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jim_lewis

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Another award for Richard Mandell
« on: December 19, 2014, 03:05:45 PM »
Hot off the press. Our local paper, "The Pilot", that is. Golf Magazine has recognized Richard for the "Best U.S. Municipal Renovation of 2014" for his work on the Keller Golf Course outside of Minneapolis. The link below tells the story.

http://www.thepilot.com

Jim
"Crusty"  Jim
Freelance Curmudgeon

Dan Kelly

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2014, 03:07:56 PM »
Well deserved.

And still only $40 a round!

Score one for Affordable Golf.

Dan
"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

RJ_Daley

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2014, 03:17:53 PM »
Yes!  A hearty congratulations to all concerned in the process.  It is a model of municipal commitment to provide quality recreation to their citezens at affordable prices.  Something I deeply believe in as good public policy.  Whether that goes for golf courses, tennis courts, ball fields or outdoor performing arts venues.  Richard did a wonderful job.
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Scott Macpherson

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2014, 04:11:41 PM »
I am really pleased for Richard. This is good news. He wrote a really good book on Pinehurst in 2007, and generally flies below the golf publicity radar. I am always delighted when talented but lesser known architects do a good job and get the recognition. Well done Richard.

Scott

Adam Lawrence

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2014, 04:12:32 PM »
Bravo Rich. One of the good guys.
Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

PCCraig

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2014, 04:13:00 PM »
Hot off the press. Our local paper, "The Pilot", that is. Golf Magazine has recognized Richard for the "Best U.S. Municipal Renovation of 2014" for his work on the Keller Golf Course outside of Minneapolis. The link below tells the story.

http://www.thepilot.com

Jim


Hey Jim,

Technically Keller is just outside of Saint Paul. Minneapolis is an entirely different city, as different as North and South Carolina. :)
H.P.S.

Tim Liddy

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2014, 05:11:50 PM »
One of the hardest working guys in golf. Congratulations - well deserved.

Dan Kelly

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2014, 05:39:35 PM »
Minneapolis is an entirely different city, as different as North and South Carolina. :)

More like North and South Korea. (As always, emoticons dangerously omitted.)
« Last Edit: December 19, 2014, 06:13:15 PM by Dan Kelly »
"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

Paul Gray

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2014, 05:44:50 PM »
What a lovely feel good story. This is what it's all about.  Very nice to hear.
In the places where golf cuts through pretension and elitism, it thrives and will continue to thrive because the simple virtues of the game and its attendant culture are allowed to be most apparent. - Tim Gavrich

Dan Kelly

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #9 on: December 19, 2014, 06:19:37 PM »
I particularly enjoyed this passage from the article -- in part because, in the first part, we Minnesota GCAers are included (I think), and in part because, in the second part, Rich lays out a very interesting philosophy for his craft:

“I was shocked and impressed, throughout this process, at how passionate Minnesota golfers are. It rivals anything we’ve got in Moore County.”

Mandell, principal at Richard Mandell Golf Architecture in Pinehurst, emerged from 19 bidders and five finalists to secure the $4.1 million renovation of the county-owner course northeast of the Twin Cities.

“I do walk-throughs with golfers and staff before I put pencil to paper,” he said. “I can always come up with what I think is best for the golf course. But that’s not necessarily what is best for the golfers. They don’t want you to screw up their golf course.”

Rich --

I'd be curious to know: What was different between (a) what you thought was best for the golf course, and (b) what was best for Keller's golfers? What would you have done that would have, in their eyes, screwed up their golf course?

In other words: What would you have done differently, given the golf course you found two years ago, had you not listened to anyone else's views?

Dan
"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

Mike_Young

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #10 on: December 19, 2014, 06:32:34 PM »
Congratulations Rich...
"just standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona"

Joe_Tucholski

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #11 on: December 19, 2014, 11:37:51 PM »
I enjoy Rich's books, but the sponsor a highway sign right next to the roundabout in Pinehurst between the hotel and the clubhouse brings a huge smile to my face every time I visit the area.

Richard_Mandell

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #12 on: December 20, 2014, 09:14:57 AM »
Thanks guys for all the nice comments, particularly the adopt a highway recognition (14 years and counting, picking up trash four times a year).  Who says I'm under the publicity radar with that golden stretch of clean road!

Dan,

I love the question. If I never spoke to a soul at Keller, I may have still been inclined to keep the tree on four. Not because I think a 100 foot tall tree between the tee and green on a 150 yard hole is a good idea (I don't), but by its very presence,it is obviously an icon.  That said, the tree on 17 would have come crashing down on day 1.

The other thing I may have done is add grass hollows and swales and have less mounds.  I tend toward those features in my design (I like to think of myself as more of a cut guy than a fill guy) but they were not part of the Keller look when I got there.

Other than that, I don't think I would have done much differently, mostly because in all the discussions I have with players, few come up with very specific, "We need a mound here or a bunker there" comments.  Instead, it is more broad based about the character of the course, playability, etc.  What golfers think works or doesn't work.  When you meet with a cross-section of golfers, the big things come to the surface and you ignore most of the little things or off the wall ideas (such as s par three should be a dogleg, for example). 

We did do some major things out there such as the bunkers in the fairways on two and twelve (features that I know are close to your heart, Dan) and changing nine and ten from a par 5 & 4 to a par 4 & 5.

I don't come to a project with pre-conceived notions so I can't even hypothetically think of other things I would change other than the swales and mounds.  In fact, golfers get frustrated on these walk-throughs because they want to pick my brain as to what I am thinking, and I constantly am telling them I have no ideas, yet.

Thanks again for the thoughts to everyone and keep the questions coming.  I may not be able to respond until later today because I have two kids basketball games to coach sandwiched around a book signing at the Country Bookshop in Southern Pines (for any locals who want to come out).  I was worried how I could mention the new book when I saw Scott's comment, but luckily this seque worked out.  Scott, the new version is called The Legendary Evolution of Pinehurst. There is a thread somewhere a few pages back on a December sale, by the way.

Dan Kelly

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #13 on: December 20, 2014, 07:53:32 PM »
I love the question. If I never spoke to a soul at Keller, I may have still been inclined to keep the tree on four. Not because I think a 100 foot tall tree between the tee and green on a 150 yard hole is a good idea (I don't), but by its very presence,it is obviously an icon.  That said, the tree on 17 would have come crashing down on day 1.

....
We did do some major things out there such as the bunkers in the fairways on two and twelve (features that I know are close to your heart, Dan) and changing nine and ten from a par 5 & 4 to a par 4 & 5.


Rich --

I would have been more than willing to help you cart away that tree on 17.

As for 9 & 10: Two HUGE improvements to the golf course, in my opinion. It's those holes I'm most looking forward to playing a second time, in the spring.

DK
"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

Richard_Mandell

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #14 on: December 21, 2014, 01:49:52 PM »
Dan,

The impetus for changing those holes started with the fact that both 9 and 18 greens were so close to each other. From a safety standpoint, it made sense to shorten nine (moving the green closer to the tee) and moving eighteen green closer to the clubhouse.  The latter move worked well with the County's desire that the clubhouse dining overlook that green a bit now that I moved the old practice green to in front of the pro shop. 

The practice green re-location worked perfectly with these other moves as it really gives a nice location for the golf pro to mingle with the golfers and keep that old time feel that we have lost in modern architecture.  That feel being the interaction of the professional staff and the golfers away from a big clubhouse.  To me, keeping a separate pro shop was one of the major factors in not losing the Keller character.  I may have stepped over my bounds slightly early in planning when I urged the county to consider a separate building away from the clubhouse as it was prior to the renovation. But thankfully they agreed and it worked out.

Back to nine and ten's par switch. I am glad the committee and county were both open to not having even par nines (36-36) but it took some convincing.  Another aspect of modern design is this need for symmetrical nines and a par of 72 at the sacrifice of great design.  Luckily, that wasn't the case at Keller and sharing those ideas in the walk-throughs with golfers and staff sped up everyone's acceptance of the idea. 

Nine green seems to be one of the more popular greens out there, which slightly surprised me, and ten from the top of the hill to the green is my favorite spot on the entire golf course.

Steve Okula

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #15 on: December 21, 2014, 03:11:51 PM »
Minneapolis is an entirely different city, as different as North and South Carolina. :)

More like North and South Korea. (As always, emoticons dangerously omitted.)

Or like Miami and Havana.
The small wheel turns by the fire and rod,
the big wheel turns by the grace of God.

Steve Okula

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #16 on: December 21, 2014, 03:14:36 PM »
Richard,

Congratulations.

In 1990, were you working for Dan Maples at the Elizabeth City N.C. project now known, I believe, as Albemarle Plantation? If so, we've met as I spent a few months working on that site as well.
The small wheel turns by the fire and rod,
the big wheel turns by the grace of God.

Richard_Mandell

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #17 on: December 22, 2014, 04:35:09 PM »
Steve,

I did work on that project. It is called The Sound Golf Links and I haven't been back there since.  What did you do out there?

Steve Okula

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Re: Another award for Richard Mandell
« Reply #18 on: December 23, 2014, 11:22:58 AM »
Steve,

I did work on that project. It is called The Sound Golf Links and I haven't been back there since.  What did you do out there?

I was hired to be the superintendent, but only stayed a few months before I left for another job, one without so many horse flies. I remember they were awful there.
The small wheel turns by the fire and rod,
the big wheel turns by the grace of God.

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