TPC Summerlin to get major renovation

TPC Summerlin will undergo a major renovation in 2022, shutting down for most of the spring and summer with work planned to be complete in time for next year’s Shriners Children’s Open.

The course will get completely new fairways and greens, upgrading the grass in both areas. The course will shut down April 15 to begin the work and will reopen when PGA Tour players arrive for the tournament Oct. 3-9.

“We truly believe this long-awaited renovation will not only improve the on-site experience locally, but will boost the appeal for our city when millions tune in for the Shriners Children’s Open next fall,” said Brian Hawthorne, general manager at TPC Summerlin.

The fairways are currently using a 419 hybrid Bermuda grass. They will be upgraded to a newer Bermuda called Bandera. The Bentgrass greens will be changed to Dominator, a blend of two high-quality Bentgrasses.

In layman’s terms, Hawthorne said the grasses are better suited for the Las Vegas climate and have the benefit of a more robust color palate. They also heal more quickly from divots.

“As time goes on and more research is done, we have ID’ed a type of grass that is more resilient,” Hawthorne said.

Patrick Lindsey, executive director of the Shriners tournament, is enthusiastic about the changes to the course.

“I’m sure the PGA Tour players will more than welcome the renovation of both the fairways and greens,” Lindsey said. “They have been asking in recent years if there is a course renovation plan for the future, so it is nice to communicate this.”

Hawthorne said they have already gotten a thumbs up from several players about the changes. Both a practice putting green and the practice area at the facility used by tour players regularly have had the new grasses in place for a while.

“The feedback has been wonderful,” he said.

As for the timeline, neither Hawthorne nor Lindsey is concerned that work won’t be fully complete by tournament week next fall. Both pointed to the PGA Tour’s agronomy professionals as being the best in the business.

“We know there will be obstacles along the way, but the teams at TPC Summerlin and PGA Tour Agronomy are full of professionals that have put together a great plan and are more than capable of completing the work within the timeframe they have set,” Lindsey said.

Although the changes will not even be noticeable to most fans, Lindsey said tournament officials and players will be happy with the changes.

“We are excited that the PGA Tour and TPC Properties are reinvesting in this great golf course that Shriners Children’s calls their home,” he said.

Hawthorne said the new greens will not impact the best players in the world, who rely so much on memory and course knowledge.

“The contours of the greens will be the same,” he said.

Farewell to Royal Links

Southern Nevada golfers will have one less option after this week as Royal Links Golf Club is set to close for good after play concludes on Friday.

New owners have development plans for the property, and it doesn’t include golf.

Royal Links was not your typical desert golf course. It was designed by Dye International and inspired by the courses that make up the British Open rotation. It includes a castle-style clubhouse, and holes modeled after the Road Hole and Hell Bunker from the Old Course at St. Andrews, the Postage Stamp from Royal Troon and nine other British and Scottish links courses.

Greg Robertson covers golf for the Review-Journal. He can be reached at grobertson@reviewjournal.com.