Lester George's Trifecta

[Mike Hendren]

While I haven't been fortunate enough to play any of the three, based on photographs I'm struck by the stylistic breadth of Lester's George's work at Ballyhack, Kinloch and Old White.   Is this not unique among current practicing architects and perhaps a breath of fresh air?

Mike

[Jay Flemma]

Yes, Ballyhack and Kinloch are completely different, so Lester definitely has a broad palette, as well as depth of strategic design talent.

[Mac Plumart]

Certainly something of note.  Mr. George appears to be very talented.  I can't wait to check out some of his work. 

Out of curiosity, would anyone recommend a specific course of his to play first?

[Ronald Montesano]

New Courses:

http://www.georgegolfdesign.com/sites/courses/layout9.asp?id=797&page=44628

Ballyhack Golf Club, Roanoke, VA
Kinloch Golf Club
Ocean City Golf & Yacht Club Newport Bay Course
Lambert’s Point Golf Course
Providence Golf Course
The Colonial
Chesterfield First Tee
Forest Hills Golf & Resort
Kincaid Lake State Park

Play either Kinloch or Ballyhack and you'll be blown away, my friend.
Lakeview Golf Course
The Salisbury Country Club

Reworkings

http://www.georgegolfdesign.com/sites/courses/layout9.asp?id=797&page=44629

The Greenbrier Old White Course
Willow Oaks Country Club, Richmond, VA
The DuPont Course at The DuPont Country Club Wilmington, DE
Cavalier Golf & Yacht Club
The Hershey Country Club, Hershey, PA
The Raptor Golf Course, Langley Air Force Base, VA
Rock Manor Golf Course. Wilmington, DE
Salisbury Country Club
James River Country Club
The Country Club of Virginia James River Course
The Country Club of Virginia Tuckahoe Creek Course
The Country Club of Virginia Westhampton Course
Country Club of Petersburg

[Wade Whitehead]

Out of curiosity, would anyone recommend a specific course of his to play first?

I'd go straight to the top and come to Ballyhack.

While you're in Roanoke, you can catch Lester's redo of the Dogwood nine at Roanoke Country Club.  It gives a fantastic peek at his skill in the Tillinghast vein.

WW

[Mac Plumart]

Great stuff!  Thanks...adding some of these to my must play list!

[JC Jones]

Great stuff!  Thanks...adding some of these to my must play list!

You'll have to drive through Charlotte to get to Roanoke so plan on picking me up on the way.  Tx.

[Mac Plumart]

YOu've got a deal!

[Wade Whitehead]

Gents:

I'm working to organize another GCA Ballyhack outing this fall.  Keep your eyes peeled for details; perhaps a travel day will permit a stop at the Old White or Kinloch on the way to Roanoke.

WW

[Mac Plumart]

Awesome!

[Jamey Bryan]

Friday evening at dinner (while Lester was drinking my Makers Mark) I asked him if he was schizophrenic.  Kenloch and Ballyhack are so completely different golf courses that one cannot believe the same architect was involved.  Yet they're both great, and they're both a blast to play.  I'll also go on record that I'll move heaven and earth to attend another GCA get-together in the area to play these courses.

In the meantime, though, I'm going to issue a challenge to Lester....   How about a green where you have a 5 foot putt with more than a foot of break? (Where you're in the proper section of the green)  Your greens are so good in other ways, I'd love to see what you'd do with more severe pinnable areas.

Jamey

[Dan Herrmann]

I thought he did a wonderful job at DuPont.  I especially liked his reworking of #18.

[Lester George]

Michael,

You are free to contact us when in the area and we will try to set you up with a visit to any of our work.  Just for the record, I have always tried to work within the site and not get pigeon-holed into a particular style.  I feel Ballyhack and Kinloch best demonstrate our diversity.  It also helps to have very good clients, great employees and support of many friends who challenge me every time out. 

Lester

[TEPaul]

It is obviously very important to get to know Lester's golf courses and his particular style of architecture and his approach to golf architecture but in my opinion it's almost as important to get to know Lester too.

[Jay Flemma]

He has great breadth AND depth!  Yes, he has a broad palette, but he also gets all the little things right as well.

[Dale_McCallon]

While I've never played Kinloch I have played Providence here in Richmond a couple of times.  IMO, this is just a real solid public course.  Very affordable low key place that certainly doesn't get much attention.  I've played lots of publics in the Richmond/Williamsburg area and I really think it stands up against them.

[Mike Tanner]

I played Ballyhack a year ago last August and my memories of that day's round are still vivid. It's definitely worth going out of your way to play there.

[Jim Franklin]

I can't wait to see Ballyhack. I loved Old White and Kinloch. The Newport Bay course is so much better after the redo, it is ridiculous. Old White too for that matter. Lester may not get the magazine publicity, but he is very talented. I hear the Cavalier redo was fantastic as well.