Dornick Hills stays with bent grass in greens renovation

Dornick Hills, the original design of renowned golf course architect Perry Maxwell, is in the midst of a regrassing of all 18 greens. The course is scheduled to reopen April 1, 2017.

Director of Golf Steve Ramsey said the greens on the front nine had not had a new surface for 32 years and 22 years on the back nine. They suffered this summer from high humidity and heat and the decision was made to regrass the entire course rather than piecemeal patching.

Given Dornick Hill’s location in Ardmore in southern Oklahoma, there was some discussion as to whether to switch to an ultradwarf Bermuda surface, but in the end members decided to stay with bent grass greens and settled on the 007 variety already used with great success at other courses in the region.

“No one has had any issues with it ,” Ramsey said. “The history has been good for courses that have used it in the transition zone.”

Dornick Hills, which opened its first nine holes in 1913, is also rebuilding its swimming pool, which was 60 years old. The historic course is also the final resting place for Maxwell and family members. Maxwell was an Ardmore banker who designed Dornick Hills and went on to have an immense and lasting impact on golf course design nationally and particularly in Oklahoma, where his courses include Southern Hills Country Club, Oklahoma City Golf & CC, Hillcrest CC, Oakwood CC, Twin Hills CC, Muskogee Golf Club, Cherokee Hills GC, Ponca City CC and many others.