Had the opportunity to see Annandale GC in Pasadena last week for the first time. Have heard mixed reviews throughout the years….but came away fairly impressed with the current version. Most may know this as the club where Paul Runyan served as the pro for many years. The course was recently renovated and reopened in November, 2007. The scorecard lists Watson (1906), Bell Sr. (1928), and Silva (2007). The recent work is marketed as a “renovation to recreate historic views and reshape every hole for playability”.
I’m hoping for some posts by some of the locals which can help establish a design litany, especially pre -1940. There is a letter from Bell Jr. posted in the grill room, dated 1980 which details Watson converting the course in 1919 from sand greens to grass, with Bell Sr. handling the construction. Adjacent to the letter is a drawing of the 3rd greensite on Watson’s original drafting paper with handwritten notes. Other photos on display, from the same period show a Watson-esque style of bunkering (including some wild ones, and a punchbowl green). The property saw major change in 1961 with the “insertion” of the 134 freeway, wherein a fair bit of acreage was lost.
The course was a delight; very efficient use of a small/undulating piece of property, reminds one of Claremont CC with a few similarities to Pasatiempo (difficulty/tree planting for adjacent holes). Plays to a par 70, 6612 yards, 72.6/131.
The new bunkering, routing and a few green contours are the highlights; the bunkering being a bit over the top and superfluous in a few places but I would say it’s a vast improvement over the “Bell” bunkering being attempted at locales such as Brookside, San Clemente, etc. The detail edgework is quite elaborate, but looks as though it can be maintained for some time due to the shallowness of many of the bunkers. The work done at La Cumbre looks to be the best but I have only seen in photos to date.
The turf selction is not my favorite, with overwatered bentgrass greens, Bermuda fairways, and a rye/bluegrass rough brought right up to the edges of the putting surface (ugh).
Attached are a few photos (with “July gloom”) which hopefully capture the “new Annandale”; if anything’s missing please ask!
Opening tee shot
#1 approach
#1 greensite with kickboard on the front RH side
#2 teeshot with no look at preferred line
#2 approach with preferred angle from RH side of fairway
#3 approach
#4 tee shot
#4 approach
#5 tee shot
#5 greenside bunker
#6 approach
#6 green
#7 tee shot with preferred line/carry bunker on the RH side
#7 approach with green sloping front-back, right-left
#7 behind green
#8 tee shot
#8 greensite
#9 – I don’t get the bunkering here
#10 tee shot
#10 approach
#11 approach
#12
#12 greensite
#13 approach
#13 greensite
#14 approach
#14 greensite
#14 green from behind
#15
#15 green
#16 tee shot
#16 approach
#17 tee shot
#17 green
#18 second shot
#18 greensite
