Course changes at Tetherow for 2009

[Rob Rigg]

If you didn't get a chance to play the course in 2008 you will probably miss out on some of the "quirk" . . .

"The new David McLay Kidd golf course continues to receive high praise for its beautiful layout and exceptional vistas, but the word on the street is that play is difficult and can be a bit frustrating for players with the wrong expectations.  A few weeks ago David Kidd walked the course with the developers and minor changes were agreed upon for several of the holes, the aim being to reduce unnecessary obstacles and increase the rate of play, all while keeping the character of the course largely unchanged.  Most of the alterations should occur this winter and should be ready to go for the ’09 golf season."

If anyone knows, specifically, what is being changed it would be interesting to hear about it.

[Michael Dugger]

Well hmmm, Matt Ward will be outraged!!!!!

[Bart Bradley]

What?  Changes to a golf course so soon after opening.  I thought that only happened to courses designed by the Nicklaus group  .

Obviously, just joking and I would enjoy to hear more about the changes being made.

Bart

[Garland Bayley]

Clearly Dugger had great influence with his comments on the eyebrows and mohawks on this site.

[Jim Adkisson]

I played Tetherow last Friday and found the "quirk" to be a whole lot of fun...we played with a required fore-caddy, Todd, who was a big help and made the round very enjoyable...It was a gas to find the bounces to play off of on approaches to the greens, and I really enjoyed standing on the tee, looking out at what I thought was the correct direction to play to the fairway and have Todd direct me 10-20 degrees right or left of that point to find the actual centerline (or preferred side) of the fairway that was beyond hillocks that were easily cleared with a decent shot...I had many laughs when I got out to the hillocks, eyebrows, scallops, whatever you want to call them, and look back at the tee and the fairway beyond and see how skillfully the true direction was hid from view.

As Tetherow is to be a private course, I would think that the "quirks" would keep the repeated play by members interesting, fun and fresh...hopefully they don't do much to dumb down this gem.

One other item...play this course before the mansions are built...that might be a good while in this economy, but the homesite map shows that one day it will no longer be the nature walk that it is right now.

[Michael Dugger]

Subtle tweaks are standard procedure for many courses....even at Bandon.

And I hardly think anyone is listening to little 'ol me, Garland!!!

[Rob Rigg]

Strong rumor that 16 is getting a facelift 

I always thought improving "speed of play" was more of a comment for public courses. If Tetherow ever really goes "private" then it will not get a ton of rounds.

I wonder if, based on the economic conditions, the developers have realized they have a great course that NEEDS to be open to the public, at least for the next - hmm - 5 years?

Can't see many homes going up, or properties being sold, in this environment. Especially as the RE market in Bend is rolling over like many Cali cities.

[Allan Long]

Rob,

Where did this quote come from?

What's wrong with 16?

[Jeff_Stettner]

 I am glad that the developers and the architect value the opinion of the eventual investors. I look forward to hearing about the changes.

[W.H. Cosgrove]

What?  Changes to a golf course so soon after opening.  I thought that only happened to courses designed by the Nicklaus group  .

Obviously, just joking and I would enjoy to hear more about the changes being made.

Bart

My guess is that some of the "Eyelash" mounds will be removed down the center of play.  Tetherow is very beautiful to look at and is as visually intimidating as any course I have seen. The extra features down the line of play slow play and create a situation where chance and luck play too great a part of making your way around the course. 

With its beautiful setting, and removal of some of the extraneous features, Tetherow should be a very popular course with GCA and rating panelists. 

[Rob Rigg]

I have not heard anything from DMK himself (since I do not know him and he certainly does not know me) - but based on comments heard while playing the course it is likely two things will occur, amongst others.

1) The green at 16 will be altered slightly to make it more "fair"
2) The eyebrows/mohawks, as has been mentioned elsewhere, will be getting trimmed in certain locations.

Quite a number of people have been pretty annoyed that they knock a drive right down the middle and end up in an unplayable lie. If they turn some of the "mohawks" into mounds, the course should retain most of the aesthetic qualities and the lies should align more with a golfers expectations if he/she puts it in the middle of the fairway.

I would agree that the changes listed above will probably endear the course even more to GCA fans (the "mohawk-gate" on the website was very entertaining), along with prospective members/owners.

I thought Tetherow was brilliant, so either way is fine with me.

[Michael Dugger]

1) The green at 16 will be altered slightly to make it more "fair"

Interesting, I didn't think the green was over the top as much as I thought the fairway needed tweaking.

This is my take:

16 is a pretty long hole.  A perfect drive up the left opens up the green. 

However, anything less than a perfect drive and the green is obscured.  My problem with this is there is so much trouble lurking everywhere I think you need to afford the golfer a better vantage point to see all the bunkers, mounds, mohawks, fairway, rough and out of bounds to be traversed with the next shot. 

Each time I played this hole I hit a slightly imperfect drive.  Not a piece of garbage, but like a 210 yard fade.  From here I couldn't tell where the green ways let alone the pin, let alone the different features that may or may not affect my ball in a beneficial way.  So, basically I had a 200 yd crapshoot shot, where you hit the ball in what you hope is right direction.  You have no clue how the features in front of the green may affect it.  You are equipped with a distance and a general direction.

Worse off, there is the potential for a lost ball lurking at every turn, which certainly delays speed of play.

I'd allow more visability to the less than perfect tee shot.  Give players a chance to take advantage of the humps and hollows in running your approach up onto the green.  But as it is now, you can't see anything.  The green is mostly hidden.

[Allan Long]

Michael,

I agree with you about the green at 16. It is the one aspect of the hole I really liked. I like the fact that the green has some backboards that you can use to get the ball close (for a third shot when you can actually see the greeen and are not relying on blind luck). I had an instance when the hole was cut just left of the mound in the center of the green, and from a downhill, sidehill lie in the fairway from about 75 yards out, had not choice but to try and fly the ball long right past the hole and use the slope to carry the ball back to the hole. Not only do those features give a player an additional option, in some cases it is the only option to get the ball close for a shot where another option may not otherwise exist.

[Michael Dugger]

Michael,

I agree with you about the green at 16. It is the one aspect of the hole I really liked. I like the fact that the green has some backboards that you can use to get the ball close (for a third shot when you can actually see the greeen and are not relying on blind luck). I had an instance when the hole was cut just left of the mound in the center of the green, and from a downhill, sidehill lie in the fairway from about 75 yards out, had not choice but to try and fly the ball long right past the hole and use the slope to carry the ball back to the hole. Not only do those features give a player an additional option, in some cases it is the only option to get the ball close for a shot where another option may not otherwise exist.

Allan,

I totally agree, that's exactly what I am saying.

Both times I came through 16 I wasn't really sure what to do with my 2nd, after a mediocre drive.
Well crap, I thought, it's not like I am opposed to making a wise lay-up, but I truly had not a clue where to do this.  I couldn't see anything.  There is like bunkers and mohawks running everywhere.....

If I was in charge of the tweaks I would.

Eliminate a few of the mohawks in the 2nd LZ on #2
Enlarge the green surrounds on #5, especially in the back.
Remove a few of the mohawks in the LZ on #6
Remove a few of the mohawks in the LZ on #8
Remove a few of the Mohawks in the LZ on #16

And that's about it.  Tetherow is awesome.

[Allan Long]

Michael,

I agree with you about the green at 16. It is the one aspect of the hole I really liked. I like the fact that the green has some backboards that you can use to get the ball close (for a third shot when you can actually see the greeen and are not relying on blind luck). I had an instance when the hole was cut just left of the mound in the center of the green, and from a downhill, sidehill lie in the fairway from about 75 yards out, had not choice but to try and fly the ball long right past the hole and use the slope to carry the ball back to the hole. Not only do those features give a player an additional option, in some cases it is the only option to get the ball close for a shot where another option may not otherwise exist.

Allan,

I totally agree, that's exactly what I am saying.

Both times I came through 16 I wasn't really sure what to do with my 2nd, after a mediocre drive.
Well crap, I thought, it's not like I am opposed to making a wise lay-up, but I truly had not a clue where to do this.  I couldn't see anything.  There is like bunkers and mohawks running everywhere.....

If I was in charge of the tweaks I would.

Eliminate a few of the mohawks in the 2nd LZ on #2
Enlarge the green surrounds on #5, especially in the back.
Remove a few of the mohawks in the LZ on #6
Remove a few of the mohawks in the LZ on #8
Remove a few of the Mohawks in the LZ on #16

And that's about it.  Tetherow is awesome.

Michael,

In the scenario I spoke of, it was just pure luck I had the opportunity to play the shot I did. After driving it in the tall grass just right of the fairway bunker, I chopped it out and luckily, I was about a foot left of a mohawk. I was just trying to advance it and have some sort of shot for a third. But, you just have no idea what's up ahead.

Interesting call on #8. I never gave it much thought, but I can see your point. I was always more concerned about that pesky tree that looms waiting to alter or knock shots down.

[Rob Rigg]

Fair points lads - 16 probably needs a little bit more work than just on the green.

To clarify my comments on the green. Two guys in my group, and supposedly the architect several days earlier, were punished severely for rolling their ball ever so slightly over the back left. The grass was pretty short and sloped between the back of the green and the cart path. Beyond the cart path was junk and, thus, a couple of lost balls.

If the pin is in the middle or left portion of the green it is tough to stick with anything but a perfect approach. As noted, this green is not one of the most severe on the course, but danger is lurking everywhere but short or maybe right. Either of those locations leaves a very very tough chip to the putting surface.

Just my two cents. I enjoy a challenging hole, but when you are worried about putting your ball off the green because you might lose it . . . well that is a bit severe.

Regardless of 16 - Tetherow is a great track.