Wooden building blocks for the right swing: concept study for the Hetzenhof golf club driving range in Lorch.
The Hetzenhof Golf Club in Lorch, a training ground for both amateur golfers and professional athletes, wants to establish itself as one of the most modern golf courses in Germany. To this end, we were commissioned with the replacement construction of the driving range with tee-off area. A timber construction is to provide sufficient space and comfort for 16 teeing grounds with an associated pro area.
Project data
Urban planning setting
The new driving range at Hetzenhof Golf Club is being built in the rural town of Lorch on the edge of the Swabian Alb. The new driving range, a practice area for the basic swing, is nestled between the wide, well-tended lawns, Swabian woodland and the surrounding buildings of the golf club.
As a timber construction, the single-storey building enters into a dialog with the natural surroundings. It stands alone on the course without blocking valuable views from the clubhouse to the lawn in front of the driving range. The smaller driving range previously stood in the same position, but offered less variety of uses.
Architectural concept
The design is based on a consistently implemented axial grid of 6.5 by 4.5 meters. A total of 30 grid elements in three rows form an elongated building block with a length of 65 meters. The three-part structure consists of a pergola at the rear, a central area for various uses and the tee-off area at the front. The flat roof is designed to accommodate optional PV panels.
The cantilevered flat roof at the front creates a column-free teeing area with 16 teeing grounds measuring 3 x 3 meters each that can be used flexibly.
Uses
Various individual rooms are located between the tee-off area and the pergola. There are separate WCs for men and women and a barrier-free WC. In addition to a room to accommodate a ball machine, there is also a freely accessible area for warming up and relaxing.
There is also a trainer area ("pro area") at the south end of the building with a workshop and the so-called "Trackman" room, where an automated swing analysis can be carried out using a camera. This means that the golf club is now able to offer year-round training opportunities that include a club fitting studio as well as the Trackman.
Construction and materiality
In keeping with its natural surroundings, the driving range has a wooden supporting structure. All wall structures are also made of wood. The façades are clad with vertically arranged wooden slats and thus make reference to the club's new baghouse, which has a similar look and is a timber construction.
This completes the ensemble of buildings and raises the infrastructure of the golf course to a contemporary level, taking functional, aesthetic and sustainable aspects into account.
Entrance area HZ Campus
Competition office Gaus Architekten
Clubhouse
Star Square
Kleemann site
