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Melvyn Morrow


because of the preference for the long aerial game?  I was always told that golfers navigated a golf course, (today I suppose that I should use the word orienteering). To explain to those uncertain of what I mean by Navigating, it IMHO represents the ability of the golfer to read the course thus trying to counter the designers intent. Actually the British Orienteering web site does a rather good job explaining what it actually entails.

"Orienteering is a challenging outdoor adventure sport that exercises both the mind and the body. The aim is to navigate in sequence between control points marked on a unique orienteering map and decide the best route to complete the course in the quickest time. It does not matter how young, old or fit you are, as you can run, walk or jog the course and progress at your own pace. Orienteering can take place anywhere from remote forest and countryside to urban parks and school playgrounds.  It’s a great sport for runners, joggers and walkers who want to improve their navigation skills or for anyone who loves the outdoors."

Does it not remind you of the game of golf, by substituting a few words we could have the definition of Golf.

I believe that the aerial game has reduced the need for skill, plus really understand GCA in any of its forms. GCA seems now purely concentrating upon the Greens. The reluctance to place traps, on the fairways, perhaps for fear of delaying the golfer and just reserving all traps for the Green zone is boring. To add insult to injury some of the bunkers adjacent to the Greens are shallow offering aid and advantage to the golfer instead of testing his resolve.

I feel this is wrong and we should concentrate on getting golfers to navigate the course, to test skills as well as hazards and contours. To try and rekindle some thinking into how to get to the Green, making the golfer believe that the aerial game may be compromised on this hole. That is what I call Strategic with more than a hint of penal against the many strategic courses that offer token resistance and that is usually in the form of the long walk back to the cart.

Otherwise just what is GCA, what is its purpose if it is not to the make the best out of the land that is fit for the purpose for golf.  The fun and challenged should start at the Tee, not within 160M off the pin.

Is this the reason we praise many of what you guys call The Golden Age Designers because they took the course to the golfer, they did not fear penal, because it was very much part of their strategy.

The golfer is a fair target from the Tee to the Green, it should be down to his wits and skill to navigate not just the Hole but the full course.

Melvyn   

Ronald Montesano

  • Karma: +0/-0
Melvyn,

I believe that this is an excellent question and I hope that our practicing architects will confirm or refute these haphazard statements of mine:

...Fairways are built with mowing and upkeep in mind;

...The rumpled nature of modern fairways is directly disproportionate to the number of golfers expected to play (public course with 8 minute tee times and sheets booked from 7-4 every day has flatter fairways.)

...Bunkers are easier hazards to create and maintain than truly curvaceous fairways and are the default option for protecting a hole

If I come up with any more haphazard statements, I shall return.
Coming in 2024
~Elmira Country Club
~Soaring Eagles
~Bonavista
~Indian Hills
~Maybe some more!!

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