Golf course clubhouse design can present a variety of challenges. After all, these multi-purpose buildings are typically charged with offering the comfortable stylings of a residence and meeting the functional needs of an events space, gym, spa, sports complex and restaurant.
While these considerations may create tensions for a clubhouse’s interior design, one thing is for certain—it all starts with prioritizing proper protection overhead. We’re talking about the roof. For instance, metal roofing systems can deliver durability and long-lasting performance while visually enhancing the building’s design aesthetic.
South Florida’s Medalist Golf Club, an 18-hole championship course founded by Greg Norman and influential golf architect Pete Dye, turned to a metal roofing system when damages to the clubhouse’s slate tile roof prompted a complete re-roof. Exuding quiet luxury, the metal roofing system complements the clubhouse’s laid-back, coastal-style exterior and provides a weather-resistant layer of protection against the hostile weather events that often flank Florida’s coastline.
While the needs of each clubhouse may be different, the Medalist Golf Club provides a useful example of how metal roofs can contribute several points of value to a clubhouse’s design.
Guiding the Medalist re-roofing project, Knopf & Associates, one of the most respected consulting firms in South Florida’s roofing industry, felt confident that a metal roofing system would deliver lasting style.
Metal roofs can be fabricated in several profile types and seam widths. They can also be finished in a wide range of colors—including cool roof rated finishes. As such, these systems are versatile enough to meet a diverse array of design aesthetics, all while delivering a high-performance roof.
For the Medalist, Knopf & Associates selected Drexel Metals’ DMC 175S profile. The DMC 175S profile has a broad-width seam and weathertight integrity. Featuring a 1¾-inch seam height and 16-inch panel width, the metal panels were finished in Inkwell, a low-gloss, dark charcoal-gray color, to reduce glare for the golfers.
While the dark, low-gloss finish fulfilled a practical function as the backdrop on hole 18, the complete roofing system also supports the operations within the clubhouse. Made from .040-inch aluminum substrate and finished with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF, also commonly referred to as Kynar®), the metal panels are inherently resistant to weather damage, corrosion and fading. Further, the system is lightweight, which reduces loads on structural elements and the potential for damage to the sheathing underneath the system.
These qualities will help the new Medalist roof last up to three times longer than had the project team used a traditional roofing material. Additionally, when installed with snap lock installation and free-floating clips, the panels can be “unsnapped” and easily replaced if damaged, contributing to the system’s low-maintenance appeal.
The durability of metal roofing panels is arguably one of their most critical benefits, given that the Medalist Golf Club is less than a mile and a half away from the Atlantic Ocean. The metal roof system used for this project offers a Class 90 UL 580 Wind Uplift rating and meets UL 1897 Extended Phase Wind Uplift requirements. It is also certified to ASTM E1646 Water Infiltration and TAS 100 Wind Driven Rain specifications.
Whether a project’s location experiences the same extreme coastal weather as this South Florida clubhouse or not, a metal roof can deliver all-around performance. This means building owners and facility managers can rest assured that the roof will provide superior protection overhead, year after year.
A clubhouse does not need to be located on a championship golf course to benefit from a metal roofing system. The ability of a metal roof to meet a wide range of aesthetics and resist damage and corrosion can provide as much value to a small community clubhouse as it does an elite facility.
Reach out to a Drexel Metals rep to learn more about applying the benefits of a metal roof to your next project.
