Plan Includes Removing and Updating Bunkers, Implementing Fazio Course Moniker
(AKRON, Ohio) – Firestone Country Club, renowned as one of North America’s most historic venues for championship golf, is embarking on a project to enhance its West Course and renaming the layout the Fazio Course.
Spearheaded by Fazio Golf Design, the project will include the removal of 18 bunkers and renovating the remaining 51. Several bunkers will be reshaped, and the Better Billy Bunker system will be employed in all for optimal drainage and reduction of washouts during inclement weather.
Highlights of the Better Billy Bunker Method include: removal of the existing sand and liners in each bunker to subgrade; installation of a two-inch gravel layer placed over the subgrade; spraying the layer with a polymer to bind the gravel together; and creation of an extremely durable liner that swiftly drains and minimizes washouts during heavy rains.
Once treated, the bunkers will be filled Best Signature 720, a beautiful white sand used on the most exclusive clubs in the U.S. The angular sand adheres to steep bunker faces and promotes more favorable lies in the hazards.
The bunker enhancement project started earlier this month, and completion is slated for spring 2021.
The West Course will also be renamed the Fazio Course in honor of famed architect Tom Fazio, who redesigned the layout in 2001. A links-style design that boasts striking views of the club and surrounding landscape, the Fazio Course is built around the perimeter of Firestone’s famed South Course and is the home of the Ohio Senior Open.
“The bunker renovation is a major investment back into the Fazio Course and emphasizes our initiative to maintain our world-class golf courses and facilities,” says Jay Walkinshaw, general manager. “This project will greatly enhance the golf experience at Firestone, both aesthetically and from a playability standpoint.”
Since the 1950s, the club and its famed South Course has annually hosted the biggest names in professional golf. In addition to being site of three PGA Championships, Firestone was the long-time venue for the PGA TOUR’s World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and its predecessor, the World Series of Golf. It currently hosts the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship on the Champions Tour.
Earlier this year, Firestone announced an exclusive opportunity for non-members to reserve a limited number of stay-and-play packages during the golf season and experience its celebrated on- and off-course offerings. The Autumn Ace Package starts at $295 per person and includes an overnight stay in a villa or clubroom, and unlimited play on South, North or West Course. A cart and forecaddie are mandatory, and service charges and taxes are included in the package price. Reservations are required and based on availability, and other restrictions may apply. More information on the package can be found here.
Firestone is conveniently located only 45 minutes from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and less than 15 from Akron-Canton Airport. It is also within easy driving distance of other major metropolitan areas such as Chicago, Columbus, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Detroit. Nearby off-course attractions include the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton and the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
For more information, www.firestonecountryclub.com.
About Firestone Country Club
Considered one of the most revered sites in professional golf – and now open to non-members through stay-and-play experiences – Firestone Country Club has welcomed legends of the game for decades. Its flagship layout, the South Course, was originally designed by Bert Way in 1929 and considerably revamped by Robert Trent Jones in 1960. The South has hosted numerous PGA Championships, World Golf Championships and is the current site of the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship. The club’s other two championship-level courses are the venerable North Course, a Robert Trent Jones design and past site of professional tournaments, and the West Course, a links-style Tom Fazio design that hosts the Ohio Senior Open each year. The world-class facility also boasts a heated driving range and the Raymond C. Firestone Public 9, a well-manicured short course suitable for all golfers.
Guests of Firestone can stay in onsite villas, featuring 61 well-appointed rooms offering spectacular views of the golf courses, or in the 30 dormitory-style rooms inside the clubhouse. Dining options include the 1929 Grille & Legacy Pavilion and casual 55th Hole Bar.
Situated in northeast Ohio, Firestone Country Club is less than an hour’s drive from Cleveland and under four hours from major metropolitan areas such as Pittsburgh, Columbus, Detroit and Cincinnati. Nearby attractions include the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and collegiate and professional sports venues. Firestone will also be the future site of BigShots Golf, a tech-driven entertainment and culinary experience for the entire family.
