George, in response to #19 --
Brian Silva has been instrumental in working with the course to make a few adjustments which include lengthening a few holes and adding some fairway bunkering. The length was felt necessary due to improvements in equipment technology. The bunkering makes several holes more interesting.
From 2006-2008, we had a green restoration program, which did not rebuild any of the greens, but was designed to restore them to the original size/shape according to the original plans. Essentially, many of the raised greens originally were cut to the edges of the plateaus. Over time, particularly through the 1960s and 1970s (I am told), the rough crept inward on many of the greens due to improper maintenance and failing to cut the greens all the way to the edges. So over the 3 year period, they gradually expanded the outer edges of the greens back to the original designs. This had the effect of bringing many of the ridges and spines that Banks had placed on the greens back into play, as numerous pin placements came back into play. None of the greens were dug up and replaced, just a hefty program of aeration, sand and cutting to the proper length over that 3 year period. The past 2 years, since this was completed, have been phenomenal, many say our greens are the healthiest and best in the area. This summer was rough due to the heat and our greenskeeper left the greens longer than normal throughout July and August, but the sacrifice was well worth it, because the month of September saw our greens in the best shape of the season, for our club championship over Labor Day weekend and the rest of September.
The only other major item we've undertaken was a pretty hefty tree removal program. The goal of this was to improve the amount of sun and oxygen on the turf, primarily around tees and greens. I think we've had maybe 150-180 trees removed over the past 2 winters. Interestingly enough, while many members opposed the program, the course actually more closely resembles pictures of the course from the 1930s, when there were indeed substantially fewer trees on the property. And the turf conditions throughout the course are noticeably improved -- tees, greens, and even the rough which can now be grown to much deeper length in many areas which creates a greater penalty to errant shots. Missing the fairway on some of our longer holes is now much more of a penalty than when I first joined about 10 years ago.