Changes to Bay Hill Club

[Alex Chehansky]

Two minor architectural changes were made this week at the Bay Hill Club.  The second green was changed by altering the mound in the center of the boomerang style green to allow for more accessible hole placements.  Additionally, the front of the green was accordingly flattened which will increase the ability for players to have more options, i.e. shot types, into the hole on the right side.

Second, the 17th green was altered with similar changes.  Although, it now plays much flatter throughout the green, with the previous front to middle slope now gone.  This should mean that when the greens are firm and fast, it will accept  something other than a very high fade from the back tees of 220 yards.

Additionally, the work was done over two days, around the clock, including Mr. Palmer onsite with a shovel in hand....I will try and get a picture from the club and post it, quite unique.

[A_Clay_Man]

Alex- Could you please clarify? It sounds as though your praising a flattening of contours, and that that will increase options. Is that correct?

[Alex Chehansky]

Adam, no I am not praising the changes, just pointing them out.  IMHO, the changes will increase the pace of play for the average player, but not make the course play more architecturally sound.  In fact, I think the changes at the second hole will be detrimental to the hole as solid as it was before the changes.

The 17th is not a bad change though, I think it was impossible to land anything on that green in the first quadrant, thereby eliminating 1/3 of the green as an option for hole placements.  Sometimes, less is better

[ChipOat]

My 2nd favorite Florida course and way-underrated on GCA, IMO.

Will be interested to hear more and, especially, see what's happening.

[Steve_Lovett]

Chipout.  Are you serious?

[John_Conley]

Oat:

That amazes me.

Diff'rent strokes for different folks.

[ChipOat]

Steve Lovett:

Yes I'm serious except 3rd favorite in Florida is more like it (behind Seminole and TPC).

John Conley:

That's why there's both chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

[Alex Chehansky]

Oat,
I too love Bay Hill, top 4 in Florida, I like Black Diamond a little better, anytime you want a game at the Hill, let me know...

Alex

[John_Conley]

Chipoat:

If you say that and you've played Pine Barrens at World Woods, the West Course at John's Island, Ocean Hammock, the Hills Course at Jupiter Hills, and Camp Creek I'd be assured that it isn't a matter of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, but rather anchovies on a pizza.

It is not a course I'd place in my Top 25 in Florida if we are measuring architectural merit.  (It isn't in my Top Decile of 11 courses for just the barren Orlando area.)

Alex:  Ditto!  But we'll still have fun when we get out to the Orange Tree.

[Pete Buczkowski]

I heard that Bay Hill lost ~150 trees from Charley...wonder how that will affect the playability.

[ChipOat]

John Conley:

Played 2 of the 5 you noted plus Mountain Lakes and Indian Creek; I just like Bay Hill - always have; it's all a matter of taste.

Have heard good things about Black Diamond and Old Memorial but not likely to get there soon; therefore, likely to be stuck in my alleged ignorance for a while longer.

[Michael_Burrows]

I worked the PGA tournament this past year at Bay Hill and I was very disappointed when I got there. I really did not see what was so great about the course. The bunkers that run into the water on certain holes looked and were maintained very poorly. If it was not for the water on certain holes like number 3,6,11,13,16,18 the course would be very boring. I will say that 17 is a good hole and the bunkering on number 12 is excellant as well. If Bay Hill did lose 150 trees it would affect holes 1,4,8,10,12,15 and 16. On hole 1 tee shot to the left would be open more, #4 tee shot to the left would open up, The trees on 8 forces the player to play the shot to the left, Holes 10 and 12 would be affected but not that much. Number 15 which doglegs to the right would be the main hole that would change if they did lose a lot of trees. Players have to lay back on their tee shot because there is a group of trees and two bunkers that prevent you from flying over the bend in the fairway. The approach shot on 16 would also be affected. The golfer has to hit his drive long and to the left side of the fairway inorder to have a shot at the green because trees on the right side block anything that goes to the right and forces the player to lay up.    

[John_Conley]

Played 2 of the 5 you noted plus Mountain Lakes and Indian Creek; I just like Bay Hill - always have; it's all a matter of taste.

Have heard good things about Black Diamond and Old Memorial but not likely to get there soon; therefore, likely to be stuck in my alleged ignorance for a while longer.

It's easy to say Bay Hill is something you like, but #2 in Florida when you still haven't seen some awfully great tracks is deciving.  That'd be like me placing White Bear Yacht #2 in America behind Sand Hills - completely ignoring the fact I haven't played Merion, Pine Valley, or anything else near Philadelphia.

Old Memorial is an awfully good course on a pretty bad site.  Black Diamond has an unforgettable stretch of holes.

Mountain Lake is a nice club, but it doesn't hold a candle to the few Florida courses that are world-class.  (That's not really a matter of opinion, is it?  Some opinions are so widely shared that they are factual.  i.e., Cindy Crawford is pretty.)

I have not seen Indian Creek.  I've heard it is nice.

Pete:

I can't imagine it affects playability at all.  The only trees in play were at the right side of #8 and #15.  They mainly are between fairways.