Rock Manor Golf Course was once the pride of Wilmington, Delaware. Golfers had been playing “The Rock” since 1921.
BACKGROUND
Rock Manor Golf Course was once the pride of Wilmington, Delaware. Golfers had been playing “The Rock” since 1921. What was a beloved favorite fell into a state of disrepair. City officials wanted better for their golfers who relied on public facilities for recreation. They created The Rock Manor Golf Corporation, an agency charged with renovating the course and revitalizing its image. The corporation sought the expertise of a golf management company to design and oversee a complete facelift.
IMPLEMENTATION
Indigo Golf Partners welcomed the opportunity to work on the much larger Blue Ball Master Plan that included road construction, waste water treatment plant and creation of recreational parkland. In a true public-private partnership, Indigo Golf Partners worked with multiple agencies:
- The Delaware Department of Transportation
- The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
- The New Castle Conservation District
- New Castle County & City of Wilmington
Indigo Golf Partners provided full oversight of the pre-opening process, including grow-in of the golf course and construction of a maintenance facility and cart storage building. We coordinated weekly meetings with architects, engineers, construction companies and the municipal agencies; purchase analysis and variance management to budget; operational input on design and schematics; ongoing concept development; and activities timelines.
RESULT
The Lester George-re-designed championship layout is extremely playable and features bentgrass tee boxes, fairways and greens, wall-to-wall cart paths and a state-of-the-art irrigation system. Best-in-class playing conditions continue to impress existing and new community golfers who are playing with great frequency and inviting friends along.
James M. Baker, Mayor of Wilmington, says it best:
“Rock Manor has become a favorite among golfers. To provide citizens with an award-winning layout and positive, affordable experiences with a game that so many people enjoy makes us proud that we moved forward to preserve this great public asset.”
