Jim Engh

[Jim Engh]

Sorry for the tardy reply to questions. Both kids are now playing hockey, my son for 9 of his 12 years and my daughter has just taken up the game. Only a half dozen games before 6:00am this year. It really is great fun!

Thanks to Dan Kelly, Paul Cowley, Michael Dugger, Steve Shaffer, Jay Flema, Kyle Henderson, Andy Troeger, Adam Clayman, Paul Thomas, Jerry Kluger, Sam Morrow, Jim Franklin, John Conley, Doug Ralston and Nick Cauley for the kind welcome to GCA.

JMorgan - a "round table" sounds fun. Schedules might make
               it difficult. I do not travel with a laptop. I would
               jump in when possible.    

Tom Doak - Yep! Snow has been coming hard in the
                 mountains and a few inches here in Castle Rock.
                 Breakfast was fun in the desert. Once a year
                 with the boys?    


W.H. Cosgrove - the mountains are getting hammered! Get  
                  out the fat boys for some powder fun.

Clyde Johnston - followed your great work for a long time.
                 Thanks for the welcome.

MPCirba - just call me 'Hillary'......polarize the hell out of
              people......but some actually like me! Whip'in boy
              will work too.

Sean Arble, Mike Trenham, and Jack Marr -

- The new nine holes at Carne are a bit up in the  air for me at the moment. There has been involement from a variety of people on a variety of committees and boards with a variety of opinions as to where the holes should be placed.  

Over the past five years we have had about a dozen layouts that have been modified to varying degrees. Construction even began on one layout that we all agreed upon and was then halted because of an objection. The present layout is proceeding slowly with construction. Unfortunately, only four of these nine holes are of my doing.

Simply stated, it is the process of 'design by committee' that has complicated progress on the new holes. We'll see what this spring will bring.  

Regarding your question of construction methods. We certainly had to take a different approach with this project  than we have done on most of our other projects. It really is about finding the holes as they lay. In some instances we might have to cut through a dune to join adjacent areas of natural significance or raise an area that is a lowland bog between the dunes. However, it was my goal to be very soft within a very rugged setting. This provided the opportunity to present some human spaces and golf shots that are quite unique and very much at the 'edge of the envelope'.

The process of design and construction at Carne is very similar to how we worked at our newest project in Canon City, CO called Four Mile Ranch. A site so sweet that the only significant excavation occured at the irrigation pond and part of one par 5. No bunkers. Pretty crazy concepts and spaces created by nature. Might be a bit to close to the edge of the envelope for some at GCA???  Small budget and low green fees, $45. Opens next summer.  

Any way, the new nine at Carne is on a slow pace at the moment. Hope to know more this spring.

Thanks again for the welcome. I hope that I can add a little to things here.

Jim

[dsilk]

hockey?? did someone utter the "h" word??

welcome aboard Jim- and yes, a thick skin helps around here

silky

[Kalen Braley]

Jim,

Welcome to the site as well, great to have you on.  

Just had a quick question about the 11th at Black Rock in Idaho.  While some in here may think differently, thats one of the most unique and cool looking green complexes I've ever seen.  I was curious what you can tell us about the hole and what you found there originally and how it became what it is now.

Thanks,

Kalen

[John_Conley]

Both kids are now playing hockey, my son for 9 of his 12 years and my daughter has just taken up the game. Only a half dozen games before 6:00am this year. It really is great fun!

Great for them!  I'm playing for the first time in 15 years and my son is a maniac 5-year-old in a Mite league with older kids.  Ever look at the ice and think you could improve the game by adding hazards?

[Jim Engh]

Kalen

It is my belief that interesting land forms should be integrated and used within a project. They do not have to belong to a certain style of or era of golf course design. They should be discovered, uncovered or left in their natural state, simply because they are interesting to the human spirit.

The 11th at Black Rock provided and opportunity to provide golf holes and human experiences that were unique to the rest of the property. Initially, I saw an area on the site topo map that indicated a 15% slopenthat was surrounded by mostly 30% -40% slopes. Upon finding my way through the trees and brush I was able to confirm that the 15% slope did exist. This allowed for the 11th hole to have a place for the fairway, with the green tucked between two very small rock outcroppings. More importantly, with the 11th hole in place, the run of 10 through 14 along the lake was now possible.

Upon excavating the green site and pond for the 11th, we discovered many more rock features than thought possible. In fact, I got a call from the construction foreman asking if he should blast these "goonies", his word for the rocks, from the pond. I said "absolutely not", and jumped on a plane that day. After a month of excavating to refusal, the point where excavating is no longer possible without blasting, we had a green placed within a cavern of rocks and pillar rocks sticking out of the pond. I did add the rock and water feature to the right of the green, while the stream feature to the left was placed on original rock. 95% of the rocks that you see on that hole are exposed, natural rock.                  

[Kalen Braley]

Jim,

Thanks for the details, very interesting indeed.  As one who lived in the Spokane area for several years, I can confirm those kinds of rock outcroppings are found everywhere in that area after being gouged out by the floods resulting from the last ice age.

I for one am glad you told the foreman to leave the goonies alone as it sure made for an extremely unique green site.

Kalen

[ed_getka]

Jim,
   Welcome to the site. I look forward  to  seeing some of your work one of these days.

[Bill Satterfield]

Good to see you here Jim.  I had the opportunity to golf with you and your brother-in-law at Black Rock last year over the 4th of July holiday.  It was a fantastic experience and one where I learned quite a bit (I hope I didn't burden you with too many questions).  I'm a huge fan of your work and would like to travel out to Georgia next year and check out your design at Reynolds Plantation.  Can make some comments on that new course, some unique features and challenges you faced, as well your comments on the 18th hole?  On the website design drawing it looks like it has a dramatic downhill tee shot and three greens.  Will just one green be used each day or will the player have the option at shooting at any one of the three?  All the par 5s look great!

[Mike Nuzzo]

Welcome Jim,

Did you say "no bunkers" on the whole course at Four Mile Ranch?
Can you share a routing plan with us?

Cheers

[cary lichtenstein]

Jim:

Welcome to GCA, glad to have you here!!!!!!!!

Cary Lichtenstein

[Tommy Williamsen]

Jim,Glad yo hear that you are aboard.  I played Black Rock this past summer.  In fact I began a thread about it.  Darned if I can find it though.  I loved it.  It was not only beautiful, the golf was terrific.  The green sites were some of the best I have seen.  We also have amutual friend in Terry Inslee.  In fact it was Terry sho told me to get my butt out there.

[Tony Petersen]

Jim -

Greetings... You live about 1 block from my brother-in-law at Pradera... Another good friend of mine is Ron Olsen, DOG at Black Rock... I am not about to bash. In fact, I can say in all honesty that I have had a GREAT time every time I have played your designs, from Pradera to Sancturary, Fossil Trace, Black Rock, Black Stone, Redlands Mesa, and on and on and on...

Looking forward to hearing from you in the future here at GCA.com!

[Noel Freeman]

BULA BULA!

[Steve Lapper]

Jim WHO?

I knew Jim Engh, and you sir are no Jim Engh .

The Jim I know wouldn't dare waste his time with such a surly and low-life lot (not unless they were buying the beers!). Now on to the need for  stinkin' badges!

[Ted Kramer]

Welcome Jim.
I'm always eager to hear from the guys who are building the courses.

-Ted