The architecture of Mike Strantz...

[TJSturges]

Ran and I had the pleasure of playing at Tobacco Road last Saturday (the second of 2 straight match play victories by yours truly over "Golf's Most Loved Figure").  

I think this is the 5th Strantz course I have played.  While I haven't "loved" all of them, each course is loaded with strategically designed golf holes.  Strantz is a former employee of Tom Fazio.  Strantz obviously learned about building visually stunning golf holes from the Fazio team.  What he has added to that is to produce visually stunning golf holes that incorporate strategic design elements, which Mr. Fazio chooses (for the most part) not to incorporate into his designs.

At the end of the day, I believe that the strategically designed golf hole is more fun to play than the hole with little or no strategy.  With the emergence of Doak and Co. and Coore and Crenshaw (and others) building strategic golf holes once again, I believe the golfing public in this country will begin to embrace this concept more and more in the years to come.  The American golfing public has obviously expressed great admiration for the stunning and beautiful design look of courses designed by the Fazio firm.  My question is this:  Strantz provides the stunning look of a Fazio course (that the public loves), and he builds strategic holes that make the golfer think as he or she plays them (which, at the end of the day, are more fun to play).  With this unique combination of design philosophies, is Strantz destined to become the #1 golf course architect in this country?  

[A_Clay_Man]

Too much logic there and too much discrepency in what "#1" means.

If it's as great as you say and Mr. Strantz can keep it up. Then he will be #1 in our hearts.

[mike_beene]

Royal New Kent was one of the most memorable and enjoyable courses I have played.However,Stonehouse was awful.Hit it in the clowns mouth,with the clown hidden.Fairways running out in ridiculous places.Maybe he's two people?

[Lynn Shackelford]

Ted, is it possible your match play victories over Ran are making you dizzy?
"Visually stunning holes?
Fazio gets hugh budgets, which are followed by huge maintenance budgets to create dark green-nitrogen rich holes.  I don't find them stunning.  I see mucho bucks and bulldozers having a field day during construction.
I want a hole which visually tells me where I can go, where I may go and finally where I can go if I am not all that talented.  That is how I define visually stunning.  Fazio doesn't do that for me.  I have played the first Strantz course in Myrtle Beach (forget the name), and it was very good especially visually.
I guess what I am saying is go Mike go, keep true to your own beliefs and style and I think you will go further than imitating the Faz.

[Ted Sturges]

Lynn,

Read my post again.  I didn't say that Fazio's style was MY favorite, just extremely popular with the public at large.  I prefer to play the kind of golf holes you describe.  I just think that Strantz's style could be described as playing a Fazio course with strategic design elements included.  Fazio's career has been enormously successful if judged by the portfolio of projects his firm has been awarded (whether you or I prefer to play his style of courses or not).  I just wonder if Strantz's style (as I described it) is positioning him to win a whole bunch of work the next decade or so.

TS

[Lynn Shackelford]

Ted, I hoped and assumed you were not a big Fazio fan.  You may be right, Strantz is positioned with his past and own abilities to go far.
I just wanted to clarify, that while the majority of golfers might find Fazio's holes "visually stunning," I am one of a few who don't.  I find them shamefully wasteful of good natural land.

[Jeff_McDowell]

I enjoyed Tobacco Road too. It has the only 90 degree dogleg hole that I've enjoyed. It shows how creative Strantz can be, and how well he understands the mental game of golf.

However, knowing when to say when is important. I don't think most golfers enjoy having to chose between a driver and mid (to short) iron on a par-5 five opening hole. Those kinds of decisions (forced upon the golfer by the designer) leave a slightly bitter taste in your mouth no matter how much fun the rest of the course is.

[Matt Kardash]

well i made my only career hole in one at a strantz course...it was the thrird hole at true blue...i didn't like the hole all that much but i liked my result..

[R.S._Barker]

Personally, I have seen Royal New Kent, and thought the course was amazing.

My heart says that an Architect like Mike is bound to succeed for the same reasons that C.B. MacDonald did. Boldness, a sense of flair, a personal taste for finding his own path, and a certain touch that makes me see Mike as a throwback to days long forgotten.

His work on Tobacco Road and Royal New Kent shows he has far reaching skills, and that alone may propel him to a loftier position as an Golf Course Architect. Perhaps he will attain that achievement - as long as he stays true to the work that he has created for our enjoyment.

I wonder what the golfing world will think of his work 100 years from now, will it be revered as much as say a Raynor or MacDonald design is today ??

I also wish to state - whilst I truly love his visionary work on the two courses aforementioned, I do not put him in their class....yet.

R.S. Barker

[mike_beene]

R.S.I'm guessing you also saw Stonehouse?I won't restate my thoughts.What did you think?

[R.S._Barker]

Mike,

Ok, you got me there - I too thought its a very contrived course, lacking in any type of functional continuity. There has to be smoothness in a design, a sense of balance and even if it has new design theories incorporated, there must be a taste of old world charm.

What I mean is, the course just did not even set up well, it had a quality that made me think that a certain designer -  whom tended to make conch shell bunkers with triangles and funky greens - had perhaps designed it.

Yet, I still stand by the 2 afformentioned works he created, but unfortunately people tend to remember disaster rather than genious.



Take care,

R.S. Barker

[Devine]

I remember some positive comments a few months ago about Strantz' newest course in Charleston, SC - Bulls Bay Golf Club. Has anyone else played it and how does it compare to his previous work?

I hear it is a very playable and fun golf course to play.....

[Paul Richards]

Jeff:

I too enjoyed Tobacco Road.

However, in my book, it's a much more fun course to play than it is an "architectural wonder."

[Tim Jackson]

Okay Lynn

I'll bite.  Which holes in particular that Fazio has built and you have played do you find 'shamefully wasteful of good natural land'?

[Lynn Shackelford]

Tim:

You know, you may have got me there.  I am thinking, but I realize I haven't played a Fazio course in so long I cannot tell you about one.  I intentionally avoid Fazio courses.  
Wait, how about the 16th at The Vintage in Indian Wells?  Uphill par 4 which could have had a natural run up to reach the green, but as I recall one must hit left to have any chance of run up, otherwise huge carry up hill.  
But again you got me, I think it is a George and Tom Fazio design and I never saw the land before construction commenced.  However the green site looks artifically built-up.  
My point may have been poorly worded.  I tried to say that it appears that the land has been moved or appears contrived when one looks at a Fazion design.  Rounded and curvey is does not appeal to my eye (in golf).  Seen plenty of pictures in magazines.  Many love the look, I don't.  Just use the site as you find it.  If that doesn't work then go to another site.  Since I only see Pelican Hill in Corona Del Mar from PCH, haven't played it, maybe I should keep my lips zipped on Fazio courses.  

[Tim Jackson]

Lynn

Thanks for the honest answer.

[Yancey_Beamer]

Lynn,
That was Caledonia Golf And Fish Club on Pawley's Island.
A good course that is not "over the top". I enjoyed it .