THE SEVENTEENTH

For everyone on the soggy East Coast:

The back nine at Cypress Point is about as good a nine as there is in golf, but to me it is also the most beautiful landscape that I have ever spent time in. We were blessed to tour the back nine in the evening of a spectacular, early fall day. (Video after the jump)

The sunlight swirled and danced with the Pacific Ocean mist, creating an enchanted aura on the rich and varied coastal flora. The sound of the surf crashing against the rocks, broken by the staccato calls of the sea lions, engages the sense of hearing in away that is extremely rare in the world of golf. Words can not do justice to this experience so I will let the video do the talking.

For the front nine click here.

The ninth at French Creek

French Creek Golf Club in Elverson, PA is often overlooked when people discuss Philadelphia golf. Located across the street from Stonewall, the course occupies much more difficult terrain than its neighbor. Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner did a clever job of routing the course to create a fun, playable course. This video (after the jump) includes Wagner discussing the course and how they decided on its rustic look.

[vimeo width="530" height="340"]http://www.vimeo.com/1969756[/vimeo]

The idea of genteel neglect is one that needs more exploring, especially in these tough times. It doesn’t mean just letting things go, but rather a conscientious effort to not worry about clean edges and perfect lies. We may be seeing this more and more in golf, not by choice but out of economic necessity and that is not at all a bad thing.- W.S.

This video was taken in April 2008, when I was there doing a few touch-ups on some bunkers.

I really like this video by Geoff Shackelford about figuring out the land plan at the Prairie Club. It was great having Geoff, Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner out in Valentine for at least part of the summer. Their final product, the spectacular Horse Course, interacts with the canyon in way that highlights the unique setting and is quite different from the way Graham Marsh used it on his course. It will be a great place to drink a few beers and goof around with friends after a round or two on the larger golf courses.

The Hanse Design team, including the Scottish trio of Ross, John, and Neal who did a lot of the labor in the hot Nebraska sun, should be very proud of the incredible beauty of the bunkers on the course and the way they tie into the canyon. The wide variety of shots that can be played over this small bit of ground will make this one short course that you will want to play over and over.

Let’s hope that Geoff produces at least a Volume Two about the Prairie Club.

Looking down the eighth

The video in this film (after the jump) was shot early one morning in late April. It shows the holes that go away from and come back to the clubhouse. Ballyneal is a truly special place and this is just a quick little video to give you a taste.

Rupert O’Neal (founder/owner) and Dave Hensley (superintendent) have done a great job of getting this place really humming. The clustering of buildings form a small village and add to the experience. The course played firm and fast when I returned there in June. The fescue has matured and the greens are now up to speed.

The music is for Rupert

Rees’s redo of Torrey certainly was a great stage for a historic and dramatic U.S. Open last June, but its hard to not see this as a missed opportunity. There was no effort to tie the course into its landscape by using some of the native vegetation that is so beautiful along the cliffs and in the barrancas. While Rees moved and shifted some holes to improve views he made little effort to incorporate the coast and ravines into the routing to create more strategic golf holes. Without the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean this could be Anywhere, U.S.A.

In the second video, Rees runs through the front nine.

The third video runs through holes 10-13 and includes a good Jay Hass/Tiger Woods anecdote.

Rees runs through the rest of the back nine in the fourth video and tells how they widened the landing area on eighteen to encourage players to hit driver and then set up a decision on the second shot.

In this video, Rees compares himself to Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. He also discusses the profession of golf course architecture and how it has changed. He says that there are a lot of up and coming architects that need a site like Torrey Pines to make names for themselves. I can’t help wondering if a much better golf course would now exist if a different architect had been given the opportunity.

A few videos of Old Mac have popped up on You Tube, so I thought I would post them here for posterity. The quality is not that good, but they give you a feel of the place. On the second video there is a brief interview with Mike Keiser. John Grothe, director of golf of the resort, discusses the four courses.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r22993dvmq0[/youtube]

The last portion of the second video consists of the beginning of an interview with Tom Doak, which is finished on the third video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRPBLht9MkU[/youtube]

The videos definitely wet the appetite for the course. The overall theme is that the course is very different from the other three, which certainly must have been one of the design teams primary goals. It appears that I might be heading out that way in a few weeks, so I hope to be able to give a first hand report soon. I also hope to track down Jim Urbina to get his version of the story.

This past spring I spent a little time helping out Jim Wagner of Hanse Golf Course Design at French Creek Golf Club in Elverson, PA. I was there to assist in making a few changes to a number of bunkers mostly due to maintenance issues. This video shows the work that was done to the massive bunker that crosses the seventeenth hole, a medium length par three.

French Creek is truly a very unique course. Gil and Jim are not afraid to take chances in their routings and in building their courses. I have a few other French Creek videos that we will be rolling out soon.- W.S.

Finishing the first green at the Prairie Club

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