There have been several threads covering The Good Doctor’s first American golf course design at The Meadow Club and Mike DeVries’ recent restoration work on this forum, but I didn’t think anyone would mind having another look.
Enjoy.
A fairway bunker is found beside the landing zone of the reachable par 5 1st.
The first green feeds towards the right/front corner. As such, aggressive approaches that find this left/front bunker should subsequently be played towards the fringe left of this day’s pin location.
The 2nd hole is a lengthy downhill par 4. The bunker in the foreground is 50 yards short of the green and quite visually deceptive for those facing long approaches. Note the 5th green to the left.
Climbing back up alongside the 2nd, the par 4 3rd hole culminates at a thrilling, multi-tiered green.
This view is from the par 4 4th tee, from where players should hit over the left edge of the 3rd green toward the peak of Mount Tamalpais.
Though hardly in play today, this carry bunker short of the 4th fairway is set to ensnare topped haskells.
A medium length par 3 played from a small hill down to the valley floor, the 5th is primarily guarded by a trio of fronting bunkers (the left of which is pictured), along with single trap and framing mounds (!) at the rear.
While playing the 6th, golfers will encounter a number of the Meadow Club’s recurring themes: a flat fairway artificially narrowed by tree plantings, a large green tilted towards the line of play, and bunkers guarding each of the green’s corners. The sentinel boulders behind the 6th green also serve as the back drop on #12 and sit on a ridge used fro the 7th, 13th, and 16th tees (a bit like the prominent dune behind the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 11th greens at Cypress Point).
Once entirely piped underground, much of this creek has been unearthed within the 7th fairway to endanger shots that challenge the left-turning dogleg. Up ahead, a back-to-front green with corner bunkers.
At the par 3 8th, players face a slightly downhill shot to a large green open on the left side.
The par 4 9th holes plays back to the clubhouse. Past the bunkers, the right side of the fairway is boxed in by planted redwoods.
The par 4 10th squeezes between redwoods on the right (the same trees from #9) and a driving range on the left on its way to another large green tilted from back-to-front and surrounded by 4 round, shaggy bunkers.
The par 3 11th allows for two styles of approach: 1) Throw a high dart 2) Bounce one in off the right-hand hillock.
The par 4 12th is fairly bland from the tee but features a neat little green complex at the foot of “refreshment hill.” This day’s hole location tempts players to aim for the down slope just behind the front bunker.
The side view of refreshment hill en route to #13.
A reachable par 5, the 13th plays down hill from the tee. Whereas it used to be contiguous with the 6th and 15th holes (running in the opposite direction) aside from scattered bunkers, tree plantings now separate the meadow into three distinct corridors.
At the end of the center corridor, the 13th green rises a bit above the meadow floor. Those trying for the green in two should favor the left side.
Another bunker study at the 13th.
The par 3 14th plays downhill over an “irrigation reservoir” to another large green tilted from back-to-front. This photo was taken at around 3:30pm in mid-November, a testament to the early post-equinox sunsets in the meadow. Thankfully, the unseasonably warm weather (mid-80s!) kept us comfortable, if a bit squinty.
Another short par 5, the 15th features a thrilling tee shot, asking players to draw one around the corner to avoid bunkers on the outside of the dogleg. I pushed my tee shot and ended up past the right side trees, leaving me with an open shot and a superb lie in the 13th fairway, albeit from some distance to the target green.
A closer look at the bunkers separating the 13th and 15th.
A well-struck drive brings the green within range for the second shot.
Looking back from behind the 15th green (scroll right to see flag).
The 16th, a drivable par 4 that takes players from the south side of refreshment hill to a well-trapped, multi-tiered and elevated green that slopes from left-to-right.
The par 4 17th gradually widens past the starboard hill and finishes at yet another large green sloping from back-to-front with corner bunkers. Even from the tee, a small lower tier is visible at the very front of the green.
A short, downhill par 4 closes the round at #18, with a creek running along the right side of the fairway before diving under ground 65 yards short of the green.
A view from behind the final green.
