As you all know, I am very interested in learning all I can about golf course architecture. In this process, I think book study and peer discussion is important. But, of course, nothing is as important in this process as actually playing courses worthy of study. Along these lines, I’ve had a heck of a run of late regarding playing some highly regarded courses.
Pinehurst was the start of this run and this journey included, #2, #4, #8, Pine Needles, Mid Pines, and Tobacco Road.
Next came Holston Hills.
Followed by Seminole and Bears Club.
And finally National Golf Links of America.
All were played in the month of May. For one, I am quite exhausted and will be laying low for awhile. But more importantly, I’ve seen a lot regarding what I’ve been studying and I am getting a real crystal clear picture of the type of golf that I personally enjoy.
I thought #2 was truly an amazing course. Pure golf. No distractions. Wonderful test of shot-making and strategic thinking and execution. Here is a shot of my favorite hole the par 4 5th. See what I mean about pure golf. No water, no fountains, no frilly flowers. Pure golf. Great stuff. I wish I had a good shot of the green, it is awesome!
I thought #4 was an attempt to replicate #2. I really like the course, but #2 was more my style. Here is the approach on the 1st hole. Good stuff!
#8 was a bit of a curve ball regarding Pinehurst golf and was more akin to a round on wooded parkland as opposed to the unique feeling of playing in the Carolina Sandhills. I very much liked the course and the change of pace it offered. More water in play and less trying greens. Here is the 14th tee shot. Forced carry over the marsh, bite off as much as you can chew and challenge the hole for birdie or take the shot farther right and have a safer tee shot but longer approach. I liked it.
Mid-Pines was a truly wonderful course. The type of course I could play every single day. Beautiful, fun, but not the most grueling test of golf. Which isn’t a bad thing necessarily. Here is the 15th green. Slightly undulating, but not severe…quite beautiful.
Pine Needles was truly excellent. Like Mid Pines, I could play it every day. But it was much more of a test of golf than Mid Pines was. For a relaxing and enjoying round, I would choose Mid Pines. But for a match, I would pick Pine Needles. Here is a really good par 3.
Tobacco Road plain and simply wasn’t my style. It was a bit goofy in parts in my opinion. Now don’t get me wrong, every now and again it would demonstrate some truly amazing golf holes and require some adrenaline pumping shot opportunities. But as the round wore on, the greens seemed to get more extreme and goofy and the blind shot after blind shot got tiring and just a bit annoying. At least to me. And this isn’t sour grapes. I played the tips and had darn near the round of my life. I guess I simply discovered that this extreme type of golf isn’t for me. Here is perhaps the best hole on the course. Try the amazing carry or try the safe route out right.
And here is a bit of goofiness. Great approach over the bunkers, but that green is a little too much. But that would be okay if it was just one hole. But it isn’t there are more like this. For my taste, it is too much.
Holston Hills was quite simply a truly excellent golf course. Wide open, fun, great greens, excellent variety. Like Mid Pines or Pine Needles, it is a course I could play every single day. Sorry but I forgot my camera that day, but the course can be summarized in one word: cross bunkers. Wait a second. That’s two words. Oh well. Great course. Fun times!
Bears Club was quite a trip. Stunningly over the top clubhouse with a for real Golden (polar) bear in the clubhouse. Ball buster of a course in what I’ll call a PGA type of set up. I imagine it would be a great place for the pros to hone their skills prior to playing a Tour match. Again, solid course…just not my style. Here is the 17th tee shot. Penal for penal sake with the junk right in front of the tee box. Bunkering on either side of the narrow fairway. Tough hole. Tough course.
Seminole was simply a thrill to play. Wonderful routing, challenging as heck. And the most difficult greens I have ever had to contend with. Fast as lightening, slick, and undulating, with seemingly hidden ridges everywhere. Add in a huge wind and you’ve got a serious golf course. It isn’t my favorite course of all time, perhaps because it is so darn difficult. But it is a course I would like to play again and again (just not everyday) to try to learn more about how to play each and every hole and each and every shot. Great course! Here is the 10th approach. Neat!
NGLA was the most fun I have ever had on a golf course. Rather than a round of golf, it was like an adventure. With many different options to play seemingly each and every hole/shot and different types of shots required throughout the course. The greens weren’t as fast as Seminole's were, but they were just right. And the undulations and ridges and slopes were amazingly fun to putt on and approach. Now The National had some blind shots, no doubt about it. But for whatever reason, these blind shots seemed to fit more seamlessly into the feel of the round than the ones at Tobacco Road. Tobacco Road seemed like extreme golf, while NGLA seemed like pure links golf with options available to the golfer to avoid those wildly daring shots. Options, strategy, secluded feeling, great greens, awesome bunkering. A true golf adventure.
I think the course boils down to two pictures. If you like these holes, you’ll like the course. If not, I don’t think you will care for it.
Here’s the 3rd…alps. I highlighted the flag. Go over the bunker and over or around the hill/mound.
And here is the great Redan. Awesome…at least to me.
And here is another pic of NGLA...great stuff.
But here is the kicker. I felt The National was quite simply magical. And I felt the entire town of Pinehurst was magical. In fact, any town with a statue of Donald Ross in the center of its town square is for me!!
In short, it has been a great May for golf. For the short-term, I'm going to chill and play local courses. Would love to hear your thoughts, questions, comments on these courses and more. Right now, however, I'm going to catch a nap!!