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Rob Marshall

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Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #26 on: August 01, 2022, 09:07:53 AM »
Any update on when the course is going to open?
If life gives you limes, make margaritas.” Jimmy Buffett

Lou_Duran

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #27 on: August 01, 2022, 02:50:25 PM »
Curious as to the composition of the soil.  Sand with some gray clay?

Tim_Weiman

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Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #28 on: August 05, 2022, 08:39:50 AM »
Any update on when the course is going to open?
Rob,


I don’t know for sure, but am assuming both the Tree Farm and Old Barnwell are looking like fall next year.


Would be great to hear a better estimate if  someone knows.
Tim Weiman

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #29 on: August 05, 2022, 12:54:26 PM »
Any update on when the course is going to open?
Rob,


I don’t know for sure, but am assuming both the Tree Farm and Old Barnwell are looking like fall next year.


Would be great to hear a better estimate if  someone knows.


No idea when the "Official" tree Farm Opening is, BUT my guess would be some form of golf COULD be played there this fall. Most of it is grassed/sprigged(or about to be) and bermuda loves hot weather and water, and they're getting plenty of both.
Multiple pictures on Instagram show great progress-well worth a look.
https://www.instagram.com/treefarmgolf/

Obviously once we get to Octoberish the bermuda stops growing much and kind've in a growth holding pattern till late mid-April, but it really comes down to when Zac wants to present it to the world and in what state.No doubt a ton of work still do.
Heck, he's been hitting shots out there for well over a year ;)


Old Barnwell is a bit behind that.


As far as "preview play" it just depends upon one's definition.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2022, 09:44:41 PM by jeffwarne »
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Ben Malach

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Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #30 on: August 05, 2022, 04:38:38 PM »
I was at both sites over the 4th of July weekend. I think that the Tree Farm could see some early preview play like 6 holes in June of next year and have 18 open for preview play by October.


Old Barnwell is a little longer out and I wouldn't expect to play there till late '23 to mid '24. As of early last month, they didn't have any irrigation in the ground yet.
@benmalach on Instagram and Twitter

Tim_Weiman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #31 on: August 05, 2022, 09:38:55 PM »
I was at both sites over the 4th of July weekend. I think that the Tree Farm could see some early preview play like 6 holes in June of next year and have 18 open for preview play by October.


Old Barnwell is a little longer out and I wouldn't expect to play there till late '23 to mid '24. As of early last month, they didn't have any irrigation in the ground yet.
Ben,


Thanks for your input. I saw and toured Old Barnwell in June but have only seen drawings of The Tree Farm routing plan. Having seen both recently, would you say the routings are very different, in part due to a large difference in tree clearing?
Tim Weiman

Tim Leahy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #32 on: August 06, 2022, 05:16:24 AM »
Zac Blair is currently 10 under par in 5th place at the Korn Ferry event in Utah after 2 rounds. Looks like he may be able to put in few more bunkers with a high finish. Go get em, Zac. 8)
I love golf, the fightin irish, and beautiful women depending on the season and availability.

Don Mahaffey

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #33 on: August 06, 2022, 09:19:34 AM »
While I don’t have any inside info on when anyone will be playing golf at either new build, in the south it is common to play some golf in the late fall on turf planted in early - mid summer. 
In the last 5 years we’ve performed 3 builds in the south with Bermuda grass where golf was being played less than 12 months after starting the work.
I’ll be very surprised if some golf isn’t played later this year at The Tree Farm and I predict all 18 are in play by late spring/ early summer next year.

BHoover

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Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #34 on: August 06, 2022, 09:42:07 AM »
They’ve already been playing dirt golf at The Tree Farm for months now.

Don Mahaffey

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Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #35 on: August 06, 2022, 09:48:04 AM »
Yes, very familiar with dirt golf. I guess I should have stated “on grass”

Nick Schreiber

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Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #36 on: August 07, 2022, 08:14:15 PM »
I certainly can't speak for Zac and the team at the Tree Farm (who are several months ahead of us), but at Old Barnwell we're still on target for an opening in September of '23 of the first 18, the practice areas, and hopefully the kids course. Any major delays on our end are more likely to be related to the clubhouse and lodge, which are designed, but have not been submitted for approval.


Ben, I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you when you visited! Let me know next time you want a tour.

Tim_Weiman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #37 on: August 07, 2022, 11:59:42 PM »
I certainly can't speak for Zac and the team at the Tree Farm (who are several months ahead of us), but at Old Barnwell we're still on target for an opening in September of '23 of the first 18, the practice areas, and hopefully the kids course. Any major delays on our end are more likely to be related to the clubhouse and lodge, which are designed, but have not been submitted for approval.


Ben, I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you when you visited! Let me know next time you want a tour.
Nick,


I didn’t realize the kids course was on that schedule. Great to hear. Hope you and the team are all well.


Tim
Tim Weiman

Jim O’Kane

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #38 on: August 20, 2022, 01:37:50 PM »
Congratulations Zac on making your dream turn into reality.


That was a wildly entertaining history and update to what seems to be a wildly entertaining golf course.


I love the idea of two one-shotters to open and close the round.


I can hear my late Father on the first tee chirping in my ear about the format for our standard $5 Nassau bet and then after I turn over a long iron a bit too hard, proclaim, "Every shot makes somebody happy!"


Continued luck with the project sir. Being in Atlanta, I hope to be able to digest the fruits of your labor in Aiken some day.

Andrew Carr

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #39 on: September 13, 2022, 09:35:11 PM »

Dixie Cup sounds like fun!


My only golf visits to SC were Kiawah and two other courses in the Charleston area.  I would be happy to see more!

I'm excited for Zac and his partners. We've wished for a project like this for a long time.


I'm also excited that this project might finally get some of the GCA crowd to visit South Carolina!  ;)


Maybe Zac will work with us to resurrect the Dixie Cup and have a group of GCA'ers out for a visit. Our last Dixie Cup was May 2018. Would be nice to bring the event back in honor of Bill McBride. Would be awesome to pair up The Tree Farm and Old Barnwell sometime in '23.

Tim_Weiman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #40 on: September 14, 2022, 12:35:08 AM »

Dixie Cup sounds like fun!


My only golf visits to SC were Kiawah and two other courses in the Charleston area.  I would be happy to see more!

I'm excited for Zac and his partners. We've wished for a project like this for a long time.


I'm also excited that this project might finally get some of the GCA crowd to visit South Carolina!  ;)


Maybe Zac will work with us to resurrect the Dixie Cup and have a group of GCA'ers out for a visit. Our last Dixie Cup was May 2018. Would be nice to bring the event back in honor of Bill McBride. Would be awesome to pair up The Tree Farm and Old Barnwell sometime in '23.
Andrew,


I’m familiar with golf in Charleston. Back when Wild Dunes first opened, when there was just a trailer and no clubhouse, a couple friends and I purchased a couple condos as rental properties and enjoyed spending time there off season. Off course, damage from Hurricane Hugo wasn’t fun, but Charleston was a pretty cool place both to golf and party.


Aiken is a different place, much smaller and very charming in my opinion. No doubt it has also become a hot spot for golf with The Tree Farm and Old Barnwell joining Aiken Golf Club (a really good muni), the Chalkmine (a very cool looking 9 hole course), Sage Valley (a Fazio Augusta knock off) and Palmetto Golf Club (designed by Alister Mackenzie as a side job during the Augusta National project).


Aiken will be well worth spending a week, especially if you can find your way onto each of these courses. I don’t think you will find them repetitive. To the contrary will will find that the courses and the clubs each has their own character.
Tim Weiman

Rob Marshall

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #41 on: December 10, 2022, 02:08:40 PM »
I've seen some of Zac's recent twitter pictures and the course looks terrific. I know some here have played it and would love to hear some first hand comments.


Private I assume?
If life gives you limes, make margaritas.” Jimmy Buffett

Anthony_Nysse

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Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #42 on: December 10, 2022, 04:29:46 PM »
I've seen some of Zac's recent twitter pictures and the course looks terrific. I know some here have played it and would love to hear some first hand comments.


Private I assume?


I had a chance to walk all 18 holes of both Tree Farm & Old Barnwell last week with their Superintendents. Fun factor all over both courses, bold shaping & contouring & will push out several of the better courses in SC in on the Top 25 lists. It's easier for me to discuss Tree Farm because it's essentially completed. It's a BIG course with really cool details & touches all over. That is truly a passion project of Zac & Kye Golby knocked it out of the park.


Old Barnwell's contouring is BOLD, but not jarring. Green contouring will ensure some unique putts 7 days a week; some really cool pockets. They are clearing holes #6-#16 right now, really good piece of land.


I think that Tree Farm & Old Barnwell are shooting for slightly different clientele, which should make both courses very successful.
Anthony J. Nysse
Director of Golf Courses & Grounds
Apogee Club
Hobe Sound, FL

John_Cullum

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #43 on: December 11, 2022, 09:47:19 PM »

Private I assume?

I think that Tree Farm & Old Barnwell are shooting for slightly different clientele, which should make both courses very successful.




SLIGHTLY different? ???
Raynor was a hack

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #44 on: December 13, 2022, 08:05:18 PM »
I was at both sites over the 4th of July weekend. I think that the Tree Farm could see some early preview play like 6 holes in June of next year and have 18 open for preview play by October.


Old Barnwell is a little longer out and I wouldn't expect to play there till late '23 to mid '24. As of early last month, they didn't have any irrigation in the ground yet.



The Tree Farm had its Founders meeting Oct 21st and all 18 holes were played by several groups(I did not play but walked the course as I have many times). The playing surfaces were immaculate.
I played it Thanksgiving Day and the turf was particularly crispy.
There is still plenty of work to do and they are restoring/enhancing the off fairway aesthetics, but when I played Thanksgiving my son and I never moved our ball and both played the round with one ball each.
We've had a ton of rain(7 of 8 days) and I walked/toured it with friends yesterday-wet in select low spots but very well drained given the low temps, lack of sun and volume of water.
The Tree Farm begins member and guest limited play March 1, but would be highly playable at the moment.


I played the 7 preview play holes at Old Barnwell Saturday.
They began planting later and are northern grasses to facilitate immediate play and stabilize the shaped soil
The other 11 are cleared and are in various stages of root grubbing, earth moving and shaping.
All 18 will be fully grassed or re-grassed with the permanent bermuda come late spring-presumably a fall '23 opening.
I won't draw comparisons due to the fact Old Barnwell is about 6 months behind and only has 7 holes grassed at the moment, but I will say both are OUTSTANDING pieces of land and are very different in feel and appearance, both are rolling topography with mostly sandy soil. Both routings are exciting and full of variety, choices and fun.


There are plenty of Instagram photos of both that can whet your appetite better than anything I can type.


https://twitter.com/bschneider126/status/1602797561638707203/photo/3

https://twitter.com/z_blair



Aiken County is VERY blessed to have such fine additions.
« Last Edit: December 13, 2022, 08:40:23 PM by jeffwarne »
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Edward Glidewell

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #45 on: December 13, 2022, 11:55:03 PM »
The photos of both courses look absolutely fantastic. I hope I'll be able to get out to at least one of them at some point since it's only a few hours away.

Stewart Abramson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #46 on: December 14, 2022, 02:04:09 PM »

There are plenty of Instagram photos of both that can whet your appetite better than anything I can type.


https://twitter.com/bschneider126/status/1602797561638707203/photo/3

https://twitter.com/z_blair




Darn, the price just jumped 20% ;D

Ronald Montesano

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #47 on: December 14, 2022, 09:08:12 PM »
https://twitter.com/bschneider126/status/1602797561638707203/photo/3

https://twitter.com/z_blair

Translation of tiny type. Love that he calls them Instagram photos, when they are twitter accounts ;) 
« Last Edit: December 14, 2022, 09:11:08 PM by Ronald Montesano »
Coming in August 2023
~Manakiki
~OSU Scarlet
~OSU Grey
~NCR South
~Springfield
~Columbus
~Lake Forest (OH)
~Sleepy Hollow (OH)

Tim_Weiman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #48 on: December 15, 2022, 03:40:58 PM »
I was at both sites over the 4th of July weekend. I think that the Tree Farm could see some early preview play like 6 holes in June of next year and have 18 open for preview play by October.


Old Barnwell is a little longer out and I wouldn't expect to play there till late '23 to mid '24. As of early last month, they didn't have any irrigation in the ground yet.



The Tree Farm had its Founders meeting Oct 21st and all 18 holes were played by several groups(I did not play but walked the course as I have many times). The playing surfaces were immaculate.
I played it Thanksgiving Day and the turf was particularly crispy.
There is still plenty of work to do and they are restoring/enhancing the off fairway aesthetics, but when I played Thanksgiving my son and I never moved our ball and both played the round with one ball each.
We've had a ton of rain(7 of 8 days) and I walked/toured it with friends yesterday-wet in select low spots but very well drained given the low temps, lack of sun and volume of water.
The Tree Farm begins member and guest limited play March 1, but would be highly playable at the moment.


I played the 7 preview play holes at Old Barnwell Saturday.
They began planting later and are northern grasses to facilitate immediate play and stabilize the shaped soil
The other 11 are cleared and are in various stages of root grubbing, earth moving and shaping.
All 18 will be fully grassed or re-grassed with the permanent bermuda come late spring-presumably a fall '23 opening.
I won't draw comparisons due to the fact Old Barnwell is about 6 months behind and only has 7 holes grassed at the moment, but I will say both are OUTSTANDING pieces of land and are very different in feel and appearance, both are rolling topography with mostly sandy soil. Both routings are exciting and full of variety, choices and fun.


There are plenty of Instagram photos of both that can whet your appetite better than anything I can type.


https://twitter.com/bschneider126/status/1602797561638707203/photo/3

https://twitter.com/z_blair



Aiken County is VERY blessed to have such fine additions.
Jeff,


Thanks for comments about The Tree Farm and Old Barnwell. Years ago one of the things I appreciated about Ballybunion was the tradition of exchange days with nearby clubs, something that was common in Irish golf.


It feels like Zac and Nick would benefit their respective members and the Aiken community by establishing such a tradition with their clubs, perhaps an alternating spring and fall exchange day.


Just a thought!
Tim Weiman

Buck Wolter

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Tree Farm Update
« Reply #49 on: December 16, 2022, 05:30:55 PM »
You can bid on rounds to both The Tree Farm (with Zac) and Old Barnwell on the fundraiser for The National Links Trust


The National Links Trust Holiday Auction | 32auctions
Those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience -- CS Lewis

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