[Tim Gavrich]

Fear not, this is not a tangent to The Great Merion Debate!

It looks like I'm going to be losing mine tomorrow afternoon at The Homestead.  A few of us rascals on the W&L Golf Team are heading out there; the nice folks in Hot Springs said they'd be able to accommodate us later in the afternoon.  I'm hoping we'll be able to get out on the Upper Cascades.  If we do, it'll be my first experience with the genius (at least so I sense from reading this website) of William Flynn.

What was the first Flynn course you ever played?  Did certain things stand out as unique to you?  Are there things that I ought to pay attention to tomorrow afternoon?  Anything Homestead-specific that I might miss that I shouldn't?

Thanks!

--Tim Gavrich

[Jay Flemma]

I'll give you 1 and 2!

First - ACCC.  Wonderful.

Second - Rolling Green.  Thank you to Mayday Malone for a terrific day last Sunday.  The greens were fabulous, the routing was cunning, and the shrimp gumbo fantastic.

[Ed Oden]

Tim:

My first Flynn was also the Cascades.  When I was in law school at W&L, we would slip up to Hot Springs once or twice a year.  Back then it wasn't that expensive and you didn't need to stay at the Homestead to get a tee time.  The Cascades was easily the best course I had played up to that time and has remained a sentimental favorite.  I love the greens, which are always in great shape and very fast (be warned to stay below the hole).  And the par 3s are terrific.  But mostly, I think the course is just chock full of interesting and fun holes that can be a real challenge if you are not careful.  I'll be interested to hear what good college players think.  Have a great time!

Ed

PS - I trust you've read Ran's stellar review of the course under Courses by Country.

[Gerry B]

my 1st flynn was indian creek

[JESII]

Tim,

Just keep your eyes open and have fun, and let us know what you think when you're done...it's a really good course.

[Cory Lewis]

My first Flynn was also The Cascades, played it for the first time when I was 14.  Growing up in Virginia it was the best course in the state and the second "big" course I ever played behind #2.  My father and I played it three days in a row that first trip and it got better every time!! 

[CJ Carder]

Like a few others, my first Flynn was also the Cascades.  A few highlights from my memory.... the stretch of #5-10 was I thought the best part of the course as it sports an interesting par 5 in #5, a very well thought out par 4 in #6, a difficult tee shot on #7, a great 2nd shot on #9 with the bullseye up in the trees, and just a cool short'ish hole in #10 (don't hit it too far).  #12 and #13 were also very solid holes with some depth perception issues due to the usage of bunkering to create optical illusions. 

I'd be interested to see what you think of a 5-5-3 closing stretch as well.  I thought that was a bit out of character for the whole course... sort of like Flynn crammed it together.

Enjoy! 

ps - if you don't get to play the Cascades, the Old Course (Ross) is also an interesting, sort of quirky little track that's very fun.

[TEPaul]

If possible try to get a look at some photos of the way the bunkers used to look and the way they look now.

When you step off the 14th green go to the spot about 40-50 yards to the left and about 30-40 yards behind where the 15th tee is now and look at the 15th hole from there. Forget about the 14th green as it wasn't were it is now.

Then report back to me or wacko Wayno Morrison!   

When you're done your day at the Cascades have a couple of scotches neat in the clubhouse (which was there before the course was built) as Flynn did with the owner after his first day on that site. When the owner asked Flynn what he thought Flynn did a quick calculation and then told the owner he found him a golf course but that he didn't think he could afford it. The owner looked at Flynn and said; "Oh yeah, watch me."

Also take not that The Cascades is an unusual routing in that it does not have a par 4 on the last four holes.

[TEPaul]

One more thing Timothy:

When you're about fifty yards in front of the bunker in the middle of the fairway on #12 that's about fifty yards in front of the green, I'd like you to take a careful look at the twists and turns of the bunker's top lines and then tell me how they flow against the twists and turns of the top lines on that mountain range behind the green in the distance.

If you don't like what you see Wayne and I might ask The Homestead to consider redesigning the top lines on that mountain behind the hole.

I guess the first Flynn course I ever played was Shinnecock when I was a teenager since I came from Long Island originally. I remember the girl I played with better than the course though. She didn't have the greatest face in the world but her body more than compensated.

[Andy Scanlon]

I believe my first Flynn course played was Philadelphia Country Club, played while on my high school golf team.  I have played numerous Flynns since and none of them have ever disappointed.  Have a great time.

[Dan Boerger]

It's been a number of years, but first was Philly CC, followed by Lancaster CC.

[Bob Harris]

Before I was enlightened by this group, I would have said Philmont.   
My answer now would have to be either Huntingdon Valley or Rolling Green.

[Wade Whitehead]

Cascades for me as well.

When you're there, be sure to ask staff to dorect you to the scorecard (mounted for a long time in the back staircase leading to the grill) from a round in which Sam Snead made nine threes on the back nine.  As I recall, playing with him that day was George Fulton, a legendary amateur here in Roanoke, who lost to Snead's 62 by just a shot.  In related news, Mr Fulton just passed away last week, for those that knew him.

WW

[Kyle Harris]

She didn't have the greatest face in the world but her body more than compensated.

That's a Penn Stater - Nice Uniform, ugly helmet.

My first was Huntingdon Valley.

[Marty Bonnar]

Tim,
I enjoyed the very great pleasure of losing my Flynnginity to a couple of lovely PA sisters just a little earlier this year.
First dance was an elegant waltz with the lovely Lehigh. Ho hum - bunkers left and right (just kidding, Big Bro!!! )
Absolutely delightful routing utilising the creek on just the right amount of holes and wonderfully detailed drainage engineering disguised as natural landforms. Mr Toomey undoubtedly played a considerable role in the firm. A great lesson indeed. Tremendous range of bunker-fairway and bunker-green transitions. Quick mention of Ms Renee's HIO - Go Mrs V!!!
Next on the dance card was an invigorating Foxtrot with Rolling Green. Mr Malone's home course is a wonder of routing, spilling over and around some of the most fun terrain I have ever encountered on a golf course. A good few world-class green sites and some of the most quirkily-creative par threes make this a proper wee gem.
Pennsylvania - cooool!

FBD.

[Sean_A]

At the risk of causing more hostilities, my first Flynn was Merion.  My second Flynn was Mayday's stomping grounds. I would like another look at the courses.  Merion because I think it is the best inland course I have seen.  RG because I wasn't as enamoured with the course as most seem to be. 

Ciao   

[Tim Gavrich]

Well my Flynn virginity is gone.  Sorry I hadn't reported back sooner.  It's been a whirlwind couple days.  I really enjoyed the Cascades on Friday (my 19th birthday, as chance would have it), and will make a seperate thread with pictures about it soon.  As a stupendous contrast, I had the great fortune of playing the Old White course at The Greenbrier today (Saturday).  I loved it as well, and will devote another thread to it (with pictures) soon.

If you're interested, stay tuned.

Cheers.

--Tim

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