Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Mark_F on December 18, 2002, 10:39:18 PM
-
Has there been a case of a club totally bollocksing up a supposed improvement to a hole or holes, and then returning it back to its former self if the supposed improvement isn't?
For instance, there always seems to be a lot of talk about Commonwealth ruining its old first hole. If general opinion is that the new holes isn't as good, why not change back?
-
Meadow Club, MacKenzie's first design in America, is undergoing a pure restoration. In some cases the holes were altered on purpose, but others had deteriated by age. Courses are like humans, they change over time, and usually the change is not desireable. Mike DeVries is helping with the restoration. 9 holes are finished with 9 left to go.
Mike and Dave Sexton developed a method of restoring green surface (70% poa), sometimes adding as much as 5,500 sq/ft and playing it immediately. Green height is cut to existing levels in 5 weeks, and additions can't be distiguished from existing by the next year.
The results are stunning. The restored holes look better, play better, are harder, especially for the low handicaper, and offer many different shot options aroung the greens. (Kind of sounds like MacKenzie, dosn't it?"
-
Makes me think of the resto done at Cal club.
I would wonder if there ever was/is a club that made the mistake of renovating and realized it immediatly and then had the cajones or lack of ego, to correct the mistakes right away.
-
nels,
Can you provide any details on the method for restoring the green surface?
Email me off-thread if you'd like.
-
Aronimink, in suburban Phila., is the best example.
In the early 1990s, RTJ, Sr. and Roger Rulewich orchestrated a major "modernization" effort. By 1995, Ron Prichard had been hired by the club to devise a restoration plan. Prichard's efforts, recently completed, have restored the integrity of Ross' original, mid 1920s design.
-
Jeff- Do you have any idea how the RTJ sr-Rulewich plan was presented to the membership? was it supposed to be a moderization? improvement? renovation? or the famous Rulewich restoration as seen at Yale? In the words of Pat M "what was the mission statement" of this plan.
-
nels,
Meadow Club is not a "pure" restoration. Mike is making some modifications to reflect Mackenzie's intent. One example I know of as a fact is the fairway bunker on the right side of #1 fairway is further out off the tee than the original.
The work Mike has done thus far has been outstanding and very well-received from what I've seen and heard.
-
Good news at MPCC Dunes Course. The Committee and architect of it's redo have agreed to the reintroduction of back tee for the eleventh hole. This is the one that was immediately back of the tenth hole and reqires a drive over the dunes.
This was not a Raynor original, but was built by John/Bob Zoller some fifteen or so years ago.
-
That is good news, Bob. It was a fun shot from there... bite off as much as you can chew sort of thing. And gee, new back tee means re-rate... I know a few other NCGA folks who will be happy to hear about this for next summer!
TH
ps - just kidding re re-rate. NCGA can easily give adjusted rating just based on added distance if the club desires. Of course to get it exactly right... well... it is a different angle... ;)
-
Tom:
Believe it or not, I do believe it is a shorter shot over the dunes.
-
Corey,
The Trent Jones/Rulewich work at Aronimink was done in "preparation" for an early 1990s PGA Championship that never happened (1993 pops into my head?). For some reason I can't recall, the tournament ended up being taken away from Aronimink after the club had originally been awarded the event, and after the "modernization" of the course was completed.
It seems the work of Trent Jones and Rulewich was the basic "toughen up the course for the pros" type of stuff, ie. removing short bunkers and adding some new ones at 260-290 yards off the tee, repeatedly; narrowing fairways; adding new "back tees"; etc.