Clubhouses that can be seen for miles and miles. How many people have seen this

[Ron Farris]

How many people have seen this view and is it good architecture from a Landscape Architecture standpoint?



We have already established that the golf course is good, although the routing is suspect for a few here on this site.

[David_Tepper]

It would be nice to see a picture of the view from the clubhouse out over the surrounding plain.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Yes, I think the view that matters is from the Clubhouse out over the course.

[Ron Farris]

A picture from the Clubhouse would be to recognizable.  I am looking at this from a Landscape Architectural point of view.  I vaguely remember Brian Silva telling the class that buildings should never be higher than the horizon.  Maybe it was Mr. Cheeseman, my memory slips me from time to time.  Nonetheless, I agree the view from the clubhouse is most important, especially from a golfer standpoint.  

This next photo will give it away I am sure:

[Bob Jenkins]

I have no idea where this may be but assume the course must be out to the left and back from the clubhouse as we see it and not down on the plains. It appears as though the elevation drop from the base of the clubhouse is 60-80 feet and almost straight down.

[Ryan Crago]

a few things to look for: whether or not the building is IMPOSING on the landscape... which is obviously subjective.  in this case? the low profile of the roof reduces this significantly, and it looks like it was designed thoughtfully.

as well, views IN are always as important as views OUT.

Golfers (or "users" of the clubhouse) aren't the only ones seeing/experiencing it.  There are other non-golfing stakeholders to be considered (adjacent property owners, general public, etc), and its not unheard of for a "Visual Impact Assessment" to be tacked onto a social/environmental assessment of a proposed development.

[Scott Coan]

http://www.suttonbay.com/home.asp#

Having viewed Ran's recent profile I never would have thought that the flat plainsland was so close to the course.

[Ron Farris]

Scot, that depends on what you call close.
This shot is from about 10 miles out and to the east.

I really like the place.  Even the people in it!
Hi Mark and John.

[Adam_F_Collins]

Rules like "the building should never be higher than the horizon" seem a bit dangerous to propagate, and too often lead to a "box" for designers to  design within.

A building can be "imposing" without imposing on the landscape. It depends on the design and the site.

[Yannick Pilon]

On a pure landscape architecture standpoint, I would have to say that this clubhouse lacks something to become a nice focal point or a nice interesting landmark....

A style more integrated with the landscape could have done it for me, but it seems that its just another building like a thousand others, except this one is on top of a hill.

IMHO, it needs a little Franck Lloyd Wright touch... Right now, it looks like its an opportunity lost.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Anyone have any good pics of the Bulls Bay clubhouse?  They pushed up a huge hill of dirt for many months before building the clubhouse on top of it.  In flat coastal SC it is an imposing sight from quite a ways away.   I have been told that seagoing vessels now use the clubhouse as a referance point on the horizion from out in the ocean.  Dont know if that is true or not, but a cool story none the less.

ps hey Ron, how are things going?  Hope you are doing well.

[Brad Klein]

Actually, it's a mile to the first tee, but after about the 3rd tee you turn the corner at Sutton Bay and don't see the clubhouse again until about the 16th green Pretty dramatic - Prairie Gothic.

My bet is that you see the Shinnecock clubhouse from more holes. The same with Atlantic GC.

[Ron Farris]

Adam - I am just recalling what I heard in class in 1980.  That was quite a while ago.  I didn't have grey hair and I really didn't care much for Landscape Architecture.  I was just trying to figure out how to become a golf course super.  The only building design that I paid attention to was the requirements for zonal concept design for maintenance buildings.  

If anyone has seen the view from within the Sutton Bay clubhouse they can attest that it is awesome and the building works, despite the distance from the first tee.

[Phil_the_Author]

Can't the clubhouse in Crail, Scotland, be seen for miles up and down the coast?