I didn't want to bring John Conley's "Best course you've never heard of" thread back to the top, because it got sidetracked by a discussion about an apparently fictitious course in Georgia. But I did want to repost some of the pictures and discuss the experience Dan Kelly and I had at Eau Claire Country Club this past Saturday.
First, a reposting of a few of the photos, starting with what used to be the 7th hole, and is now #11:
#6 (formerly #13), a really, really cool 135-yard par 3:
#7 (formerly #14), a bear of a 449-yard par 4:
And the home hole, the new #18, formerly #4 (picture a modern clubhouse on the top of the hill behind the green, rather than trees -- that's how it looks now):
In the earlier thread -- initiated in 2002 -- John raved about the course, which was designed by Tom Vardon and Charles H. Ramsdell in 1928. He also said the course was about to be rerouted and the clubhouse moved to the other end of the course. To quote John from that thread:
"Personally, I have no qualms with the changes that have been made or those just starting. However, some purists will no doubt object to them and clamor for a total restoration to the original Vardon design, even though I've never heard anyone singing the praises of Vardon like they may for Ross or Raynor."Count me as a purist. I wish I had had a chance to play this course before the clubhouse was moved. We began our round on the old #6, which is now #10 (the first tee is at the bottom of hill from the clubhhouse, a full driver from the pro shop. As you look at the photo of the uphill #4 -- the current #18 -- the tee for the first hole would be behind you.)
I liked the course immediately, but I fell in love with it when we reached old clubhouse and saw what a perfect, spectacular opening hole they once had. Now it's hole #15, and a great deal of its impact has been muted, even though the hole itself is still terrific. Even more of its special, opening-hole character will be lost when the old clubhouse is torn down and an office complex rises in its place.
I was consistently impressed, and sometimes awed, by the flow of the course, the astute use of hills and valleys for tees and green sites and the minimal need for bunkers. I also agree with John that some of the holes have too many trees -- particularly the new 17 and 18, both of which make you feel you're steering your tee shot through a tunnel. But the tree issue is minor; the character of the original holes shines through. Tom Vardon's (and Ramsdell's) architectural skills have gone way up in my estimation. We were lucky to have him designing courses here in the upper Midwest. More people should know about his work.
To appreciate what great work he did, you need only contrast the original holes, and routing, to the awkward routing now in place, and the two holes that have been changed. There's a bland 205-yard par 3 grafted onto the back nine to replace the one that was located where the new clubhouse sits; and there's a new green at #4 -- the old one had to be dug up to make room for a pond that helps the club's new irrigation system. Again, this new green is nothing special and does not fit in with the character of the rest of the holes. We played with a club member who was very helpful in explaining all the changes to us, and though he said he and most of the members liked the new course layout, he admitted he wasn't in favor of the changes, and raved about how good the two replaced greens were.
As if to emphasize the point, the new 4th green is followed by the 135-yard 5th hole, maybe the best short par 3 I've played except for #7 at Pebble Beach or #17 at Sand Hills. Look at John's photo, taken from behind the green -- you don't get any of that sense of expansiveness as you face the hole from the tee. You see a nose of elevated green, with sides that fall away sharply. The hole plays a bit uphill and the green slopes from back to front, so it plays at least one club longer than the indicated yardage. It's a simple hole with no bunkers, yet the kind of ingenious design you just don't see anymore.
We've had a dry couple of weeks up here in the north country, and ECCC has allowed the greens to become very firm. I bounced high, faded seven irons off of two greens on the front nine, and finally learned that you had to play for the front of the greens and expect the ball to release.
Another note -- I was struck by the strong similarity to Pasatiempo on several holes, particularly #3, a long donwhill par 4 which reminded me very much of Pasatiempo #1 when I turned and looked back up the hill from behind the green.
Thank you, John Conley, for alerting me to this course. I hope to get back there soon. I second John's recommendation to anyone finding themselves in central or Western Wisconsin: play this course if you can. You won't be disappointed.