Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
The land indeed should dictate the routing if not you run the risk of excessive ground work that drives up the cost of construction.
Golf needs to be affordable and that starts with construction.Totally agree Ben. The fact that they are not even out front and visible anymore makes them a forgotten option.
Having a routing return home multiple times in a round is ideal for purchasing beverages and sandwiches plus it makes shorter loops easier for kids, Seniors or any one in a time crunch…. but you can’t fight the given land and that is most important when laying out golf holes….. find the best golf holes and have them work in close proximity to each other.
Two 9-hole courses
Iron River CC on the UP/Wisconsin border. A Langford/Moreau course.
Plum Lake in Northern Wisconsin. I need to play so I can check out the punch bowl 4th hole.Mammoth Dunes- played 6-holes before it was complete. Need to go play the other 12 holes.
Harbor Point- Northern Lower Mi. I plan on getting my boys down there to play in the fall.
Variety is the spice of life and that is true with the elements of golf architecture especially bunkers. Visible from the tee or not visible both have their place and can make situations interesting dictating thought before a golf shot.
Unfortunately most places have to climb in the rafters to find trolleys and spray the dust off them before you can use it.
My kids all have their own tuggers that we travel with because most places don’t have them available.
When I started working in a Proshop in the early 90’s as a youth trolleys were the first thing we got out in the morning. Tuggers were the primary need for seniors that Played early….. Carts were used for shotgun start outings.
Things have changed dramatically.Spot on Melvyn! Courses that are build within the given environment are so much easier on the eye and give a subliminal sense of inner peace. Everything seems at ease while you walk the ground with your clubs; these facilities also tend to be the most environmentally and economically sustainable courses.
Irrigation systems are not the problem but the expectations of wall to wall green year round is the problem. Courses have natural cycles based on the season but those are eliminated with excessive water use during dry times. Golf needs to embrace seasonal cyclical changes of the playing surfaces and learn to play them all.
Cart traffic has indeed changed the playing fields and the mindset of golf in America over the last 30 years. Carts should be utilized by those that need them but others should enjoy the walk.Messed them up indeed!
There was little knowledge or appreciation for original design intent during the dark ages of golf. Unlike today the information and education just did not exist.
Overwatering was the easy thing to do after modern double row irrigation systems started to get installed. Green fever year round!!
Trees were over planted and put in poor locations and now 50 years (+-) later they are really damaging the turf and the design/playability.
Fairways were shrunk in width to mimic the silly PGA tour trend of protecting par and making the course harder; eliminating angles and land features put in place by the original course router.
Cart paths became more important than site lines because a wet day without golf carts became a day without golf.Knowledge is power and with it we are Seeing a resurgence in the health values of the game and design intent restored; we are even witnessing some places embrace the natural seasonal fluctuations in turf conditions!!
It starts with education so Club pros and Supers need to lead the charge and help their members and players understand the truth.Not sure why one would cartball it while preparing for a 4 round tournament…. seems like walking during prep rounds would help especially going into Sunday.
Turf conditions are learned most while walking the land and feeling it below your feet. Always helps me manage my game during a round plus it helps me make Managememt decisions to the turf.
Recently….
Sand Valley
Kingsley Club
MGCNothing better than feeling the ground and inspecting the turf below as you walk to your ball strategizing your next strike.
Ross was indeed a master router.
A major focal point in the Ross design days was walking, as carts were not a part of our great game yet. It was a priority to have an easy flow and transition from tee to green. Unfortunately Design pulled away from this for years as carts began to dominate the links landscape. It is refreshing to see a resurgence in tee to green flow…. it should always be a priority so the game can stay healthful.
