Gentleman,
Ok, let the fun begin. All this talk about “I maintain that if you take the course (Arcadia) away from Lake Michigan, it isn’t even on the radar.” Seriously, how is that ANY different than Pac Dunes? Is Pac Dunes “all that and a bag of chips” without the ocean, or does everyone assume greatness because of the architect? Very similar to the debate about C&C’s course at Bandon…is it really that good, are people assuming because of who designed it? Take the ocean away from Kiawah, Harbor Town, Pebble Beach, Spyglass, etc…that’s the luck of the land. Maidstone would be NOTHING without the ocean and dunes. Those are good pieces of property that architect were fortunate enough to work with.
Arcadia is LOADED with shot values and terrific greens. Who gives 2 shits if it isn’t walkable? A golf course DOES NOT need to be walked to be good. It doesn’t make the holes any less or better. Wade Hampton, Castle Pines, Black Diamond and The Sanctuary are not very walkable-does that take away from the golf? You never hear people talk about the routing at Doak’s Lost Dunes course in Michigan, having the first tee located 1/2 mile from the clubhouse…that doesn’t seem too walkable to me. Another Doak course that isn’t very walkable, similar to Arcadia, is Wilderness Valley. Doesn’t make the holes any worse, though.
So many people are caught up on fescue laced bunkers, crazy greens, Doak designs, walkability-Believe it or not, there is greatness without ANY of these. So many of us aren’t seeing architecture because were caught up in the fact that we have to take a cart, or one of our favorite architects didn’t design it. Does the over manicuring of Augusta take away from its architecture? I don’t think so. Does the flawless conditioning at Kinloch and its lesser known architect take away from its shot qualities? I don’t think so. We forget that EVERY architect was less known at one point, even Doak himself. Too many of us are bias, hense the bashing of Fazio, Jones, Nicklaus, Engh and even Dye at times. They compile 46 of Golfweek's Top 100 modern...something must be right...
Pete-Open those eyes! Chambers Bay looks a lot like Arcadia Bluffs. I’m just waiting to for someone to say, “If they take away the bay from Chamber’s Bay…”
Tom-Is Bethpage Black a lesser course to you because it’s greens contouring is very subtle? What about Kinloch?
Having lived in Michigan for over 20 years, Arcadia Bluffs is by far the best public course in Michigan. It’s neck and neck with Whistling Straits as the best public course in the Midwest and is definitely better than ANYTHING that we have here in South Carolina, Harbour Town included.
Tony Nysse
Sr. Asst. Supt.
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC