Cherry Hills Architectural Summary

[Rick Wolffe]

Many thanks again for the fact checks on Merion East and Olympic Lake.

We have another great U.S. Open course where we can't find much in the literature on its architectural evolution -- Cherry Hills.  Here is what we have and if anyone can add specific changes that the various architects made, or correct what little we have, we would most appreciate your time and contributions.


Cherry Hills – originally designed by William Flynn circa 1923

The course at the Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado was founded in 1922.  Its golf course was designed by William Flynn and has hosted seven USGA championships including the U.S. Open in 1938, 1960 and 1978.  The U.S. Amateur was held in 1990, and the U.S. Senior Open in 1993, and the most recent USGA championship was the 2005 Women’s Open.  The course also hosted two PGA Championships in 1941 and 1985. 

In 1958, Press Maxwell redesigned two holes.  {The Architects of Golf, by Geoffrey Cornish and Ronald Whitten, Harper Collins, 1993, p.341}

In preparation for the 1978 U.S. Open, Arnold Palmer and his course design partner Ed Seay were retained to toughen up the course.  They added 155 yards overall.  The first hole was stretched from 346 yards to 404 yards and eight new bunkers added. 

In 1990 the team of Geoffrey Cornish and Brian Silva made additional revisions.  {The Architects of Golf, by Geoffrey Cornish and Ronald Whitten, Harper Collins, 1993, p.401} More recently, the club completed a major restoration to restore Flynn design features which had been lost over the years.

[J_ Crisham]

Rick,  Hopefully Tom Doak will respond as he is the archie doing the reno work. I played here in June and was shown by the member/host the planned changes. Excited to see the completed work. The clubhouse reno work turned out very nicely. One of the nicer men's lockerrooms I've seen.
                                      Jack

[Sam Morrow]

I was unaware that Palmer was behind lengthening 1. I wonder if Arnie wanted to make sure nobody got off to a start like his in 1960. Of course these days somebody probably still could do it downhill.

[Scott Witter]

Rick:

Mark Fine, a regular poster on GCA prepared a master plan for CH that included an extensive section on the physical evolution of the course (with aerial photos) from the early 1930's-present as well as an expanded narrative on the history of the course.  Perhaps he will see this thread and offer you some more info off line.  I believe Tom Doak's associates are implementing the majority of the master plan that Mark prepared.

[BCrosby]

Rick - Wayne  Morrison as a great deal of info on Cherry Hills.

Bob

[J_ Crisham]

Bob,  Are you referring to the Cherry Hills Masterplan that Doak prepared fro the membership?  If so I found it to be very informative with the aerial pictures and drawings of the upcoming changes.
                                                       Jack

[BCrosby]

Jack - No, I was referring to the Flynn materials Wayne has.  He might have something on the Doak MP too, but you'd better check with him.

[Tom_Doak]

Rick:

Mark Fine did a major historical review of the golf course for the club, which was the foundation for our renovation work this fall.  His stuff included side-by-side aerials from 1938, 1960 and 2005 beside the original Flynn drawing of each hole.

I did not remember that Geoff Cornish and Brian Silva had done anything there.  Two greens had been rebuilt from Flynn's originals, #3 and #13, and we built new versions of those, based loosely on the original greens -- I think the 13th green was too steep for modern green speeds, while the 3rd was just kind of strange.  We also "moved" the 8th green and indeed the entire 8th hole about sixty yards, in order to make room to lengthen the 9th and 16th holes, and to relieve a very cramped area for tournament galleries.

[Seth Berliner]

I was unaware that Palmer was behind lengthening 1. I wonder if Arnie wanted to make sure nobody got off to a start like his in 1960. Of course these days somebody probably still could do it downhill.

Just a note: The 404 yard tee is well below and to the players left of the Palmer tee. Even at this altitude it would not be driveable. 

[Matthew Rose]

I'm anxious to see how things come out, as I'm moving to the Denver area soon, and I'm hoping that Cherry Hills may play host to an event or two at some point.... that '85 PGA seems like ages ago now. I've always been interested in the course anyway, since a family friend of ours played in the '78 Open there.

[tlavin]

The Doak re-do is most welcome news to me.  I've always had a soft spot in my hardened heart for Cherry Hills and can only imagine what Doak can do to spruce it up.

[Doug Wright]

Rick:

Mark Fine did a major historical review of the golf course for the club, which was the foundation for our renovation work this fall.  His stuff included side-by-side aerials from 1938, 1960 and 2005 beside the original Flynn drawing of each hole.

I did not remember that Geoff Cornish and Brian Silva had done anything there.  Two greens had been rebuilt from Flynn's originals, #3 and #13, and we built new versions of those, based loosely on the original greens -- I think the 13th green was too steep for modern green speeds, while the 3rd was just kind of strange.  We also "moved" the 8th green and indeed the entire 8th hole about sixty yards, in order to make room to lengthen the 9th and 16th holes, and to relieve a very cramped area for tournament galleries.

Tom, I'm curious to see what you're doing with #3 green. I actually thought the prior green was pretty good, well bunkered, fairly narrow with some slope requiring precision for a very short 2d shot. What sort of changes are you making there?

Really looking forward to seeing #17, which I know will have all the trees removed from behind the island green (finally!) and I believe will have some new fairway bunkering too.

[Mark_Fine]

Terry,
It is not about “sprucing it up” but more about “bringing it back”.  The credit (as Tom and his associate Eric Iverson who has been on site overseeing the work) would agree, should go to Flynn as it is his design that is being brought back to life!  The course had changed over the years as all courses do and much of the Flynn look and design intent had evolved away.  The current work is helping bring back much of what Flynn had designed (one great golf course) while at the same time making some improvements to address the modern tournament game (mostly length). 

The biggest physical change to the course was the recent (this year) movement of the 8th green as Tom notes above.  The whole hole was moved about sixty yards forward.  As Tom said, this opened up a very congested area and allowed the lengthening of the 9th and 16th holes.  This was an observation and recommendation I made to the club back in 2005/06 as part of our plan.  I never like recommending moving an orginal green (especially a really good one) but the 8th green surrounds had been changed considerably over the years as well as the angle of play.  This led to our recommendation to move it and both Tom and Eric agreed and the green was moved this year in the recent work.  I saw the new green when I was out there in the fall with Eric and it looks great.  They mapped the original and copied it pretty well.

Doug,
The third green/hole that you remember was totally out of character with the rest of the golf course.  Those buried elephants behind the green have been removed and the green and bunkering (including the fairway bunkering) now much more reflect the original hole design.  I have original plans/photos as well as a progression of how the hole changed over the years. 

Rick,
I emailed you offline and will correct/add to some of the points in your summary (after the holidays when I get back to my office). 

All in all Cherry Hills is a great golf course and the recent changes will help it settle in as one of Flynn’s absolute best. 

[Doug Wright]

The biggest physical change to the course was the recent (this year) movement of the 8th green as Tom notes above.  The whole hole was moved about sixty yards forward.  As Tom said, this opened up a very congested area and allowed the lengthening of the 9th and 16th holes. 

Doug,
The third green/hole that you remember was totally out of character with the rest of the golf course.  Those buried elephants behind the green have been removed and the green and bunkering (including the fairway bunkering) now much more reflect the original hole design.  I have original plans/photos as well as a progression of how the hole changed over the years. 

Mark,

I marshalled the 8th hole during the US Womwn's Open a couple years back and the congestion was really bad there. Good call on that, especially if you're also improving the hole generally.

The third green may have been "out of character" but I liked it nonetheless. I will be very interested in seeing/comparing the new version.

[Mark_Fine]

Doug,
The the 8th hole was really congested (I spent time on that hole as well during the tournament and we probably saw each other and didn't realize it).  That hole will improve considerably (adjusting the orientation for the new line of play is just one of the reasons).  I thought moving the hole was key to a number of improvements on that hole as well as on the 9th, 16th and even the 5th (original tee locations are being restored).

I guess I am a purist with some of these older courses, but the first time I saw the third hole I knew it wasn't Flynn and didn't think it fit in with the other holes.  I agree it was a decent golf hole but not for Cherry Hills.  You will like the new one. 

[Sam Morrow]

I was unaware that Palmer was behind lengthening 1. I wonder if Arnie wanted to make sure nobody got off to a start like his in 1960. Of course these days somebody probably still could do it downhill.

Just a note: The 404 yard tee is well below and to the players left of the Palmer tee. Even at this altitude it would not be driveable. 

I didn't know it, it sounds like an entire new hole.

[Doug Wright]

I was unaware that Palmer was behind lengthening 1. I wonder if Arnie wanted to make sure nobody got off to a start like his in 1960. Of course these days somebody probably still could do it downhill.

Just a note: The 404 yard tee is well below and to the players left of the Palmer tee. Even at this altitude it would not be driveable. 

I didn't know it, it sounds like an entire new hole.

I've never played the 1st hole from 404--not sure anyone does or why they would....

[Seth Berliner]

I was unaware that Palmer was behind lengthening 1. I wonder if Arnie wanted to make sure nobody got off to a start like his in 1960. Of course these days somebody probably still could do it downhill.

Just a note: The 404 yard tee is well below and to the players left of the Palmer tee. Even at this altitude it would not be driveable. 

I didn't know it, it sounds like an entire new hole.

I've never played the 1st hole from 404--not sure anyone does or why they would....

The 404 tee is right next to the lake on #18.  I prefer this tee as it adds a different option off the tee because it brings the creek into play on the right. 

I saw the changes this fall and was very impressed. #3 is a much improved hole and #13 green is wonderful with close to as much slope as #5 green. 

[Tom_Doak]

Sam:

I don't know why anybody would play that 404 tee on the first hole, either.  I think they built it because they were afraid everybody was going to try to drive the green and it was slowing up play too much.  I don't think it gets used much; we suggested removing it but the committee wanted to leave it there, and it was one less thing to tear up.

Terry L:

I hope you like the finished product, but I wouldn't say that I "did" much to the course at all.  If it's improved, much of the credit goes to Eric Iverson, who lives in Denver and who sat in on 20 committee meetings that I would never have attended, and who shaped the three new greens (with me watching) in addition to overseeing the rest of the job.

[Sam Morrow]

Sam:

I don't know why anybody would play that 404 tee on the first hole, either.  I think they built it because they were afraid everybody was going to try to drive the green and it was slowing up play too much.  I don't think it gets used much; we suggested removing it but the committee wanted to leave it there, and it was one less thing to tear up.

Terry L:

I hope you like the finished product, but I wouldn't say that I "did" much to the course at all.  If it's improved, much of the credit goes to Eric Iverson, who lives in Denver and who sat in on 20 committee meetings that I would never have attended, and who shaped the three new greens (with me watching) in addition to overseeing the rest of the job.

Thanks Tom

[Anthony_Nysse]

Tom,
  How was the work that TDI International did?

Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt.
Colonial CC
Ft. Worth, TX

[Rick Wolffe]

Thank you Mark, Eric and Tom and others for the new information which I will incorporate in the summary.

Mark pointed out a great article in the September issue of Colorado Avid Golfer, by Tom Ferrel, which is good read on work at Cherry Hills.   Not sure how to link it or I would do that.

[Matt_Ward]

Tom D:

Given your comments in CG about Cherry Hills ("If this course were in Philadelphia, it wouldn't be famous") -- I'm just wondering if you think Cherry Hills -- as it is now with all the work that's been done -- would be able to crack the top five in the Philadelphia area - I'm not counting Pine Valley -- just the first five on the Pennsy side of the Delaware.

Final question - how much of the stature of Cherry Hills is tied to the fact that it has hosted majors and would it be fair to say it's the Baltusrol of Colorado?

Thanks ...

p.s. If others wish to comment I'd be happy to read their thoughts.

[Tom_Doak]

Matt:

I'm not going to try to re-rate every course in Philadelphia (several of which I haven't seen in 10-15 years) so I can compare them to the newly renovated Cherry Hills -- especially since Cherry Hills isn't even open yet and nobody (including me) has played it.

It's fair to say a LOT of the course's stature is tied to the majors it's hosted.  But, it would be fair to say that about Augusta National or Pebble Beach, too.

But it would NOT be fair to say that Cherry Hills is the Baltusrol of Colorado, for any number of reasons:

1.  Baltusrol isn't even close to the best course in its immediate area, while Cherry Hills is.
2.  Robert Trent Jones and Rees Jones never worked their magic on Cherry Hills.
3.  No farmer was ever murdered there.
4.  Cherry Hills is a better course than Baltusrol ... and probably always should have been, if I didn't have them ranked that way before.


It's hardly perfect.  The club planted far too many trees and the board is very squeamish about taking any of them out, even where it would open up beautiful views of the mountains!  Maybe someday they'll see the light on that count.