Final copy

Site Advisory Evaluation Report

ASGCA Foundation and the USGA Golf Course Site Evaluation Program

Prepared for:

Simsbury Farms Golf Course 100 Old Farms Road

Simsbury, Connecticut 06070

Prepared by:

A. John Harvey, ASGCA, ASLA Golf Course Architect

June 13, 2016

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Background: The Site Evaluation Program provides pro bono consulting services by ASGCA members and USGA agronomists to evaluate public golf facilities and offer guidance to improve the playability of their courses and enhance the efficiency of their maintenance practices. As part of this service, the ASGCA member consultants will follow up their one-day visits with an advisory site evaluation report. Brief History: Simsbury Farms Golf Course was designed and opened for play in 1971 by noted golf architect Geoffrey Cornish, ASGCA Fellow. Built atop the former 235 acre Orkil Farms apple orchard, it is part of the Town of Simsbury’s active and passive recreational center offering its residents golf, tennis, swimming, ice skating, hockey, fitness trails and playground equipment. The rolling topography on the property offers significant views from the clubhouse area to the surrounding picturesque New England countryside. Golf Course: The golf course was designed with returning nines to the clubhouse. The practice putting green and driving range field are situated within close proximity to the starting holes and the pro-shop/starter facilities, therefore very convenient to the golfer. Course scorecard, yardage, par, rating and slope specifications:

TEE PAR LENGTH RATING SLOPE

Blue 72 6509 yards 71.2 129

White 72 6119 yards 69.2 126

Gold 72 5800 yards 67.8 124

Red 72 5400 yards 70.8 122

Course Meeting:

On Thursday, June 2, 2016 a meeting and tour of the golf course was attended by: Mr. A. John Harvey, ASGCA, ASLA, Golf Course Architect Mr. David Oatis, USGA Agronomist Mr. Hunki Yun, USGA Director, Outreach & Strategic Projects Mr. Gerry Toner, Director, Simsbury Culture, Parks & Recreation Dept Mr. Michael Wallace, CGCS, Certified Golf Course Superintendent Mr. Brian Johnson, Assistant Golf Course Superintendent Mr. John Verrengia, PGA Professional, Head Pro Mr. Marc Fisher, Assistant Golf Professional

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Prior to touring the golf course, the group met in the clubhouse and introduced each other to discuss their involvement with the facility, clarify scope of proposed professional assistance and purpose of the program to the stakeholders. A casual and frank discussion ensued where Gerry, John and Mike provided background, history, discussion of recent projects and initial priorities of the Town and the golf course. After the course tour the group also met with Ms. Lisa Heavner and Mr. Gerry Wetjen for lunch in the clubhouse and we had a chance to discuss our observations with the team and provide feedback as the eyes and ears as golf course agronomic and design consultants for this advisory service. General Course Overview: During my visit, it was quite evident that the Simsbury Farm’s management, professional and maintenance staff takes great pride in its golf course. By the look and sounds of things, the local support of the golf course by its residents and out of town play is also very strong and favorable, with every right to be, given the design, conditioning and value of the golf course. Recent improvements have been made to the golf course that include reconstruction of hole #2 green complex to promote more useable pin placements, cutting down the fairway ridges on holes #1 and #10 to allow better view off the tees to the fairway, complete renovation to the bunker features and fairway drainage work. Much of this work has been accomplished in-house with design support provided by Town resident Mr. Douglas Beach for the bunker project. Starting times are cycled through every 8 minutes when feasible and seems to work out well for management of pace of play. Simsbury Farms has been an Audubon recognized and certified course for around 20 years and was one of the first in New England to achieve that status. We discussed how there could be a “birding” program and other ecological school field trip educational initiatives that might be of some interest to the community and the golf course. According to John Verrengia, PGA, Simsbury’s golf staff offers diverse junior programs and golf schools to help teach and grow the game by getting beginners introduced to golf and fine tuning their skills. They also provide community outreach by involving challenged children with various tasks and learning opportunities on the golf course. Public and private girl’s and boy’s high school golf teams practice and play their home events on the golf course. Course Evaluation: The following is a descriptive and pictorial review of the golf course that echoes and expands upon topics discussed and features analyzed during our visit. a) Trees & Landscaping It was nice to see Simsbury Farms’ respect for honoring the traditions and history of the property by maintaining and cultivating the apple trees around the golf course. Many of the holes were cut through wooded areas that contain a variety of hardwoods and conifer trees. Since the course’s 50 years or so of existence and the availability of irrigation water and fertilizer solely directed toward use by the turfgrass, the trees have been the beneficiary of prime and accelerated growing conditions. Since trees are not the primary focus of maintaining a golf course, quite often, they can be left unchecked and almost grow unnoticed over time. It is recommended that the Town have a tree management program developed on a hole-by-hole basis to make recommendations for clear-cutting, thinning, removal, feature pruning and

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planting trees. In all cases, trees need to be evaluated given location, health, safety, course and surrounding landscape, visibility/borrowed landscape, playability – shot corridor, strategy, maintenance requirements, species desirability and landscape value/character. Planting beds are found at many tee and green complexes. It is my understanding that a volunteer landscape or beautification committee is responsible for installing and maintaining the perennial and annual plantings, but the golf course supplies the bark mulch. Mowing and trimming around these beds takes time and I wonder if they are really faithfully maintained by the committee. Personally, I think these planting beds are very attractive, but should only be used sparingly around the starting tees and clubhouse areas. They demand time and labor resources to plant, weed, water, fertilize, mulch and maintain, where these energies could be devoted more closely to maintaining turfgrass that more directly impact playing conditions.

Image of back tee on Hole #1 looking

towards starter area and pro shop.

Removal of Crabapple trees is

recommended for improved

operations, management and

visual/physical access of tees.

Landscape planting beds around

clubhouse areas add color and are

inviting. Limit their use on golf course.

Image of left side of practice range

field showing mounding created from

fill generated from fairway grading

exercise on Hole #1 for enhanced

visibility to landing area from tee.

Nice reuse of fill where plantings and

mounding help protect fairway from

errant golf balls from range. Shaping

improved target greens can add to the

practice experience without creating

ball picking issues.

Image of Hole #1 Green Complex.

Nice open entrance to green as a

gentle handshake on a starting hole.

Too many trees shrouding green from

morning sun and beneficial air-

movement. Featuring better trees and

clearing windows for the green will

promote better turf health and

improved aesthetics.

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Image of Hole #12 from tees. Plenty options on this hole for

Town to consider. Start with clear-cutting left side of hole from

tee all along fairway. Build new forward tee on right adjacent

to path and consider adding a bunker complex along left side

to challenge better players. Mike Wallace suggested a “church

pew” bunker complex like Oakmont the site of this year’s US

Open has and is an interesting idea to consider. I also

recommend cleaning-up and thin-out the wood line on the right

along fairway, restack rock wall and maintain large mound in

rough as Fescue. The large Oak tree further down the fairway

on the right should be feature pruned to enhance its growth

habit and character.

Image taken from Hole #17 Tees looking towards landing area.

Large Ash tree on left is loved by many and protects the left

side of the fairway/rough. It sounds like treatment for the

Emerald Ash Borer is well underway. Keeping this tree is fine,

but establishing a plan for when it dies ahead of time is

warranted. Not so sure a replacement tree planting is

warranted? Sounds like Ash trees continue to struggle and are

short lived in the region. The cart path is too close to the

fairway on the right. It should be routed closer to the trees.

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Image taken of large Oak specimen

tree located in the rough along slope

on right side of fairway. As previously

mentioned, feature pruning this

beauty will only add to its grandeur.

Image of large White Oak tree located

between #14 Green and #15 Tees.

Wow, what a spectacular tree! I

recommend clearing all trees around it

to expose a nice view to it from #14

fairway and promote a nice view from

green to tree and #15 fairway.

Image showing left side of #17 fairway showing mature Apple trees

from the old farm. What a nice touch to keep and preserve these

magnificent trees that are a historical reflection of the past land use.

Dead wooding and maintenance pruning can help bear fruit and extend

the healthy life of the Apple trees.

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b) Drainage Given the clay soils structure commonly found on the property, poor surface and subsurface drainage conditions existing on the golf course. While it sounds like there’s plenty of water close to the surface for sourcing and pumping as useable water for irrigation, the push-up greens present inherent agronomic challenges for growing and cultivating fine putting green playing conditions because of the tight, poorly drained soils. More on this subject in Dave Oatis’ USGA Report. Due to the era of this course being built and the information regarding original construction budget being low, minimal drainage was installed during its development. Whatever drainage is still in the ground I’m sure is compromised and not performing adequately due to its effective lifespan and culvert materials used back in the late 60’s and early 70’s.

The placement of planting beds on the

golf course really needs to be looked

at concerning labor to maintain and

mow around, trim and weed. On

starting and finishing holes colorful

planting beds are fine, but be careful

not to overdo it. Maintenance dollars

on a golf course are better spent

taking care of turfgrass.

Image of Hole #9 from tees to green. Suggestion: Remove 3-5 trees

on the left and contour fairway in front of and closer to bunkers and

consider adding a middle tee to the left along ridgeline and expand all

existing tee surfaces. Tough to find an alternate forward tee location

on this hole due to hollow and slope to green.

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It is my understanding that over 1.5 miles of fairway and rough drainage has been installed on a number of holes under the careful eye of Michael Wallace, CGCS over the past few years. While the open trenches with rock to the surface helps to capture sheet flow and swale runoff drainage during storm events and functions rather well, the gravel can be hazardous to mowers and golfers. In some cases grading diversion swales with perforated pipe and riser inlets along the flow lines can more efficiently and effectively handle and redirect surface and sub-surface drainage from play areas. Herringbone drainage pipe installed within backhoe dug trenches coupled with inlets and in some cases fairway regrading, can help address pocketed areas and enhance positive surface drainage. A rigorous program of fairway aerification and sand topdressing can also help improve rootzone drainage and promote healthier turfgrass over a 10-12 year period. More on this subject in Dave Oatis’ USGA Report.

Image of exposed gravel drain line

installed along slope next to cart path

within right along right side of Hole

#16 towards green. While this

drainage methodology can effectively

handle sheet and subsurface flows,

this is a high traffic area and gravel

exposed like this is somewhat

unsightly and impact play and

maintenance.

Image of the right side of Hole #4

Tees. Although this drainage swale

cart path transition apron serves its

purpose, a more aesthetically

pleasing and equally functioning

drainage and cart path system can be

devised.

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c) Cart Paths The asphalt cart paths are generally about 20 years old and overall are in pretty good condition. Most paths are 8’ wide with some exceptions and are partial networks typically found from green approach to the next tee complex, other than on Hole #9 where it runs the entire length of the golf hole. On some holes, the cart path adjacent to the tees do not run or service the tees and effectively as they should, where they stop short of the most forward tees and terminate rather abruptly in a straight routing. Instead of ending straight into turf areas, it is recommended that they flare slightly away from play along fairway corridor to allow more effective scattering of the golf carts to help avoid worn-out turf and exposed erodible soil. Since 70% of the roughly 39,000 rounds of golf played using golf carts, significant wear can develop at access points to tees and greens along cart paths. A comprehensive cart path study is recommended.

This Image is a catch basin with drainage sump detail that may provide another option in

certain situations for course drainage solutions. Notice dirty sand construction mixture can be

used in the top 4-6” over drain line and basin area to help provide some infiltration from the

surface into the gravel, yet promote a turfgrass surface. Although each drainage situation may

be unique in its own right with surface and sub-surface issues, this is another application to

consider when addressing overall course drainage concerns.

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Image of the cart path running along

the left side of Hole #10 tees that

terminates rather abruptly. In some

cases, the asphalt cart paths should

run further past the tees and flare off

to the side away from the fairway in a

soft curve, thus promoting more exit

points from pavement to turfgrass, in

the effort to scatter carts and ease turf

wear and tear.

Image of Hole #7 from tees of cart

path and curbing. While the extruded

asphalt curbing accomplishes it

intended purpose, more attractive

curbing is better suited to a golf

course for functional, maintenance

and aesthetical reasons.

Image looking back at cart path

serving the left side of Hole #15. Cart

path pavement transitions from

asphalt to gravel and then stops at

approach to green complex. A path

alignment that jointly serves fairway to

green, then #16 tees is recommended

to provide access and minimize turf

injury, while staying as far out of play

as possible.

Image looking back at cart path on

Hole #17 fairway where bunker

renovations took place after cart path

was installed and inadvertently directs

cart traffic into supportive mound of

bunker complex. Again, rerouting of

this further away from the fairway

makes better sense.

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d) Irrigation The golf course is comprised of approximately 174 acres including irrigation coverage of 50 acres consisting of 5.0 acres of greens, 4.5 acres of tees, 28 acres of fairway and 12.5 acres of rough. The current irrigation system was installed in 1995/1996 as a double row system having individual head control and full circle heads at greens, with a complete watering cycle duration around 4 hours. Given the varying watering requirements of Poa Annua and Bentgrass greens from Bluegrass/Fescue surrounds, part-circle heads at the greens and approaches is important for these different grasses and different heights of cut. A complete system audit by a qualified irrigation designer is recommended. e) Tee Complexes One of the top priorities with course playability, management and maintenance identified in the program’s application by Simsbury Farms Golf Course and discussed during our visit was tee renovation program, consisting of releveling, adding and repositioning tees. Presently, the course offers four sets of tee markers all playing to a course par of 36 front nine/36 back nine totaling par 72. Blue Tees: 6,509 yards While Tees: 6,119 yards Gold Tees: 5,800 yards Red Tees: 5,400 yards* *Alternate Red forward teeing areas should offer more diversity and be able to play from around 4,500-4,800 yards.

The golf course also has junior tee markers maintained as fairway cut with two passes by the fairway mower boxed off on the side of many fairways as informal teeing grounds. This is a nice feature to offer beginning players the opportunity to feel less pressure to perform from regular tees and helps introduce them to the game while playing from a more equitable yardage on a hole-by-hole basis. It might be helpful to take a closer look at the location, size, slope and shape of junior tee and integrate these features as designated “tee boxes” with specific yardage on the scorecard based on play dynamics of the users. Where topography lends itself to flat teeing areas, the effort to create a formalized tee can be pretty straight forward, while designating a tee box location in sloping terrain may present a little more challenging proposal where minor grading and shaping of a box could be off to the side of a fairway in the rough or atop a ridge alongside the fairway area. The goal here would be to shape a low, flat ground feature that fits in with the surrounding contours harmoniously, without looking out of place, yet provides ample space for intended golfers.

Image showing junior tee box cut out

of rough area on Hole #2. This is a

great program for junior tees that

Simsbury Farms has already started!

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Mr. Arthur Little, who is a leading expert and resource in the golf industry regarding forward tee placement with respect to swing speed says the following about proper tee placement:

Attract and retain a wider spectrum of players as golf course owners and architects

design and set up courses that fit more players’ swing speeds.

Lessen the “discouragement factor.” Being able to reach greens in regulation makes players feel like “real golfers.”

Enable players of all abilities to get around the course faster thereby increasing the speed of play.

With regards to tee construction - while the tees on the course have a topsoil rootzone, today with modern tee construction, they are typically built using a sand based rootzone material in the neighborhood of a 6:2:2 (Sand:Topsoil:Peat) soil mixture. The shaped tee subgrade and rootzone material is typically laser leveled at 1.0% from front to back and 0.5% from right to left, with some exceptions, given terrain and visibility to fairway. Interior drainage is typically installed using 4” perforated ADS N-12 (preferred) cut into trenches, backfilled with 3/8” crushed, washed gravel. Irrigation is adjusted and/or new components installed. Then a uniform layer of 6” the specified seedbed mixture is installed and tied into the surrounding topsoil supportive slopes. Once the tee tops and surrounds have been floated, raked out and prepared, soil amendments can be added and incorporated into the rootzone. Tee tops and

Image of Hole #2 from tees looking towards green. Adding another tee pod on

left along ridge can help diversify play options and cater to an enhanced variety

of golfers. Cutting down and re-grading the fairway can help gain improved

visibility off tee to landing area and promote improved pace of play. Fairway

bunker on left is well placed but regrading fairway and tweaking the bunker can

help to make feature more pronounced as it defines the left side of fairway

corridor.

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surrounds are then sodded using Owner/Architect approved sod material. The following is an example of a construction detail graphic showing a section through a tee surface.

This example of tee drainage shows a current construction method for building tees. It should be

noted that the design technique and methodology selected for rebuilding tees should be carefully

executed so that consistent and uniform tees are constructed during the tee renovation process.

Image of Hole #7 to the back right to

existing tees. Nice location and

playing angle to consider adding

another back tee. Tree work would be

required along right side of corridor.

In some cases, middle tees are also

needed (Hole #5 comes to mind) on

certain holes, due to the gaps in

teeing areas and play requirements.

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Given pace of play issues facing our industry and many golf courses that related to enjoyment of the overall experience by course patrons, there are a number of initiatives being developed and implemented to encourage more reasonable pace play. The following was found on the www.usga.org website which is endorsed by many of the industry’s major partners:

TEE IT FORWARD is a joint initiative between the USGA and The PGA of America that encourages

players to play from a set of tees best suited to their driving distance and swing speed. In addition to

providing more enjoyment for golfers, teeing it forward also can be one of the most important steps that

golfers take in improving pace of play.

A recent survey of TEE IT FORWARD participants found that:

56 percent played faster

56 percent are likely to play golf more often

83 percent hit more-lofted clubs into greens

85 percent had more fun

93 percent will TEE IT FORWARD again

Images of right side of Hole #3 Fairway showing

existing junior tee fairway cut out and recent

planting of Spruce trees within the right rough.

Formalizing a forward tee atop of the ridge

provides another teeing option instead of forcing

forward players at present time to hit their tee-shot

over water and into a slope on a hole playing uphill

all the way to the green. I also suggest removing

Spruce trees – perhaps planning elsewhere on the

course makes better sense like along left side of

fairway on Hole #18. Consider cultivating a sward

of Fine Fescue closer to hardwood tree line.

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During our visit we casually discussed existing junior tees sited by Simsbury Management and Maintenance staff. I think that with a careful study and implementation of tees, this is a great starting point in help achieving that golf should be fun and rewarding for everyone, especially beginners to get them hooked on the game for life! f) Bunker Complexes I understand the bunkers were recently renovated, shaped and constructed in-house by Simsbury’s maintenance staff, with design assistance provided by local resident Mr. Douglas Beach and were done rather nicely. It sounds like the liner system selected and installed within the floors of the bunkers was Klingstone and is performing acceptably. While bunkers were not necessarily the prime focus of the visit, Simsbury Farms should be commended on the success of the recent bunker program. Mr. Wallace did a nice job shaping these features. During our course tour, we did discuss a few concepts to make the bunkers even better visually by tweaking a few sand lines re-cutting a little higher on the horizon. We also reviewed the idea of adding a few bunkers to help visually describe the holes for all players, yet challenge the better player off the tee, without however, overly encumbering the average player. On several occasions within the body of this report identified below, images included under specific sections of text also point out potential cases where additional bunker complexes could add to the strategic and aesthetic influences of the golf holes.

Image of #18 tees looking towards fairway. Visually, the last hole is lacking drama off the tee.

Perhaps strategic bunker placement on the left of the fairway along tree line will help to describe

the hole for everyone without being overly taxing to the medium player off the tee. The more I

think about it, the first row of Pines should be removed along fairway, with additional planting of

deciduous and conifers on the left to protect parking lot and tennis courts.

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g) Green Surfaces The green surfaces at Simsbury Farms generally offer a variety of good, diversified and fair pin placements. Recently, Hole #2 green surface was softened due to only a few cupping areas on the original Cornish green. There are other green that should be considered for rebuilding, including #5, #11, #14 and possibly #16 if installation of internet drainage and embarking on tree clearing within the affected environment yield only marginal results. In all cases, reuse of the existing sod is a good practice to follow, as was the case when #2 was rebuilt. Scraping off existing rootzone material and reuse of the same makes good sense too and when additional root zone is needed, strict testing of materials to match the mixture is essential for success of the green.

Image of Hole #2 Putting Green that

was recently rebuilt with in-house

staff. It looks like the objective was to

soften a severely sloping surface with

a cut and fill operation to create more

usable pin-positions. The green now

has nice pin areas and will only

improve over time with aerification,

topdressing and rolling. This will help

smooth out minor imperfections and

create a smooth playing surface.

Image on the upper left shows the wood line on the right side of the fairway that could be

cleaned-up to expose rock and feature better trees. The image on the right, taken from the

same vicinity in the rough towards the green is a great angle to the green. Shifting the fairway

further to the right and bunkering the inside as mentioned in the prior caption may provide for a

more exciting, more picturesque climax to the round of golf at Simsbury Farms.

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h) Fairway Contour Mowing The fairway grassing lines are well defined on the golf course and with only a few exceptions do the fairway lines have too much horizontal contour or movement. Where example improvements to fairway contours are noted below, checking the effective irrigation coverage patterns is in order to make sure proper water is provided when adjusting the fairway lines. Where fairway and greenside bunkers occur, there are occasions where the contour isn’t as close to the features as it could be to extend ball roll and make grassing lines tie-into the sand features a little more harmoniously, without creating mowing issues. Certainly a cost benefit analysis should be considered with all course improvements being considered.

Image looking back at #14 Green that

has excessive slope for today’s green

speeds. This green should be rebuilt

to create more usable pin areas that

are fair and do not unreasonably

challenge to the golfer. Consider

removing both White Pines in front

right of green.

Image of #16 from tees looking

towards green complex. Again,

another hole to evaluate teeing area

needs and trees. Isolated tree at tees

and along left in rough should be

removed. Playing 155 yards from the

front tees, even though downhill is just

too far. Green has tough compacted

soils, resides in a low area and is

surrounded by trees. These

conditions make for a good candidate

for internal drainage and tree work.

Consider building another tee pod as

an alternate line of play to the left.

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Image of Hole #10 looking back at

approach to green. Nice diagonal

alignment of green playing axis with

fairway swinging to the approach and

right side. This is a great look and it

offers a nice variety of play options if

just off the putting surface.

Image taken of right side of #11 green

that is an example location where the

incorporation of a ball

collection/chipping area could be a

tasteful augmentation of playing

options. Removal of trees back

adjacent to cart path will improve turf

quality and allow better player access.

Image taken of Hole #12 Green approach. Front center approach

bunkering with divided fairway is a nice visual and strategic touch.

Consider contouring more fairway to the right of bunker flaring it up to

green that would act as roll-off area and set-up supportive mound and

more of a play feature to front right flagstick. This new contouring will

also make the divided approach look less symmetrical. Thinning trees

and underbrush around entire green complex is recommended.

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i) Practice Facilities Simsbury Farms has a nice practice putting green and practice range field as noted earlier in this report. The design and construction of a well-rounded short-game practice facility would make a great investment into the golf property and help augment practice environments/situations offered at Simsbury Farms. This facility would generate learning and teaching opportunities for golf schools, private lessons and individual practice sessions.

i) Course Design Recommendations

Image of #18 Green showing putting

surface and right and backside green

surrounds. Contouring fairway

chipping area in this vicinity should be

considered to augment play options,

strategy and aesthetics.

The above is a Google Earth aerial image of the entrance road to the property. While the area

immediately around the clubhouse is already being effectively used, the closest usable land to develop

a short-game facility is in the meadow area between Hole #8 and the entrance drive. There’s plenty of

room to create a spectacular and diverse facility.

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j) Course Design Recommendations: Incorporating the suggestions and critiques of the golf course into practice, as described herein, can help improve the golfing experience for everyone. Certainly there are costs involved for making improvements and for on-going maintenance with some of these elements, but being able to stay ahead of the competition as you preserve one of the Town’s greatest recreational assets is essential. One of the most effective ways to illustrate and guide improvements is to have a golf course architect prepare a comprehensive long range master plan that graphically and annotatively describes proposed course renovations. Once a plan has been finalized, budgets can be developed, work prioritized and renovations scheduled and phased according to finances, golf schedule and optimal construction windows. Based on our visit and walk through, some of the top design priority improvement recommendations are: 1) Develop a tree management program 2) Develop a tee renovation program/plan 3) Continue to address fairway and rough drainage issues 4) Have irrigation system audited by a qualified irrigation designer Ten Reasons to Develop a Course Master Plan

1) Overcoming economic problems 2) Correcting maintenance problems 3) Making adjustments to design concerns 4) Improving course aesthetic & environment 5) Restoring historic & strategic values 6) Need of “game plan” to steer/direct membership & management 7) Age of course features & infrastructure 8) Resolving safety concerns with players & property 9) Planning shows importance of a “club vision” to resident & non-resident golfers 10) Helps club/course remain competitive While having a master plan isn’t the only way to logistically identify and follow an improvement program, in my 28 years as a golf course architect, I’ve found the master planning process to be the best way identify, illustrate and vet renovation concepts and describe the approach to guide course upgrades and establish a realistic budget. This is especially true when personnel and responsibilities can change over a period of years so it gives a solid framework and foundation to move forward without being interrupted with new personal agendas.

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k) Summary

I enjoyed meeting with everyone associated with Simsbury Farms Golf Course and appreciate the kind hospitality extended to Dave, Hunki and myself. The Town and its management, golf professional and turfgrass maintenance staff has much to be proud of. This course evaluation program is a wonderful initiative to assist golf courses with another set of eyes and ears as an objective and constructive approach to identify elements to improve and embellish the course for all golfers to enjoy. It was a pleasure to be part of this review process. I hope that our visit and reports are helpful for current and long term course maintenance and design considerations. If there are any questions about my observations and recommendations, please feel free to contact me. I would welcome any efforts to be involved with the Town as a design consultant in any capacity regarding future renovation efforts. Very truly yours,

A. John Harvey, ASGCA, ASLA Golf Course Architect ASGCA Member #183

cc: Mr. Dave Oatis, Director, USGA Green Section - Northeast Region