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Mike Sweeney

Waccabuc CC in Westchester
« on: January 12, 2009, 10:55:20 PM »
I drove by this course over the weekend, but it was covered by snow and I have never played it:

http://www.waccabuccc.com/PublicArea/briefhistory.htm

Did a search here but did not see any specific mentions in the archives of GCA.

The clubhouse is across the street from a tiny post office and the scene is what you think a small New England golf village would look like.

Thoughts on the course?
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Damon Groves

Re: Waccabuc CC in Westchester
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2009, 12:15:14 AM »
I have played it once and it was in mid October and was unusually cold so I was not paying as much attention as I normally would. Also was five years ago when I had yet gotten into the architecture side of things.

My memory is that it is a nice old school country club. The course is nice and enough of a challenge from the back tees which are around 6400 yards. The holes run pretty much straight and the course leans toward "the freeway school" as described in Geoff Shackelford's Grounds for Golf. That being said it was not boring and I enjoyed the round. I remember hole 7 being a tough slightly uphill par 3, number 10 being a short par 5 with a nice uphill tee shot to a crest, and 18 a fun short downhill par 4 with the green protected by water. Certainly worth playing if you get the chance and now that I know a little bit more about the subject I am curious to play it again. 
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jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Waccabuc CC in Westchester
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2009, 08:46:34 AM »
Nice country course-low key.

If it was located in South Carolina or Georgia it would be frequently discussed as a great gem.
In Westchester, Philly, New Jersey, or Long Island it's one of hundreds of gems
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"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
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JNagle

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Waccabuc CC in Westchester
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2009, 08:50:14 AM »
We have had the great pleasure of working at Waccabuc Country Club for the past two + years.  Yes, it is a sleepy New England type club right down to the old manor style Clubhouse with upstairs rooms, a laid-back golf centered membership and a "hidden-gem" golf course.  The original course was laid out in the early 1900's then redesigned and re-routed by Alfred Tull in the 50's.  It is an interesting little tract that uses buried field-stone walls on two holes, a good routing over gently rolling to flat topography, a great set of varying par 3's, decent greens and is not overly tree'd.  We started construction in the Fall and will ultimately finish up in the Spring.  Much like any Master Plan we are rebuilding bunkers, adding tees, removing trees, adding bunkers and mounds and even adding new "old" buried field-stone walls.  A few greens are being tweeked to add character and challenge.  The members at Waccabuc make it an absolute joy to visit.

This course will always fly under the radar in Westchester County and I think that is just the way the members like it, Classicaly understated!



« Last Edit: January 13, 2009, 03:37:30 PM by JNagle »
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It's not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or the doer of deeds could have done better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; .....  "The Critic"

Mike Sweeney

Re: Waccabuc CC in Westchester
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2009, 10:29:00 AM »
Jim,

Thanks for the info. Waccabuc has to be the one of the most unique settings for golf in Westchester. Just did not feel suburban at all, similar to Sleepy Hollow. I ran into an old friend recently and he is a member, so perhaps I will get up there next season.

PS. See if you can get yourself into Salem GC in North Salem, where I get to play occasionally. There is decent land and similar country setting, but the course needs a little renovation, not restoration.
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Mike Sweeney

Re: Waccabuc CC in Westchester
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2009, 08:51:03 PM »
Jim,

Thanks for adding the master plan. Just curious how you approached this project. Loyal to the original, loyal to Tull or some sort of a blend with a touch of modernization added in?

I understand if you can't say.
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Scott_Burroughs

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Waccabuc CC in Westchester
« Reply #6 on: January 14, 2009, 02:05:59 PM »
I believe the name is derived from the local Native American tribe from long ago that used the land to hunt deer.
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Jim_Kennedy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Waccabuc CC in Westchester
« Reply #7 on: January 14, 2009, 03:49:05 PM »
Scott,
Waccabuc is an Algonquian word meaning "End of Lake". The Indians in that part of NYS were the Wappingers, related to Algonquians, and there were quite a few subdivisions within the tribe, depending on where they resided.

History lesson over  ;D
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"I never beat a well man in my life" - Harry Vardon

Scott_Burroughs

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Waccabuc CC in Westchester
« Reply #8 on: January 14, 2009, 03:59:35 PM »
Oh, sure, float out REAL info!

I still like mine, better.  My (joke) answer was a play on words, AOTD-style.  Tried keeping the smiley out of it, Dan Kelly-style.
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Jim_Kennedy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Waccabuc CC in Westchester
« Reply #9 on: January 14, 2009, 05:40:33 PM »
Scott,
Oops

The Waccabucs (part of the Makcabuc division ) belonged to the Fageddaboudit tribe, and when they weren't hunting deer they could be found vacationing in NJ.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2009, 05:45:32 PM by Jim_Kennedy »
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"I never beat a well man in my life" - Harry Vardon

SPDB

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Waccabuc CC in Westchester
« Reply #10 on: January 14, 2009, 09:06:20 PM »
Mike:
I had a cousin who was for a number of years club champion of Waccabuc and, I believe,
Chair of the Green Committee.  His proudest accomplishment was exposing some rocks on the far hill
on #6 to use as an aiming point for a diagonal drive that can create some real perception problems regarding how much to bite off (I'm not sure he publicized that change, thus giving him an edge in money matches). I've played it a number of times and you are correct that it has a distinctly small town
New England feel, right down to the clubhouse which is hard by the main road. I believe the clubhouse
was originally the estate of family that owned all of the land that makes up present day Waccabuc.

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