Sand Valley Golf Resort - Poland

Routed over a naturally sandy site within a modern 250-acre residential estate, the fairways of the Sand Valley course were originally set out by architect Lassi Pekka Tilander.

Unfortunately, the company hired to build the course fell significantly behind the construction schedule and so, as a consequence, it was removed from the project.

In stepped Tony Ristola – an architect who has worked mainly in Germany and is famed for his on-site commitment – and he spent incredibly long hours with local contractors over the next eighteen months to ensure the enterprise would open its doors to golfers in 2009.

The completed course is characterised by wide, open fairways set out on a generally flat landscape, with many of the holes flanked by large, sandy waste areas and occasional small stands of pine trees.

Many of the greens allow a running shot approach and this golfing attribute -- coupled with the firm and fast nature of the fairways -- has led some to describe the layout as an “inland links”.

Feature holes at Sand Valley include short par fours on each nine (at holes 5 and 16) as well as the 130-metre 3rd, the first of four short holes on the card, which is plays to a wickedly tricky raised green.

The following article was written by golf course architect Tony Ristola and is an edited extract from Volume Five of Golf Architecture: A Worldwide Perspective. Reproduced with kind permission. To obtain a copy of the book, email Paul Daley at fswing@bigpond.net.au

I arrived at Sand Valley eleven months after construction began. Having taken the project sight unseen, and expecting to clean up the mess, I proceeded to walk the property for five days, making notes and shooting hundreds of photographs to document the state of affairs. It took that long to evaluate the totality of the mess that had been made. It went beyond shoddy work. The site was a confusing jumble of clutter and disarray, and I continually unearthed new surprises as the days and weeks went by.

The five-day walkabout became an eleven-page report for the investors to ponder. With fourteen holes ripped open in some manner, I found it difficult to find anything worth saving. Valuable time, a season’s perfect weather, and an untold sum of money were poured down the drain. All this was difficult for the ownership to follow, so two consulting engineers and a superintendent visited; all confirmed the dismal state of affairs. Though no declaration was made, we all knew the project had to begin a second time.

As construction commenced anew, only the basic routing was maintained; and here we adjusted greens and tees to garner the best possible holes. Otherwise, the original plans were abandoned, and the course designed in the field. Sifting through scores of ideas and actively mining opportunities on a daily basis, greens, fairways and features were adjusted in real-time using continual communication and monitoring – only possible since construction was led by the architect on an all-day, everyday basis.

The property has multiple personalities with holes running along the river, river dunes and open, rolling terrain, over canyons, through forest, along ridges, wetlands and through a sand quarry – a mixture of high and low country. Most holes enjoy expansive views of the region; but what ties this diverse property together is the element of sand – after all it’s the main focus of the project’s name.

The owner clearly sees how things could have been done simpler, easier and cheaper – and with impressive results too. Experience is a great teacher and, to his credit, instead of hiding the false start and challenges, he has been very open about it. His candour and openness is a tremendous gift and benefit to future investors, and to golf development in Poland. Equipped with this knowledge, others can avoid the hard lessons Sand Valley had to endure. If they heed his advice, they will be able to create affordable, first-rate golf, protect their investment and help to grow this great game.