This is just the typical paranoid Secession member defending his course and his investment, because so many people question the greatness of the course (not "the experience")
because there aren't many great holes, there are a couple bad ones and the freaking tidal marsh is everywhere.
Mr. Brown,
I don't think anyone at Secession cares about their "investment" going south or denigrating to be frank. I think what the members there DO care about is people like yourself making comments that just are not true. While I have no problem with someone having an opinion, I do take to task anyone who is misinformed and thereby spreading misconceptions.
As for "the freaking tidal marsh being everywhere", how astute of you to notice that feature considering that the course location was picked and said course designed to be played around and FROM said tidal marsh.
Now, to answer some of your earlier questions, see below. If it is in quotes, you claimed it, following said quotes are my thoughts.
"Most Fairways have no interesting features or bunkering"
# 1 Par 4, fairway has some great features in that of you overdrive the ball off the tee (too far right, marsh) or too far left (side hill mound or even marsh), you are then left with options how to play it, whether you go for glory and try to hit the GIR or lay it back in the fairway and hope for a short putt for par.
#2 Par 3, n/a
#3 Par 4, fairway again has options, block it right, in the pond, or one of two bunkers, or even worse off in the “woods”, virtually guaranteeing a bogey (or worse). Hook it left, marsh, or again, side hill lie with anywhere from 215 – 150 in. When it’s firm and fast, you can (and I have) put it THROUGHJ the fairway and again, into the marsh.
#4 Straightaway par 4 with the exception of an invisible bunker on the left you can drive right into. Block it right and you have some serious woodsy marsh to deal with.
#5 Par 5, Block it right, lunch bunkers (2), pull it left, again, invisible bunker or worse yet marsh with a blocked next shot just to get it back into play unless you lay it up to the tree almost guaranteeing a bogey (or worse).
#6 Par 4, Most fairways don’t get more interesting than this one. Hit a driver, 3,4,5 wood, 2,3,4,5 iron or even 8 iron off the tee to a tight landing area. That, providing you hit it straight. Block it right, hazard or side hill lie. Pull it left, marsh with a potential for an unrecoverable shot to the GIR.
#7 Par 4, Driver or 3 wood here. In my opinion, one of the better match play holes at the place. Block it right, wet, pull it left, might be dead or a horrendous side hill, downhill or uphill lie.
#9 Par 5, Straight ball rules here, OR, play it down # 5 fair way, or wait, how about over to #10 fairway. The bunker on 9 is more for target than penalty, however, if you mishit tee shot, then follow up with second bad shot, you might be in that reference bunker and dead. With the addition of the new tree making the landing area tighter, more thought than just swinging for the fences now must happen. How about if you pull the tee shot, yet manage to keep the ball in 9 fairway. Ever tried to hit a 3 wood from 300+ yards off of that downhill lie where the fairway pokes out to the left?
How about your second shot with the next 2 lunch bunkers you might hit into? Or what if you block it again and end up in the rough, or worse yet the stand of trees between 5&9?
#10 Par 5, you can go for it, cut the corner over the trees and end up dead in a hazard, or in 9 fairway? How about a nice high block into the stand of trees almost guaranteeing a bogey or worse? Ever have to play your next shot from behind a tree on the left side with a side hill lie from 280? This fairway landing area is subtle, yet tricky. Too long and straight, you might have a hanging lie with 260 in, too far left you will have a flat lie yet slightly blocked with 260 in trying to hit a fade.
#11 Par 4, wow, boring fairway here huh? Let’s see, hit it hard and straight and be “mounded”. Block it and be wet. Pull it hard and be wet, or hit a nice power fade and make an easy par?
#12 Arguably one of the straightest fairways there, no trickery, just a long par 4.
#13 Options! Par 4, play it down the right and potentially be blocked out from going at it in 2 from the stand of trees. Hit it long and left, marsh or worse. Hit it straight and hard, maybe again marsh if it’s firm and fast?
#14 Par 4, Boring? NOT! Hit any club in your bag between 8 iron and driver and you can make par or birdie. Straight leaves you a level lie. Right, tree bound, or worse yet saying “hey” to your pals putting out on #11 green. Hook it and it might be in the marsh, or worse yet, perfect fairway lie with a blocked shot (via a dead tree) into the green.
#16 Par 5, Again, wow, boring, not! Right side, bunkered, blocked by trees or 18 fairway (not a bad place). Short, dead. Left, marsh, side hill or hanging lie.
#18 Par 4, Hmmmmmmmm...... Want to make a 3 or an 8? Aim at the clubhouse steps, leave it short and dead in the marsh, or, IF you know where the “magic” spot in the marsh is, hit it there and make par or even birdie? Block it, bunkered, or, through the fairway into rough, or hit it too long and your wet.
>
PS, I HAVE NEGLECTED TO MENTION IN ALL OF THE ABOVE MARSH INSTANCES THAT MY ASSUMPTION IS DEAD LOW TIDE. IF THE TIDE IS HIGH OR IN, ALMOST NONE OF THESE SAFE MARSH SHOTS ARE FINDABLE YET PLAYABLE!
"Marsh makes a number of very unforgiving tee shots/holes, no
recovery, big numbers"
I will state the obvious here. Don't hit it INTO the marsh! There are really no areas that are unmanageable as far as carrying a drive or second shot OVER said marsh, even for the 16+ handicap player.
Quite frankly, the marsh does not come into play for anyone capable f hitting a fairly straight ball a minimum of 175 yards.
"Greensites are not very interesting
Putting surfaces don't have much contour or drama"
Little imaginative shot-making around the greens"
I assume you mean "not interesting" in the sense that they don't have crazy contour?
#1 Sloped back to front, right to left with a small knob back left/
#2 Sloped back to front, left to right
#3 Almost a crowned green with the majority of slope back to front left to right
#4 Small green, pot bunker in the elbow on the left side. Fairly flat.
#5 Perhaps one of the most difficult greens on site. Pushed up, sloped severe back to front. Let's see you put it from the back to a front pin and even keep it ON the green.
#6 Great horseshoe type green with a sod faced bunker in the elbow which is center and rear of green. Put yourself on the wrong side f the green you might have only a chip and not even a putt if you are on the wrong side of green.
#7 Super green! Slightly crowned from center out, very subtle break right to left.
#8 Slightly crowned green, general left to right slope.
#9 Might be the "flattest" green there?
#10 Super greensite, almost a redan type green in that it runs hard away and to your left.
#11 I know, a 65 yard DEEP green is always boring right? Especially if the pin is middle left. There is a "saddle" middle left, overall green slopes hard left to right front to back.
#12 Back to front slope, left to right overall slope. Again we find a bunker TIGHT to left side of green.
#13 Pushed up green, sloped back to front, left to right.
#14 One f the most subtle greens (plenty of break, difficult to read).
#15 Back to front left to right sloped green with a couple of pinnacles (hi spots) that are VERY subtle.
#16 Great green, ridge runs through it, sloping it right to left, small gathering area rear right. Flattish on left rear and front.
#17 SMALL island green. Sloped back to front, right to left. A par is a great score here.
#18 Great green, back to front sloped, left to right, transitions into HUGE practice green behind (put it from back there and tell me it's easy!)