ken dye-restorations

[HamiltonBHearst]

Does anyone have any experience with his work?  The Willie Park thread led me to make a visit to his website.  He has done quite a bit of work in the NYC metro area.  Any thoughts?  

Bedford    1997
Brae Burn  1999
Elmwood    1995
Metropolis   1997
Old Oaks     2000
Rock Spring 2000
Round Hill   1998
Sleepy Hollow 2001
Spring Brook  1998
Blind Brook   1998
Westchester 1996
Whipporwill   1997

Quite a busy firm.  Have not seen much of this work.  Isn't Westchester considered a success?  Round Hill did not seem to objectionable.  Sleepy Hollow? I played there last summer, I thought this was Rees? Did not realize he did Whipporwill, isn't Tripp Davis doing the work there now, why the switch?

I would be interested in hearing thoughts about all but especially Rock Spring.  Isn't that an old Banks course?  A friend, who is a member at a Banks course that is considering restoration and on the green committee, said his superintendent was adament that Ken was the man for the job.

[Punchbowl]

Read this thread

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=20782

[Kelly Blake Moran]

Hamilton,

I am working with Rock Spring right now.  I sent you an IM as I will speak with you privately about the course.

[HamiltonBHearst]

Thank you Punchbowl. I got a few private messages from well respected folks that I will respond to also.  The article in Met Golfer, though it's intent is good, misses the mark.

Implying that Rees is somehow the father of restorations might bother a few.  I found the parts about Plainfield and Engineers fine.  The comments about Bedford were a little troubling.

Dye "added mounding and bunkering to reframe the holes and increase their strategic interest"

Dye softoned the devils ass***e bunker because it was "wickedly penal, he replaced it with a new and fairer bunker complex from which it is easier to recover".

Dye "added bunkers in the bailout areas so that loose shots are punished"   I guess that means bunkering the rough.

Dye lengthened a par four which was the "strongest" and the members asked him to "replace it somehow"  Remarkably "he did" with the new 13th.

of course Mr. Dye says. "Most architects today don't use the term renovation. restoration sounds better to club members. If you did a true restoration I'm not sure the membership would be so happy"

Seems perhaps only Mr. Dye has a problem with the terms restoration and renovation.  Maybe, it would be more honest if he ceased using the restoration term.

I mean the Dye "restoration" did end up with an "altered routing, and with mounding that gives a contemporary look".

I will pass this along to my friend though it seems the greens chairman and super are pre-disposed to using Dye. Thank you.

[Mike Nuzzo]

I'll be Muccian -
Did Ken do what the club asked of him?
I've only seen Ken's new work - Paa-Ko, Pinon & Painted Dunes and the Kingwood courses.

I haven't seen his work at Ardsley, but offer that as some recent work also.  Having a driving range and the 18th hole cross is something most clubs would want to improve...  

I assume that e-mail address isn't yours -
Here is what I just had bounce back from that yahoo address:

Hamilton,

I hope this message finds you well.

If you want a slightly un-objective opinion about Ken Dye, feel free to send me some questions or give me a call.

I’ve worked with Baxter, his partner, for several years – and done a little bit for Ken too.

He has done a fair amount of work since their website was last updated.

Best,

Mike Nuzzo