Grandfather is one of the most enchanting places you can play golf. It will cast a spell on you. Yes, of course, part of the allure is the overall setting. However, it is a very well designed course. The best Ellis Maples course I've ever played.
GGCC is where the former head pro of Augusta used to spend his summers - if that tells you anything. Clifford Roberts had a place there as well.
Don't forget the executive course. If there is a better one anywhere I'd love to play it.
How gracious of Bart to open the doors to this magical place. If I get the chance to get up there this summer I'll definitely get in touch with you Bart.
Well, since this is the GCA site and I've built the place up I suppose I should bloviate a bit about its GCA.
Maples was able to create his masterpiece because of a kind of perfect storm. One was obviously the canvas. Another was (as Bart stated) the input of Agnes McCrae. Having lived there for many years she knew that land intimately. She was also a very good golfer who knew design quite well. He and Agnes made great choices in their tee, fairway, green mosaic. Being based toward the bottom of this gargantuan mountain the land rolls a little more gently that you might expect. But it is continually dramatic and sometimes very much so. When you add this to the views they deliberately captured it is pretty hard not to come away from it feeling like you have had a singular even transcendent experience.
From the beginning it was intended to be exquisite. There were other people involved who made sure the project came along not just well - but excellently. So all this brought out the best in Maples and he did have his shining moment here. By the time he built GGCC he had a large amount of experience and wisdom gained from his mentor and second father D. Ross. These were the factors that helped him work the land especially well on this course.
"Solid" is the word that comes to mind when I think about the work of Ellis Maples. They are never poorly designed and some are quite good. But this one is on another level from the work I've seen him do.
That's my take on it.