I have seen re-do's where the earlier iteration of the golf course was already so good that the new work didn't really stand out, even if it was well done. I've seen others where the architect gets carried away and imposes his own vision even if it dramatically conflicts with the historical bona fides of the golf course. Nagle's work at Bryn Mawr is that rare beast of a restoration that takes a golf course that has casually, insidiously but seemingly purposely has become dull, tame and botanical-gardenlike and turned it into a good looking, fun AND challenging golf course. The old Bryn was dull, over-treed and easy. The new Bryn has teeth in the form of well placed (but not huge and yawning and impossible to get out of) bunkers that really define the look of every hole from the tee box. The positioning puts thoughts into a player's head about which option he wants to take off the tee, inviting risk and reward. There was also some green expansion and apparently a few that were made smaller, in both instances to the benefit of the experience.
Hat's off to Jim Nagle! Bryn is now back in the player's rotation in Chicagoland and, with its great proximity to downtown, I really think the club could see some positive changes in terms of membership. It's all good!
Now, I need some help with a photo tour. My buddy at Bryn has a bunch of photos that can be "drop-boxed" so we can get a fresh thread on the site and put this old one back to bed.