[Ran Morrissett]

...under Architecture Timeline and Courses by Country.

Where did you play this past weekend? Think about it and then compare it to either the new Banff or the updated Jasper Park course profile.  Their beauty is so OUTRAGEOUS that 99% of the courses in the world simply pale in comparison as spots for a game.

Of the two courses, the folks at the 2004 GolfClubAtlas.com gathering seemed evenly divided as to their preference. Will any future GCA.com gathering feature two courses of such world class quality? I doubt it (and I would certainly beat Pat M. at BOTH  ), though others might suggest the two cliff top stunners in Oregon are close.

If there is a comparable pair, perhaps it might just be at Casa de Campo and the legendary Ben Cowan-Dewar is arranging for the GCA.com assault there in the winter of 2005. More details will follow in late September but please have a read of the Banff and Jasper profiles in the meanwhile.

From a U.S. perspective, after one's inaugural U.K. trip, I can think of no better one to take than the one to Jasper and Banff to soak in the surrounds, Thompson's supreme architecture, and the hospitality of our friends to the north. Throw in a train ride to Vancouver/Capilano and it's as good as life gets.

Cheers,

[ian]

The grasses!

I can't believe how different the course looks with all the long grasses. I also noticed a great deal of tree removal on a couple of holes and there is definately new tees on a few holes too.

I always loved Banff, and realize I need to get out there again.

Jaspar remains my favourite course in Canada, for the variety and scenery. I would happily choose it over for a last round.

Nice to see many of the trees along the lake on the 14th have been removed to make the hole more playable.

Thanks for the profiles, they are stunning.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Wow, those profiles are almost as good as having been there in person...?  Well not quite.  
What a fantastic trip.
Dubya would call me a waffler, as even I don't know how many times my preference has changed from Banff over Jasper, then to Jasper over Banff.

Actually I could care less which one was better.

The one bit I do know, was that Banff was far superior from the old start!  And I was disappointed Ran didn't number the holes accordingly.

As a sideline, two other standouts from the trip - Ian's firms course - Grey Wolf and Rod Whitmans - BlackHawk.
Kudos Ian.

Big thanks Ben & Ran.  Who knows when I would have ever gotten there if not for the gathering.

Ben please sign me up for '05.

Cheers

P.S.  How about those other Morrissetts.  Hope they had a great trip back.

P.P.S.  I did get up and down from the swale of despair on Bad Baby.

[Pete Lavallee]

A fabulous narrative and exquisite photography; well done Ran! Few courses can provide the scenery and challange that Banff can combine. Your profiling of 17 holes indicates just how many are worthy of highlighting. The pace of the original routing is unrivaled; easing the golfer into his/her round, with a chance for a promising game, and culminating in that testing strech run back to the Hotel. I'm convinced that it's the numerous, rugged bunkers, always begging to be carried, that make the course so exhilerating to play; the native grasses added for the eyebrow effect make them look all the more ferocious. Thanks and good wishes to all the Morrissetts for making this such a special trip!

[A_Clay_Man]

The texture is awesome at Banff.

One of the more interesting comments our administartor made was about the 8th hole at Banff. The par 3 with a similar look as it's bigger brother #10. The comment was about how highly regarded the hole once was, being ranked one of the best one shotters in the world.

Subsequently I learned that the water that intrudes on the line of play on #8, use to be the actual river. Now, it's damed-up, and if I'm not mistaken used for the Irr system.

 Well, it's this not so world traveller's opinion that the real river must've had a much different feel to it, than the current almost tranquile feature that does exists.

Anyone else think that a hard flowing river would've added an element or ruggedness and intimidation, to the hole, making it better?

[Neil Regan]

These are the best write-ups yet.
Thank you, Ran.

[ian]

Bringing this up because this has been bugging me for a while; has anyone got any old photos showing the "grasses" at Banff ?

Unless I'm as dense as a brick, I don't remember seening any photos or notes indicating the use of long grasses at Banff.

Thompson used long grass at a number of courses, in particular, Summit in Toronto. For the life of me I'm failing to find these old photos that show the long grasses at Banff,
particularly off of tees.

If you have some, please send them to me, or post them.

Did the travelers on the trip see any old pictures with long grass off the tee at Banff?

[Mike Nuzzo]

Ian,
At the clubhouse there was an old picture of the then 18th, green side, that was stunning.  Long grasses around intricate edged bunkers.  Mouth watering.
The grasses were so long, they had layed down into the bunkers.  Nice!
Cheers

[ian]

Mike,

I would love to see that photo.

I have many old photos that I wanted to post last night that show the bunkers, roughs and perimeter kept short.

Was that photo from the time of the opening?

[Doug Wright]

Ran,

It's been about 10 years since I played Banff. The changes you show in your photos are remarkable! When I last played it you could tell a great golf course was there but it was buried beneath years (decades?) of neglect. The work of Les Furber and the Superintendent is terrific. The bunkering shown is as good as any around IMO--it didn't exist 10 years ago.

I've not played Jasper, but if it's factoring into a debate with Banff, it must be one helluva course.

All The Best,

[ian]

"The bunkering shown is as good as any around IMO--it didn't exist 10 years ago."

Doug, I played it 10 years ago and I can assure you all the bunkers were there, just very neglected. I still have the photos of that visit. The quality of conditioning is the major change in the course.

The bunkering was the best I had seen on a Canadian couse, and still remains the best I have seen to date. There is more variety on Banff than any other Thompson course I have visited.

The last time I saw a picture of the old 2nd green (current 16th) the famous horseshoe bunker was gone from the front of the green, was it returned? I could never understand why this humourous bunker could be removed.

[Doug Wright]

"The bunkering shown is as good as any around IMO--it didn't exist 10 years ago."

Doug, I played it 10 years ago and I can assure you all the bunkers were there, just very neglected.

Ian, Yes that's what I meant.

Best,

[Jeff_Mingay]

I just took a look at Ran's revised write-up on Jasper Park...

He describes Jasper's 15th - the Bad Baby - as one of the four great short holes in the world. I have to agree. That hole is so simple, yet so great. It's really a wonder of the golf world. An amazing little hole.

Banff's Cauldron hole gets more attention, but I think I'd rather spend an afternoon playing the Bad Baby over and over and over...  

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

I just took a look at Ran's revised write-up on Jasper Park...

He describes Jasper's 15th - the Bad Baby - as one of the four great short holes in the world. I have to agree. That hole is so simple, yet so great. It's really a wonder of the golf world. An amazing little hole.

Banff's Cauldron hole gets more attention, but I think I'd rather spend an afternoon playing the Bad Baby over and over and over...  

That is because you have trouble hitting the ball far enough to reach the green at Banff.

[Jeff_Mingay]

And, I birdied 15 @ Jasper during my only round there, buddy  

[Evan_Green]

I just cant get over the color of the glacial lake at Jasper- it is so beautiful- I remember it being even more stunning in person than a photo can convey.
Sure beats the blue dye, "anti ball hawking" Floridian alternative!!

One of the fondest memories of my trip there was renting a boat in that glacial lake and seeing the coures from the water. It was splendid.

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