A Visual Feast - Fishers Island Club Photos

[Jim Thornton]

I had the great privilege and pleasure to play Fishers Island Club on Wednesday in beautiful fall weather.  Easily one of the most memorable golf days I've ever had.  If there's a more idyllic setting for golf on this planet I haven't seen it yet.

Jim

[Jim Thornton]

Got it.

[Brent Hutto]

Go back and edit it. Change the [ i m g ] tag at the end of each line to [ / i m g ] and you're golden.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Jim,

edit/ redundant

[Brent Hutto]

So it looks like there was a bit of a breeze the day you played. Excellent.

Was it playing reasonably firm and fast? The greens look more British links course than Augusta National, what did they putt like?

[Jim_Kennedy]

Beautiful spot.

The greens look to be freshly dethatched, how was the putting?

Did you enhance the color? Looks too green.   

[Anthony Gray]

  AWESOME

[Jay Flemma]

That Cape hole looks terrific.

[Jim Thornton]

The greens were among the best I've putted on all year.  Extremely fast and very firm.  I would guess they were rolling around 11, and with the amount of slope in the greens, that's a lot.

The fairways were nice and firm, even though the course had gotten rain the previous 3 days.  The drainage must be great, because you would never have known they had rain - they were that firm.

The overall conditioning was terrific.

The wind conditions on the day we played were probably around 15-20 mph, which made it a lot of fun.

[John Mayhugh]

So it looks like there was a bit of a breeze the day you played. Excellent.

Was it playing reasonably firm and fast? The greens look more British links course than Augusta National, what did they putt like?

The greens I putted on last week were the best I have seen all year and some of the best ever.  The right amount of firmness where you could make a ball mark but might have to look to find it.  Speed was around 12.3 according to a knowledgeable source.   

A couple of photos of the fourth.

[Scott Coan]

Thanks for sharing the pictures Jim - simply stunning is all I can say!

Which hole has the bell on it?

Cheers

[Patrick_Mucci]

The greens were among the best I've putted on all year.  Extremely fast and very firm.  I would guess they were rolling around 11, and with the amount of slope in the greens, that's a lot.

Jim,

I experienced the same conditions, with the greens at 13.2.

The fairways were nice and firm, even though the course had gotten rain the previous 3 days.  The drainage must be great, because you would never have known they had rain - they were that firm.

The overall conditioning was terrific.

The wind conditions on the day we played were probably around 15-20 mph, which made it a lot of fun.


Fisher's Island can be one of the greatest golf experiences one can have.
The topography, architecture, conditions, wind and vistas of each hole are quite remarkable.

Scott, the bell is on the left side of the 4th green, the combo Alps-Punchbowl hole

[Jason Mandel]

I had the great pleasure of playing Fishers Island recently with some fellow GCA'ers.  I probably have not played as many of the greats as many on here, but I have played Merion, PV, Pebble, etc.

Let me just say that my day at Fishers Island was one of the most enjoyable days of golf I have ever had.  The place is flat out SPECIAL.  The course is WOLRD CLASS and is kept it WORLD CLASS condition. 

For the last week I have not stopped thinking about FI, and all of the very cool holes.  I thought the opening hole was a great start to a round, kind of eases you into what you are about to experience.  The Redan green on #2 is very cool.

The stretch of 3-7 are as good as any stretch of holes I have ever played.  3 is probably the best short 4 I've ever played and 4 is just such a fun hole.

The Biarrritz at 207 yards into the wind is easily as difficult as #5 as PV.

Fishers Island may not be the best course in the country(though its up there), but if I had to pick 1 course to play for the rest of my life I don't think there is any doubt in my mind Fishers Island would be the choice.

Jason

[George Freeman]

Thanks for the pics Jim and John!

Man does that course look amazingly fun!

[Brent Carlson]

Jim,

Thanks for the pictures.  That looks phenomenal.  I have never played on Long Island but it seems to me the golf capitol of the US; so many great courses!

[Wayne Freeman]

Jason-  I'm really happy you got to play Fishers,  definitely in my top 5 all time.  I just played 36 there 2 weeks ago and could have played til I dropped.... I love the place that much.  Holes 3-5,   the short with the plateau green,  the Alps with the punchbowl green, and the uphill Biarritz may just be the best 3 hole stretch in all of golf.  The member I played with said they have really made an effort the last couple of years to get the course in better shape and the new super has been doing a terrific job.  Too bad it's so tough to get on for most people.  Only 250 residents live there full time,  you have to own property to get into the club, and there's about a 7 year wait for membership. 

[Philip Gawith]

Thanks for the pics Jim - what a wonderful looking course. Nice to have things to look forward to and Fishers is near the top of the list! I love the colour in the pictures - almost surreal!

[Jim Thornton]

Phillip-

I very, very rarely take photos on the golf course....I just feel like it takes you out of the moment.  Fishers Island was so visually stunning that I knew I would kick myself someday if I didn't take the time to capture its beauty for posterity.  Everywhere I looked at Fishers Island looked like a postcard.  I commented to a couple of my friends yesterday that I thought Fishers Island was more beautiful than Cypress Point.

Jim

[Brent Hutto]

If one could play Fishers Island every day in the summer and Cypress Point every day in the winter...now that would be an acceptable compromise I'd think!

[PThomas]

what a great looking place!

[TEPaul]

Just so you guys can understand how the members of FI seem to like that course playing, this is a remark made not long ago in the parking lot at GMGC by one of those old line members. I asked him how FI was this year (unusually wet this year) and as he got in his car he said: "I can always tell that summer has arrived when a puff of dust comes up after my first tee shot at FI."

[Jim Thornton]

Another reason that Fishers Island Club is so charming is the fact that the entire atmosphere is utterly low key and understated.

In response to the thread titled "Is Fishers Island Club overrated", if this place is overrated, I'm a monkey's uncle.

[Kevin Pallier]

Another reason that Fishers Island Club is so charming is the fact that the entire atmosphere is utterly low key and understated.

In response to the thread titled "Is Fishers Island Club overrated", if this place is overrated, I'm a monkey's uncle.

And I'd be your son 

Jim

Is there a "non-great" hole at FI ? I cant think of one I didn't enjoy....

[Jim Thornton]

Kevin-

The only criticism of Fishers Island Club is that the 18th hole is not an inspiring finisher...I couldn't disagree more.  Keep in mind that the 450 yard Par 5 18th plays as a Par 4 on the championship card.  That's a stern test to say the least.

Jim

[Patrick_Mucci]

Kevin-

The only criticism of Fishers Island Club is that the 18th hole is not an inspiring finisher...

Jim,

I'd like to know who's offering that criticism.
# 18 is a terrific finishing hole with a world class multi-tiered putting surface and a "skyline" green where a few shrubs/trees have been allowed to intrude.

With the prevailing wind quartering or in your face, it's a daunting hole, from the tee shot, to the approach and on the green.
The green, especially the left side is well protected with a large, caverness bunker, and the putting surface offers all the challenge one needs.

I couldn't disagree more. 

I'm with you.

Keep in mind that the 450 yard Par 5 18th plays as a Par 4 on the championship card. 
That's a stern test to say the least.

Let's also factor in that the tee shot is over water, into a quartering or head wind with trouble right.

The second shot is slightly uphill, into a quartering or head wind, with a large, deep bunker guarding the entire left side.
Like the 3rd hole, # 18 was intended as a skyline green, offering little in the way of definition against the backdrop of an invisible horizon.
Approach shots hit right are out of play as the entire right side is either a hazard or OB.

Due to the length of the hole and wind direction and velocity, few golfers ever hit the 18th green in regulation, leaving them to cope with a dicey recovery to a very tricky green that's divided into two tiers on the left side with a spine of sorts dividing the left and right side of the green.  ANYONE who claims the 18 is not a good finishing hole shouldn't be listened to.
I don't know that many better finishing holes, AND, don't forget, many of the holes that some claim are great finishing holes have been lengthened considerably due to the hosting of a Championship. 

Fishers Island's 18th needs no such lengthening for those who play it.