A River Runs Through It: The Powder Horn Clubhouse: Sheridan, Wyoming

Designers at Powder Horn Golf Club envisioned a water feature to separate the clubhouse from the adjacent pool and spa to add drama to the arrival experience at the clubhouse. A control panel housed under the deck controls a high volume submersible pump, operated on a variable frequency drive. Since the pump operates all day, every day, the ability to throttle back and conserve energy at times when there is little clubhouse use is advantageous. The Falls are lighted from below via fiber-optic fixtures. Use of fiberoptics eliminated the use of power underwater. Bollard sidewalk lighting matches the fixtures used on the clubhouse deck and patio.

When Sheridan, Wyoming architect Dan Stalker called to request the help of Carl Thuesen, ASLA to design the water feature and surrounding landscape for the new clubhouse at The Powder Horn Golf Club, the firm jumped at the opportunity to become involved.

The Powder Horn development combines residential properties and a championship 27-hole golf course on a historic ranch property with spectacular views of the Big Horn Mountains. The golf course has been recognized by Golf Digest as one of the best new layouts in the west, and the clubhouse would be the finishing touch for the golfing experience.

The upper pool/inlet area was redesigned after masons built the retaining wall that backs up the water feature six feet smaller than what the design called for, making it impossible to include trees and dense perennial plantings. To compensate for missing greenery, rock was massed into this area to retain a strong focal point. The sidewalk was also changed during building, which created an opportunity for a larger lower basin.

Design

Stalker envisioned a water feature to separate the clubhouse from the adjacent pool and spa, and to add drama to the arrival experience at the clubhouse. This concept was expanded; wrapping the lower section of the water feature around a patio located off the locker rooms and then bringing it into play along the right side of the approach to the ninth green.

This area was challenging during construction because the space between the clubhouse and pool deck was very limited, making equipment access difficult. Machine work was completed in phases and a 50-ton crane was able to crawl into place to lower the boulders into their correct locations. A massive air conditioning chiller is located to the left just out of view. It was screened by setting it down as low as possible behind a retaining wall and planting an aspen grove around it.

A naturalistic water feature design was developed to be reflective of spring fed mountain brooks common along the east slope of the Big Horn Mountains. Along this same theme, the water feature was developed without filtration. An infiltration gallery adjacent to nearby Little Goose Creek was developed to provide the water source. Therefore, the water may be returned to the creek or recirculated in the water feature. In addition, this system allows fresh cold groundwater to flow at all times, as the water feature is normally flowing year round. A submersible pump operated on a variable frequency drive provides the flow. The pump controls were designed to permit automated programmed operation at different flows based on time of day. Normal flow is one cubic foot per second (CFS), or about 450 gallons a minute. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The water feature itself is about 250 feet long, incorporates a welling pool, waterfalls that go into an upper pool, along with two other main pools located adjacent to the clubhouse patio. Several smaller pools can also be found throughout the stream.

 

With the clubhouse patio immediately to the left and the island just out of view to the right, these stepping rocks invite people from the patio out onto the pool edge boulders. The native cottonwoods at rear provide a more natural ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Construction

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Taking about one year from design to completion, construction started in December of 2004 and wrapped up just in time for the start of the golf season in April of 2005. Since Wyoming can be unpredictable in the colder months, construction had to be shut down a few times due to weather. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Thuesen was actively involved in the construction process. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Looking upstream this lower patio pool overflow is four feet deep in places, with an uneven bottom to provide hiding places for fish. Medium sized granite boulders are visible underwater. Construction began at this location and continued upstream toward the island pool. Once that was completed the crew focused on the upper/inlet basin and waterfalls before adding finishing touches downstream.

Design Elements

While the water feature was under construction Thuesen?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Looking upstream from the lower patio near the bridge, aspen trees line this area, which was created as an in-between or connective space. The challenge was to maintain interesting variability and a natural feeling to the landscape. Note the variety of rock sizes and textures, as well as the variability of rock in the stream. All rock is hard granite material native to the area, and came from the same pit located about 10 miles from the site. The rock used for the stream lining is the same material as the boulders. It was crushed in two gradations, which were mixed to provide a natural appearance. Much of the streambed rock and smaller material was placed by crane with a concrete bucket, then touched up and detailed by hand.

Plantings

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Lighting

Fiber-optic lighting, which can be programmed to produce a variety of effects, was incorporated in the design. Marking the first time Thuesen?EUR??,,????'?????<

In addition, Thuesen and his team learned that the fiber optic does not produce as much light as incandescent light. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The selection of rock used in the design was one of the biggest challenges faced during construction. While the Powder Horn had some natural rock material on site, the pieces were relatively small. Furthermore, there was not enough to complete the project. Since the rocks were vital components to the design, Thuesen and his staff had to convince the client to acquire a number of larger boulders. But finding suitable rocks in the Sheridan area was easier said than done.

Rock

The selection of rock used in the design was one of the biggest challenges faced during construction. While the Powder Horn had some natural rock material on site, the pieces were relatively small. Furthermore, there was nowhere near enough to complete the project. Since they were a vital component to the design, Thuesen and his staff had to convince the client to acquire a number of larger boulders. But finding suitable rocks in the Sheridan area was easier said than done.

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Perennial plants were extensively used near the water feature, such as aspen trees and moisture-loving shrubs such as potentilla. Taking about one year from design to completion, construction started in December of 2004 and wrapped up just in time for the start of the golf season in April of 2005. The crew had to contend with Wyoming?EUR??,,????'?????<

Challenges

In addition to locating the rocks, planting shrubs and installing the lighting, Thuesen?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Water flows from the upper pool through two main falls, as seen here, and several lesser splashes. This creates a diversity of visual and audio interest as people walk past the water feature. The massive rockwork supporting the upper/inlet pool is held in place by a concrete footing submerged under the lower falls pool. The footing was cast in place before the liner was installed to insure a watertight installation. The footing is completely masked by bottom finish rock in the lower basin. All the boulders are keyed into the footing.

Firm Profile

Carl Thuesen, ASLA is a Landscape and Golf Course Architectural Firm located in Billings, Montana. The principal is a Registered Landscape Architect who has practiced in Montana and the northern Rocky Mountain region since 1973, providing the firm with a thorough understanding of the region?EUR??,,????'?????<

Founded in 1984, the practice has focused on providing creative yet practical solutions to site design and golf course architectural challenges with special attention given to client responsiveness and quality of the constructed product.

The firm provides a full range of services including master planning, site design, construction document preparation, estimating, and periodic construction observation. Recent contracts have enlisted the firm?EUR??,,????'?????<