THE DEMANDING GREEN AT TWELVE (Courtesy GCA)
In the second half of my interview with Bill Kennedy, superintendent of Chechessee Creek, he discusses how Chaffin/Light, the club’s developer, went about making environmental stewardship a priority at the club. Bill lays out what measures he undertakes to develop animal habitat, limit water and chemical use and generally make the course as environmentally friendly as possible. (Video after jump)
It is interesting to hear Bill talk about the lessons Chechessee learned from Spring Island, another Chaffin/Light course. It is not simply enough to leave things alone, but it takes a detailed and thoughtful management plan to not only limit the effects of a golf course, but rather to make the golf course a positive environment. Chechessee is very willing to share what they have learned with any parties interested. This environmental ethos is one of the many reasons it is a true pleasure to belong to this understated gem.
For first half of this interview, click here.
Loading ...
will: is that 12th green the CHECHESSEE version of the lion’s mouth or whatever you’d like to call it that you refer to in your Trails write up? if so, how does it play relative to some of their others??
Indeed it is. Good eye. The twelfth at Chechessee is a great short four. The central bunker makes putting your tee shot on the correct side of the fairway an imperative even if you are likely hitting a wedge into the green. I think the main differenve between it and other C & C models is that it is a push up green and therfore missing left or long makes for a very difficult up and down. The green is also more contoured than some of their other versions, with a distinct back right shelf. i have seen (my partner in a playoff) putt into the central bunker. #12 is flat-out a great hole.
thanks… whats your general take on revisiting this concept as often as Bill seems to do? not that its flawed – far from it… but the connaisseur might get bored of seeing it. is it any different than a CBM use of templates?
They are all great holes and hold up to repeated playing. If I went around only playing C & C courses (or MacD Raynor) would it get a little repetitive? Maybe, but it would be a good life.
ha. that it would.
i just find it a bit odd that this seems to be the one “template” (dislike that word) that they seem to come back to. perhaps questions for Bill more than anything – but why? is it concious? or happen more organically?
just trying to dig deeper into design psyche….
thanks for the blog will. i look forward to reading each update.
I think it must be on purpose, but the holes all play different. They do that by getting the details right. Their “template” holes are set up by bunker placement not green contour. Other people just reproduce the same green over and over. I’d rather play C & C holes, which all stand up to repeated play.
Agreed!