Toftrees Golf Resort in Pennsylvania will undergo a major renovation project at the hands of Jim Nagle of Nagle Design Works. The architects believe the property could become one of the best public courses in the state.
The Toftrees course dates back to 1969 and was originally designed by prolific architect Ed Ault. The resort was acquired by a local investment group several years ago and managed by hospitality company Shaner Hotel Group, and the golf course project is part of a major upgrade project across the resort.
“It was the Greens Chair at Sunnehana Club, so George Wolfe, Senior Vice President of Shaner, which I know for 20 years, called me to talk about the bunker issues I had on the course a few months ago,” Nagl said. says. “I visited the course and from a rapid revision, the convergence quickly shifted to the possibility of developing a comprehensive renovation plan for Tofrey.”
“At the end of the lifespan of the original owner, capital investments were lacking and the golf course was suffering,” Wolfe said. “Since we got in, we slowly made it fixed. We brought Marriott Golf to manage the operation of the golf. We’ve owned the resort for years, and I’ve been there. It’s only recently that they began redeveloping it. Our vision is to create a first class hotel with excellent banquets and convention facilities. The course is important.
“Toftrees was originally a semi-private club with a hotel. It had a resort function, but it always felt like a private club. There was always a tie between the local golf course and Penn State University. Ault did a lot of work in the area in the 60s, but there was a master plan for the entire community involved so I think this must have been a very big project for him. I have many Eds. I played Ault courses and there’s no doubt that this is some of his best works. He had great lands.”
That’s what I noticed when I let Nagle sit down was the site where Toftrees was sitting. “It was the fortune that made this a great opportunity for me. It has a huge swell and it has some really great features like cleaning that can be opened,” he says. “The routing is very good. The only hole that stands out as particularly challenging is the 13th, with blind tee shots and tight corridors on the hillside on the left. The rest of the course is It flows well with great contrast and elevation changes. The course needs improvements, but there is no need to explode.
“Today, golfers have a higher ‘design IQ’ than they did decades ago. With the advent of social media and many golf design-related podcasts, golfers have demanded more thoughtful and attractive designs. Toftrees can provide just that. Greens, routing, setting, and natural terrain helps create dynamic golf courses that challenge players appropriately.
“The property is rich in inferior tree species, but at the same time there are quite a mature stands of trees. On the 15th, 16th and 17th there are too many unwanted evergreen trees that hide the beauty of the land. Tree work is just part of the plan, but it really stands out. Bunkers can be more creative, which will bring better aesthetics and playfulness. At this point, this course will be the 1970s. It features bunker styling, many of them are higher than natural grades. Most are on the side and don’t create very interesting strategies. We try to fix it.”
“I played almost all of Pennsylvania’s best courses, and I’m sure the gym will give us something that fits very well with the state’s top public venues,” Wolf says. “This course has a big rhythm in its routing and a big outline to the land, but some of the past tinkerings require caution. And with the eyes of the gym, I’ve come from this project. I’m sure it will emerge as a world-class track.”
Design work will begin soon, but no date has been set for construction to begin.
