Quaker Ridge

[igrowgrass]

Had the oppurtunity to play at Quaker Ridge this past week.  The layout is phenomenal.  Very challenging from 6800+ yards.
Posting a few pictures for the boards enjoyment.

The cross bunker on the 1st


The Outstanding 4th


Approach for #7


The intriguing 8th


The 10th


My favorite hole The 16th


The properly placed short par 4, 17th


The guarded 17th green


Enjoy!

[cary lichtenstein]

Thanks for posting the pictures. I played QR almost 30 years ago and still remember what a wonderful course it is.

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

Sean,
  Wonderful picture post.  Not many people have had the opportunity to see the holes you filmed.  Personally, I really like 9, 11, and 12.  There is a chance that QR has Tillie's strongest set of par 3's.  I cannot think of a tougher 3 than 13, with 10 being no slouch.

[igrowgrass]

Sean,
  Wonderful picture post.  Not many people have had the opportunity to see the holes you filmed.  Personally, I really like 9, 11, and 12.  There is a chance that QR has Tillie's strongest set of par 3's.  I cannot think of a tougher 3 than 13, with 10 being no slouch.

The par 3's are outstanding.
I thought ten was the best one of them, the Par 3s.  The green on 9 is a very, very small target.  

[David Stamm]

Sean, thank you for posting these. Quaker Ridge is a course I've long wanted to see more of and learn more of.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Sean, It has been many years since I played QR.  My recollection of number eights "bump" was that it was more ragged than you picture shows.  Does anyone know when that changed?

[igrowgrass]

Sean, It has been many years since I played QR.  My recollection of number eights "bump" was that it was more ragged than you picture shows.  Does anyone know when that changed?

How long are you talking, that stuff was thick and long.  They just pass over it with the fairway mowers with the reels off to give it that look.

[Peter Galea]

Sean, It has been many years since I played QR.  My recollection of number eights "bump" was that it was more ragged than you picture shows.  Does anyone know when that changed?

How long are you talking, that stuff was thick and long.  They just pass over it with the fairway mowers with the reels off to give it that look.

Might it not be just as effective, or even moreso as shortgrass?

(I imagine that it was a ledgerock, topsoiled and grassed.)

[Michael Ryan]

I walked QR during both days of the '97 Walker Cup and I seem to remember that the bump on 8 was very rough, perhaps fescue at that time.  I remember thinking it really "popped" when you viewed the hole from the tee.

Do you have any pics of #9?  I walked with a member during the WC who told me that sentiment at the Club was that #10 was considered a weak hole only because it followed #9 and that if it was somewhere else in the property, it would be more respected.  It is only one person's opinion, but I found it interesting.  He told me that #9 and #11 were the consensus choices as best holes by the membership.

Sean, how were the greens?  I believe that at the end of 2005/beginning of 2006, they had some severe problems with a fungus that led to the super being let go.  I have not talked with anyone who has played it since then.  I hope they have recovered from that spell.

Mike

[Anthony_Nysse]

i think that the bump on #8 would look the best if it was 8-10 inch, narly, native grass, browned out. It looks WAY too manicure, especially with the fairway mowers lines through it...

Tony Nysse
Sr. Asst. Supt.
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC

[wsmorrison]

How long is the 8th hole?  Does the bump come into play on any shot other than a topped one?  Regardless if it is in a LZ or simply a visual feature, I think the bump would look best at fairway height.

[Mike_Cirba]

I think a lot of the course looks much better than when I played there, particularly the bunkering.

However, the bump looked much better as a rough-hewn rock-outcropping than looking like a underground sprinkler leak as it does now.

[Michael J. Moss]

The bumps on eight (there is a smaller one in front of the one shown) forces the player to go right or left. Right is the bold line as the green is more open from this angle. The problem is its a tighter line with Griffen Avenue and OB to the right. In the '97 Walker Cup, Minnesota's, John Harris, who was in his late 40s back then, totally blitzed the mounds with his drive. After a long time pondering his strategy, the shorter hitting Gary Wolstenholme, the reigning British Am Champion, decided to take the right side approach. He hit it OB.

Great hole!

[Patrick_Mucci]

Anythony Nysse,

The bump on # 8 was once maintained as you describe.

It also came more into play years ago, before super drives.

Quaker Ridge is another of many wonderful courses in the Metropolitan NY area.  It keeps a fairly low profile, has had some maintainance issues over the last few years, and is both fun and challenging.  It's a short hop from Winged Foot.

One of its assets is a weakness.
The majestic, stately trees that line the fairways create agronomic issues and have become invasive to the lines of play over past decades.  Hopefully, the club will address those issues on an ongoing basis.

Like many courses, QR could use less water.
However, like many courses, memberships like "emerald" green.
It's difficult for any superintendent to counter decades of a golfing culture where the membership craved and  worshiped "lush" conditions.  And, it's difficult to change that culture, especially over a short period of time.

Hopefully, the trend is in that direction.

QR is a great golf course and a terrific club.

[igrowgrass]

The bumps on eight (there is a smaller one in front of the one shown) forces the player to go right or left. Right is the bold line as the green is more open from this angle. The problem is its a tighter line with Griffen Avenue and OB to the right. In the '97 Walker Cup, Minnesota's, John Harris, who was in his late 40s back then, totally blitzed the mounds with his drive. After a long time pondering his strategy, the shorter hitting Gary Wolstenholme, the reigning British Am Champion, decided to take the right side approach. He hit it OB.

Great hole!

The mound doesn't really come into play all that much.  After my drive I had 50 yards in.  Playing down the right side is the way better angle to the hole location we played that day.  Tucked back left, compliments of a good friend of mine.

In regards to the how the mound on this hole should look, my friend has not seen any pictures of the hole without the grass being like it is, other than some without stripes.  

[Jeff_Lewis]

A couple of points worth clarifying.

1. Tillie didn't build 13. Nor 12, nor 3. See Dan Wexler's second book. What's remarkable is how good all three greens are.

2. The members got over any lushness desires many years ago. The course has been moving toward a firmer playing surface for several years and appears on the verge of accomplishing that goal in the next year.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I think a lot of the course looks much better than when I played there, particularly the bunkering.

However, the bump looked much better as a rough-hewn rock-outcropping than looking like a underground sprinkler leak as it does now.

I didn't like the old bump but I like the new one even less.  I thought it should stay because it was conroversial.  Every course needs at least one thing to make people complain.  It was a neat feature.  Hit it short and you couldn't see the green, Hit it over and you arre golden, try to hit it left or right and you take a chance.  

[Andrew Cunningham]

Remember that #8 is only 359 yards and the hump is only a 230 yard carry.  Still it provides numerous strategic options off the tee.  Without it, it would be a pretty weak hole.

It's surprising to hear member's think the 11th is one of their best when holes like the 6th and 14th are far more strategic.