Aerial of the Day #47 (and 48) - 15 Mar 2002

[Scott_Burroughs]

I pray that a good number of you will know this first one.  Kneel before God if you don't.

I didn't realize this course had so many bunkers:



The second and tougher one was suggested by someone else.  He said many of the locals fawn over this course, hence how tough it is to get on.  With all of those parallel fairways, you might think a rubber company owned it.

[SPDB]

1st one is easy, but it is a GREAT pic.

now this second one...

[Anthony_Nysse]

Can we get Jonny Miller or Ernie Els to comment on the first one?

[Scott_Park]

An interesting story about how the first course accumulated so many bunkers.

It seems that in the early days of the course, the designer/club prez had players put tees in the ground where there shots ended up.  If there were a concentration of tees, a bunker would be placed with the reason that it would be a hazard that many players would have to deal with.  After a while, the number of bunkers exploded to a ridiculous number (300+, if memory serves).

Over time, bunkers were filled in or combined into a single bunker such as the bunker that sits between the 3rd and 4th holes.

Despite its high ranking, I think this course is under-rated.  Great driving course, appraoches, variety, bunkering and greens.

SP

[redanman]

OK if I call in  my answer on the fowne for the first one?

Do we need a bridge of stone, a hook and ladder, a big fat guy  or winged feet for the second?

[Scott_Burroughs]

In addition to Johnny Miller and Ernie Els, don't forget Jeff Brauer's "signature" guy, Larry Nelson.

On #2, I'll wagers a few bucks that many of you have already seen the course before, but you'd have to do a little hunting to remember.

[Scott_Burroughs]

My bad on the "tough to get on" clue.  It IS tough to get on, but it ain't private, if that's what you were thinking.

[Dan Kelly]

Is that a permanent obstruction I see down there, on No. 1 -- or could we get 'em to move it?

As for the second: I'm raking my brain over the coals, and my brow is furrowed. But maybe that's just the residue from No. 1.

[Scott_Burroughs]

I seem to have a knack for knowing when those people whose suggestions I use aren't available to check in.  It seems every time I wait for their comments and they're not around.   :-/

Oh, well.  This (#2) is the first course from this state that I've shown, but it is far from the best, though it has probably been seen by the most in the state.

[SPDB]

Dan - you make a pretty good point. I am going to give Norman Minetta a call and see if he can do something about that pesky interstate.

I wonder what Eisenhower, being an avid golfer, would say if he knew that the celebrated interstate system which bears his names bisected this classic gem?

[Scott_Burroughs]

Someone had made a comment on an earlier AOTD (Lu Lu, I think) about the lack of doglegs on the course and how it must be hard and have an apparent lack of strategic options.  #1 (and #2 for that matter) has almost no doglegs, but it's very highly regarded.  I think the multitude of bunkering here adds lots of strategy.  Are doglegs are prerequisite?  It's an interesting topic, I believe, and probably deserves it's own thread.  

#1 IS hard, though.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Not much feedback today, especially on #1.

I hear the brats and beer are pretty good at the halfway house on #2.

[THuckaby2]

Not much to say about #1 other than it looks REALLY cool from the air, it sure as heck does have a LOT of bunkers, and damn I'd love to play it!  But you wanna talk distinctive?  The altar boy in me makes me recognize this one right away.

As for #2, I have no idea, but the halfway house sounds like a place I'd like to hang out at!

TH

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Given the brat clue I think I have an idea on the second one.

As for the first one, I was looking at this picture with a member about one month ago.  I was amazed how many of these trees are gone since the reno.   It is truly different from the pic.  Too bad it was not in colour.

[SPDB]

Shivas - i think Scott accesses the aerial map through MapQuest. You plot an address, and then you can get a an aerial photo of that address.

How cool does the 4th look from the air?

I think i need some other clues on the 2nd?

[RJ_Daley]

Yeah,  I can't think of another significant course that would make it to this prestigious AOTD venue that has an interstate highway running through it.  

But, if I am guessing the second one after the clues, I always thought there were some highfall - high voltage electrical wire lines running through it.  Just what i need, stray voltage hitting me as I drive into parking lot in my Explorer with faulty tires... :-/

[SPDB]

Shivas - In no real particular order.

1. Pebble
2. Cypress
3. Pine Valley
4. Shadow Creek
5. the one shown
6. Riviera
7. Seminole
8. Ocean Course
9. Fisher's Island
10. NGLA/Shinnecock

[THuckaby2]

SPDB:  I'd have to guess that I'm more into this than the "average golf fan", and I must admit that when Fisher's Island was on here, I didn't get it until after many clues.  And if you just focused in on the course itself and somehow eliminated the surrounding land, as Scott often does, Shadow Creek wouldn't be that recognizable either!

I'd have to guess The Old Course would be right up here... but I guess we're limiting this to the US.

Another VERY recognizable one would have to be Spyglass.  5 holes in "dunes", 13 in forest...

TH

[Peter_Herreid]

On #2, I think I see Bob Uecker down there, sitting in the "front row"....

[SPDB]

Ok - I got the second one.

It's a muni right?

[Dan Kelly]

I'm gonna buck the system and give the answer. It's ...

[Dan Kelly]

Is this thread starting to stagnate?

Where's that UPS man when we need him?

Shirley you all have it by now!

[RJ_Daley]

NO WAIT, don't say it until I confess to total stupidity
I sent this as a suggestion to Scott a few weeks ago and still didn't recognise it, even though I played it several times and ofetn go to the GMO!   I am a totally big stupid!!!

[Scott_Burroughs]

Dan,

I actually considered the UPS clue.  I was going to say that this course could use the new UPS ad campaign to advertise for themselves.


On another note, I think I may have reached AOTD nirvana!  I stumped the suggester!  Either that or he's getting old.  

Dick Daley, you sent me #2 a month ago today, and you didn't recongize it.  Just busting your chops!

#1 of course is Oakmont, with the famed "Church Pew" bunker between #3 and 4 in the right side of aerial.  Hence the "pray" and "kneel before God" clues.  That, and the past 3 U.S. Open winners there Els, Nelson, and Miller.

Also, Bill's "fowne" clue (reaching, there!   ) was in reference to Oakmont archie Henry Fownes.

#2 is Brown Deer Park, outside of Milwaukee, WI, and home of the PGA Tour event Greater Milwaukee Open.  A real relic at just over 6700 yards.  As a muni, it's sort of like a Bethpage (Black) in terms of local popularity and difficulty getting on.

My clue list was "fawn", "buck", and "hunting" for deer and "brats and beer" for Milwaukee.

The UPS clue was "Brown".  Uecker announces for the Brewers.

[Dan Kelly]

Scott --

Did you miss STAGnate?

And Shirley, of course, is Shirley from "Laverne and Shirley." Don't ask me which was which -- because, thank God, I don't know.