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| Stanley Thompson's unique style for the course can be seen on the par 4 sixteenth. |
I
am happy to announce that the Saguenay Arvida Golf Club has just awarded me a
contract to proceed with the necessary planning for the reconstruction of six
of its eighteen greens over the next three years. Located on the edge of the
Saguenay River in Jonquiere QC, this magnificent course opened in 1947 with a
nine-hole course designed by the renowned Stanley Thompson. The course has been expanded since, but the
original nine holes can be found as part of the club’s both existing nines.
This
project will be particularly interesting, since most of the greens scheduled to
be rebuilt are the original Thompson greens.
A few of them are now plagued with agronomic problems mostly caused by
their small size or chronic drainage issues that the Club would now like to address.
Massive tree clearing has also recently been done by the Club on a few holes to
allow some of those greens to breathe and benefit from added sunshine while
opening long lost magnificent views to the Saguenay River. This should prove to be an important first
step towards better course conditions and a newfound appreciation of the
layout.
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| The par 4 fifth uses the natural undulations of the property with great effect. |
Without
a doubt, one of the key elements of this important project will be the respect
of Stanley Thompson’s original course character while allowing the club to
modernize their infrastructure and cement its place as Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean
premier course.
Stanley
Thompson has left an important mark on golf course architecture across Canada
with the creation of his “Big Five” group of courses (Banff Springs, Jasper
Park Lodge, St Georges, Capilano et Highlands Links) and quantity of other
courses that still impress with their bold strategic designs and aesthetic
qualities. But his impact in Quebec has been relatively limited in terms of
what is left with his own style. His
impact, here, is mostly achieved through the works of his disciples (Howard
Watson, John Watson and Graham Cooke) who have built a large part of the
province’s designs. His best Quebec design is, by far, the Chateau Montebello
Golf Club, recognized for its dramatic holes in harmony with the rugged
Laurentians landscape.
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| The first hole offers panoramic views of the Saguenay River valley landscape. |
However,
a singular originality is still clearly present on the original holes built by
Stanley Thompson for the Saguenay Arvida Golf Club. Tumbling and undulating
fairways in perfect harmony with their surroundings, as well as deep,
pronounced and artistic bunkering can be found here. Thus, we can suppose it is the work of the
master himself. It is with great joy and great humility that I will tackle this exciting
project with the Club’s dynamic team of professionals.
