Impressions From the Heartland

[Jeff_Stettner]

The past week has been a good one... I managed to play five rounds of golf on five distinct properties. Each course had its own merits and all were worth the effort. Impressions follow:

Day 1. Kansas City -- Prairie Highlands
St. Louis could use a course like Prairie Highlands. A reasonably-priced public course with a nice variety of golf holes on a well-kept track. Other than the awkward 10th hole (disappearing fairway), the course was both fair and fun. Most greens featured a bail-out area that would funnel balls to the green. The par 3's are especially good. Unfortunately, this was the least walkable course of the week and only avid walkers don't take carts.

Day 2. Hutchinson -- Prairie Dunes
Not much new to say here. Wind was blowing 30+. I don't know if I have ever played a more challenging round of golf. The front nine is awfully good... is there a better starting hole than number 1? I could spend the entire day playing around on those greens. Followed a group that aced #2. Cool. Clearly one of the best inland golf courses in the world.

Day 3. Holyoke -- Ballyneal
I could play Ballyneal every day. Of course, Adam as the host doesn't hurt. The golf course exemplifies my favorite characteristics of golf design -- strategy and fun. Every hole is a treat to play and the width of the playing corridors allow for dramatic shot variety. I haven't played Sand Hills or Dismal River but I have a hard time imagining a more enjoyable round of golf in such a perfect setting.

Day 4. Parker -- Colorado Golf Club
Colorado Golf Club is hard. The course is long and the fairways are not as wide as I expected. Colorado Golf Club is also a very good golf course. The bunker work is as beautiful as one would expect and the green contours are a joy to putt. The layout is quite walkable and the conditions are remarkable. This will make a very good tournament golf course. The stretch of holes from 15-18 is a very good finish, and the long starting hole is reminiscent of Spyglass. I wonder if I could play here every day, however. I am not sure that there is enough fun factor for me.

Day 5. Columbia -- Old Hawthorne
A surprise round for me. I had no idea that this course was under development until last week. A new private club halfway between Kansas City and St. Louis, Old Hwathorne joins Dalhousie as the only compelling new design that I have seen in the state.
The course is a wonderful walk across a lovely former farm. The routing includes multiple drivable par 4's and par 4.5s. The inclusion of centerline bunkers and closely mown collars around every green added interest to the strategy. The greens also have some dramatic rolls. It is clear that the architect (Art Schaupeter) spent a lot of time focused on the details.

Prairie Dunes







Colorado Golf Club


 




Old Hawthorne

[Tom_Doak]

Jeff:

Those are the first pictures of Colorado Golf Club I've seen.  The second picture (a par 3) reminds me a bit of Prairie Dunes and the green in the first photo also looks different for Bill Coore's work.  Have you played many of Bill and Ben's courses, and is this one different in style (other than being somewhat narrower, which I know the client requested).

[Joe Hancock]

Jeff, Tom,

I also found the two bunker  style in the first photo interesting. The two right hand bunkers have grass faces while the other bunkers are flashed. Is this something C&C do elsewhere?

Joe

[Adam_Messix]

Jeff--

Did you like the 8th Hole at Colorado Golf Club?  That's an interesting hole that I loved, but then again I think 14 at  Bandon Trails is a great hole.

I enjoyed the picture.  The green on #11 (the first picture) is terrific and a good example of C & C's work.  The 16th (the third picture) presents many options and can be baffling if you only hit a so so drive into the right fairway like I did.  

Colorado Golf is such a cool course and I'm sure it was in outstanding condition.  I'm surprised that you found it a bit narrow because the first impression I had of the course was that it was a big ballpark.  The first hole seems like it goes on forever and is a bit tight if it's your first hole on a trip into the mountains, but it doesn't play as long as I thought it would.  I wish you had put a picture of the 14th green with it's "Lion's Mouth" bunker, a cool little hole.

[Adam Clayman]

Colorado was a very cool top notch first class all the way place.
 The second hole (2nd pic) is very reminisent of Prairie Dunes 2nd hole.

As one traverses the property, one cannot help but be reminded of Riviera, also. The use of a large reparian helps separate the hillier holes from the meadow holes. The meadow holes come early in the round and add to the build-up in the flow of the round.
 The backnine really built and started climaxing on the above mentioned 14th short two shotter. The U shaped green, with the Lion's Mouth eating deep into her, made for some of the most fun shots imaginable.
The 17th is a one shotter that allows for the draw played off the right hillside but the left side narrows to a point with water in front and on the left.

Edward and I continued onto Rawlins where the conditions detracted greatly from the overall appreciation of Mr. Kavanaugh's design. The unaffected holes were a joy to play and as mentioned on another thread, did become a bit repetitive nearer the climax.

[Larry_Keltto]

Jeff:

I haven't seen/played Old Hawthorne, but the terrain from your photos appears to be similar to The Harvester in Iowa. Have you played The Harvester? If so, how would you compare/contrast the two?

[Jeff_Stettner]

Tom,
The greens were less crowned than I remembered from the other C&C courses that I have played, and there was more rough around the collar than I expected. As the others have mentioned, the short par 4s on the golf course were a treat. I am starting to further appreciate the use of the property as I rethink the golf course... the management of some substantial elevation changes is exceptional.

Larry,
I have not played Harvester... however it is on my list of courses to see. I am just thrilled to have a new golf course in Missouri that lives up to the potential of the land. Art moved very little dirt and the golf course is natural and fun.

More Photos of Old Hawthorne

[Jason Topp]

I can tell that this site has screwed up my enjoyment of the game when I look at this picture and am bugged that there are an even number of bunkers.

[John Kirk]

I see that picture and think:

a)  That looks very reminiscent of #2 at Prairie Dunes
b)  A putt from the back right to that front left pin looks pretty delicate.
c)  The course has a unique look I am unfamiliar with.  The high desert of Bend and eastern Oregon is similar.

Looks great!

[Peter Zarlengo]

Jeff-
Thanks for the photos of Colorado GC. Thats the first I've seen of the course since November. The conditioning has come a long way and I cant wait to get out there and see the work that has been put in since I left.
As requested here are some images of #14 (taken last July). Hopefully these photos come through in my first try at uploading photos.



Maybe not! Help anyone?

[Jerry Kluger]

Jeff: Clearly, it is difficult to give an opinion when comparing some of the best.  I think we would all like to see more photos of Colorado Golf as there are so many fans of C & C on the site.  

BTW: What type of plane do you have - the drives between these courses would make me so stiff that I could never swing a club when I got out of the car.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Peter,

How about this:

[Peter Zarlengo]

Scott-
Thanks a bunch. The first photo really shows the unique vegetation of Colorado GC with Ponderosa Pine, Scrub Oak type shrubs, and the native grass.  The second photo illustrates the amount of elevation change on the hole that is not as clear from the tee.

Maybe more photos later...

[Larry_Keltto]

I'm loving the shots of Colorado Golf Club. The shot with the rain falling in the distance on the mountains is wonderful. It's great to see a Front Range course with views that aren't smothered by housing.

[Brad Swanson]

Thanks for all of the pics, particularly Colorado Golf Club.  Those photos bring back some good memories of living in Denver.  Olde Hawthorne looks interesting, and its great to see more work from Art.  Doug Wright and I walked his design about 45 minutes north of Denver a few years ago (can't remember the name) during its grow in and Art's passion for golf course architecture was contagious.

Cheers,
Brad

[John Kavanaugh]

Peter,

How about this:

Boring...Golf courses are getting so good that you have to wonder what it takes anymore to make a guy want to fly across country.  I don't see it here.  This looks like another pit stop for the hit and runners...nothing more.

[Tim Pitner]

Before it opened, I toured Colorado Golf Club soon after returning from a long weekend in Bandon and playing Bandon Trails.  My initial reaction to CGC was that it would be a wonderful place to play golf, but that it appeared to be somewhat lacking when compared to Bandon Trails.  It's kind of on the subtle side.  

[Peter Zarlengo]

John-
I am surprised that you feel that way. Maybe I havent flown all across the country playing expensive golf courses, but Colorado Golf Club is, in my opinion, the real deal. And that is the opinion of someone who spent 50+ hours a week there last summer. What is it about what you have seen that you do not find exciting or at least interesting. I personally cant wait to get back there to look at the course, much less play it.

[Peter Zarlengo]

Tim-
Define subtle. Is it necessarily bad for design to be subtle, much less a member's course with repetitve play. I would think that at a place like Bandon the sea and dunes create a powerful experience for the golfer. Which is good for the resort golfer who will probably only get to play it once or twice. But some of the subtlety you talk of at CGC can add cham and character to what is first and foremost, a golf club.

I would also add the the driving range with the vista to Pike's Peak is anything but subtle.

[Tim Pitner]

Tim-
Define subtle. Is it necessarily bad for design to be subtle, much less a member's course with repetitve play. I would think that at a place like Bandon the sea and dunes create a powerful experience for the golfer. Which is good for the resort golfer who will probably only get to play it once or twice. But some of the subtlety you talk of at CGC can add cham and character to what is first and foremost, a golf club.

I would also add the the driving range with the vista to Pike's Peak is anything but subtle.

Peter,

I agree.  I don't think subtle is a bad thing.  I was trying to explain why someone like Kavanaugh might think that the photos of CGC weren't terribly inspiring.  My take was that, even in person, the course doesn't wow you, although the location is quite pleasant.  I also didn't play the course, so it's very possible the course would look very different to me from a playing perspective.

Keep in mind John just came back from Ballyneal, which is about as wild of a course as you will find.  In contrast, CGC is going to look very sedate.  

[Peter Zarlengo]

Tim-
Did not mean to jump on you, just suggest that the course may not jump out at you, but the charm and genius of the place grow on you until you realize what a special place it is. Just trying to defend my baby.

BTW- I have yet to play at CGC either. It hadn't opened when I left for school last fall. But I doubt that my perspective is skewed.

[Andy Troeger]

I guess to each his own, to me the photos of Colorado GC look pretty sweet! Not to mention Prairie Dunes and the other courses early in the thread...sounds like a fun trip!