Client Course Description
The 18-hole South Course at Corica Park in Alameda, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1957. Designed by William F. Bell, the South Course is one of the East Bay’s most popular golf courses.
Designer Notes
A completely new course will be built on the site of an existing one. The site has imported thousands of truckloads of reclaimed dirt and sand from various tunnel digs and other Bay Area construction projects which has been brought in to raise the course and improve drainage and surface contouring. This same reclaimed dirt made it possible to implement a comprehensive drainage and water-harvesting system, preparing the South Course for both long dry spells and the heavy rains. Drought-tolerant turf grasses were used on the fairways and native strains in the out-of-play areas, so that the course is playable 365 days per year. This type of grass is perfect for the recycled water used to irrigate the course. In addition, the course has one of the most sophisticated irrigation systems installed at any golf course in the country. Underneath it all is a massive water-harvesting system that includes close to 690 catch basins and around 180,000 linear feet of drainage, with the course’s cart paths designed to help collect runoff.The reuse of materials doesn’t stop at the soil import but the theme was carried through other areas of the project. The cart path was constructed using recycled AB base rock and the bunkers were lined with synthetic turf from the old driving range and the Raiders football team’s practice field.
The course is approximately on average was raised 3-4 feet higher which allowed the fairways and approaches to be shaped into gently rolling terrain reminiscent of golf in the Australian Sandbelt.
