bakker crossing golf course

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Renovation

Bakker Crossing Golf Course is a moderately-priced existing 18-hole golf course located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The existing course had a good routing and good length but suffered from poor irrigation and aging infrastructure. In addition, the site was very flat and, as a result, the course had been constructed with numerous shallow ponds bunkers which made the course too challenging for a public golf course.

In 2012, Herfort Norby was hired to conduct a long range master plan study including a detailed market and financial analysis by Golf Convergence. The market analysis indicated that by improving course conditioning and by making the course less challenging but more strategic, Bakker Crossing could reposition itself in the local market as a slightly higher-end public course. Proposed recommendations included reconstruction of four holes, the expansion of the practice facilities and the installation of a new irrigation well. Additional recommendations included a complete renovation of bunkers to reduce maintenance and to “rebrand” the course.

In 2012, the owners installed a new irrigation well to increase their water window and improve course conditioning. In 2013, Herfort Norby completed the reconstruction of four holes to eliminate forced carries and widen playing corridors. In 2014, Herfort Norby completed a bunker renovation using a unique bunker style to differentiate Bakker Crossing from other courses in the Sioux Falls market.

Since 2011, Bakker Crossing has seen a 40% increase in revenue attributed largely to improved course conditioning and their ability to “rebrand” the golf course.