...is posted under Architecture Timeline and Courses by Country.
You do no course a favor by posting its course profile after County Down's. Having said that, there is one that might work O.K. and that's Cape Breton Highlands Links in full autumnal dress. Thirty-five plus photos are included in this revised course profile, with the one from the 6th tee
maybe heading for a Mike Miller commission.
We all know that Cape Breton Highlands Links is within the Canadian National Park System and the challenges inherent in that for ensuring that Thompson's original playing width/features are properly preserved. I wish I could be czar there for one winter as if so, I would:
1) return the entire width of the 2nd playing corridor into fairway.
2) gut the trees a) right of the 2nd hole so that the original ocean views were restored, including those trees behind the 3rd tee b) left off the 7th tee along the hill, c) behind the 10th green to expose the stream, and d) left all down the 11th and 12th holes to again expose the stream. (Some course raters and players think the course loses steam from holes 9 through 12 and that's because the key element that Thompson employed for those last three holes (the stream) has been covered up by trees in an effort to stabilize/shore up the banks).
3) Recapture the front left hole location at the 5th.
4) Better hide or get rid of the cart paths that mar some of the views, especially on the inside of the dogleg 9th
With those 'tweaks' accomplished, one of the game's finest walks through nature would be all the better, a scary thought!
Brad Miller, Rick Holland and I toured CBH ten days ago. Rick played especially well in only losing to me 2&1
Brad didn't fair the same and the match became an unofficial one, though I am presently forgetful of the score (since it was unofficial, it has absolutely NO historical relevance and does NOT bear further discussions).
When I first saw Rod Whitman after the round, his comments (having never seen the course before) were: "You don't see that every day - in fact, I've never seen holes like that period!" Truer words were never spoken with its combination of sea, mountains and forest unequaled in world golf.
Ben and I expect to open Cabot Links in 2008 and I don't know on such a young course if we'll have firm playing conditions on offer October 2008. We have the ideal climate, so it's a possibility and if we do, then the first OFFICIAL GCA.com Match Play Invitational shall be held, with play divided between Cape Breton and Cabot. Hopefully, all those that attend will lose to me with the same graciousness that Pat M.regularly displays, whether he goes down in flames in Florida ......or Pennslyvania ......or Nebraska. If the GCA Invitational isn't held October 2008, it will definitely be there October, 2009.
Cheers,