What will it take to make the top 100 ?

[Matt_Ward]

Joel:

Let me try to answer since I have some knowledge of Jersey golf courses.

The Knoll is about a facility that has been mishandled through years of neglect and abuse. It is functional today but it could be so much more.

No other golf publication -- save for The Jersey Golfer -- that I am aware of -- even has The Knoll listed.

I personally believe that even in its raw condition / presentation the course still rates among the top 15 public courses in NJ and would be included among the top 50 in the state.

People have accused me in being overly generous because of the tie to Charles Banks and the nature of the club's significant history and tie to the greater NY / NJ metro area.

In answering Pat -- I've said that there is other Banks work in NJ that deserves more attention (e.g. Essex County & Forsgate) than The Knoll.

The Knoll cannot be rated among the top 25 in New Jersey at this point IMHO. The bar among the courses that are in the Garden State is especially high because of the keen competition and the pedigree of those respective courses.

The Knoll does have the potential to be in that rare air of top quality layouts but right now the fundamental issues of restoration need to be handled. The ratings aspect and where the course falls should be something down the road.

I still personally wonder if the ignorance of those running the show will finally come out of their coma and see what might be attainable with a different approach. The same can be said for a number of courses in NJ -- in fact, Banks did the work at Francis Bryne (a county-owned muni in West Orange) and it is truly an eye-sore given the kind of start it had when it was a private club and owned by the folks at Essex County CC.

I've got my fingers crossed that the people at The Knoll will heed the wisdom and advice put forward by George Bahto. I love the place but we are talking about a major effort and reconnection that has for too long been disconnected and uninterested IMHO.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Matt Ward,

I never said it was in the top ___

I said it had the basics, the proper foundation, and asked what it would take in the way of work to catapult it into the top 100.

I can't judge Essex County in its reconditioned form because I haven't seen it since the work has been completed.

I'll have to wait until better weather or this spring to get over there.

[Matt_Ward]

Pat:

Come to the Winter Conference and see for yourself. There will also be a full presentation by George on the nature of the work and what remains to be done.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Matt,

I'd love to, but I have a conflict with the date.

Perhaps you can get George on tape as I'd like to hear what he has to say.