2004. One of the more popular amenities is the 35,000-square-foot Montecito Clubhouse.
Pulte Homes, Inc., based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is one of America’s largest home-building companies with operations in 69 markets, 29 states and the District of Columbia. The golf course architectural firm of Schmidt-Curley, founded by partners Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley, has offices in Scottsdale, Ariz., Haikou, Hainan Island, China and Kunming, China. The partners have designed and master-planned 100 courses in 24 countries, including 10 of the 12 golf courses at storied Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China – the largest golf complex in the world.
