[Paul Jones]

Jim,


The photography is as great as the course.  I would not have recognized the course from those pictures.  I only played it once about 10 years ago and really enjoyed the experience. 


Thank You for sharing !!!

[Matt_Cohn]

Is/was there natural sand on the site?

Par 3 4th.

[Jim Hoak]

Matt--As to natural sand, the answer is yes.  The site was chosen specifically because of it being a sandy soil site, unlike most of the clay soil of Dallas.  That lead Buxton to imagining it as the "Pine Valley of the West," an impossible goal to attain, but it was seen as a leading course in Texas and the region of its time.
That soil also led to an odd assortment of trees--including some of the only evergreen trees I've seen in Dallas.  The minutes of Board meetings in the '20's and '30's were full of the Board receiving gifts of numerous trees which were planted without the input of Tillinghast.  Hopefully, the tree situation is now cleaned up for good.

[Lou_Duran]

Jim Hoak,


For clarification, the sand shown in the picture of #4 is not natural from the site, right?  Was this bunker complex created for aesthetic impact and/or to redirect the eye from adjacent commercial property?  Its effect, it seems to me, will be negligible for the good players, but a serious top-shot hazard for the higher handicap club golfer.  I am assuming that it is a bunker and not part of the General Area, though the color seems to have an earth tone than the white greenside bunkers.  Were most of the changes based on earlier versions of the course or a "re-imagining" of what Tillie might have done based on his large body of work?


Mike Beene,


I haven't tried those boards yet figuring that I have more than I can handle just walking and trying to play golf at the same time.  They do look like fun and I may take my host up next time we play TF if the weather is conducive.  I did hear that an area club, maybe Maridoe, has a motorcycle-like contraption (no appeal).  Rock Creek has a couple large GPS-guided walking carts that look interesting, though they're too balky and marketed to be part of the fleet. 

[Jim Hoak]

Lou, I don't know if I can answer all your questions exactly, but I'll give it a shot.  The sand in the waste area on #4, I'm sure, was added, not exactly natural.  The general site is very sandy--at least by Dallas standards, but I assume the sand was brought in.  I don't believe that the area will impact even the higher handicappers that much.  Foster was very generous with shorter tees.  It is a General Area waste area not a bunker.  The sand is definitely different than bunker sand.  And, definitely, the course was restored to what the architect and historian imagined was Tillinghast style, not an exact replica of what was there before..

[Lou_Duran]

Thanks Jim.  It makes sense that the earth tone sand is to be played as waste areas.  Makes the topped shot on 4 and 10 particularly precarious, though maybe a bit less penal than as bunkers.


One of my BH friends who attended the pre-opening party and toured a good part of the course tells me that the "renostoration" came out really well.  He is getting into golf architecture and is now reading my copy of "The Evangelist" (I'll loan him "Course Beautiful" and "Reminiscences" next). 


The new throwback "look" really appeals to him, and from the pictures, I bet that this alone will go a long ways toward separating BH from its closest peers.  I like Trinity Forest a lot not only because it plays much closer to a links than a north Texas parkland, but also due to its unique look.  I don't know how your superintendent is going to change his mowing and maintenance practices to preserve Foster's work, but I suspect that you all will figure things out.

[Jim Hoak]

Lou--Our new superintendent came from LACC and was at BH for the entire project.  Our former superintendent is still there and used the project to phase out to retirement.  Worked well.
As an aside, I am a fan of Trinity Forest too and playing it tomorrow in a member-guest.  It's a shame it didn't work out for the Byron Nelson due to logistics mainly, but the course remains a very unique (for DFW) and interesting course.

[mike_beene]

Did any of the pine trees make the cut?

[Jim Hoak]

I can’t recall, but I think they are all gone.  Good riddance!

[mike_beene]

I understand the pine tree sentiment. However, they were a nice reminder that the site is sandy. A rare site in these parts!

[Joey Chase]

I understand the pine tree sentiment. However, they were a nice reminder that the site is sandy. A rare site in these parts!

There are still a good number of Pines left in clusters throughout the course.

[Jim Hoak]

Not all that important, but I think the issue of “pines” on the course is a communication problem.  There are still a lot of what I’ve heard called, Loblolly Pines.  But what I was talking about being gone are evergreen pines, “Christmas trees.”  There were several of them, totally out of place in Texas, and they are now gone.

[Lou_Duran]

I like the idea of getting rid of trees not indigenous to the area, most of which turn out to be nuisances.


One of the great successes of the Nicklaus modernization of OSU's Scarlet course was the removal of hundreds if not thousands crabappple and spruce trees.  Not only did it open up the course for sunlight and airflow, but the wider views are attractive.


I'd be interested in hearing the feedback of BH's members on the removal of trees and geometric green patterns.  I know that the OSU upgrade was not universally popular, especially among the older members. 

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