Northwood Restoration Plan - Introduction

Northwood Golf Club in Monte Rio, designed by golf architect Dr. Alister MacKenzie in 1928, is an often overlooked artifact of the golden age of golf course design.

Many courses that tout names of architects from the era use it as marketing and that is the entirety of their identity. But, the unique circumstance that the Northwood Golf Club has evolved in has created something truly unique. The Great Depression effectively ended the Golden Age of Golf course architecture, halting development and stunting the posterity of courses. Northwood was hit hard, and struggled financially, changing hands throughout the years, coming into the hands of the current owners in 1970.

This seeming misfortune has done something for Northwood that is rare to see on golf courses today. Many old courses who have had the capital to spend, have changed their courses. Demolishing original features, in exchange for new ones, and then trying to recreate the lost features after realizing the mistake that was made. Northwood, never having possessed the excessive funds to spend on major changes, has kept its original landforms intact. Besides the selling off of some parts of the course for development to keep it afloat. Although the MacKenzie features may be unrecognizable at first glance, for example, many of the original bunkers no longer have sand, the actual landforms are still there.

This makes Northwood so unique and valuable because what is there is truly original. Even some of the most acclaimed MacKenzie courses no longer possess original features. But, Northwood does. It is also so unique because it is accessible to the public, unlike many golden age courses. It is a center of community truly a haven for a pure form of golf, where anyone can play and enjoy comradery and the merits of the game. 

These merits and this community could be brought to further posterity if the course were brought back to its roots. Which would be a relatively simple task because many of the features are still there. Matters of bunker restoration and green expansions are generally simpler than other projects due to the landforms still existing. If some of the characteristics were brought back it would improve the nature of the course for those who play it and inevitably bring more attention to the course. 

Due to renovations often costing exorbitant sums, in the aftermath of any, there is generally an increase in cost for the people who play the course. However, a project at Northwood could be targeted as a long-term process on a smaller scale to reduce cost and keep the course open for play continuously. This cost would also be offset by the increase in people coming to see a more rugged and historic MacKenzie course. 

An obvious concern is the possible gentrification of the course. But, gentrification is intentional by management, done by raising green fees and changing the culture of a place. If the aim is to improve the course while maintaining the community, it can be done.