Who did the work at The Country Club in Pepper Pike?

« **on:** October 31, 2009, 02:32:59 PM »

I thought it was excellent and I contacted Ron Forse and Bruce Hepner but neither was involved. The work was done approximately four years ago to this Flynn gem, I think. Walking around the clubhouse and seeing the before pictures tells me how far this course has come in a relatively short period of time and everyone that was a part of it should be congratulated.

If the architect who was involved reads this, please drop me a line at rmorrissett@cabotlinks.com or phone 910.692.6766.

I checked Golf Week's classic rankings and was dumbfounded not to see TCC on it. They should rub out The Cascades at #47 and insert this one.

Cheers,

« **Reply #1 on:** October 31, 2009, 02:57:17 PM »

Ran:

You got me for the moment, if I ever knew. It might've been the same guy who I think was essentially responsible for the recent master plan at next door CC of Cleveland. He's an inhouse architect for IMG I believe (a few years ago I looked over his MP for CC of Cleveland and it looked very good to me). In any case, I just put in a call to a man who certainly would know the answer to your question about recent work at PP.

YOU really are part of the Chosen Few Mr. Ranulph Morrissett. That place is one of the most private I have ever known and you're right it sure is very, very good (walking it and studying it carefully one summer evening a few years ago ranks up there with that amazing morning I spent walking and studying Riviera at daybreak back in 2001). I was wondering what Flynn course you thought was so good that you just played that you mentioned on a phone message and now I guess I know----Pepper Pike, huh?

« **Reply #2 on:** October 31, 2009, 02:59:23 PM »

I believe it was Brit Stenson from IMG.

« **Reply #3 on:** October 31, 2009, 03:01:59 PM »

Host of the 2012 U.S. Women's Amateur.

Other clubs in the area, notably Canterbury, may be better known, but back when I was living in the area (1970s), TCC was THE exclusive club in the Cleveland area.

« **Reply #4 on:** October 31, 2009, 03:02:29 PM »

Quote from: Ran Morrissett on October 31, 2009, 02:32:59 PM

I thought it was excellent and I contacted Ron Forse and Bruce Hepner but neither was involved. The work was done approximately four years ago to this Flynn gem, I think. Walking around the clubhouse and seeing the before pictures tells me how far this course has come in a relatively short period of time and everyone that was a part of it should be congratulated.

If the architect who was involved reads this, please drop me a line at rmorrissett@cabotlinks.com or phone 910.692.6766.

I checked Golf Week's classic rankings and was dumbfounded not to see TCC on it. They should rub out The Cascades at #47 and insert this one.

Cheers,

Ran,
Could the absence be simply the club's unwillingness to seek attention? My understanding from a friend who is connected there is that anonymity is very much the club ethic.

« **Reply #5 on:** October 31, 2009, 03:15:59 PM »

"My understanding from a friend who is connected there is that anonymity is very much the club ethic."

AG:

I'd say that's putting it mildly. PP, by the way, apparently has a huge crossover membership of Cleveland ANGC members, if that tells you anything.

« **Reply #6 on:** October 31, 2009, 03:55:40 PM »

This article seems to confirm Dean's info:
http://www.cleveland.com/golf/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1246005180133781.xml&coll=2

Did the club already possess Flynn's original drawings?

« **Reply #7 on:** October 31, 2009, 04:05:36 PM »

Quote from: Jim_Kennedy on October 31, 2009, 03:55:40 PM

This article seems to confirm Dean's info:
http://www.cleveland.com/golf/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1246005180133781.xml&coll=2

Did the club have Flynn's original drawings?

Jim:

I've been told that they do have an original set of Flynn's drawings which are very detailed.

« **Reply #8 on:** October 31, 2009, 04:09:58 PM »

Dean,
I edited my previous post to make sure that my remark wasn't misconstrued, but that seems unnecessary now.

What a great resource for them to have.

« **Reply #9 on:** October 31, 2009, 05:48:51 PM »

TEPaul

Are you sure you are not getting these two clubs confused? I have played The Country Club at Pepper Pike many times just by having my pro call. The Country Club at Pepper Pike use to be called CC of Cleveland. Right next door though is Pepper Pike CC which is VERY private. My former pro took the position last year and he cant get me out to Pepper Pike CC. TCC has also held a US Amateur.

« **Reply #10 on:** October 31, 2009, 06:07:10 PM »

Mike:

I was talking about Pepper Pike not the CC of Cleveland next door. Both are Flynn courses. Some of the people out there call CC of Cleveland, "Country"

« **Reply #11 on:** October 31, 2009, 09:14:40 PM »

Quote from: Mike Hunsucker on October 31, 2009, 05:48:51 PM

TEPaul

Are you sure you are not getting these two clubs confused? I have played The Country Club at Pepper Pike many times just by having my pro call. The Country Club at Pepper Pike use to be called CC of Cleveland. Right next door though is Pepper Pike CC which is VERY private. My former pro took the position last year and he cant get me out to Pepper Pike CC. TCC has also held a US Amateur.

Mike,
Are you talking about Rob Moss?

« **Reply #12 on:** November 01, 2009, 08:23:57 AM »

A.G._Crockett

Yes I am talking about Rob Moss. I was a member at Elyria Country Club for two years before we both moved to new clubs.

« **Reply #13 on:** November 01, 2009, 08:49:44 AM »

I've got to say having known him for over ten years, read his course reviews, been around him and discussed things out on numerous courses with him that Ran is definitely one of the very best golf architecture analysts and course reviewers I have ever seen. His eye and the stuff he picks up on surely always interests me greatly.

I look forward to his more detailed take on Pepper Pike since he recently saw it for the first time. And I got a phone message from him the other day that said: "I think I've just seen the best Flynn course I've ever seen."

Too bad Wayne isn't still on here because he could explain in detail what has changed there over the years. We have Flynn's PP design drawings.

« **Reply #14 on:** November 01, 2009, 09:57:19 AM »

Does anyone have any pictures of Pepper Pike CC?

« **Reply #15 on:** November 01, 2009, 11:22:31 PM »

Ran,

Glad you got to see this great course. Flynn made masterful use of very nice rolling land. The diversity of par fours, the stellar trio of par fives, are at once challenging and inspiring. I played the course 10 years ago and loved it back then. The restoration worked wonders in tree managment, green reclamation, and bunkering. One could now argue that the The CC is the equal of Camargo and Kirtland. In my book it cetainly blows away Inverness

« **Reply #16 on:** November 02, 2009, 05:01:26 PM »

Mark

It sounds like I need to find a way to get out and play Pepper Pike. Regarding Inverness though I really think that course is overrated. If you take away Inverness's history I do not believe it would be a top 100 course. While it is very good I think it is in the same class as Canterbury. Do you think I am crazy in my thoughts?

« **Reply #17 on:** November 02, 2009, 05:32:28 PM »

Quote from: mark chalfant on November 01, 2009, 11:22:31 PM

Ran,

Glad you got to see this great course. Flynn made masterful use of very nice rolling land. The diversity of par fours, the stellar trio of par fives, are at once challenging and inspiring. I played the course 10 years ago and loved it back then. The restoration worked wonders in tree managment, green reclamation, and bunkering. One could now argue that the The CC is the equal of Camargo and Kirtland. In my book it cetainly blows away Inverness

Mark, I also got to play the course about 10 years ago and had the same experience. I haven't played Inverness or Kirtland...not sure I would consider TCC to be the equal of Camargo, although it's certainly in the same neighborhood. The par 5s I do remember as being standout, especially the 12th. I believe the 6th and 7th were the two monster back-to-back par 4s, it was a wet no-roll day when I played but those two were beasts.

« **Reply #18 on:** November 02, 2009, 10:27:31 PM »

EXCUSE ME! I've been corrected! I just got a very nice and informative email from an A. Fuente who told me Morrissett played the CC of Cleveland the other day and not Pepper Pike and that's what he was talking about on the first post of this thread and on his phone message to me.

First of all, for out-of-towners figuring out the difference between CC of Cleveland and Pepper Pike CC next door (both Flynn) is as hard as I've ever known anywhere between two clubs. Out there in Cleveland some seem to call the CC of Cleveland (at Pepper Pike) The Country Club at Pepper Pike (as Ran did) and some call Pepper Pike CC next door Pepper Pike. When I was out there the Clevelanders seems to call CC of Cleveland, "Country" and the Pepper Pike CC, Pepper Pike.

Anyway, Ran played CC of Cleveland, not Pepper Pike right next door and was so impressed with it he started this thread asking for info so he could contact the restoration architect.

And so the architect whose work he was so impressed with is IMG's Britt Stinson.

I thought Ran meant Pepper Pike CC next door and so I called an old contact out there of ours (who belongs to both clubs) who told me Pepper Pike has had a restoration over the last few years from independent architect Brian Huntley from Uniontown, Ohio. And so I spoke with him today for about an hour informing him of GOLFCLUBALTAS.com and the august reviewer, Ran Morrissett who was so impressed with his world at Pepper Pike. Great conversation I had with Brian Huntlely.

Whoops, A. Fuente informed me when I got home this afternoon that Ran Morrissett played CC of Cleveland and not Pepper Pike and so it is that course and Britt Stinson's work there "Golf's Most Beloved One" was so enamored with.

« **Reply #19 on:** November 02, 2009, 10:41:31 PM »

Tom,

This makes much more sense. I live within an hour from both clubs and thought I was losing my mind reading this thread.

I've always called them "The Country Club" and "Pepper Pike". But yes, it's pretty confusing.

« **Reply #20 on:** November 02, 2009, 10:45:35 PM »

Huntley has made quite a name for himself in the area over the past fifteen years...I've yet to play any of his Cleveland-Canton designs, but I will make a trek there soon to see some of them. Huntley seems to have spent some time with Arthur Hills. Here is his site: http://www.brianhuntleygolf.com/

« **Reply #21 on:** November 02, 2009, 10:46:17 PM »

i've played TCC and heard of Pepper Pike...but i never even heard of The Country CLub of Cleveland til now!

designed by Gene Hamm in 1970 , yes!!?

« **Reply #22 on:** November 02, 2009, 11:10:21 PM »

http://thecountryclub.com/

is the only one I could find. What the heck are we talking about here?

« **Reply #23 on:** November 02, 2009, 11:36:59 PM »

Who's on first?

For those who have played both, what gives this course the edge over the Cascades?

« **Reply #24 on:** November 03, 2009, 12:08:04 AM »

Tim,

I strongly prefer The CC in Pepper Pike over Cascades in Virginia

1. The use of streams on 1 and 10, enlivens realtively short par fours. Cascades has buried some of their brooks
2. The land on Cleveland's back nine is much more interesting
3. I consider 11,12,15, and 17 great holes at TCC, only 10 and 12 at Sneads Virginia home stirs my golfing soul
4. The Ohio green complexes are more varied in their configuration and complexity. More fun to putt on.

News:

Ran Morrissett

TEPaul

Dean DiBerardino

Phil McDade

A.G._Crockett

TEPaul

Jim_Kennedy

Dean DiBerardino

Jim_Kennedy

Mike H

TEPaul

A.G._Crockett

Mike H

TEPaul

Mike H

mark chalfant

Mike H

JLahrman

TEPaul

jonathan_becker

Ronald Montesano

PThomas

Ronald Montesano

Tim Gavrich

mark chalfant

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