Jonathan,
I did a short analysis of changes to Green Acres on another thread, noting major changes, and then postulating as to why. Since I am more familiar with BOL, even though I haven’t been there in 24 years, I thought I would post a hole by hole of the changes, with the apparent reasoning.
Basically, I feel that most changes were related to a specific need, or percieved need.
I know the course from doing some work there from 1977-1983. I specifically recall building the green on 5, extending the existing green on 11 to the water, although the water was already there at the time, and rebuilding some bunkers on hole 2, with the lake already there. There were some other changes, and a winter work tree survey (the course had over 6000 trees, BTW)
I also know it as a player, since my next door neighbor was a member there and Medinah. I got to play as a guest often. I have to admit it’s a flatland course, but I always loved it.
Favorite holes include 3, (which I think had fairway bunkers when I was last there)
4 (just liked the bunker pattern)
7 (Elevated Green)
14 – See below
You may think that this is sacrilege, but as I compare the two aerial photos, I see most changes as inevitable, like
• Adding the range
• Adding the irrigation pond, and creating a pond par 3 as a result
• Using the open space to lengthen a short par 5.
• Moving or extending fairway bunkers to keep them in play
• Removing bunkers 100 yards or less from the tees as out of play “duffers headaches” and maintenance problems.
Others are evolvements – like gradually expanding bunkers.
Some are sad – removing quirk, trees overtaking the fairways, etc. Most of those could be reversed.
Some followed then current trends, and trends of other courses. I recall working with Bob Williams, the long time super. He was very dominant and respected at that club. When we did the fifth green, he was insistent on very exaggerated cape and by bunkers, a style probably more reminiscent of Stanley Thompson than Colt and Allison, so that’s what we did. As noted above, extending par 5’s to the Augusta Style was very trendy in that era.
Overall, I am surprised that more of the course hasn’t changed. Some of it is still apparently original design.
Bob O Link Changes
1 – Right Greenside Bunker brought more into play by green
2 – Remove Cross bunkers 100 yards from tee as “out of play”
Add irrigation pond (probably 1960’s when irrigation automated)
3 – Remove all 4 fairway bunkers. Probably because OB right is sufficient, Trees left took the place of fairway bunker? Far left bunker probably would come into play now.
4 - Remove Cross bunkers 100 yards from tee as “out of play”. Otherwise very similar
5 – Remove Staggered bunkers 100-200 yards from tee as “out of play”
Extend left fairway bunker to bring it into play.
Extend length of short par 5 across the creek, Augusta 15 copy….
6 - Staggered bunkers removed, one added left. Why? Bunker short left of green removed as “out of play”
7 - Extend left fairway bunker to bring it into play.
Add Bunker to right of green. Why?
8- Add irrigation pond (probably 1960’s when irrigation automated)
9 – Add fairway bunker left. Green unchanged.
10 – One second landing area fairway bunker removed. (Trees?) Green unchanged.
11 – Pond Added to make risk reward Par 5. Short fairway bunker removed, narrow pinching bunkers added to keep players from blasting it……
12 – Unchanged. (Is this a Redan?)
13 - Unchanged.
14 – Ponds left and right. (Probably K and N, but I don’t recall. They were there in the 70’s-80’s when I did work there) A sad note for me: That little pot bunker behind the green has been extended, while the left bunker has been reduced, probably for cart traffic. I understood the left bunker as a safety protector for the adjacent tee. The back pot bunker was ridiculously small, and quirky, and I liked it. (I have copied that several times elsewhere, but apparently this one was deemed to hard to rake, or “out of character)
15 – fairway bunker short left removed, pond takes its place. Green unchanged.
16 – Front Left Green Bunker removed, probably as unnecessary, to allow roll up for older members, or for circulation.
17 – Alternate tee removed to add practice range. Green bunkers reduced in size. This is somewhat odd, in that most have increases slightly on account of yearly edging.
18 – fairway bunker left removed, added right in landing zone. A few of the short left green bunkers removed as unnecessary, and others subtly reshaped.
Most of the changes seem to be related to a specific playability or maintenance need, other than those noted with questions, and those that affect all clubs – like too many trees planted without regard for final size.
My specific question is, if you were greens chair, which ones would you disagree with?