The Reserve Club (W & M)

[Jon Spaulding]

Had the opportunity to play here recently; the course is a W&M design opened in the late 90's, located in Indian Wells, adjacent to the Vintage. Developed by the same folks (Lowe) that brought us Stone Eagle, which is across canyon.

While the course offers little in the way of design stimulation, it flies under the radar well and offers a more turfed-in and playable experience when compared to some other courses in the W&M body of work. Perhaps a case of "LQ Mountain meets Morningside".....not worth a special trip (or the initiation fee ), but a fine place to spend some time.


#2 tee shot


#2 green


#5 tee shot


#5 approach


#6 tee shot


#6 centerline bunkers for lay-up


#6 green


#7 tee shot


#7 approach


#7 from behind


#8 tee shot


#9 tee shot


#9 approach


#11 tee shot


#11 green


#12 tee shot


#12 lame-o


#12 green


#13 tee shot


#13 - looking at a better course in the distance


#13 approach


#13 scrub


#15 tee shot


#15 approach


#16 tee shot


#16 green


#17 tee shot


#18 tee shot


#18 approach

[Tom_Doak]

Jon:

Since you did so much work to post this, I didn't want to let it slip off the front page with no comments.

Generally, I agree with your assessment of the course.  About half the holes are completely manufactured through the development; and when they had a hole near the rocky hillsides they seemed a bit afraid to get too close to them with any features.  The greens are also terribly flat.

But, what do we know?  The club sold out all its real estate and memberships in record time, and that's why they were emboldened to develop Stone Eagle, which hasn't been nearly as successful on the sales side so far.  Timing of entry into the market probably had more to do with that than anything, though ... The Reserve sold out in the dot-com boom.

[Michael Dugger]

Seems to me for every "sporting" golfer there are at least two or three "leisure" types out there....

[Jon Spaulding]

Thanks for stopping the slide . I figured this could come up in the future so might as well put the pics up.

Timing & stock currencies certainly help any club. At this particular locale, our host and some "other member" names dropped would tend to fit in the "economy independent" category .

Additional factors might be 1) primo location, 2) "who's a" member and 3) ego-stroking forward tees, with minimal defense @ the greensites. From a marketing standpoint, it makes sense that a guy that drops that much on a membership ain't used to "losing", so why offer a course that beats him up.

The lack of mountains in play was disappointing. A few of the holes @ LQ Mountain are always challenging with the rocks being an integral hazard along the preferred line.

[John Kirk]

Jon,

Thanks for another detailed photo essay.

The Reserve uses all native plants to augment existing vegetation, a practice continued at Stone Eagle.

Does anybody else think the bunkering resembles Jim Engh's muscle bunkers?

#12 tee shot