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K. Krahenbuhl

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #75 on: November 26, 2010, 08:40:41 PM »
That wasn't me Steve, but we probably didn't miss each other by too much.  It was interesting seeing the course for the first time while there was no grass on the greens.

Matt_Ward

Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #76 on: November 27, 2010, 01:01:54 PM »
Steve K:

Well said / re: pricing issues.

Unfortunastely, some people (e.g. Chris Buie) see such issues as repetitive items that should be squashed.

Like you -- I believe such rates should bounce far lower to reflect the ongoing work there.

Steve Kline

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #77 on: November 27, 2010, 02:53:02 PM »
Matt - certainly they shouldn't be charging that now, but I more meant after the renovation is complete.

Matt_Ward

Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #78 on: November 27, 2010, 03:11:50 PM »
Steve --

Agree w that feeling as well.

Craig Disher

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #79 on: November 30, 2010, 02:00:27 PM »
We could have had a small gca convention on the 25th. I walked around the course and tried to take some pictures to show what we'll see when the work is finished next year. Most of the greens had about 2" of soil stripped off and when we left on Monday nrs 1 and 2 had already been sodded. Anyone know what grass was used?

From the left of the 1st fairway



and from the right.



It looks like the native area will extend well off the playing area into the woods.



The straight-line edge on the bunker short and right of the 1st green is receiving a natural make-over. I could see the tine marks from the previous day. The wire grass may be a new addition.



The native area on 3 will cover most of the previous attempt and more.



From the left side of 3. The deep left greenside bunker is being completely reconstructed.



The fairway on 4 will swing behind the fairway bunker. A year ago, a drive over the bunker would have more than likely landed in the rough.



Gone is the thick bermuda rough on the left of 5. This photo gives an idea of the new fairway width.



The visuals on 7 will be strikingly different. All the bermuda rough between the bunkers has been removed and it appears a few new bunkers have been added, especially closer to the green.



On the right of 7, the narrow greenside bunker is being expanded dramatically.



The green on 7 will now wrap around the left bunker; the putting surface was extended down the slope on each side of it.



The fairway bunker on the right of #16 might be a casualty. Two new bunkers - much more natural than the old one - are being constructed a little beyond and a little to the left of the old. This has to be a significant improvement in both the quality of the hole and its appearance.



The bunkers under construction. The shapes themselves show what a difference we'll see next year.



A real visual change for 17 - along with a complete reconstruction of the front bunker.



This is one of my favorite changes - moving the members' 18th tee to the right near where Ross put it originally. His tee was actually more to the right than this but moving it there would bring down too many trees I'm afraid. Still, this is much better.













Jud_T

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #80 on: November 30, 2010, 02:15:40 PM »
Craig,

Thanx for the shots and commentary...I'm very excited about the future there....
Golf is a game. We play it. Somewhere along the way we took the fun out of it and charged a premium to be punished.- - Ron Sirak

Michael Dugger

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #81 on: November 30, 2010, 02:24:59 PM »
Looks like they are basically undoing everything Rees Jones did.  :-\
What does it matter if the poor player can putt all the way from tee to green, provided that he has to zigzag so frequently that he takes six or seven putts to reach it?     --Alistair Mackenzie--

jim_lewis

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #82 on: November 30, 2010, 02:33:43 PM »
I saw a report in the local paper that said that the greens are being re-grassed with A1-A4.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2010, 08:00:15 PM by jim_lewis »
"Crusty"  Jim
Freelance Curmudgeon

Steve Kline

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #83 on: November 30, 2010, 02:35:29 PM »
There was wire grass planted in more than one of the bunkers on my drive around the course. That is something completely new.

Steve Kline

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #84 on: November 30, 2010, 02:36:34 PM »
I saw a report in the local paper that said that the greens are being re-grassed with A1-A2.

For those that know these kind of things, what are the advantages of that type of grass? Will it allow the greens to be firmer and smoother year round (note I didn't say faster)?

Chip Gaskins

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #85 on: November 30, 2010, 02:54:02 PM »
Good to see 2 inches of soil removed from the green height....now only 6 more inches to go to get back the 40 years of top-dressing and redos.

Matt_Ward

Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #86 on: November 30, 2010, 02:55:42 PM »
Geeze, I wonder when the work is done will the price be set to match Pebble Beach's ! ;D

Mac Plumart

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #87 on: December 01, 2010, 08:24:10 AM »
I know there has been a lot of talk on this thread about Pinehurst charging too much, especially when they were doing rennovations.  As an FYI, I played there last summer during the rennovations and today I got a letter from  Donald Padgett, the President of Pinehurst, and in it he apologized for the conditions of the greens and the inconvienience of having to play the course during rennovation.  He also included a certificate the entitles me to a free round on #2 when the rennovations are complete.  I am sure all who played during that time are getting the same certificate. 

This seems to be more than appropriate and classy to me.  Perhaps this type of action might be in line with some of the sentiment expressed on this thread about lowering costs during rennovation.

PS...they included some photos of the course after C&C work...WOW!!!
Sportsman/Adventure loving golfer.

Dean DiBerardino

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #88 on: December 01, 2010, 10:20:15 AM »
Good to see 2 inches of soil removed from the green height....now only 6 more inches to go to get back the 40 years of top-dressing and redos.

Chip:

I think they have already done that.  Back in 1996 they cored out all of the greens 12 inches down when they converted them over to the G2 bent grass.

Matt_Ward

Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #89 on: December 01, 2010, 10:41:03 AM »
Mac:

The gesture made to you should be something posted on their Website so that all people are aware of what is happening.

Offering a return bargain on the Q-T isn't the best of all practices.

Mac Plumart

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Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #90 on: December 01, 2010, 10:47:26 AM »
Matt...

You might be right.  I don't run a golf course/resort, so I don't know the best practice.  But the form letter I got obviously wasn't soley sent to me.  So, if all golfers who played #2 during that time frame are getting that letter...that isn't on the QT is it?

Anyway, I am really excited about it...either way.
Sportsman/Adventure loving golfer.

Jeff Dawson

Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #91 on: December 01, 2010, 10:58:30 AM »
I had a conversation with the head of marketing for Pinehurst recently and he said that everyone who came to play No 2 during renovations will get a letter and a free round.  If you don't get one it is because they don't have your contact information.

Jeff Dawson

Re: Why no love for Pinehurst #2
« Reply #92 on: December 01, 2010, 11:02:21 AM »
Steve:

My question is how firm and fast can they get the course in a June time frame and in the south central portion of the Piedmont where high humidity and frequent t-storms can be the norm.

Check out this line from Golfcoursearchitecture.net website:

 In particular, the large-scale irrigation system has been ripped up, and the course will, in future, be watered only via the original centre-line sprinklers. More than half of the course’s 1,100 sprinklers have been turned off. Irrigation will be reduced by around 30 per cent, which will have a huge impact on the presentation of the course, with fairway edges being susceptible to browning out in hot periods.

I haven't played Pinehurst but I can think of a few courses that would benefit from a similar strategy! Music to my ears when I read stuff like that...

The original center line system is being replace with a new center line system.  The original is old and needs updating and some of the heads need to be re-centered in line with new fairways.  The new watering strategy will very much change the presentation of the golf course.