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