Original designer and award-winning golf course architect, John LaFoy, will oversee course renovation, and Clark & Enersen will design the clubhouse remodel and redesign.

ASHLAND, Neb.—March 18, 2023 — As part of a multi-phase improvement project, The Quarry Oaks Golf Club will undergo extensive renovations to the golf course and clubhouse, which stem from the club’s recently unveiled 2023-24 Master Plan. The goal of these projects is to modernize the course and clubhouse while maintaining the club’s timeless feel, which has resulted in national recognition and numerous awards.

“With Quarry Oaks entering its 27th year in operation, we felt the timing was perfect to create a master plan that will enhance the experience both on the golf course and in the clubhouse,” says Joe Sutter, PGA, the club’s general manager. “Quarry Oaks is already considered one of the top-ranked golf courses in Nebraska, and our intent with these renovations is for it to become one of the finest public golfing facilities in the Unites States.”

Golf Course Renovation
Leading the golf course renovation will be award-winning Golf Course Architect John LaFoy, who originally designed Quarry Oaks in 1994. The project will incorporate all-new bent grass on the tees, greens and fairways. All tee boxes will be rebuilt, and laser-leveled, and multiple holes will see new tee box locations added to create both shorter and longer holes. Quarry Oaks has retained Landscapes Unlimited Inc. for the course construction. Landscapes Unlimited is the worlds premier golf course builder and contractor. They built the original golf course in 1995 and are headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska.

All existing bunkers will be renovated to include a technically-advanced drainage and liner system featuring Pervious Concrete – a technologically advanced porous concrete that retains sand on steep slopes during rain events, reduces maintenance; and improves overall playability. Additional bunkering will be added throughout the course to modernize the layout and create stunning visual approaches into the greens.

This multi-phase project began quietly in November 2022, with selective clearing of underbrush and volunteer cedar, cottonwood, and ash trees that parallel most fairways on the course. This will help to create better views of the oak trees that give the course its name and allow for increased airflow to the turf, resulting in healthier conditions for the course.

“Golf courses evolve over time, and they require renovations to help modernize and enhance them. The Abel family’s commitment to renovate Quarry Oaks is a testament to their long-term thinking, and their vision for the all-new Quarry Oaks is spectacular,” says LaFoy. “From all new bent grass surfaces, combined with multiple new tee box locations and dragon tooth edging on the bunkers and better views of the majestic oak trees, this project will significantly enhance the golfing experience while further highlighting what makes this course and property so special. Being able to see the 100-year-old burr and white oak trees will create stunning visuals throughout the property.”

Clubhouse Remodel and Redesign
Quarry Oaks is collaborating with Clark & Enersen to remodel and redesign the clubhouse. The primary goal with this project, as with the golf course, is to provide enhanced modern amenities within context of the club’s natural setting. The new interior design will boast large windows overlooking the 18th hole, new flooring, furniture, and fixtures throughout. The newly-remodeled patio will provide multiple shaded spaces for golfers and seating areas with fire pits.

“We are excited to partner with Quarry Oaks on this project to help to modernize the clubhouse and provide new world class amenities for golfers.” said Tim Ripp, a senior principal at Clark & Enersen and director of architecture and construction administration. “Golf is more than a sport; it’s an experience, and we look forward to redesigning this facility to enhance that experience well past the 18th hole.”

Upon completion of the underbrush and tree clearing in November 2022, Quarry Oaks will begin course and clubhouse renovations in April of 2023. The course will remain closed during construction, with a grand reopening slated for early summer of 2024. The clubhouse remodeling begins in July of 2023 ands will remain open for business meetings and other non-golf events.

About Quarry Oaks
Sitting atop the western walls of the scenic Platte River Valley just outside of Ashland, Nebraska, Quarry Oaks opened for play to the public in September of 1996. Less than one year into its inaugural season, Golf Digest acknowledged the club as “Best New Affordable Public Golf Course in America.”
Centering on the premise of creating as few changes as possible, this John Lafoy design captures the essence of a Native Natural Golf Course. Arranged on the site of a former limestone aggregate mine, abandoned after WWII, the face of the landscape was permitted to remain mostly intact. The inherent valleys and ridges of the area create an exceptional outline to the course. Striking elevation changes, mature stands of fairway edging trees, and superb bunkering create a challenging layout for golfers of all skill levels.

Consistently ranked as one of Nebraska’s top-ranked golf courses, Quarry Oaks is an 18-hole, par-71 championship course. The course was originally designed in 1994 by award-winning Golf Course Architect John LaFoy, who famously completed redesign work at Augusta National in Georgia, home of the prestigious Masters tournament. The course is situated on the site of an abandoned limestone aggregate and features natural valleys and ridges that create an exceptional outline to the course. Striking elevation changes, mature stands of fairway edging trees, and superb bunkering leave shot and club selection to the golfer’s imagination.

About John LaFoy
John LaFoy, ASGCA Past President, began his design career with George W. Cobb, and helping Cobb with the remodeling of Augusta National spurred LaFoy’s interest in remodeling work. He has remodeled many classic layouts, including those of architects A.W. Tillinghast, Alister Mackenzie, Seth Raynor, Charles Blair MacDonald and numerous Donald Ross designs. John has also designed and renovated more than 100 courses, including the Country Club of Charleston in Charleston, S.C. and the Country Club of Birmingham in Birmingham, Ala. He now heads his own design firm in Greenville, S.C.

About Clark & Enersen
Clark & Enersen is a leading, full-service design firm serving clients across the nation from its offices in Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Oregon, and South Carolina. Founded in 1946, they offer a comprehensive in-house team with design professionals in the primary disciplines of architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, planning, and mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering, as well as experts in commissioning, community and stakeholder engagement, construction administration, digital experience design, energy modeling, grant assistance, laboratory planning, land development, and sustainable design.