I just got back from a wonderful golf trip to western Massachussetts with a detour to Troy, New York, and I must say that I was overwhelmed by the generosity and warmth that I encountered while I was away. Let me publicly thank Mike Kucera, A. Montana, M. Cobb, the Cranwell Resort and Spa, Scott Wood, Tom Sullivan, Steve Curry, Bob Meheran, C.M.B. Nugent, S. Dakai, E. Armstrong, Dan Taylor and Jim Stickels for making this trip memorable.
Mark Chalfant and Sweeney insisted that I visit the Country Club of Troy, so, in the style of and with many thanks to Ran Morrissett, here you go.
Country Club of Troy
Troy, New York
Walter Travis, 1925
6622 yards, par 711st hole - 405 yardsJust like the opener at Travis's Cape Arundel Golf Club, the first green can only be seen after a very good drive onto the hillside fairway. The tiny green appears benign from a distance, but is crowned so as to repel a miss in any direction.
Nothin' wrong with a little framing. These trees are gorgeous.Afer a modest start, the course starts to heat up with this short hole that plunges straight downhill. These bunkers right and left, 220 and 250 yards away, encourage an aggressive tee shot.
Plenty of long views at Troy.Standing on the tee of this very flat hole, you just know that the green is going be outrageous. A slight rise in the fairway 50 yards from the green makes many third shots blind.
Travis pornFurther proof that Travis was masterful on flat ground, the ninth hole attacks with a fussilade of blindness, length, interiour contours, and bunkers.
9th hole - 425 yardsSensational blind tee shot. The third crazy green in a row lies way down the other side of this hill.
Bruce Hepner and Renaissance Golf have done some work here recently, including this aiming bunker,
which the author appreciates as his crushed tee shot was lost on what appeared to be a good line.The total package - gorgeous NASCAR fairway that banks around two bunkers, and an intensely swaled green.
14th hole - 357 yardsA blind approach (the author faced
eleven on his visit) to the wackiest green on a course full of them.
The twice-a-day hit-and-run enthusiast may sometimes need a cart for holes 28-36 BUT he is often treated to excellent low sun angles in the evening.Textbook, and how! This mound at 245 yards can either propel the ball into short iron range, or eat you alive.
18th hole - 405 yardsStraight up the hill, this hole has ten bunkers, including these four that are completely sunken and flush to the ground. A most interesting conclusion.
With a dense jungle on the right hand side of the eight holes on the perimeter of the property, Troy demands a controlled tee shot. With small greens that cannot be seen from the fairway, the course also rewards faith and patience. Throw in the excitement of putting on these greens, and you have a great test of golf - one with fine scenery and a deep feeling of isolation and quietude.