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Bill McKinley

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Old Memorial
« on: March 12, 2016, 02:13:45 PM »
Has anyone played there recently?  I'm going down to play there next week and I head they had Smyers in last summer for a renovation.  Curious to hear thoughts?


TIA
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2016 Highlights:  Streamsong Blue (3/17); Streamsong Red (3/17); Charles River Club (5/16); The Country Club - Brookline (5/17); Myopia Hunt Club (5/17); Fishers Island Club (5/18); Aronomink GC (10/16); Pine Valley GC (10/17); Somerset Hills CC (10/18)

Tommy Williamsen

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Re: Old Memorial
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2016, 05:50:37 PM »
I have a buddy that is a member. Evidently, Smyers, who is a member, did an extensive renovation. I spoke with him and loves what was done.
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Paul Carey

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Re: Old Memorial
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2016, 06:45:13 PM »
I will add more details when I have time but here is a quick summary.


The work was done to change the fairways to Celebration bermuda which allow the club to not overseed and have the course play much firmer as it was designed and to redo the bunkers which had settled over time.   All the greens were redone as a matter of course as needed after a number of years.  The golf course design changes were not dramatic but a number of changes were made. 


The noticeable changes were:


5th hole:  A bunker was added on the inside of the dogleg.
10th hole:  Left of the green is now below the green with some mounding making a shot left of the green a bit trickier up and down.
13th hole:  Bunker down the left side of the fairway is a bit larger but the entire landing area is now fairway with no rough.  It looks a lot more benign but a mound in the fairway on the left side is sort of diabolical.  A seemingly safe shot down the left that hits the mound seems to kick in the bunker left. I like that change a lot.
14th hole:  The bunker all the way down the right side off the tee shot was pushed back making the long hitters ability to blow it over the corner that much more difficult.  Also the fairway bunkers faces were raised a bit to make the tee shots more visually intimidating although really not any more difficult.
15th hole:  Fairways bunkers on the right were removed and trees planted.  Those bunkers were always damp as they sat very close to the water table.
!6th and 18th hole:  The palmetto underbrush has been thinned considerably so shots in the woods can now be found and played.
17th hole:  Green completely redone.  Front part of the green about the same but a new green area added long left behind the left bunker with a really cool "kick plate" to hit allow a player to use to get to the back left without flying a shot all the way to the hole.  I love this change.


Also some of the more severe slopes in the green have been softened for fast green speeds. 


The course is playing really firm and fast and the course has come in pretty well.  The ridiculous rains in Florida this summer caused some problems and the greens are spotty in a couple areas and not as fast as they typically play at OM. 
« Last Edit: March 12, 2016, 06:48:16 PM by Paul Carey »
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Bill McKinley

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Re: Old Memorial
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2016, 01:16:15 PM »
Sounds good.  Thanks for the insight.  I'm looking forward to seeing it!
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2016 Highlights:  Streamsong Blue (3/17); Streamsong Red (3/17); Charles River Club (5/16); The Country Club - Brookline (5/17); Myopia Hunt Club (5/17); Fishers Island Club (5/18); Aronomink GC (10/16); Pine Valley GC (10/17); Somerset Hills CC (10/18)

Bill Crane

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Re: Old Memorial
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2016, 12:50:02 PM »
Is this course as hard as indicated in the Confidential Guide?

Either way, it looks like a fun course to play.  Is the design interesting?

I will be in the area next Tuesday and may have to engineer a  game that AM before flying home.

Bill
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JMEvensky

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Re: Old Memorial
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2016, 02:08:01 PM »
Quote from: Bill Crane on March 14, 2016, 12:50:02 PM

Is this course as hard as indicated in the Confidential Guide?




No--harder.
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Bill Crane

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Re: Old Memorial
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2016, 02:41:16 PM »
Quote from: JMEvensky on March 14, 2016, 02:08:01 PM
Quote from: Bill Crane on March 14, 2016, 12:50:02 PM

Is this course as hard as indicated in the Confidential Guide?


No--harder.

But still fun or just ball wasting, unrelenting, especially if you are not scratch and on your game ?

Bill
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JMEvensky

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Re: Old Memorial
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2016, 05:02:41 PM »
Quote from: Bill Crane on March 14, 2016, 02:41:16 PM
Quote from: JMEvensky on March 14, 2016, 02:08:01 PM
Quote from: Bill Crane on March 14, 2016, 12:50:02 PM

Is this course as hard as indicated in the Confidential Guide?


No--harder.

But still fun or just ball wasting, unrelenting, especially if you are not scratch and on your game ?

Bill


Losing golf balls shouldn't be a problem. OM is just a difficult golf course. I think it requires a lot of very precise shots with difficult recoveries if you err.


I played 1 round with a 15 handicap who enjoyed it. Of course he shot 114--but he had a helluva lot of fun shooting it.
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Michael George

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Re: Old Memorial
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2016, 05:14:22 PM »
Bill:


I really enjoyed Old Memorial.  Really great place and course.   


It is a difficult golf course, but not overly hard, as long as your wedge and putter game are good.  The greens and surrounding fairway areas if you miss the green can be challenging. 


I played Concession GC the day before and Concession was much harder than Old Memorial.


You will enjoy it.  Great locker room.  Make sure you check it out after the round.









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Paul Carey

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Re: Old Memorial
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2016, 07:41:11 PM »
It is very difficult to lose a ball at OM.  It has as few forced carries as any course in Florida.  It is difficult but not because of lost balls or silly water hazards.  Also it plays very firm with almost every hole approachable from the ground.  The fairways are wide with minimal rough the winter.  Play the correct tees and it is fun.  If you are a10 and play the golf course at 6900 yards it is ridiculously hard....no 10 handicap should play a 6900 yard course.
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Ben Kodadek

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Re: Old Memorial
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2016, 09:10:08 AM »
Quote from: Michael George on March 14, 2016, 05:14:22 PM
Bill:
 

I played Concession GC the day before and Concession was much harder than Old Memorial.




You'd be hard pressed to find a course that is harder than Concesssion in this part of the state. 
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Carl Nichols

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Re: Old Memorial
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2016, 01:57:34 PM »
Old Memorial sounds to me a bit like Medalist across the state (which I've played only once, after what I understand was some work to soften it)--difficult but not preposterous course, great club and membership.  Is the comparison apt?
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