I'm Officially a Golf Course Architect!!!

[Mac Plumart]

I just returned from a Thanksgiving vacation trip to Ohio.  Of course, I had to hit a few golf courses.  I played Shaker Run twice and Cook's Creek once.   The highlight of those two was Cook's Creek.  Really neat property and a fun golf course.  Cooks Creek's rendition of the Strath Bunker was pretty striking...




But without question the highlight of the trip was the construction and subsequent playing of the Plumart Course.  It all got started when all the golf courses I reached out to in Northwestern Ohio were "closed for the season".  Huh?  WTF?  Closed?  Unacceptable!!!  I had to have some golf, gosh darn it!!!

So naturally being at my dad's place in the country in NW Ohio, I walked my dad's property, eyeballed a few golf holes, and staked out a course.  It ended up being nine holes, about 1,700 yards, and played to a par 29.  It has a few nuances.  For starters, you have to play it with only one club.  Choose wisely!!  Secondly, the course has only been played in weather ranging from 26 degrees to 37 degrees.  Dress warmly!!  And it is walking only.  Here is a hole by hole course tour...

Hole 1...135 yards...par 3...straight forward hole with a wide open fairway




Hole 2...125 yards...par 3...I called this one "Cathedral" as it was a short hole that played to a green surrounded by trees, which was the cathedral.




Hole 3...320 yards...par 4...This one is called long, because it was the longest hole.    You have two choices, most likely dependent on the club you chose to play the course with, drive it over the 2 acre pond...or take the long way home around the pond.




Hole 4 is my favorite...215 yards...par 3...Road hole. 




Hole 5...120 yards...par 3...don't go long, you'll be in my mom's garden!!   




Hole 6...85 yards...par 3...I call this one the "Cliff Hole" because if you over shoot the green, you'll drop off about 100 yards over a cliff and into the Maumee River!!!     Oh yeah, don't hit my dad's satellite dish either!!




Hole 7...180 yards...par 3...plays over the side of the pond with Road looming behind the green.




Hole 8...215 yards...par 3...Reverse Road Hole.




Hole 9...320 yards...par 4...Reverse Long Hole which plays back into that Cathedral Green.  Most difficult hole on the course for sure.  Drive over the pond or not?  And regardless, you have to deal with that green complex surrounded by trees!!   




Move over Mackenzie, Ross, and Mr. Dye...here I come!!!   

[Mike_Young]

Are you sure you were not on Willy Nelson's bus yesterday......

[Peter Pallotta]

Don't listen to the naysayers, Mac!! 

YOU are the only one I know who's ever managed to get a Road Hole and Reverse Road Hole on the same course!

If I called that GENUIS would you think i was just blowing smoke?

No sir. No sir!!

Good for you. Thanks for sharing that.

Peter

[Mac Plumart]

Thanks Peter!!!  I never listen to the naysayers, I always live in my comfortable land of delusion!!   

Mike, I actually wasn't on Willie's bus the other day...but he did drop by The Plumart Course for few rounds.




It was quite a hoot!!

[Dan Grossman]

Out of curiosity, where exactly were you in NW Ohio?  I'm sure there were some clubs open, I used to be able to play until the snow fell.

[Mike_Young]

Was that before or after the arrest?

[mike_beene]

I am proud of you for not moving much dirt and keeping the green speeds down.

[Peter Pallotta]

I am proud of you for not moving much dirt and keeping the green speeds down.

Ha, ha!! Good one, Mike.

Yes, Mac sure set a new standard for minimalism.....

[Mac Plumart]

Dan...That is what I was expecting.  I was in Defiance, Ohio.  I called Kettering Country Club, Auglaize Golf Club, some club in Kalida, St. Mike's in Hicksville, Napolean Municipal Golf Course, and I even tried Inverness in Toledo.  Nothing...nada!  But it worked out for the best.  I went round and round that homemade course 10 plus times in two days with my 6 year old son, my dad, my nephew, and by myself.  It was some of the most fun I've ever had on a golf course (if you can call it that).


Mike B...My thoughts exactly!!  No dirt moved whatsoever.  And I was actually chipping/putting...whatever you want to call it towards the sticks I was using for pseudo-hole and I wondered what the stimpmeter would read.  zero...one...?  Either way, it was fun!!

Mike Y...It was right before the arrest!!!  

[Andrew Summerell]

I would have been interested, until I saw you allowed players to wear jeans on course!

[Dan Grossman]

Ah yes, I've played Kettenring, Napoleon and others. Thank god for Toledo Junior golf and high school golf. (my family were members at Fremont CC.). You should check out Westbrook CC in Mansfield. Very nifty Ross with cool greens.

Sylvania CC is a wonderful Willie Park Jr. That was always my favorite growing up. I think Findlay CC is a Bendelow.

[PThomas]

just remember us little people when you are a famous GCA Mac .....

[Tim Gavrich]

Mr. Plumart--

Hey I normally don't do this and I know it's not open to the public but if there's any way you could use your influence to get me on, that'd be great.  I'm always looking to put another notch on the ol' Access Belt.  LOL!   Jk, but seriously...also if there's any way to reserve a Members Only hat or something--you know, the one without the name; just the logo--I'd sure be obliged.

Sincerely,
--T. Russell Gavrich
 

[Anthony Gray]

  Doesn't look natural.

   Anthony

[Colin Macqueen]

Mac, oh Mac, oh Mac,

You sure are a minimalist.  You've kept it dirt simple. You've kept this within the family but to set this out in record time must have required child labour...no?

What a hoot. I'm with Tim G. and expect honorary membership as soon as you can get administratively organised.

Magic stuff,

Colin

[Anthony Gray]

  When does the caddy program start?

  Anthony

[Jon Wiggett]

Thanks Peter!!!  I never listen to the naysayers, I always live in my comfortable land of delusion!!   

Mike, I actually wasn't on Willie's bus the other day...but he did drop by The Plumart Course for few rounds.




It was quite a hoot!!

Is that a second club on the ground? I thought the rules were 1 club

[Melvyn Morrow]

Mac

Well let’s just say I thought I saw the makings of an island Green which in my boos questions design ability. 
 Also getting worried about all these template holes i.e. Road Hole   
Did I also see the start of the foundations for a Cart path? 

If I were you Mac I would say it’s a Doak’s based design as no one would be the wiser being that he does not like to identify who actually does his designs

Melvyn

PS Where are the fake Dunes, the fake sea shore to give it some resemblance of at leas looking like a links course

[TEPaul]

Mac:

Who mows that grass on your father's place in Ohio and what do they do it with?

[JC Jones]

Tom Paul,

It is a combination of a featherwood bent, kentucky blue and a northern california sensimilla.

[Jim Nugent]

Mac, I understand raters from GW, GD and GM heard about your course.  Please keep it quiet, but inside sources say it's a sure thing to make the Best New for 2011. 

[Jud_T]

I like the way you're forced to work the ball both ways...left to right to avoid the tree on 2 and right to left to avoid the satellite dish on 6!

[Gary Slatter]

we need more Reverse Road Holes.   Like the course, very natural.  Will you leave the trees?

[Bill_McBride]

It won't be long before you can play across that pond -- on foot!   

[Chris Shaida]

Was that before or after the arrest?

Mac, fantastic! Course is SO natural it's almost not there! If you do decide to open up membership beyond the family (and famous country/pop singers) send me an app  (And, uh, next time Willie stops by you might mention to him that it works better if he keeps his head down!)