The Latest in Luxury Resort & Real Estate News

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Lookout Mountain Golf Club at Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort Gets Renovation

(PHOENIX, AZ) -- The Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort will undergo an environmental transformation this fall. Taking the place of three ponds on the course will be new hazard complexes comprised of bunkers and native desert waste areas. The annual water savings is estimated to be more than ten million gallons.

Forrest Richardson, original designer with PGA Senior Player Bill Johnston, was brought back to integrate the new hazards into the natural desert layout. The ponds had been additions shortly before opening in 1987.

"The original intent was minimal water and a natural, desert setting," says Richardson. "But just as the course was being finished, a directive came down to add more water."

The Lookout Mountain course hosted the Senior PGA Tour in its debut year. Senior PGA player Bill Johnston worked with Richardson on the design, and was instrumental in landing the prestigious event. Richardson points out that the addition of the lakes was bitter sweet.

"On one hand they added good drama for television, but they also resulted in a very penal  finish for those of us who don't play the Tour," Richardson added.

The holes to be restored, 15, 16 and 18, each have decorative ponds that have been losing thousands of gallons of water each day to evaporation. The course has been actively working with the City of Phoenix on water conservation measures for the past several years.

"This conversion project is a major step in this process," adds Richardson. "Plus, it will be great to see the spirit of the original design returned to the course."

The Lookout Mountain Golf Club is one of only a few Phoenix-Scottsdale resort properties to have golf holes winding through desert preserve land without adjacent houses. Twelve holes of the 6,600 yard, par-71 course play through or along preserve land, giving golfers uninterrupted views amidst canyons and rugged mountain hillsides.

Ponds at holes 15, 16 and 18 will give way to hazards of sandy washes, stepped bunkers and a new terrain of drought-tolerant, desert plants.

"We're putting the desert back, but we're making sure the golf remains fun and challenging," adds Richardson. "The new holes will encourage risk-reward shots, but players will now have a chance to recover. The opportunity for recovery is essential in golf, especially on the home stretch."

The restoration work, which will be handled by Signature Golf Builders, is part of a major program to conserve water and at the same time celebrate the native Sonoran Desert that surrounds the 584-room Spanish-Mediterranean themed Tapatio Cliffs Resort.

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Tom Hoch to Design New Creighton Farms Clubhouse

(OKLAHOMA CITY, OK) -- Interior architectural design expert Tom Hoch has been selected by Southworth Development to provide interior design services for the planned clubhouse at Creighton Farms in Aldie, VA.

To complement the luxury residential project's pastoral setting in the rolling hills and lush valleys of Loudon County's historic estate and hunting country, the Tom Hoch design team will develop a "refined yet relaxed" interior design that appeals to the aspirations of today's private club member.  Featuring three-levels and over 32,000-square-feet, the interior space will echo an American Vernacular architectural motif.

"Tom Hoch has a proven track record of designing and building memorable spaces that are appropriate to the long-term visions of some of the finest properties in the U.S.," says Greg Sherwood, Vice President of Southworth Golf Management. "The firm employs an industry-leading mix of creative talent, industry expertise and state-of-the-art systems that enable it to complete turn-key projects of all scopes and scales."

"From the clubhouse to the golf course and beyond, Southworth Development is truly committed to providing the best possible member and guest experience," says Hoch. "We are honored to have been selected to work with Southworth to create the architectural centerpiece for Creighton Farms."

The main level of the clubhouse features "The Nicklaus Room" - a celebration of Jack Nicklaus as an American sportsman - as well as a pub, grille room with seating for up to 175 guests, full-service golf shop, library and billiards room. The lower level includes men's and women's locker rooms and lounges as well as a state-of-the-art fitness center. Ten club rooms occupy the upper level, providing overnight accommodations for members and guests alike.

Included in its design are custom cabinetry, counters and fixtures cast out of reclaimed and re-milled hardwood from local barns that are part of the original property. It is scheduled to open May 2011.

Removed from the clamor and congestion of the city, Creighton Farms is located 20 minutes west of Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C. Managed by Southworth Development, the luxury community is nestled in the sweeping Northern Virginia landscape, rich in history, tradition and promise. Custom-build homes sit alongside the 18-hole, par-72 Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course -- one of the premier courses on the Eastern Seaboard, recognized as one of the "Best New Courses in the World" by Travel + Leisure Golf in 2008.

Founded in 1963 in Oklahoma City by Tom (senior) and Joanne Hoch, Tom Hoch is a design-build firm specializing in club, resort, hotel, restaurant and recreational spaces, and a recognized worldwide leader for delivering exceptional results on schedule and within budget.  It has created many of the most memorable, engaging and functional spaces in the golf, hospitality and leisure industries, including awar

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