DES MOINES, Iowa — Since 2013, Wakonda Club has hosted the Principal Charity Classic. But after this year's tournament, the club decided to close down play to renovate their course.
Wakonda Club is a popular location to golf in the Des Moines metro. Director of Golf Aaron Krueger knew it was a necessary decision to close for a year, even if it resulted in a loss of revenue.
"Trees were planted in different areas, and it shrunk our playing corridors," Krueger said. "When you do that, across rolling topography like we have with these hills here, you lose a lot of playability of the golf course."
Wakonda Club has worked with many architectural and infrastructural companies to accelerate the renovation process, leaving them in a good place heading into the winter.
"We're planning to open next spring, but our hope is to have some member play prior," Krueger said. "Then that's the first major event that we'll have is unveiling it during the Principal Charity Classic."
Professional and amateur golfers will be able to play the course next spring after the following renovations were made:
- All new tee boxes – design and locations, adding length to championship tees, shortened the forward tees and spaced the yardages of each tee appropriately
- Expanded over 10 acres of fairway space, while joining two sets of fairways – 8 & 10 and 11 & 15
- Rebuilt greens on holes 2, 5, 9, 15 and 17
- Installed a new irrigation system
- Moved the pumphouse from the lowest point of the property to the highest point
- Rebuilt the short game practice area
"I think we're set for years and years and years to come," Krueger said. "I think it's going to be fantastic for our membership. That's really, obviously what we did it for, is to enhance the membership experience here."
Aside from the Principal Charity Classic, Wakonda Club has hosted many other tournaments, including but not limited to the NCCA Championship, America's Cup and the Iowa Amateur.