One of the Best gets Better!

[Steve Lapper]

   Last night, after a lengthy discussion with a fellow GCA'er, we both agreed 100% that the off-season tree removal and tee construction program at Friar's Head may have solved the near impossible age-old question:
 Can the great get greater?
 Can perfection be improved upon?
 Is it possible?

 The answer....YES!

  Significant tree removal, dunes baring, minor bunker creation and tee construction and segregation have throughly enhanced an already marvelous course. No longer do any trees exist between the 9th green and the 10th tees. The immediate effect is the influence of wind across the green and loose sand dunes lies to contend with for any pulled or hooked approach.

  Gone is the aiming tree behind the fourth green. Gone are the trees along the north side of the 16th fairway that often snafued any shot not perfectly placed on the south side of the short grass. That used to be my only question mark (albeit minor) anywhere on the course. Gone are the south tree lines shading the south side of the 17th green (Try hitting a high fade now into the prevailing wind!).

   Two new, and highly strategic, bunkers now guard the risk/reward approach on the 11th. These bunkers, unlike so many added capriciously at other layouts, are sound additions specifically designed to endanger an ugly, but effective (UBE) drawing worm burner or otherwise mis-hit shot that previously might have gone well rewarded. Both pits demand the player to rethink their second shots, yet still, wind-permiting, allow for a courageous eagle opportunity.

    A new back tee on 16 now adds ummphh and the segreation of several differing length boxes on 17 permit golfers of any ability some new distances and angles into this tiny one-shot gem.

   All-in-all, each and every one of these changes is an absolute net gain. This place just continues to produce outright awe on every step and every look on the property. It is truly deserved of nearly every accolade possible.

  IMHO...the best just got even better!

   

[Tom_Doak]

Maybe it wasn't perfect last year, if it could be so thoroughly improved?

[JDoyle]

Steve,

What is the status of the caddie program at FH?  Is there one?  Is it mainly kids off from school or is it staffed by "pro caddies" who migrate south in the winter and return to LI in the summer?  What is the walking policy?

Thanks for the update on the tree removal.  I am happy to hear that Ken was able to take some trees out without a 12 month approval process  .

[Steve Lapper]

Tom:

    Touche!

    I am, quite honestly, biased towards Friars Head. I find it already a classic among modern courses. I feel quite the same about Pacific Dunes as well. Both are no less than near perfect!

    Both feel like perfect creations of golf from their respective properties. Of course, perfection is an absolute that may quantatatively impossible to obtain but qualitatively available to the eye of the beholder. That's why I posed the post's text in question form. It's just my dumb opinion after all.

    Jonathan:

   The caddie program, as best I can tell is an open process that allows for both locals and any "pro's" interested in looping there. I can tell you I've never had a bad "A" caddie there and would be surprised, given Jim Kidd's influence for caddie education, to find many lesser caddies period.
    They have a new caddiemaster, Shane from nearby Atlantic, who seems to be enthusiastic and knowledgable. It is my impression that "pro" caddies who migrate from the warmer climes seem to prefer those kinds of clubs that son't "fix" the top end of pay for them and afford 2X loop possibilities often.

[Andy Silis]

Just played Friars Head last Wed. The caddies we had were a mini tour player ( he just shot the unofficial course record from the tips--67 ) who relocated from Florida to work on his game and a caddy who has been there from the beginning. Both were excellent. My caddy ( the mini tour player ) gave me perfect reads on the greens. I probably made 5 putts ranging from 6 feet to 35 feet due to his perfect read of the putts. Greens were running about 9 on the stimpmeter and that was about perfect given the marvelous undulations and slopes the greens at Friars Head contain. Anything much faster and the pinnable locations on the greens would shrink dramatically! These might have been the best set of greens I have ever played. The golf course is easily in my personal Top 10 and I have been fortunate to play many of the great courses in this country and abroad!! The only thing I would change is to have the scorecard list the yardages of the holes. I can see the reasoning: You play the hole at the par shown on the scorecard and the caddies give you the yardages and you are challenged to match or best the  listed par! However, I'm still a tradionalist when it comes to having the scorecard list the yardages. All the other great courses I have played have yardage posted! ( Believe me, this is a minor quibble at best. ) The caddies tell you the length of the hole from the tees you are playing when you get to that particular hole. They always (with the exception of the Par 3's ) preface the distance with the term "about"! Example: This par 4 is about 470. When I asked how long the course was from the tips ( which we played ) the answer was " about 7150 " There are no distance markers anywhere and the caddies carry a little red book that has the distances charted. They have a great Par 3 "short" course where there are no tees. You simply play the hole by dropping your ball on fairway turf. This allows you to place the ball on uneven lies if you wish and really helps you work on a variety of short game shots. Their practice facility is the best I have ever encountered. There are two greens with bunkering at the far end of the practice tee and you can turn around from the tee and hit pitch shots into the greens.-------------------- I will post more specific architectural thoughts and observations relative to the course when I have more time!--------One thing for sure: This was one of the truly memorable golfing experiences in my 35 years of  playing golf!!!-----Kudos and congratulations to Ken Bakst, Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw and everyone else associated with this marvelous golf course that is destined to be one of the true golfing gems of the world for the ages!!!!!!!

[JDoyle]

Steve,

A few years ago while out on the east end for a weekend I tried and loop a weekend in order to play Atlantic.  This strategy had worked on one of the neighboring courses the weekend before.  I met Shane and learned first hand of the expectations he has for his caddie program.  Although I was disappointed at not being able to see and play Atlantic I left with some respect for their caddie program and for the man who managed it.  I would hire Shane in a minute to run the caddie program at my club.  Glad to hear he ended up at FH.  Perhaps he becomes the Pat Collins of the east end.

[Steve Lapper]

Jon:

   I'm not sure you would want Shane to become Pat...that would then infer that graft, intimidation, and capriciousness would be his trademark...I worked for Pat in the 1970's and never forgot all the lessons I learned!

  Bill:

   I am being honest and stand by every word. If that reflects bias, so be it. That's a lot more honest than some of the other things said around this treehouse.

[TEPaul]

I don't think I'd say that removing some trees made Friar's Head better. Afterall what they used, the way they used it and what they built architecturally was all pretty much right there last year. Taking out some trees up in that dunes area just better exposed what was there last year. But I'm glad to hear they could and did remove some trees as my sense was telling me if they did that some environmentalist might have something to say about it. When you have ground that looks like that 450 or so yard band of dunes area at Friar's Head  does the best thing to do is expose it as much as possible or allowable!

[Donnie Beck]

I would also like to note that they have an outstanding maintenance crew. Superintendent Bill Jones and his assistant Chris Barnicoat do a fabulous job. They couldn't have found a better men for the job. My hats off to them!!! A 1st class operation from top to bottom.

[Tom_Doak]

Steve:

I didn't mean to pick on you, but the word "perfect" must retain some meaning.

All of those changes DO sound like improvements to an excellent golf course ... although for some reason I am not as enthusiastic about the 17th hole as most other observers.

[Steve Lapper]

Tom:

   I didn't take it as being "picked" on. I understand that " perfect" is an absolute and should retain some meaning, however, as we both know, the whole damn thing is totally subjective and thus interpretive. .

   What lends you to have less enthusiasm about the 17th? I find the respite offerred by a short, yet quite strategic with a very small green, hole amid the much longer back nine home stretch very welcome and enjoyable. Now that the trees no longer block the prevailing winds from severly influencing the tee shot, the hole gets significantly tougher in my book.


PS...I am scheduled to play there next (on the Open week) with an otherwise esteemed member of your field and will be keenly interested to hear his first-time evaluation. E-mail me if you want further details.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Steve Lapper,

I've always viewed Friar's Head in the context that, from the inception, it would continue to be a work in progress, subject to fine tuning.

I never, for one moment, thought that Ken would adopt a stagnant attitude, being content to leave the golf course in its original form for the rest of eternity.

If Donald Ross and CBM worked for many years at fine tuning their respective home golf courses, why would you expect anything less from Ken ?

Like the Constitution some golf courses need few amendments, but occassional fine tuning is a process that strives for perfection, to the extent it exists.

Tom Doak,

From the inception, I've felt the same way about # 17, but perhaps, over the years, fine tuning will enhance this hole as well.

[Steve Lapper]

Pat:

   Did I suggest Ken would be a stagnant or content custodian?

   Would I expect less from Ken? Probably never.

   Striving for perfection is an admirable, yet very difficult pursuit.


     Please explain WHY you "feel the same way" as Tom about the 17th?



   

[A_Clay_Man]

Didn't Pine Valley improve after it's innaugral season?

[Steve Lapper]

Adam...


   Nah, the joint never got any better!!


   Pat Mucci & Tom Doak:


     What about the 17th don't you like? Some specifics?

[Patrick_Mucci]

Steve Lapper,

I can only render my opinion, based on my perceptions, and, I really don't want to get too involved in specifics on this thread.

Please recall that I didn't say that # 17 was a bad hole, only that there was something about it that seemed out of context with the rest of the golf course.

When I first walked up to the tee on # 17 I received a different sense about the hole then I had on all of the others.
There was just an uncomfortable feeling.  It could have been the hill and woods behind the green, or the way the green was cut into the hill.

Perhaps I felt it was the last piece in a jigsaw puzzle that somehow didn't quite fit, and that it may have been forced into its alloted space.

TEPaul has mentioned how Crump faced a dilema in finishing the holes at PV, perhaps # 17 fits into the same category.

If you asked me to cite the holes I admired or really liked at Friar's Head, # 17 would probably be on the bottom of the list.
Now mind you, any time you evaluate 18 holes on a golf course, one hole will occupy that position.  It's a matter of relativity.

Tom Doak will have to speak for himself, but of all of the holes, # 17 had a different feel, to me, I felt confined, whereas I never received that vibe from any other holes.