Easthampton, Tallgrass and Stonebridge?

[Geoff_Shackelford]

Seeing Mark's post on The Architects Club reminded me of some other new stuff last fall and how little discussion there has been of the three new Long Island gems. Perhaps the understandable access problem is the case with Easthampton, and people not knowing about Tallgrass or Stonebridge, but I was impressed with all three last fall and was looking forward to hearing what people thought after playing them this summer.

Easthampton's back nine is incredible, particularly the bunker construction, which is arguably as awe inspiring as anything done in the last 30 years (the Pine Valley waste areas on the front are pretty awesome too). Tallgrass has two short par-4's by Gil and Rodney that are definitely full of character with plenty of other interesting par-3's to talk about as well. George Bahto's Stonebridge greens are out of this world, and I'm wondering how they are going over with the golfers and if they are being kept at the right pace (they were growing in and 6-7 the day I was there, should not get faster than 8!). George's short par-4 sixth with its Principle's Nose right where you want to hit it looked to be a classic short two shotter in the making. Sure the course is tight and their are homes, etc...but it has so much character.

[Mark_Fine]

Geoff,
Sorry to say I haven't had time (yet) to go play any of those you mentioned.  You'll be happy to know that about a dozen of your Golden Age of Golf Course Design books were handed out at The Architects Club as gifts to those who participated in the project.  Ron and Stephen both praised the book to the 120 or so from the media,...etc who were present.  

[aclayman]

Geoff-
I wonder if your surprise that nobody has either played or commented on these courses is a reflection of those NGF numbers showing a possible saturation of the market?

P.S.
Your name came up today in our 2 o'clock game. Ron M. from Pebble's antiquity shop was lamenting not having talked to you in awhile.  

[TEPaul]

"(Easthampton's back nine is incredible), particularly the bunker construction, which is arguably as awe inspiring as anything done in the last 30 years (the Pine Valley waste areas on the front are pretty awesome too)"   GeoffShac.

That's a big statement but I believe it's true. Even more specifically the bunkering to the left of the fairway on #11 and the bunkering to the left of the fairway on #14 (to look at this bunkering from the tee will make you want to paint a picture!). The way these bunkers are constructed as well as the natural grasses and the way the bunkers are perfectly situated into the ground is as good as can be found.

I did play Easthampton about a year ago and the few more times I've been out that way I have gotten up early, gone and got some coffee, parked my car along side #11, walked through the hedge onto the course and just stared at those bunkers mentioned above for a while--they are that good.

I certainly will make a special effort to go see Tallgrass and Stonebridge too.

The bunkers across the fairway on #9 Inniscrone are worth studying too, if you're into really good and well situated bunkers and there are a number of extraordinary bunkers sprinkled around Applebrook too.

All the bunkers mentioned are a bit of a particular type but regardless, Geoff is correct they are as awe inspiring as can be found. When he says "as awe inspiring as any done in the last 30 years", I'd like to know which those are that were done 30 years ago that are as awe inpiring.

Some others that should be mentioned for their creativity and naturalness-plenty of them on Pacific Dunes, particularly those fronting #10. Somebody had to convince me those ones really were not nature!

The all time best bunker I've ever seen? The bunker flanking the approach to #13 Pine Valley. In the spring it is as rugged and pretty as I've ever seen bunkering with the flowering whatever throughout it. This one is not only one of the best looking I've ever seen it is also as strategically well placed and functional as I've ever seen.

[NAF]

Geoff,

I played Tallgrass 2 weeks ago and put up a pretty lengthy review if you go back on the site and look for it...I liked it a lot but my playing partners preferred LI national, to each their own, I guess...The short par 4s at Tallgrass, #6,#10 and #12 are a lot of fun to play and I drove 2 of them...which makes for a happy round

[Neal_Meagher]

When playing at Stonebridge just a few weeks ago with Gib, we were both just stunned by the *alls shown by Mr. Bahto in regard to the green construction.  They still seem to be running about at no more than 7 but that is fine.  If the intention is to infuse the modern-day golfer with a sense of the way greens used to be, then it is a rousing success, in large part because of the, relatively speaking, slowness of the surfaces.

In many cases one must fairly rap the ball to advance it toward the hole, which is a real treat for the modern-day player who has become used to just tapping a 25' putt.  Succinctly put, it was a pleasure to play because of its very differentness.

Of course the thing that makes it fly is the relative shortness of the course which places a premium on the approaches to the greens which are the highlight of the course.

Why can't we see more of this sort of energy expended on new courses?  Just unbridled joy expressed in something as mundane as a green surface.