Another challenge had to do with the fact that the courses are located on top of a landfill, and Weitz Golf had to install methane recovery systems. To ensure their safety, the Weitz crew had to carry methane detectors around with them while working on certain areas of the course.

The last challenge deals with the electrical voltage of the aging irrigation system. The original cable and wire going to the clocks and timers is 460 volts, which is unusually high, according to Butch. The original irrigation system designer typically designed projects for large sports stadiums, where that high voltage is standard. The replacement system that Weitz Golf is installing is 110 volts, which is normal by today’s standards.

Weitz Golf’s crew on the two consecutive projects numbers about 40 people. Weitz’s on-site superintendent overseeing the irrigation installation is Eddie Rodriguez, and the on-site superintendent overseeing the general construction is Pato Torres. Although the company typically sub-contracts pieces of their projects out, on this project they are only sub-contracting some storm drain work and the asphalt/concrete cart path.

The initial contract for this project was $11.3 million, but Butch says that with change orders, the project cost is nearer $11.5 million.

Weitz owns much of its own equipment, but also rents equipment when the need arises. Because they work on golf course renovations and new builds throughout the country and in the Dominican Republic, it often makes more sense to rent instead of trucking their equipment to a jobsite.

Butch says that he typically oversees
three to five projects throughout the country at
any one time. Recent and current projects are located in Seattle, Washington; Truckee, California; Tuscon, Arizona; Montrose, Colorado; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Delhi, Louisiana. In 2005, the company had 16 projects in the works. In 2006, they had 9 to 10 projects working throughout the year.

Weitz Golf works with a variety of golf course architects, but construct many of the Jack Nicklaus courses. Some of the memorable jobs Butch has overseen, include the South Shore at Lake Las Vegas, a Nicklaus-designed course completed in 1995, and Stone Eagle in Palm Desert, California, a Tom Doak-designed course completed in 2004. Both courses were built on difficult terrain, Butch says, with elevation changes and a lot of rock.

Butch lived on a golf course in the late ‘70s and joined the maintenance crew with his friends. He became a mechanic for the course in 1979 and stayed on for four more years. He finished his degree in turf grass management from a college in San Diego and then worked in golf course maintenance for 10 years. He worked on his first golf course construction project in 1989 for the Del Mar Country Club course, originally called Heritage Hills Golf Club.

Weitz Golf is known for its ability to offer true turnkey projects for its clients, completing both the horizontal—the golf courses—and the vertical—clubhouses and other structures—aspects of any project. In the 151 years that The Weitz Company has been in business there has never been a project they haven’t completed.

“It’s hard to find a better resume, as far as employees, developers and architects we’ve worked with, and size of jobs completed than Weitz,” Butch says. “Many of our customers use us over and over again due to their level of comfort with us.”

Greg Carlson is the new President of Weitz Golf, moving over from The Weitz Company’s Kansas City division in 2006. Along with Butch, Oscar Rodriguez also worked for Fairway Construction and is the Vice President of Golf Operations for Weitz Golf.

For more information look online at www.weitzgolf.com or call (951) 676-7347.