Jay asked:
Thanks for volunteering for the hot seat. Here are a few question from someone who grew up a few minutes away from Sassamon Trace. Sadly I was off to college before it opened. It looks like it would have been a great place to learn to play.
What courses have you worked on? Everything coming out of CSM and MCGD over the last 11 years. For Brian Silva's courses I handled planing, permitting stuff and construction documents. He took the projects from there. I made occasional visits to the courses in our neighborhood, especially Black Rock and Renaissance. Same for Mark Mungeam's courses. Both are great mentors and are two very different people. Principally they play the same game though. My courses include Sassamon, Highfields of Grafton, Forekicks, Swanson Pines and Butter Brook plus a bunch of renovation stuff.
What was your favorite project and why? Butter Brook in Westford, MA, since it had a very interesting site, great contractor and the best clients. The Kennedy's were there everyday and have even taken over greenkeeping. At one point there was four Kennedy's working on the project, with only two related. Should we expect less in Massachusetts!?!
What changes are you making to the 13th at George Wright? We are adding a drainage swale or ditch to the left side of the hole to improve soil conditions. The area floods after almost every rain. We again are working with a tight budget. We are also rebuilding the tees, greenside bunker and expanding the green slightly (no change to original surface).
Is there any other work at George Wright in the works? How much potential do you think the course has? Course has great bones. it "just" needs some trees removed, bunkers re-built and it would shin very brightly in the Massachusetts golf world. The superintendent Len Curtain has done wonders over the last few years. We did a master plan about 8 years ago that is servicing as a template for small projects.
What are your thoughts on the relationship between reclamation projects (landfills etc.) and the future of GCA? It has great potential since there is a good relationship between derelict land and urban areas. You usually don't have to travel very far! Unfortunately, the landfill courses being built are high end (Granite Links and Bayonne). We need a few more that are $40 to play if we really want people to play the game.
How would you define a links style course? Highland Links in Truro, MA. Courses built on well drained soil, grassed with fescues and bents, and random winds. Throw in some gentle rolling terrain. Water is not essential; think Sand Hills. No water on the course either, except a playable burn/ditch. What fun is it if you can't recover?!
I will always put Sassamon on a special shelf because it was the first course I worked on (did some work with the Meadow's of Peabody, but had a lot of help from Mark) and for what we did for the budget. I had just finished my Master's Thesis on Landfill golf courses, using Sassamon as the example and then took the project from planning, thought permitting and construction. Minimalism is the new thing, but Sassamon was a true minimal project. We had no money, a road contractor(some golf experience but not a golf course contractor) and the limitations (or opportunities!) that a landfill provides. I'm glad that they are hanging in there being an executive course (a par 5 and 5 par 3s). We need more courses like Sassamon to feed the pipe line.
I live in Providence, RI and like to get over to Buttonhole. I'm actually meeting with one of my daughter's teachers this evening to discuss getting some children other there from their school.
You should try working with Brian. This seat is pretty mild!