A list of courses that have added total card yardage recently

[TEPaul]

Someone of significance at a well recognized American course asked me if I could put together a list of well respected courses that have added total card yardage fairly recently, particularly those on which it has been considered successful. He mentioned that even though the list could include some courses that have done this essentially in preparation for major championships he would prefer that the list concentrate on courses that have basically done this not for that reason but for the membership.

I think I can put together a fair list of courses that have done this but I would certainly appreciate anyone's input on it and in as much detail as possible----eg the exact amount of total additional yardage (from what yardage to what yardage), the course par etc and anything else that might seem appropriate.

Thank you.

[BCrosby]

Here in Atlanta, Peachtree, East Lake and Atlanta Athletic Club, just to name the most prominent.

I don't have the specifics at hand, but can get them for you.

I assume your friend already has ANGC on his list.

I think he will find that well known courses that have NOT been lengthened in the last several years is a much shorter list.

Bob

[TEPaul]

"I don't have the specifics at hand, but can get them for you."

Thank you Bob.

"I assume your friend already has ANGC on his list."

ANGC would be the last course he'd be interested in only because it holds the annual Masters tournament. I'm pretty sure there aren't a lot of members that play that course from the tips. 

[Adam Clayman]

Re ANGC; Did they add yardage to the member tees? That would be germane.

In searching for a reason why someone would want this list and extrapolating what said list could mean, what positives will come of it?  Highlighting how exposed to the whims of the day they are?

If it's true that the avid golfer is a 12 handicap or higher, and the average member, likely higher, the perception is contrary to one of the lasting reasons people golf. Fun.

This is where freedom in architecture should enter the discussion, because after all, who really wants to have their sport dictated by a committee of whim slaves?

[Phil McDade]

Tom:

A high-end public here in Wisconsin that has added yardage is University Ridge, outside of Madison, WI, which is owned and operated by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It offers no "memberships" per se, although it does have some volume discount passes for regulars, and it is the course for the UW-Madison golf teams (men and women), which arguably is something akin to membership. The university decided to lengthen the course -- the work is done, and was completed during the past two years -- because: a) players/equipment have "shortened" the course since it first opened nearly 20 years ago; b) college players in particular (mens) have just gotten exponentially longer; and c) the university wants to land some high-profile tourneys, particularly the NCAA Div. 1 national championship (mens), and perhaps even a pro mini-tour event. All of those have been cited as reasons to expand the course.

Details: Opened in 1991 at 6888 yds (par of 72, but with 5 par 5s, 5 par 3s, and 8 par 4s -- a little different than the usual 10-4-4 mix on a par 72). It has been lengthened to 7259 yds, from the tips. The adjustment hasn't been made in just the back (black) tees, either; the course from the blues and whites has also been lengthened, so no matter what tees you play from, you're playing a longer course than you did when it first opened. It's a Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed course, and he was brought back to consult on the lengthening.

Hole details from this thread, with some pics of the new way-back tees:

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,38431.0.html

My own view, although I haven't played the new back-back tees, is that in a few instances (mainly the par 3s), they are forcing length on some holes that aren't designed to handle that length. But I'd also add those new back tees are for playing a game with which I'm not, nor ever have been, familiar.

Hope this helps.

[corey miller]

I am not sure if my home course  Sleepy Hollow would be considered "well respected" as we are not a member of the Golfweek Top 100 Classic but we recently had a renovation done by Gil Hanse and George Bahto in which we added yardage.

The neat thing about what we did, and I am unaware if it has been done anywhere else, is that while adding more yardage we also DECREASED the total yardage one would have to walk between holes from either set of tees.

Middle Tees went from 6269 to 6377
Back Tees went from 6476 to 6845

[Mark_Fine]

Tom,
Make a photo copy of the Top 100 lists from Golf Digest, Golf Mag. and Golfweek and you will be pretty well covered.  Sad to say I am not being facetious.
Mark

[Lester George]

Tom,

All of them.

Lester

[Gary Slatter]

We have added length to the TORRANCE COURSE and to KITTOCKS, but only from the back tees!   
We are hosting the Scottish Senior Open on Torrance and they will not use the back tees.  For the 2010 Open qualifying I think they will use the back tees on some of the holes, subject to weather conditions.
Both courses can be played from 5800 to +7200 yards.

[Lester George]

Tom,

Not sure what courses you consider "well respected" but here are a few I have lengthened in the last 7 years.

DuPont Country Club, DuPont Course (Tull)

Country Club of Virginia, James River Course (Flynn)

Country Club of Florida (Harris)

Willow Oaks Country Club (Gordon)

Elizabeth Manor Country Club (Wilson)

Cavalier Golf and Yacht Club (Banks)

The Greenbrier, Old White Course (CBM/Raynor)

Country Club of Petersburg (Ault)

Salisbury Country Club (Ault)

Kinloch Golf Club (George)

Ocean City Golf and Yacht (Gordon)

James River Country Club (McMeniman)

and others that escape me right now.

Lester

[Tim Nugent]

Tom, I am currently working on a not famous course but much like the Hanse/Bahto work at Sleepy Hollow, the course was lengthened from just over 6400 to 6850.  While originally the thought was to leave it as a 4 tee system, we ended up converting it to a 5 tee system because too many guys didn't want to change where they were playing from but also didn't want to have the color of there tee changed (ie if the old back tee became the new member tee).  Since new cards had to be made up, it was decided to completely change the tee markers.  We used a set of cast metal snapping turtles for the back tees and different types of rocks for the rest (although we did use some pink granite for the forward tees).

It is amazing the degree of emotion that members attach to "their" tee.

[PCCraig]

Glen View Club - New back tees on a handful of holes to make a new "Mach" course.
Shoreacres - Semi-new back tee on 1 for a gain of about 5 yards 

[Brad Tufts]

TPC Boston shortened their course during the Hanse reno.  I think it went from 7100ish down to 6950 or so.

[PCCraig]

TPC Boston shortened their course during the Hanse reno.  I think it went from 7100ish down to 6950 or so.

That's right. A buddy told me TCC is adding length with a couple new back tees either this year or the next before the US Am.

[Scott Furlong]

Robert Trent Jones Golf Club
Tee - Old yardage - New yardage
Gold - 7335 - 7430
Green - 6930 - 6955
Blue - 6570 - 6585
White - 6145 - 6170
Red - 5570 - 5570

Hole 3 par 4 this was hole 1 for the 2005 Presidents Cup
Old HCP 3
New HCP 1
Old yardage 455
New yardage 500
White tee was an eye sore and was elminated.  This change pushed back the Green, Blue and White yardage.

Hole 7 par 4
Old yardage 425
New yardage 450

Hole 11 par 3
Old yardage 190
New yardage 215
More tee space for divots

[TX Golf]

Tom,

Cal Club of SF added around 400 yards in the recent restoration and doesn't have any interest in holding big events..