(Above left to right) Andy Solis, and Tim Cook, Partners, Cook & Solis

The 2002 Battle at Bighorn matched Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus against Lee Trevino and Sergio Garcia on The Canyons at Bighorn course in Palm Desert set among rock studded canyons, copper foothills, meandering streams, majestic waterfalls, and colorful desert vegetation.

The Tom Fazio designed Canyons course utilized during the Battle of Bighorn television event showcased water features designed by Cook and Solis Construction based in Escondido. Cook & Solis specializes in the construction of lakes, waterfalls, streams and rock walls and bridges for golf courses, commercial parks, and agricultural ponds.

(Above left to right) Scott Winter, and Vito Palermo, Estimating and Purchasing, Cook & Solis.

"It is our firm belief that through pride in our work, attention to detail, and dedication to customer needs the we have accomplished an outstanding list of projects and a successful reputation within our industry," according to partner Tim Cook. "One of the most recognized trademarks is our ability to make these water features appear as natural to the environment as nature itself."

Cook and Andy Solis have a combined 40 years experience in both golf course lakes and aquascapes offering clients design-construct capabilities. Cook & Solis handles recirculation piping and pumps, aeration and ozone systems, transfer lines-equalizer pipes, wet wells, and all structural and aesthetic items as they relate to the water feature.

(Above left) "The Quarry" at La Quinta. (Above right) San Juan Oaks Golf Course in Hollister, CA.

"We're also associated with Rick McGuire from Waterscapers," Cook revealed. "Rick is a licensed civil engineer who specializes in lake hydraulics. This enables us to provide a full set of construction drawings, including all construction details custom to suit individual projects, hydraulic design (pipe sizes, pump sizes, and recirculation design), and specifications."

The firm was founded in 1984 and quickly evolved into golf course water features working with designers such as Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Fought/Lehman, Ted Robinson, Todd Eckenrode, Origins Golf Design and a host of others. "While we mainly work in the west,' Cook reported, "I just came from a new job we're doing in Arkansas." Cook & Solis has also done projects in California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Nevada and Hawaii. The firm also has a separate company in Mexico.

(Above left) The Canyons at Big Horn Country Club in Palm Desert, California. (Above right) BelAir Country Club in Los Angeles, California.

"We just finished a project called Mountain View Country Club in La Quinta," Cook announced. "It was a Toll Brothers project and we placed over 3,000 tons of rocks on the water features on the 18-hole course designed by Arnold Palmer. This compares to 8,000 tons of rock utilized at The Canyons at Bighorn. The Mountain View Country Club course was deliberately planned to harmonize with the southern California desert landscape." The Palmer designed course is located in the 365-acre gated Mountain View Country Cub community that features 425 luxury residences.

Cook and Solis, who own most of their equipment, utilized a John Deere 690 excavator on the Mountain View project along with a couple of 650 John Deere dozers, several 644 loaders and a 744 loader. "And when we need a bigger piece of equipment we rent it," Cook announced. "We have a national account with Hertz Equipment Rentals or we use RDO Equipment." Cook explained that he and his partner have just purchased three Case forklifts from D3 Equipment. D3 is based in San Diego and has outlets in Fontana and Santa Fe Springs.

The firm employs between 30 and 50 people depending on the number of projects. "In order for us to stay as busy as we want and do the type of work we want," Cook continued, "we have to be willing to more around and work in different places in the United States."

(Above) Country Club of the Desert, Palm Desert.

Cook emphasized that Cook and Solis constructs lakes of all shapes and sizes. "Whether the lake is a single body of water or part of a larger system," he continued, "the addition of a lake or other water feature adds tremendously to the aesthetics of a project." Cook & Solis' standard lake design includes the installation of a PVC lining material used to create a watertight seal throughout the entire lake area. "Depending on the depth and size of the lake, the liner is covered with either one foot of soil or a wire mesh reinforced concrete veneer. Covering the liner is a critical step," Cook added, "as it serves to protect the liner from both mechanical damage as well as damage resulting from exposure to UV light."

Cook and Solis also employs a variety of shorelines. "Our two most commonly used shorelines include our 'laid back' concrete edge and the 'near vertical' edge," Cook emphasized. "The laid-back edge consists of wire mesh reinforced concrete extending to an elevation of 6% above water level. As the name suggests, this shoreline is laid back into the surrounding grade. Typically, grass is planted (by others) around the edge so that the lake has the look and feel of a natural lake with a soft grass edge. We also generally spread native spoils (small granular rocks and pebbles) over the visible concrete below water level so as to conceal the concrete and create a natural lake edge effect."

(Above left) Cook & Solis rock placement crew and equipment. (Above right) one of two Case 588G forklifts recently purchased from D3 Equipment doing PVC liner placement on a lake project.

"The near vertical edge again consists of wire mesh reinforced concrete extending to an elevation 6% above water level," Cook noted. "However, with this type of shoreline the concrete is poured at an almost vertical angle and remains exposed above water level. It is then eroded and stained to create a natural eroded lake edge appearance."

Cook and Solis generally become involved in a project once the architect has delineated where they want the water feature. "Then they want to finalize how they want the feature to work and that's when we get involved. We can't take total credit for everything because we're more of a team player. What makes us popular with course developers and designers is that we don't take all the credit ourselves," he stressed.

Cook went out of his way to explain that "a lot of the things we've done wouldn't have been possible without guys like Tom Fazio and all the people who work for him. We're an extension of the designed." He also praised Cook & Solis' personnel who have been affiliated with the firm for many years crediting them with helping the organization succeed.