One of the most exacting, and exciting, landscape jobs is golf course construction. With the multiple goals of making a golf course ecologically correct, creatively shaping the landscape, being high profile jobs and coming in on budget, golf course construction takes special companies and special equipment.

These multiple goals had to be met by East Coast Shaping, LLC on a new beautiful golf course at Jack Frost National in Carbon County in the Pocono region.

East Coast Shaping's President Jim Basiliere loved doing this job as it called on him to use his company's special expertise. Jim's family has owned Bas-Ridge Golf Course in the Berkshires for more than fifty years. Jim grew up on a golf course, and in the early 90's, Jim began shaping his career in golf course construction. He accepted a series of positions around the country working with some of the most respected golf course architects and builders in the country. Learning from these varied experiences, and with help from his mentors, Jim decided to start his own specialized company - East Coast Shaping LLC.

The development of new Jack Frost National golf course - a par 72, 18 hole course- had some challenging aspects. Erosion control was stringent because of the various changes in elevation and some sensitive ecological areas. In most of the construction area the top soil had to be removed, screened. This proved to be extremely challenging, due to the amount of rainfall occurring during the project. There were also natural areas that needed to be left undisturbed, so erosion control and travel routes were key to successfully completing this project.

Jim knew he would need special machines and attachments to help his sixteen man crew do this special job so he contacted Cleveland Brothers. "Because of the wet ground from the winter snow and the spring rains, we started moving dirt and rocks using a Cat D6N track type tractor equipped with low ground pressure tracks, a six way blade and a root rake. "Without it I would have been delayed for weeks. The root rake was awesome and proved to be an invaluable tool in removing debris prior to screening. We later rented a Cat D4G tractor with low ground pressure tracks to do some of the smaller, detail work. We also rented a Cat 322 Excavator to move rocks, load trucks and to dig drainage ditches". Jim also said the D6NLGP and D4GLGP cut down on the time he needed to do the final grading as they did not tear up the ground as much as a tractor with regular tracks.

At different phases of this large and complicated job, East Coast Shaping utilized the following machines - all supplied by Cleveland Brothers;

• D8R track type tractor
• D6N LGP track type tractor
• D4G LGP track type tractor
• 2/ 725 articulated trucks
• 315CL excavator
• 322 excavator
• 305CR excavator
• IT28G wheel loader
• 257B multi terrain loader
• 2/ Polaris Ranger ATV
• 1/ Harley Landscape Rake
• 1/ sweeper
• 1/ 735 articulated truck

The key to his final shaping and sodding was a Cat 257B multi terrain loader. The 257B had the capability to do many of the important tasks that contributed to the high quality work for which East Coast Shaping is known.

Jim personally used the 257B to final shape the Green surfaces, sand traps and other detail work. "The controls are awesome for shaping", Jim said. "For cutting, shaping and fine detail work they were a natural fit".

The 257B also was used with two specialized attachments. One was a Harley Rake which was used for keeping the soil loose, minimizing compaction to make the seeding more effective. It also eliminated the need for re-grading.

Because of its wide tracks the 257B could work with the sod crew in laying out sod. Jim and his crew designed a special sod roller which was mounted on the 257B to make the sod installation more efficient.

In three short years Jim has grown his company. "When I started out, Caterpillar was the only company who would finance me. Now I am a 3 to 5 million dollar a year company"

"I love being a shaper. "A shaper is a dirt artist", Jim said. "My artistic tools are my Caterpillar machines."