[SGD]

I'm interested in the group's feelings about excellent golf course land (natural terrain, with the ability to place next tees adjacent to greens) but that will have to have a long cart ride or bridge or tunnel to travel 500 to 750 yards to connect one group of holes say 1 to 11, with 12 to 18.  Does such an interruption to the flow of being able to walk and carry for 11 holes, but then having to make a L O N G hike or cart ride to the next 7 holes where you can carry and walk, ruin it?

The only examples I can recall from my travels may be the bridge over the turnpike at Oakmont, the cart ride to #1 at Wilderness Valley, tunnels at Bel-Air, maybe the hike around the gorge from #4 to #5 at Kapalua Plantation, etc.  What are some other examples?  What's the best management practice to make it work? What's the worst hike (or interruption) that still doesn't ruin the rest of the course for you?
 
Thanks for your comments.

[ian]

The walk between the 11th and 12th holes at Cape Breton is 375 of the most beautiful yards I have ever walked. There are a number of long walks, but they are incredibly beautiful. This adds to the round. Usually its through homes, etc. and it dampens the enjoyment of the course.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

The walk between #13 and 14 at Eastmoreland is pretty cool. One who has played both Cape Breton and Eastmoreland probably would be a better judge, but it is walk over a bridge through a beautiful park with a naturally running waterfall--totally seperate from the course--of course!!. I'm sure that H. Chandler Egan avoided it at all costs during the original routing:)

Rustic Canyon has some of these "walks" as you mentioned at hole 4-5/9-10/10-11/14 tee to 14 fairway/17-18, but how it plays with the eco areas is what makes it so great.

[Doug Sobieski (Guest)]

Crystal Downs - Long walk from 11 green to 12 tee through the trees.

[Oscar Brown]

If the walk is downhill, I find it more agreeable.

[Ken_Cotner]

Kiawah Ocean, long walk from 9 green to 10 tee past clubhouse.  Not ideal, but doesn't ruin anything.

KC

[Dave_Miller]

One of the courses at LaCosta has a couple of walks like SGD describes.  Since I walk whenever possible I noticed it but did not really think it interrupted the flow.  
I'm not sure, but since the two courses here are combined to make the Tournament course it may have something to do with TV.  But I don't know that.
Cheers
Dave

[Lou Duran]

From the clubhouse to the first tee at Sand Hills it is one mile+.  Very unusual, but with Ben's Porch by the first tee providing wide views of this gorgeous course, it works.  

[SL_Solow]

Blackwolf Run, River. Tunnel underneath road between 4th and 5th tee then up a tree lined path to a beautiful elevated  tee.  Return is from 13 to 14th tee with a look at the clubhouse.

[GeoffreyC]

The walk between #8 and #9 at Cruden Bay up that hill is no fun but the views from the 9th tee can make up for it.

There is a walk between #17 and #18 at Ocean Forrest that is some 250-300 yards.  We discussed this in the past but Bill V first pointed out that it is both a beautiful stroll after a really difficult par 3 and it can serve to let you gather your thoughts for the 18th hole at the end of a match or a tournament.  It works pretty well.

Huntsville, another fine Rees course (somewhere at about 50 on the GW modern list) has a long walk between 10 and 11 that really doesn't work too well.

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Cape Breton Highlands is the best example.

Oakmont over the turnpike is great.

There are obviously walks that do not benefit the course, however those two have always seemed part of the character of the course.

[ChipOat]

Walk from #2 green to #3 tee at Dornoch is pretty short and surrounded by bushes, but the view of the links when you emerge on the 3rd tee is awesome!

[Mike_Cirba]

Olde Kinderhook near Albany has a walk from the 8th green to the 9th tee which has been stoically dubbed something like "66 steps", up a wooden staircase that ascends a steep hill.    

What it lacks in length, it makes up for in severity.  

[dg]

There is a pretty but otherwise not very good golf course on St. Simon's Island, GA named the Hampton Club.
After an indeterminably long ride (you would not want to walk the course) between 15 green and 16 teebox, you are greeted by a sign that reads, "Welcome to the 16th Tee". You are glad for the sign because at point you are unsure where you are.

[ted janeczek]

the walk from #15 green to #16 tee at caves valley.( they were carting them up the hill during last week's senior open.) the walk between #'s 2and 3 / 9 and 10  (same walk)at the new militia hill course at philly cricket club. the worst of all, the walk (backwards and upwards!!) from 5 green to 6 tee at inniscrone.

[Mike_Cirba]

Ted,

Is Philly Cricket's "Militia Hill" course worth seeing?  What's your take?  

I understand it is considerably different than the original, which is now called the "Wissahickon" course.  

[SPDB]

Is Militia Hill the new H&F course at PCC? I like that name.

[Mike_Cirba]

Sean,

Yes, it is.  Actually, I like both "Militia Hill" and "Wissahickon" for course names.

[BCrosby]

At Wade Hampton there gap between the 5th green and the the 6th tee that requires a cart ride that takes you by the main entrance gate, past a maintenance shed, and through the main parking lot.

For a course that has pretensions to being one the best of the moderns,  it's a shocker.

Bob  

[Patrick_Mucci]

Lou Duran,

Are you kidding or serious ?

The walk from the clubhouse to the first tee is one mile at Sand Hills ?  Geez, and guys complained about the walk from the practice putting green to the first tee at Atlantic.

Where are the 9th and 18th greens located relative to the clubhouse ?

TEPaul,

Why didn't you tell me you had to walk a mile to the first tee ?

[Scott_Burroughs]

Patrick,

You don't walk to/from the 1st tee/18th green at Sand Hills, carts take you out there.  Or so I've heard.

[GeoffreyC]

Pat

The clubhouse is set near a hillside with the only trees within miles and the sounds of the river behind it.

You take a cart through the fence on the other side of the entrance road and travel for well over 1/2 mile until you get to an endless practice range where you hit balls until you are ready to play.  

You get back into a cart and travel what seems lile another 1/2 mile till you FINALLY see a golf course (and what an amazing site it is!!!!!!).  Bens porch is in front of you as well as a beautifully contoured praactice putting green.  You are surrounded by endless sandhills with just this small structure (Bens porch) and this perfectly natural golf course.  It couldn't be more perfect.

There are caddies at the porch as well as food and drink.  At the end of the day you just hop in the carts and head back to the clubhouse which is also the best restaurant in Nebraska.  

If this sounds like a golfers heaven- IT IS

[Patrick_Mucci]

Where are the 9th and 18th greens in relation to the clubhouse and Ben's porch ?

Why didn't they build the clubhouse near Ben's porch ?

[GeoffreyC]

The 9th and 18th come back to Ben's porch.  There is a map of the 130 or so holes Coore and Crenshaw found within the area of the current golf course in the proshop.  I believe that Doak pointed out that if there is a weakness at Sand Hills its that the routing bringing the 9th back to the porch might have left out some better holes.

Don't know the answer to your second question.  The current system is unique and it works.

[Mike_Cirba]

Patrick;

I read an article recently that stated that Mr. Youngscap wanted to keep the area of the golf course as natural and undisturbed as possible.  

As you might imagine, cabins, restaurants, staff, etc., would have been inconsistent with his intent.  Besides, he picked a perfectly lovely spot for the clubhouse that is a great little river valley retreat on it's own.

As Geoffrey mentions, the rest of the course is contiguous, walkable, intimately routed, and heavenly.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()