Sagebrush - Pictures!

[Andrew Balakshin]

I would be happy to post more pictures later in the summer if anyone is interested.

The course is designed by Rod Whitman and Richard Zokol and is in Merritt, BC. (here’s the website address http://www.sagebrushclub.com if you’re interested)




Holes 1,2, and 3.


Party in the bunker!


Nice view (the Tom Doak intern shows his approval)


Rock-star shaper in action (design associate Jeff doing his thing)


Hole 1 (par 5) from behind green


Hole 1 bunker


Hole 2 (Par 4)


Hole 3 (Par 4)


Hole 4 (Par 3)


Hole 5 (Par 4)


Hole 6 (Par 3)


Hole 7 (Par 5)
 

Hole 8 (Par 4)


Hole 9 (Par 4)


Hole 10 (Par 3)


Hole 11 (Par 4)


Hole 12 (Par 3)


Hole 13 (Par 4)


Hole 14 (Par 5) bunker


Hole 15 (Par 4)


Hole 16 (Par 5) green site


Hole 17 (Par 4)


Hole 18 (Par 4)

[Michael Dugger]

okay, I'll ask.  

That site looks quite hilly.  Like it might be better served as a ski slope.

Is it really that steep or is the camera angle messin' with me?

How playable will the course be, I must wonder, looks like a big slice might end up in the body of water by the time it stops rolling....

[Andrew Balakshin]

okay, I'll ask.  

That site looks quite hilly.  Like it might be better served as a ski slope.

Is it really that steep or is the camera angle messin' with me?

How playable will the course be, I must wonder, looks like a big slice might end up in the body of water by the time it stops rolling....

It is walkable (I walked the whole course yesterday to take these pictures, and that was after a hard day of work I might add ) but my guess is that, yes, most people will want a cart.

[Andrew Balakshin]

I should say that I don’t really want to personally get into a discussion about this course because I don’t want this to sound like a sell job on my part. Yeah, I am biased!

Last summer I remember I just ended up defending the course I was working on after I posted some pictures on here.

 I am just providing some pictures of the construction for people (particularly in Canada) who have been following this project.

[Matt_Cohn]

That looks beauuuutiful...

Question, what is that giant recess in the 13th fairway? Are they trying to make that a lake, or trying to make it not a lake?

[Andrew Balakshin]

That looks beauuuutiful...

Question, what is that giant recess in the 13th fairway? Are they trying to make that a lake, or trying to make it not a lake?

Matt,

I’ll gladly answer a question like that at . Yeah it’s the reservoir for the course, it doesn’t look like much right now though!

[Jfaspen]

looks like a lot of downhill tee shots, unless the photo-taker was just using elevation to gain perspective.

nice setting.

[Tom_Doak]

Andrew:

Thanks for the comprehensive set of photos, something I wish we would see more often here.  (Although it would help if you labeled which views were looking backwards on the hole, I'm sure there are a few but a couple of times I was confused.)

As you may know I looked at the topo map for that property years ago, although I never made it to the site.  It's much more dramatic in spots than I visualized and it looks like there will be a few really terrific holes.

My favorite holes by camera are the fourth and eleventh.  In both cases, the target zones and the grassing lines are lined up beautifully with key points in the background of the holes (the coves in the lake on #4 and the rock outcrops on #11) so they look like they "fit" the ground.  Either of these holes would be a perfect rebuttal to one of those silly debates about whether the setting of a golf course should be factored into a ranking of its quality!

PS  Which of my interns is pictured?  I haven't met them all yet.  

[Joe Perches]

Either of these holes would be a perfect rebuttal to one of those silly debates about whether the setting of a golf course should be factored into a ranking of its quality!

Definitely so.  An architect that doesn't factor the vista, view and sight lines into the design has done bad work.

This layout seems to have the practice area as far away from the lodge as possible.  I think that's a good choice.

A big layout of Sagebrush:
http://www.sagebrushclub.com/images/links_map_new_large2.gif

Nicola Lake is supposed to be quite windy.  Does anyone know the predominate wind patterns there?  Are holes 12 and 13 wind sheltered?

I too enjoy seeing these types of pictures.  Thanks for posting them.

[Bill_McBride]

Either of these holes would be a perfect rebuttal to one of those silly debates about whether the setting of a golf course should be factored into a ranking of its quality!

Definitely so.  An architect that doesn't factor the vista, view and sight lines into the design has done bad work.

Along with the superb routing, I think my second favorite thing at Capilano was how Thompson aligned the center line of several  front nine holes with views of Vancouver Harbor below, and later in the round, with the moutain peaks to the northeast.  Wonderful stuff.  I really don't see how you can separate the surroundings of a course from impressions of the course itself.

From the photos, it looks like the setting is very similar to that of Furry Creek (fjord-like body of water always to the west), but let's hope that's where the resemblance ends.  

Andrew, is that a tongue of the green above and left of the par 5 #16 greensite?  Looks like there could be some fascinating pins up there!

[RJ_Daley]

I am having a hard time matching the photos with the design schematic overhead drawing w/lots shown, and the click-on photos with the raw land and the corridors of play.  It looks like much has changed from concept to earthwork.

I'd really like to root for success of RWs course, but I am left wondering about the routing related to the internal lots and whether the best corridors might have been taken for the houses?  Will they be able to bury the electric utilities?  

[RT]

Andrew,

Is there a break in the hillside that would divert water around that bunker on 14, or is it a continuum slope into the bunker?

Love those North American square-point shovels!

[Jeff_Mingay]

Mr. Daley,

The map at the club's web site is a bit deceiving. Those are very large lots, in excess of three acres, upon which the houses will be set way back from the golf. It's the actual property lines illustrated on the map that make the situation a bit confusing.

Also, it's always golf first at Sagebrush. The golf course routing was completed before the lots were sited. And, the residential component of the development continues to have no impact on what we're doing, in regard to the course architecture and construction.

The powerlines have been re-routed, and are scheduled to be moved very shortly.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Tom D.,

That's Philippe Binette, who I believe was at Barnbougle as part of your internship program.

We hesitated bringing a Francophone to British Columbia, but he seems to be working out  

[Jeff_Mingay]

Joe Perches,

The Nicola Valley is very wind; particularly at Nicola Lake. We've had some unbelievably windy days this year. The prevailing wind is from the west; and, you're correct, holes 12 and 13 are somewhat sheltered.

[Yannick Pilon]

Jeff,

You better watch what you say....  

YP

[Jim Johnson]

Andrew,

Thanks for posting more pics of Sagebrush. It's interesting to see how Rod and Jeff and the guys are coming along.

I plan on getting out there again in early August, on a B.C. swing through the Kamloops area to play "Tobiano" [which you worked on] and Graham Cooke's new course "Talking Rock" and then further north to play Jasper and "Blackhawk" in Edmonton. It'll be neat to see how things are at Sagebrush by then.

JJ

[RJ_Daley]

Jeff, can you describe the intentions regarding the grassing program... which species and cultivars for Ts-FWs-surrounds and Gs?  Is the grow-in super on board yet?

[Tim Leahy]

How long is the golf season there? It seems between the wind and the short season it would be hard to get enough members to make it work.

[Mike Benham]

What is the composition of the soil?

[Don_Mahaffey]

Jeff,
The land looks interesting...and the area looks to be a bit on the arid side. I'll bet you can grow good golfing turf there.

I like the pictures...with one exception and I hate to question so early in the process with so little info...but I don't like the look of the pond on 13 at all. I've never liked the look of an irrigation pond when carved into the side of a hill, although I understand the need to get it above the bottom of the property. Was there any thought given to hiding the pond?
I look forward to the finished product as you guys will most likely make it look like it's always been there.

[Bob Jenkins]

Andrew,

Thank you for the pics. I had understood Sagebrush will be a very private course. Is that correct? or will some of us who do not have Calgary oil money get out there once in a while? This area is definitely not a golf destination and will not be as it is quite remote (this is not the Oregon Coast waiting for Bandon to be found). Difficult to see how it could succeed financially but maybe the owners do not care.

Hope you have started off with a great summer and good luck up there.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Wow. Glad Bob and Tim aren't part of the club's marketing team  

Mr. Daley,

The superintendent is on-board; he started May 1. Re grassing, I don't have the specs - chosen by agronomist Armen Suny - in front of me. But it's a mix of 3-4 fescues and colonial bent for the fairways, tees; the greens will also be a mix of 3-4 creeping bent grasses.

Tim,

Though November thru February is a sketchy period weather-wise, golf is played comfortably 8 months of the year in interior British Columbia.

Mike,

We're pleasantly surprised with the amount of topsoil found on the property. In fact we're not importing any.

Don,

It is very arid at Sagerbush. In fact, it's a desert... an extension of the desert conditions stretching up from Arizona into the interior of southern British Columbia. I think the conditions are fine for growing good golf turf; so does Suny.

The pond on 13 will be fine. It's actually an enlargement of an existing, natural pond. The only reason it's being enlarged is for the "sporting" part of the club. The pond will be stocked and used for fishing, as well as the irrigation reservoir.

Bob,

Sagebrush is indeed intended to be a very private club with limited golfing; re access, I guess it depends who you know  

[Bob Jenkins]

Jeff,

I was not intending to downgrade the course in any way. The possibilities of something special are there and with you, Richard and Ron involved, I am sure it will be special. My thoughts were to the effect that since this area is definitely not now a golf destination area, it may be difficult to draw people to the area. As we know, however, quality such as that a Bandon, will go a long ways to drawing golfers and success for the project. Quilchena is between the resorts of the Okanagan and Vancouver so could attract from the Vancouver area based on location but I assumed this was not a project where you are looking for a major marketing program.

Sagebrush has great possibilities and I would love to go up there soon.

Bob J

[Don_Mahaffey]

Jeff,
If your stocking the pond with 5 lb trout, my feelings about the look of it has changed 180 degrees. Hanging out on the bank in the shade of the those trees with a pole in hand looks pretty good to me

I was sincere about the ability to grow good turf in an arid environment like you've got there. Given the choice I'd always choose a dryer place to grow great turf. With Suny on board I have no doubt that all the agronomic issues are in very good hands.

I look forward to the finished product.
Good luck.

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