Jim Blaukovitch

[Dan Herrmann]

i had the opportunity to play a Jim Blaukovitch design (Golden Oaks) in the GAP matches today.  Golden Oaks is in Fleetwood, PA.

Pretty nice golf course.  Actually, it's very nice considering that it's a heavily played public course.  A little too much paralllism, but it's an excellent example for affordable public golf.

From what I see, he's filling an important niche - good quality affordable golf, designed on a regional scale.

What do you think about Mr. Blaukovitch's designs?

[Dave_Miller]

i had the opportunity to play a Jim Blaukovitch design (Golden Oaks) in the GAP matches today.  Golden Oaks is in Fleetwood, PA.

Pretty nice golf course.  Actually, it's very nice considering that it's a heavily played public course.  A little too much paralllism, but it's an excellent example for affordable public golf.

From what I see, he's filling an important niche - good quality affordable golf, designed on a regional scale.

What do you think about Mr. Blaukovitch's designs?

Dan
Have not had a chance to play one of his courses but the next time I get back to Philly I'll try to check it out.
Best
Dave

[Joe Bausch]

Dan, I've played a few of his designs, but it has been years since I played Golden Oaks, but I would agree with your evaluation.  

Bella Vista is another affordable public course near Gilbertsville that is part of a housing development (but not too encroaching right now).  Bella Vista has a remake of the 17th at TPC, or something similar to it.  I just can't warm up to the 5th hole at Bella, a short par 4 that requires a pretty good carry over marshland that most amateurs can't make reliably.  And the layup area is about the size of a stamp!

My favorite of his courses is Honeybrook, out in western Chester County.  I think the 8th hole at HB is a wonderful par 3.  

I have extensive photos of both Honeybrook and Bella Vista here, with specific commentary too.

http://myphillygolf.com/gallery.asp?id=7479&pid=2236

[Jim_Kennedy]

Joe,

I don't remember if it was 4 or 5 years ago, but I played Honeybrook on my way back from a trip. I enjoyed it tremendously and remember it as being inexpensive, pretty wide open, good greens, and friendly people.

Great spot, too. 
 

[Joe Bausch]

Joe,

I don't remember if it was 4 or 5 years ago, but I played Honeybrook on my way back from a trip. I enjoyed it tremendously and remember it as being inexpensive, pretty wide open, good greens, and friendly people.

Great spot, too. 
 

Jim, it is a couple of brothers (twins?) that own the course.  I think the property was in the family for years as a dairy farm.  They are super nice.  Isn't it amazing how good a feeling you have from a golf course when all the people that work there are tremendously nice?!  That probably has clouded my judgement of the architectural merits of the course.  The first two holes are parallel par 4's; the first is forgettable, the 2nd a pond is in play off the tee right and the green is trapped well.  The 4th is a pretty decent double dogleg par 5, and the signature hole is likely the par 4 5th with a blind tee shot and a 2nd shot over a pond to a very tricky green.  This description of the first five holes is, IMO, pretty representative of the rest of the course.  Some real nice holes, some blah.  I think the best hole might be the downhill par 5 12th to a very tiny green up against some marshy area.  And here again is part of the charm of the course:  off to the left of #12 is an Amish farm and usually you can see some work going on in the field with plow horses, etc.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Joe,
That's it, the place has a bucolic atmosphere and that appeals to me. You won't leave there with a headache.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I seem to recall that Golden Oaks was originally developed as a private club but plans changed for some reason.  It is a good public course that is often overlooked because of its location.

Here is his website:

www.jbadesigns.com

[Joe Bausch]

Joe,
That's it, the place has a bucolic atmosphere and that appeals to me. You won't leave there with a headache.

I wonder if there is sufficient interest to have a GCA gathering there.  Yeah, it clearly isn't the best public course around, but it is wonderful for what it is trying to be and places like this need more love, IMO.  The owners sort of know me and I've had e-mail contact over the last few years w/ Blaukovitch so maybe he would come out. 

The last couple of years the par 4 11th has been a fun hole...a somewhat stereotypical dogleg left par 4 that boomers will consider a birdie hole if you can carry the left bunker at the bend, a 260 yard carry.  But for everybody else it is a pretty tough hole where you can bail right off the tee... and for the last two springs a family of red foxes hangs out just left off the tee and the young will be out there playing tag with each other.  A wonderful sight to see.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Joe
You forgot to post the pictures Honeybrook's cart barn on your website.

[Craig_Rokke]

His courses definitely are consistent, solid, affordable  public golf. I've played Old Homestead, Golden Oaks, Honeybrook
and another which escapes me.  Don''t know that
I could pick a  favorite, but if you picked the top 18 holes
from amongst the three you'd certainly have a pretty good course.

[Dan Herrmann]

Thanks for the replies.

While there's no doubt who the giants are in the world of GCA, there are a number of very well qualified guys running under the radar, who put out a very nice product that fills an important need - affordable, quality public golf. 

Just don't play Honeybrook behind a group of Amish guys like I did once.  S-L-O-W, but it was a hoot

BTW - Hall of Famer Betsy King happened to be out at Golden Oaks yesterday morning. 

[Tim Nugent]

Dan Herman writes

"While there's no doubt who the giants are in the world of GCA, there are a number of very well qualified guys running under the radar, who put out a very nice product that fills an important need - affordable, quality public golf. "

Nice observation Dan.  I worked w/Jim as his survey assistant (Rodman) for a couple summers back in my youth when we (Killian& Nugent) were building Kemper Lakes and he was the field architect - just a couple years out of Penn State.  Jim is one of the nicest, respectful guys around.  Unlike some Architects, Jim is quiet and unassumming.  While I've never played one of his designs, I would hazard to guess that they reflect his personality - strong, solid, and not overly tricked up or flashy - just good, solid, golf that passes the "walk in the park" test while being economical for both the player and the owner.  Jim is also a full member in the ASGCA.

[Michael Blake]

From what I see, he's filling an important niche - good quality affordable golf, designed on a regional scale.

Dan, I think you've hit the nail on the head.

I've played:

Old Homestead
Honeybrook
Bella Vista
Island Green

All are fun, challenging, and affordable.  Fortunately for me here in Montgomery County, his courses along with a host of others fit that category you've described above.

And while the Phila area gets knocked for not having more "great" public courses, I'm certainly happy playing the fun affordable ones.

[Mike_Cirba]

Like everyone has mentioned, he designs some really nice, medium-budget courses that fill a great need and every course of his I've played has some nice surprises and usually a handful of exceptional holes.

I'm probably the king of Blaukovtich, having played;

Applewood
Bella Vista
Deerwood
Gilbertsville (the new 9)
Golden Oaks
HoneyBrook
Island Green
Olde Homestead
Riverview
Southmoore
StoneHedge
Walnut Acres
Whitetail

Of them, my favorites are StoneHedge (his first), Olde Homestead, and Whitetail.

I'd avoid Island Green and Riverview.