Making Sand Hills Better

[Steve_Roths]

Let's say for the sake of argument that Ballyneal, Prarie Club, or Dismal make a dent into awesomeness that is Sand Hills GC.  What would Sand Hill need to do to keep itself the clear out leader?

The reason I ask is as I read all the marketing brochures on the three above clubs they mention how 1st class accomodations, par 3 course, short game facilities.  It makes me wonder if Sand Hills will add some things to the club down the road.  

[THuckaby2]

Steve:

My take is that Sand Hills is perfection as it is right now - it's a golf club, pure and simple, with the world's best course... with accomodations that are absolutely all that one needs, and food and drink that are the same.  A burger on Ben's Porch beats a five course meal at French Laundry, by my reckoning... and if I have to explain why, well... I won't be able to as it can't be explained outside of experiencing it.

If they add to the club or subtract from it, then it is no longer perfection.  It can't BE improved.  Those who would think so just don't get the place, and belong elsewhere.

Now these new clubs with fancier accomodations, better practice facilities, more holes might surpass Sand Hills in the eyes of some... but if that is the case, I sure as hell hope Sand Hills takes no notice.  By my reckoning it would be a horrible shame to mess with one of the very few instances of perfection in this world.

TH

[JakaB]

Huck,

Would Sand Hills be a touch worse if someone was building a big ole clubhouse within view of the course much like is currently happening to NGLA....

[Brian_Gracely]

If I were Mr.Youngscap, I'm simply tip my hat to the other clubs for realizing that his original idea was as good as it was.  

Considering I've never heard anyone ever mention a bad word about SHGC, other than "it's a long drive from everywhere", why the need to keep up with the Joneses?

...and thank goodness that CPC never felt the need to emulate Pebble Beach, Spyglass or Spanish Bay.

[THuckaby2]

JK:

You know the answer to that.  Hell yes it would.   But that's because a big part of the coolness at Sand Hills is the vastness and remoteness and incredible 50-mile views.  

That's not really an issue at NGLA.  They have a rather enormous, imposing clubhouse as it is.  Another one nearby won't be a positive, I'd say, but it surely won't be a deal-breaking negative like it would be at Sand Hills.

TH

[JakaB]

JK:

You know the answer to that.  Hell yes it would.   But that's because a big part of the coolness at Sand Hills is the vastness and remoteness and incredible 50-mile views.  

That's not really an issue at NGLA.  They have a rather enormous, imposing clubhouse as it is.  Another one nearby won't be a positive, I'd say, but it surely won't be a deal-breaking negative like it would be at Sand Hills.

TH

Deal breaking negative....that's strong..

and another thing....how in the hell can you call the clubhouse at NGLA enormous and imposing.....Your comments once again prove that seeing is not always believing..

[THuckaby2]

JK:

Well, seeing it in person it sure as hell looked enormous and imposing to me.  Go find it in a picture... it's a pretty huge building.  And note I give no negative connotation to that at all - in fact by my take it works perfectly, and suits the ego and needs of its builder and intended members...

But I guess enormous and imposing are in the eyes of the beholder.  It looked that way to me... but if others don't see it that way, well then they look at things differently than I do.

And such a thing at Sand Hills sure as hell would be a deal-breaking negative.  Oh, the course would still be the greatest on the planet, as nothing about it would have changed... But the overall perfection of the club would suffer a mortal blow.

TH

[Brian Phillips]

I think the clubhouse is enourmous and imposing as well but I live in Norway where the clubhouses are relatively small, so it is all relative.

The only thing that I would like changed or tweaked at Sand Hills would be that the grass be less green...again this is subjective.  I felt during the weekend that I was there that the fairways were green...but it was eary in the season and maybe it is not always like that.

Brian

[THuckaby2]

Brian:

I'd agree that the course surely isn't meant to be emerald green and is meant to play firm and fast.  I was there early season a few years ago and it wasn't too green and was very firm and fast... thus my view of the place as perfection.  But I can absolutely understand your point and I agree with you.

TH

[John Foley]

Re-institue the un-accompanied guest policy they used to have

I can't remotely come up w/ a real answer to make improve on the place. Architecturely there is none. A second course or a par 3 course would only diminish what is there. I think all of the other developments (36 holes, skeetshooting, par 3 courses) are all to the fact that they can't compete apples to apples on the core 18 holes.

Hell, the burger on Ben's porch is the best in the world!!

[T_MacWood]

Knock down Ben's porch.

[THuckaby2]

Knock down Ben's porch.

 
I love it.  There surely is room for all viewpoints in this big world of golf.

TH

[JakaB]

Huck...take a look at the NGLA clubhouse and tell me it is emormous or imposing...

[THuckaby2]

JK - OK, your pic works now.  Kinda tough to judge the enormity or imposition of a structure from thousands of feet up!  But hey, even from way up, that gray blob looks pretty huge to me.  In any case, just as a sanity check I did a google search and found one picture from ground level, and it confirmed my memory... the structure is indeed both enormous and imposing, sitting as it does exposed on one of the high points.

But again, if others don't see it that way, that is just fine.  It's obvious you don't.  I do.  No hassles mon.

TH

[HamiltonBHearst]

There are private homes in the area that are more sq footage than the  National clubhouse.  I happen to enjoy a southside in the national lockeroom while they call me Mr. Hearst.

[THuckaby2]

There are private homes in the area that are more sq footage than the  National clubhouse.  I happen to enjoy a southside in the national lockeroom while they call me Mr. Hearst.

Hammy, I'd agree with all of that, not that I have ever had the privilege of entrance inside the structure.  Once again, in calling it enormous and imposing I am making absolutely no negative connotations.  My point is simply that it works there and fits right in, and so another one nearby wouldn't be that big of a deal.  At Sand Hills it would be horrible.

TH

[JakaB]

Huck,

I can't seem to find that picture on Google...my memory is of a clubhouse charming and quaint...could you please post your pic...

[THuckaby2]

JK:

I can't get it to work.  I'm not very proficient at pictures.  Just do a google search on images typing in "national golf links of america" and you'll find it.

Man if that's charming and quaint than I'm Tiger Woods.

But as I say, we all have our own standards.  You must live in a 45 room, 50,000 square foot mansion if you think this place is charming and quaint.

 

[Rick Shefchik]

 

This pic doesn't do much for the course or for the clubhouse, but there it is...

[Kevin_Reilly]

A little better pic.  Not sure who took it last year:

[Rick Shefchik]

Kevin -- That's indisputable proof that you can't judge a golf course clubhouse -- much less a golf course -- by one picture.

The one I found looked like an old abandoned barn on the edge of a Wisconsin cow pasture. Yours looks like the Taj Mahal.

[JakaB]

Is that pic quaint and charming or what....architecture has a little thing called scale....I've even owned a three sided ruler with one..the color, the roof sag....everything is anything but enormous and imposing....

Rick...Huck can't even judge it by standing next to it...

[Tony Petersen]

  As far as Sand Hills goes, you cannot improve on perfection, which is what Sand Hill GC is. Besides, the cheese burgers on Ben's Porch are better than the finest Filet!!!

It's just all there, simplicity and perfection defined

[Tony Petersen]

  Case in point, I got lost getting from the clubhouse to the course my first time at Sand Hills. Next thing you know, my cart is caught up on a hillock, across from the "range" which at the moment I convinced myself that it was the 1st Tee. Leave it to Tony

[JakaB]

In our current world how can anything be perfection if it is one cell tower away from a deal breaker....