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Without a visual cue

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Mike_Cirba:
Had the real pleasure of playing Plainfield today, and was struck by the 10th hole.  From the tee, the shot is distinctly downhill, yet one can only aim at points on the horizon.You see, a ridge about 100 yards out blocks any view of the fairway below.  Thinking of Tom Fazio's book, it occurred to me that this is the sort of thing that he may have been thinking when he speaks of the value of earth-moving equipment.  Knowing his (and other modern designers) penchant for "visibility" and "framing", I'm sure they would have opted for the more picturesque downhill view of the whole fairway, and would have removed the unsightly ridge without a second thought.  However, there is a real value to such a blind ridge.  If one was able to see everything below, psychologically the tee shot would be so much easier.  As it is, the ridge creates just enough uncertainty to give pause.  The tee shot is all the more thrilling because of this simple feature of leaving well enough alone...focusing on the golf aspects rather than the scenery aspects.It made me wonder what Fazio would do to Plainfield if called in to "restore" the course.  There are a number of blind and semi-blind shots, and I can't imagine that his modern tastes would stand for them very well.  After all, how "fair" is seeing just the top half of a flagstick on a green with a false-front?  Thankfully, Gil Hanse is doing the work out there and is remaining true to Ross's wonderful vision.  

Edward Scissorhands:
I love the barberpoles in the fairways at my course at the 150 markers, they keep me focused on my round, not on my cell phone, cigar, beers, cartgirl, pager, gps yardage guide, bushnells,......I'm trying to get them to put them in at 100 and 200 as well
maybe you should suggest Plainfield do that as well, the course sounds boring, who would want to play on a plain field? :> )

Joel_Stewart:
Mike:
Considering Fazio is a board member at Pine Valley I'm surprised he hasn't asked them to bulldoze the green on #2, the hill on the 4th, etc, etc.Imagine if he got his hands on the 10th at Shinnecock.

jim_lewis:
If I am ever accused of a crime, I hope you guys are not on the jury.  You would not only judge a guy for things he has done, but you would also invent or imagine things that he might do in the future and convict him of those too.

Mike_Cirba:
Jim,In playing the 10th hole, it occurred to me that the hole would probably never be built today, even at a private club.  The reason I mentioned Tom Fazio is because as I was walking from the tee, looking at the ridge, the words he wrote about the positive benefits of eliminating such natural, but blind features jumped to mind.Couple that with his tendency towards visual cues and creating lovely views, his new penchant for "restoration" work, and I'd ask you, Jim;  isn't that the type of feature that he would eliminate given his druthers?  I'm not saying that many other modern-day architects wouldn't do the same.  However, I can't recall too many others who have railed against the overrated golden agers and their use of natural features.  

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