Ramac Holdings purchased Chart Hills in December 2019, with a significant task in front of them as they looked to restore a golf course that had suffered for some years. The result is the restoration of a playable, yet challenging layout that will be presented to championship standards year-round, set among some of the most picturesque countryside in the southeast.
The decision was made to officially close the golf course in July last year, with no reopening scheduled until all 18 holes had been renovated. The focus of the project was to completely relay the fairways, to produce carpet-like surfaces that are playable year-round.
Every fairway was completely stripped, exposing the bare soil. The maintenance team then laid thousands of metres of irrigation piping down before more than 30,000 tonnes of sand was shaped onto the holes to produce a four-inch capping. The finishing team spread Creeping-Rye seed on each fairway area before the watering and fertilisation processes began.
Off the course, the entire venue has been refurbished, with a completely redecorated clubhouse, new club shop, modernised bar area, improved car park and signage, and upgraded practice facilities that include a state-of-the-art simulator room.
Despite a challenging winter, the club has been able to make great strides in continuing the renovation of the clubhouse area and green complexes, while applying the finishing touches to the new fairways. There has also been a complete bunker overhaul to renovate all of Chart Hills’ 100-plus sand traps.
The full facility, including the clubhouse, will be open from June 1, although it will be operating under the latest Covid-19 restrictions.
To watch a video of the latest stage of the renovations at Chart Hills, click here.