GolfClubAtlas.com > Golf Course Architecture
Caledonia #9
ForkaB:
I think that in lesat one of his self-portraits, Van Gogh put a head with only one ear where a full head should have been.......
Michael Whitaker:
Caledonia was built on only 110 acres or so... it is obviously "shoehorned" and "crammed" onto the property. But, that is the genius of Strantz' routing: it doesn't "feel" shoehorned or crammed. Sure, it is a short course by modern standards. But, as was mentioned above, it effectively plays as if it were much longer. It doesn't feel small. It doesn't feel tight and narrow. It feels great!
There are areas on the course where several holes converge, but they are almost always at such angles that they do not "affect" each other. A good example is the area where the 5th tee, 15th green and 16th tee come together. That area is like the hub of a wagon wheel with each hole venturing off like a spoke. It's hard to imagine with a course on so little property, but rarely, if ever, is your play on Caledonia disturbed by players on another hole. #8 and #10 are the only two holes on the course that have parallel fairways, but even that is for only 200 yards or so; and the holes are separated by a birm that so effectively isolates each that you never think of the other hole being "just over the rise."
As for #9 being disjointed... I can appreciate that argument and don't really disagree with it. But, there is one thing I have always wondered: there is a fair amount of property between the 8th green and the 9th hole that currently houses a chipping and pitching practice area... I've always wondered why Mike didn't use that property in some way for the 9th hole. He must have had a clear vision of what he wanted #9 to be to have it placed in the elbow of the entrance drive the way he did.
Yannick Pilon:
Good point Michael.... Very interesting idea....
Ted Kramer:
--- Quote from: Michael Whitaker on November 20, 2005, 12:09:38 PM ---
As for #9 being disjointed... I can appreciate that argument and don't really disagree with it. But, there is one thing I have always wondered: there is a fair amount of property between the 8th green and the 9th hole that currently houses a chipping and pitching practice area... I've always wondered why Mike didn't use that property in some way for the 9th hole. He must have had a clear vision of what he wanted #9 to be to have it placed in the elbow of the entrance drive the way he did.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, that is where the clam chowder guys chips balls.
I love that clam chowder.
-Ted
A.G._Crockett:
--- Quote from: Michael Whitaker on November 20, 2005, 12:09:38 PM ---
Caledonia was built on only 110 acres or so... it is obviously "shoehorned" and "crammed" onto the property. But, that is the genius of Strantz' routing: it doesn't "feel" shoehorned or crammed. Sure, it is a short course by modern standards. But, as was mentioned above, it effectively plays as if it were much longer. It doesn't feel small. It doesn't feel tight and narrow. It feels great!
There are areas on the course where several holes converge, but they are almost always at such angles that they do not "affect" each other. A good example is the area where the 5th tee, 15th green and 16th tee come together. That area is like the hub of a wagon wheel with each hole venturing off like a spoke. It's hard to imagine with a course on so little property, but rarely, if ever, is your play on Caledonia disturbed by players on another hole. #8 and #10 are the only two holes on the course that have parallel fairways, but even that is for only 200 yards or so; and the holes are separated by a birm that so effectively isolates each that you never think of the other hole being "just over the rise."
As for #9 being disjointed... I can appreciate that argument and don't really disagree with it. But, there is one thing I have always wondered: there is a fair amount of property between the 8th green and the 9th hole that currently houses a chipping and pitching practice area... I've always wondered why Mike didn't use that property in some way for the 9th hole. He must have had a clear vision of what he wanted #9 to be to have it placed in the elbow of the entrance drive the way he did.
--- End quote ---
This makes perfect sense to me. There is no other part of that course that seems "shoehorned"; it makes infinitely more sense to me that a craftsman like Strantz did somethiing on that hole exactly the way he wanted to do it. I really like the hole; I think it keeps you off-balance in a very, very good way.
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