[Greg Holland]

The Wyndham Championship in Greensboro announced that it will be played at Sedgefield this year and going forward.   Lots of history there and great winners, including Snead, Hogan, Nelson, Player, Casper, Trevino, among others.

Kris Spence did a great job restoring the course last year.  For the tour, the course will play as a par 70 of about 7150 yards. 

Should be interesting to see the tour on a classic course.  The greens will be the course's primary defense -- but the tour pros that have played it recently said it required them to think all the way around, shape their shots and be in the right spots.  Will be fun to see how the tour players react to the course.

[BCrosby]

Greg -

What is the back story to the venue change?

[JMorgan]

http://www.pgatour.com/2008/tournaments/r013/02/20/release/index.html

[Adam_Messix]

The move to Sedgefield was mentioned at the Section meeting on Monday but I didn't get a chance to talk to Rocky other than a hello and congratulations. 

I have not had a chance to play Sedgefield post changes yet, but I walked around late one afternoon about a month ago and the place looks awesome and will be a great venue for the event.  It will no doubt be VERY difficult. 

[Scott_Burroughs]

Greg, you beat me to it.

As the article posted above says:

"With this change, we move to a golf course designed by Donald Ross; we will be just minutes away from the Grandover Resort where most of the players and sponsors stay; and our event moves much closer to the center of the Piedmont Triad."

I haven't seen it since the restoration, either.  I noticed it's now a stern 75.1/141, when it used to be 72.4/128 at 6737 yards.  I'm guessing that 18 will be played as a par 4 (and perhaps they switch the nines as well).


Here's a past thread with pics pre-restoration:
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,25200.0.html

I believe the club web site has construction pics during/after restoration:

http://www.sedgefieldcc.org/index.cfm?ID=1

[BCrosby]

Not to be a pest, but the article simply affirms that the venue change is taking place and how cool Sedgefield is.

But why change courses? I thought people were pleased with Forest Oaks. I thought the Love Group's changes had been well received. No?

Bob

[Greg Holland]

Bob,

I understand the change in venue was for a couple of reasons. 

SCC is more centrally located to the Triad, the airport and it backs up to one of the best hotels in town.  Also it is a classic Ross course, and the SCC clubhouse is a terrific old tudor style building with a great locker room. 

Here is a quote from an article in the Wintston Salem paper today: "Dunlop White III, a foundation board member who is from Winston-Salem, said that changing courses will be a benefit.

“I think having the golf tournament where it originated and where it developed a tradition at Sedgefield is a wonderful marketing tool,” White said. “I think the tradition part is nice and it’s a Donald Ross design, and that will lure people to the tournament.”

White, who is also on the board of the Donald Ross Society, said that having the only PGA Tour regular-season tournament that is a Ross design is a big deal."

The article at www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173354687928, provides more details.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Who is this Dunlop White fella?   

But why change courses? I thought people were pleased with Forest Oaks. I thought the Love Group's changes had been well received. No?

Bob,

As Westchester CC found out, having a (high) quality (even classic) course doesn't mean squat to the PGA Tour.  They care about $ first and foremost.  Why are there so many boring TPC courses in use out there?  Now, the Wyndham itself may want the change to perhaps bring in a better field (which would likely then bring in more $).  That spot before the (supposedly) 'long and gruelling' FedEx Cup run doesn't help bring in the top names.

[JMorgan]

“Donald Ross is the Michelangelo of course design, so this is a good match for us.”

So who is Leonardo then?

[Kalen Braley]

“Donald Ross is the Michelangelo of course design, so this is a good match for us.”

So who is Leonardo then?

Ted Robinson of course...   

[Joe Hancock]

“Donald Ross is the Michelangelo of course design, so this is a good match for us.”

So who is Leonardo then?

Ted Robinson of course...   

And I think we all know who Picasso is.....

[Lester George]

The Sedgefield Home Page does not (at least what I saw) mention Chris Spence.  It just touts their 3 million dollar renovation. 

It is a shame when a course goes through a successful renovation and doesn't recognize the architect and contractor.  Happens all the time to many of us. 

Lester

[BCrosby]

Thanks.

I don't know who that Dunlop White guy is, but he sounds impressive.

Bob

[michael j fay]

Dunlop White III is a past-President of the Donald Ross Society who has written a number of important treatises on trees, architecture and was one of the originators of the "Restoration Guidelines".

He is a guy who really understands Golf Architecture and has been restoring both Old Town in Winston-Salem and the Roaring Gap Golf Club in Roaring Gap. He has seen a good deal of the Ross restorations in North Carolina and has been asked by numerous clubs to review the work.

He plays to about a plus 2 and has at one time or another held both the Club Championship at Roaring Gap and at Old Town, simultaneously.

He gives fairly freely of his time and where Dunlop appears the job is usually done right.
 

[Scott_Burroughs]

Michael,

Not gettin' the sarcasm, I see.   I put a smiley after my comment about Dunlop and Bob was following up with more.   We know Dunlop.

[Greg Holland]

I noticed it's now a stern 75.1/141,

That rating is for par 71 too -- the Tour will play 18 as a par 4, which will make for a stern closing hole.

[BCrosby]

Michael -

As Scott notes above, Dunlop is a good friend.

[TaylorA]

Greg -

What is the back story to the venue change?

On my blog, I wrote several articles about the move. They can be found here:

http://www.earthgolf.com/2007/05/02/tour-players-take-up-for-a-dead-guy/

http://www.earthgolf.com/2007/05/07/more-on-sedgefield-vs-forest-oaks/

http://www.earthgolf.com/2008/01/15/sedgefield-closer-to-become-host-for-wyndham-championship/

Those should answer your question - for the most part.

[BCrosby]

Taylor -

On the assumption that a course's Golden Age pedigree is not terribly important to the PGA when it selects a venue, would I be far off base in assuming that the change to Sedgefield was mostly about corporate tents?

Bob

[TaylorA]

Taylor -

On the assumption that a course's Golden Age pedigree is not terribly important to the PGA when it selects a venue, would I be far off base in assuming that the change to Sedgefield was mostly about corporate tents?

Bob

I'd say you're dead on the money.

[Dunlop_White]

Michael, Thanks for the nice profile!

As Greg Holland mentions. The Wyndham Championship would benefit as a Triad event ..... for Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point..... not just Greensboro. Sedgefield's location may better accomplish this as it is located in the middle. (While it takes me 50 minutes to get to Forest Oaks from Winston Salem, it takes about 22 - 25 minutes to get to Sedgefield.) A huge difference! Additionally, Sedgefield backs up to Grandover Resort, which is a huge plus for accommodations and access. (near the I-40/I-85 corridor) Less than a handful of PGA Tour events in the country have this luxury.

Then you have the heritage factor....playing the course where it developed such a tradition. All the big name players came to Sedgefield....even the Crosbys and the Hopes. Then, you have the brand name, Donald Ross, a restored authentic Ross at that. If it doesn't attract more players, spectators and sponsorships, which it should, it will surely attract new members and make the club thrive again. The clubhouse setting is simply beautiful too.

Then, you have the date? It would be nice to be close to the Wachovia Championship in the spring sometime perhaps in the future.

That's about it.

Dunlop

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