[Ed Oden]

Sedgefield has been discussed here before.  But I didn’t see any threads with pictures of the course post-restoration by Kris Spence.  So I thought I would share a few I took last month (in less than ideal photographic conditions - first haze, then bright sunlight) in advance of this week's PGA tour event at Sedgefield.  FYI, they were top dressing the fairways the day I was there and I caught a few holes before they could spread the sand, which accounts for the sandy spots visible in some of the pictures.

The approach to #1 (420 yard par 4) from the left side…


…and from the right.


#2 (448 yard par 4) from the tee…


…the approach…


…and the green.


#3 (176 yard par 3) from the tee…


…and the green from behind.


#4 (430 yard par 4) from the tee…


…and the approach.


#5 (531 yard par 5) from the tee…


…the approach…


…and the green from the side.


#6 (425 yard par 4) from the tee…


…and the approach.




#7 (225 yard par 3)…


#8 (376 yard par 4) from the tee…


…and the approach.




#9 (418 yard par 4) from the tee…


…and the approach.


#10 (442 yard par 4) from the tee…


…and the approach.


The approach to #11 (488 yard par 4)…


…and the green.


#12 (245 yard par 3) from the tee…


…and from behind.


The blind tee shot on #13 (407 yard par 4)…


…and the approach.




#14 (476 yard par 4) from the tee…


…and the approach.




#15 (522 yard par 5) from the tee.


…the approach from the right side…

…and from the left side.




#16 (165 yard par 3) from the tee…


…and the green from the side.


#17 (427 yard par 4) from the tee…


…the approach from the left...


…and from the right.


#18 (509 yard par 5) from the tee...


…the approach.




…and from behind.


Ed

[Bruce Wellmon]

Ed,
      I played Sedgefield perhaps 4 years ago and I am playing it Sept 28th. The overall routing looks the same, but big changes on bunkering/mounds. Kris Spence also did a redo at CC of Spartanburg of which I'm a member.
      Do they reverse the nines for the Tour event?
      When I attended The GGO in the '60's and '70's as a child, I remember 18 finishing next to the clubhouse. Maybe that's just my memory being incorrect from years ago.

[Greg Krueger]

Ed, thanks for taking the time to post these great pictures. I am going to try to go to the tournament tomorrow if work allows and it is nice to get a sneak peak!

[rjsimper]

Thanks for the great pics, Ed -

How would you compare Sedgefield to the nearby Ross resto, Alamance CC?

Hoping to play Sedgefield in the CGA 4-ball coming up...luck of the draw will determine that!

[Phil McDade]

Ed:

Great photos -- I really like how the terrain is used. Can you tell me a bit more about the course; I know little of it.

[Jeff Spittel]

I wish the tour played on more designs like this. Great pics.

[CJ Carder]

#3 (176 yard par 3) from the tee…

Lot of teeing options on this hole, huh?     Thanks for the pics Ed - I'm playing here at some point this fall as this was one of the rounds we won in the Rounds 4 Research auction eariler this year.  I'm really looking forward to it.

[Ed Oden]

There are a number of guys here who know a lot more about Sedgefield than I do.  Hopefully they will chime in.  But the basics are it is a 1926 Ross design recently restored by Kris Spence.  There are a couple of things I found very interesting about the place.  First, as I noted in another thread, Sedgefield is a residential subdivision course where the holes weave their way through houses, often with OB on both sides.  The corridors are wide enough that this isn't a problem.  But I do think its a bit unusual for a course of this vintage.  Second, Sedgefield has more canted fairways than most other Ross courses I've seen.  And on a number of holes, the cants go back and forth in competing directions.  For example, here is the view from the 17th tee again:



Notice how the fairway cants to the right, then to the left and then back to the right again.  Perhaps this was not unusual for Ross.  But it seems to me he more commonly crossed ridges and swales in a perpendicular manner instead of at an angle that accentuates the cant. 

Ed

[Carl Johnson]

Ed,

I've never been there, but from some of your photos, the course looks a little over-tree-ed (a new hypenated word I just made up) in places.  What's your assessment of the tree situation, both from a playing standpoint and an agronomic standpoint?  Did the Spence work include tree management, and if so, do you know how much?

Thanks, Carl

[Sean_A]

Ed

Thanks for the cracking photos.  Sedgefield looks a real treat with superb greens (as usual for Ross).  I must say the bunkering seems a bit unusual for a Ross except in the relatively small number of them (less than 50?).  If I have one complaint, it has to be that fairways don't go around the bunkers.  The surrounded by fairways look far better and I bet they effect play more.  

It is interesting to see the pix of Sedgefield compared to Beverly and notice how the green sites are so different in how they are raised.  The bunker placement looks similar, but the style is very different.  Sedgefield looks to be the better course, but of course, Beverly wins the name stakes by a mile!

Ciao

[Ed Oden]

If I have one complaint, it has to be that fairways don't go around the bunkers.  The surrounded by fairways look far better and I bet they effect play more.  

Sean, actually, the fairways pretty much do run into the bunkers.  There is just a very low first cut, not enough to stop a ball.  Here is a picture of the fairway bunker on #4 that shows how the real rough on the left wraps around the outside of the bunker away from the fairway:



Carl, the trees really don't affect play in my opinion.  The corridors are plenty wide enough and the trees are on the perimeter of the corridors.  From a purely golf standpoint, I would think some tree thinning would be preferable.  But since the course is in a residential subdivision, I suspect the trees provide a buffer from the homes and may actually knock some balls down that would otherwise be headed OB.  So I don't see them as a big negative in this instance.

Ed

[George Freeman]

The course looks fantastic!  Thanks for the great pics Ed.

I had no idea the Wyndham was played over this type of course (I don't think I watched one minute of coverage last year).  Now I'm really excited to see it on TV.

They playing corridors look plenty wide enough.  I was really surprised to read that the course winds through a housing development!  And man do those greens look like fun!

One of my favorite things is learning about courses you didn't know existed, especially when they look as good as Sedgefield.  The more time I spend on this site, the less this occurrence happens...

[Carl Nichols]

I played this course with GCA's own Greg Holland before Kris Spence's work, and it was a ton of fun -- I remember thinking that 17, in particular, was a really great hole.  It looks even better now; thanks for posting. 

[Sean_A]

If I have one complaint, it has to be that fairways don't go around the bunkers.  The surrounded by fairways look far better and I bet they effect play more.  

Sean, actually, the fairways pretty much do run into the bunkers.  There is just a very low first cut, not enough to stop a ball.  Here is a picture of the fairway bunker on #4 that shows how the real rough on the left wraps around the outside of the bunker away from the fairway:



Carl, the trees really don't affect play in my opinion.  The corridors are plenty wide enough and the trees are on the perimeter of the corridors.  From a purely golf standpoint, I would think some tree thinning would be preferable.  But since the course is in a residential subdivision, I suspect the trees provide a buffer from the homes and may actually knock some balls down that would otherwise be headed OB.  So I don't see them as a big negative in this instance.

Ed

Ed

That is not quite what I am talking about.  I mean for the fairway to actually go all the way around the bunkers.  There look to be two levels of rough that are mainly wrapped around the bunkers.  At the very least they could create collars like the low cut one you show.  In the same pic it is clear there is rough on the left blocking part of the entrance to the bunker and that is done time and time again.  Sometimes the fairway/rough line cuts the bunker "in half" from a long way back and sometimes the fairway just doesn't flair out wide enough.  Anyway, I don't like the look and that grass would hold up balls running into bunkers.  To me, the maintenance of the course should do all it can to make the bunkers gathering for balls even if the land doesn't actually funnel to the bunkers - which is understandable given drainage issues on non-sandy sites. 

Ciao

[jim_lewis]

Bruce:

Your memory is correct. I too, attended several GGO tournaments in the late 60’s and early 70’s. They played the nines opposite from today with the 18th finishing under the clubhouse. I also played the course a few times in those days, and I seen to recall that members played it the same way. I don’t know how they will play it this week, but I hope they revert to the old way. Otherwise the winner could be determined by a poorly placed cart path just right of the landing area on the last hole. A ball doesn’t have to be very far right to hit a path and bounce  OB. That was about the only problem I could fine when I played the course last fall.

I have some vivid memories of the old GGO that I will bore you with. In 1970 (I think) they had to play 36 on Sunday because of weather problems. It was one of  the last tournaments that Arnold Palmer (my hero then) ever had a real chance at winning. He arrived at the difficult 16th   with a two shot lead. The hole was playing so long that several pros were hitting fairway woods. Arnie hit his tee shot in the ditch left of the green near a footbridge. There was no stone wall at the time (see photo of #7, above). Naturally, he tried to play it out of the ditch, but failed to get it out. His next shot from the ditch went over the green from where he proceeded to make a triple bogey, loose the lead, and loose the tournament. I think that was the year that the tournament was won by Buddy Allin, who had just returned from duty in Vietnam.

It may have been the same year….I was standing behind the par five 14th (now #5) green waiting to see the long-hitting Tom Weiskopf  hit his second shot to the green. He waited for the green to clear, and hit his second shot over the green, over the gallery behind the green, and over the street behind the gallery, ON THE FLY.

I year or so before that, a skinny blond-headed rookie that most of us had never heard of named Johnny Miller entered. The first day he shot a 78, so he and his bride checked out of their motel and packed their car preparing to leave right after the Friday round. Well, he shot a 65 in the second round, and had to scramble to find a place to stay for the weekend.

Funny how some of those things stick with you, but I can't remember my score from yesterday.

Jim

[Ed Oden]

The nines will definitely be in the order shown in the pictures.  But #18 will play as a par 4 for the tournament.

[Bruce Wellmon]

Jim,
       When I'm tournament chairman, it's going to finish on "9." It's such a great look.
        I have a 1967 GGO program/cover signed by Bobby Nichols, Dave Hill, Gary Player, Bob Charles, Weiskoff, Sam Snead, Julius Boros, ChiChi, and Johnny Pott.  Found it in a box when I moved.
          The purse was $125,000.

                   

[John Moore II]

The fall off that is seen on the right side of the 17th green, that same type feature is also seen at #4 at Mid Pines. Is that feature common to Ross? I have only seen that feature at Sedgefield, on TV, and at Mid Pines in person. Do other courses have these steep fall-off's?

[Trey Stiles]

Thanks for the pictures , much of the topography of Sedgefield reminds me of my course that I refer to in the " Help me select a bunker style  thread "

Many of these bunkers would work on my course with a little softening to allow for potential triplex mowing ( Would love the bolder look , but the income on the course is minimal and we must " production mow " to make it a viable business )

[Roger Wolfe]

Jim,
       When I'm tournament chairman, it's going to finish on "9." It's such a great look.
        I have a 1967 GGO program/cover signed by Bobby Nichols, Dave Hill, Gary Player, Bob Charles, Weiskoff, Sam Snead, Julius Boros, ChiChi, and Johnny Pott.  Found it in a box when I moved.
          The purse was $125,000.

                   

Lets see you jam 10 corporate hospitality tents between 9 green and the clubhouse... just ain't happening!

Also... did anyone else enjoy the shots of the "beach" across the lake from 15 green... next to 16 green?  What
are the odds the ladies in bikinis were hired models?  I say pretty good!

[Bruce Wellmon]

Jim,
       When I'm tournament chairman, it's going to finish on "9." It's such a great look.
        I have a 1967 GGO program/cover signed by Bobby Nichols, Dave Hill, Gary Player, Bob Charles, Weiskoff, Sam Snead, Julius Boros, ChiChi, and Johnny Pott.  Found it in a box when I moved.
          The purse was $125,000.

                   

Lets see you jam 10 corporate hospitality tents between 9 green and the clubhouse... just ain't happening!

Also... did anyone else enjoy the shots of the "beach" across the lake from 15 green... next to 16 green?  What
are the odds the ladies in bikinis were hired models?  I say pretty good!

I need to watch more golf on TV. I missed the "beach."
Current #9 just has a great look compared to #18.........

[Paul OConnor]

From these photos, it is pretty clear why the winning score from this tournament was -20.  It looks like this course is totally defenseless against the modern tour pro.  I can't find a single hole where any PGA Tour pro would not be in absolute attack mode at all times. 

I guess people like to see birdies, but a 10-15 foot birdie putt on nearly every hole is hardly gripping drama.  Yawn.

[Steve Kline]

I agree Paul, but I can also see where us mere mortals might struggle a little bit.

[Matthew Rose]

As I was looking at the photos, my initial thought was that the front nine was more interesting. This was before I read the part about the nines being flipped.

Maybe it is "too easy" for the pros, but I'd certainly enjoy playing a course like that every day.

[Greg Holland]

SCC may appear easy to the pros, but it can be a difficult test.  Unfortunately, in August, the greens cannot be maintained firm and fast -- on CBS they said they were stimping at 10 this weekend, which is slow for the tour.  But, they were throwing darts at the wet greens and not having to worry about bounces or running through the green.  Likewise, the Tour usually goes with fairly mild pin placements since the Wyndham is the week after a major, and they don't want to "overtax" the players.  Also, remember the Tour often does not play the course at its tips either, though they list that yardage when the show the hole.  For example, as I have said on here before, I know last year they did not play the 243 yard par 3 12th from the back tees at all -- they played the ladies tee, the seniors tee twice and the forward mens tee (for shots in the range of 150 - 180).   I did see them back on the 230 tee at least once this year.

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