A NEW $3.8 million Scone Golf Course is expected to be completed in mid-2018.
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The reconstruction of part of the course is required because Roads and Maritime Services’ (RMS) proposed route for the Scone Bypass travels through the existing holes 1, 4, 6, 7, 9 and the practice range.
RMS is funding the multi-million dollar redesign and construction, with Upper Hunter Shire Council providing the additional land required for the redevelopment.
Council has engaged Weidlich Golf Design to manage the delivery of the project.
The golf course is expected to be closed from September 2017 through to July 2018 during the reconstruction and grow-in of the new layout.
The plans do not involve changes to the Scone Sporties Clubhouse.
The site for the new course is vacant land owned by council, on the southern side of the existing course and the proposed bypass.
The Scone Golf Course is managed by Scone RSL Club Ltd who own the clubhouse and surrounding land and lease the current golf course from council.
Mayor Wayne Bedggood said the redesigned course would be of a standard comparable to the current course with 18 tees and nine greens, and similar course distances and slope rating.
“Don’t expect any big improvements in handicaps,” Cr Bedggood said.
“The new course should be just as challenging as the current one.
“It will be a professionally designed course with a fully-automated irrigation system.
“There has been a rigorous process of community consultation and tendering to get the project to here.
“Several thousand games of golf are played at Scone every year and we want to get this right.”
To redesign the course, council has been in discussion with RMS, golf club members and the RSL Club management over the past two years.
A concept design brief for the Scone Golf Course Redesign was prepared by council and quotations called.
Shape On It Pty Ltd were awarded the redesign project in October 2015.
The designers went through a design process including design review meetings with user input to get to a preferred design option.
The draft concept design was reported to the December 2015 council meeting, and advertised for public comment.
In January 2016, more than 40 Scone Golf Club members attended council’s public information session to discuss the proposed plans and their comments were incorporated as well as other submissions from the public exhibition of the plans at council and Scone Sporties Clubhouse.
Council adopted the concept in March 2016 and a development application was prepared, lodged and approved with conditions.
A detailed technical and performance specification and associated tender documentation was developed by Weidlich Golf Design in collaboration with council.
Supporting documents including drawings, an ecological assessment, and an Aboriginal heritage study of the project site formed part of the tender package.
Council engaged Regional Procurement (Hunter Councils) to provide tender probity advice including an evaluation plan to guide the tendering process and a subsequent report on the tendering process used which began in May 2017.
The evaluation method for assessing the tenders applied weighted scores to a range of criteria as there were a number of factors that were considered other than price.
Six submissions were received with significant price range. One alternate tender was received which was accompanied by a complying tender as required in the tender documents.
On 14 July 2017 Council accepted the tender from McMahons Pty Ltd for the detailed design and reconstruction of Scone Golf Course, which will take approximately 50 weeks to complete.
McMahons have teamed up with Pacific Golf Design project.
Both firms have a long track record in the golf industry.
Features of the draft design include:
- Access to the course from the clubhouse and car park will be under the bypass bridge over Parsons Gully.
- Retaining vegetation on site will provide extensive shade coverage from mature trees, mostly River Red Gums, on a brand new course.
- While the land is relatively flat, interesting features of small humps and hollows plus creeks and gullies have been incorporated into the design.
- Meets modern course safety standards and stormwater management is incorporated.