Similar to the Maine Island Golf Tour, there are certain places on earth that need to be experienced, and Nantucket Island is one of them.
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=25025;start=msg465557#msg465557We were told by our Sankaty host that he often plays at the now 18 hole Miacomet GC which is "quite good." In between Nantucket GC and Sankaty is Siasconset Golf Course where we saw a father and his 4-5 year old out playing a quick nine holes. Nantucket wins the battle between Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard golf.
I really mean this when I say that I did not see the power lines out there. The wind shifted both speed and direction between rounds, so the concept of prevailing wind 30 miles out at sea is a relative term on Nantucket. If the rounds were flipped from Nantucket to Sankaty, I think Sankaty could have been a low round for me.
This trip was started when I bought a raffle ticket to Steve Curry's Turfgrass Auction last winter. If you have a $100 million or so to invest in a hedge fund, I will guess that you can find a way onto Nantucket GC. However at this stage of life, I will advice that you invest in Steve's raffle as a cheaper alternative.
Our host was Nantucket GC Super Mark Lucas. Between a very busy weekend, finishing a complete bunker re-do and with his wife getting ready to have their first baby on the mainland, Mark made the time to say hello and walk a few holes with us.
He is truely interested in people's opinion's (even hit and runners!) so if we can be constructive, Mark contributes here too!
One other note, it is not necessary to state that the bunkers are too white and the grass is too green. IT IS THE GROW IN STAGE! Please go see Merion today and pull up an old thread. It takes time!
Enough with the caveats, here is the Nantucket contrast of old and new:
Hole #1
Avery nice short 4
Rees does centerline bunkers
Cabins for overnight stays between the 9th and 10th holes for those not wanting to drop $10 million on a cottage
Sankaty Head appears to sit higher, and it does. As such, I would guess that it catches more wind on some days
Looking up to 18 clubhouse SH lighthouse
A nice short 4
17 was my favorite hole at NGC. The best approach to the pin is from the right side fairway close to the bunkers. He moved some dirt around the green and edges to make it more interesting than some of the green sites at Sankaty. At the same time he keep the bunkering to strategic rather than cosmetic.
Mullen, Nebraska is 1800 miles west, yet it has similar vistas. With views like this, why so much bunkering? That is my one main critique of the course. I love the contrast between the two courses, but I did think the natural land could replace some of the bunkering at Nantucket GC. Of course I am also lobbying my friend at Hollywood GC to add back in about 50 "lost" bunkers, so the GCA Double Standard continues!
18
Thanks again to Mark.