Fiddlesticks Fall/Winter 2026 Piper

THE PIPER | FALL/WINTER 2026

6

GOLF COURSES BRYCE KOCH, CGCS Director of Agronomy

provides definition, and the strategy Kris envisioned starts becoming visible. Eventually, you stand on the tee and see a golf hole again—not the old hole, but the new one. That is when the project really begins to come to life. Adding grass creates another dramatic transformation. Grass lines play an important role in defining each hole, and they evolve based on the shape, contours, bunkering, landing areas, and strategy of the design. Something Is Always on the Horizon we think things are going, something is always on the horizon—good or bad. Some days everything falls perfectly into place. The weather cooperates, construction progresses, a newly shaped hole exceeds expectations, or another section of turf begins to mature. Other days bring weather challenges, equipment issues, material delays, irrigation conflicts, or something that needs to change once we see it in the field. That is golf course construction. A golf course renovation does not happen in a perfectly straight line. It evolves. We make decisions, evaluate them, adjust them, and sometimes make them again. The communication and teamwork between Kris Spence, Clarke Construction, Nutt Construction, our Agronomy Team, and everyone involved have been a major part of moving Long Mean forward. As we continue, the story becomes clearer with every passing week. What began with plans, stakes, paint lines, and dirt is steadily becoming a golf course again. Soon, the construction equipment will disappear, the grass will mature, the bunker edges will sharpen, and the fairway lines will settle naturally. Eventually, members will once again stand on the first tee with a golf club in their hands—and at that point, another story begins. Perhaps one of the biggest lessons from a project of this magnitude is simple: no matter how well

Fiddlesticks – Every Adventure Has a Story Every great golf course has a story, and every renovation adds another chapter. The transformation of Long Mean at Fiddlesticks has certainly been an adventure—one filled with vision, planning, hard work, challenges, accomplishments, and a few surprises along the way. From the beginning, the goal has been more than simply rebuilding a golf course. It has been about preserving the character of Long Mean while introducing new strategy, definition, and personality to each hole. Golf Course Architect Kris Spence has provided the vision and design guiding the project. One of the most rewarding parts of the process has been watching those ideas move from plans on paper to something you can stand on, walk through, and soon play. Clarke Construction, our golf course contractor, has brought much of that vision to life. What begins as exposed soil, stakes, and heavy equipment slowly takes shape. Greens emerge, bunkers develop, contours become visible, and eventually each hole's personality begins to reveal itself. At the same time, Nutt Construction, our irrigation contractor, has worked throughout the property installing the infrastructure that will support the golf course for years to come. Mainlines, laterals, valves, irrigation heads, wiring, and countless connections must all come together while coordinating with the construction happening around them. Much of their work will eventually disappear beneath the finished golf course, but its

importance cannot be overstated. Watching the Holes Come to Life

One of the most fascinating parts of a renovation is watching each golf hole evolve. At certain stages, a hole we have played hundreds of times can become almost unrecognizable. Then shaping begins. A green takes form, a bunker edge appears, a contour

213850 Fiddlesticks Fall_2026_v2.indd 6

10/27/26 10:06 AM