Augusta restoration project....

[MikeJones]

The 'Which version of Augusta do you prefer' thread got me thinking. Let's step into an imaginary world for a moment and say for arguments sake that the powers that be had looked at the Pinehurst no 2 project and decided that ANGC should be restored to it's 'former glory' length not withstanding, I'm talking about style and strategy here.

What would we think about this?

[Dan Herrmann]

Would you put back bermuda greens?

[Phil Benedict]

Would you put back bermuda greens?

Only if Pinehurst returns to sand greens.

[Kalen Braley]

I'd start by removing every new tree planted in the last 20 years.

[Ross Tuddenham]

Not sure if there was ever a version without them, but remove all the plants.  It is a golf course not a botanical garden.

[Steve Kline]

Remove the all trees planted recently. Remove the first cut. Reshape the bunkers to Dr. Mac's style a la #10. Those three things would be tremendous even if they did nothing else.

[Matthew Rose]

At the very least, I'd shorten #7 to play in the 380 range and open the driving corridor back up. Or rebuild the green complex entirety, perhaps with the original design in mind.

Would also widen corridors to bring angles back into use on 11, 13, 15, etc.

Perhaps restore one former centerline bunker somewhere.

[Tim_Cronin]

Not sure if there was ever a version without them, but remove all the plants.  It is a golf course not a botanical garden.

It is a garden. It was Berckman's Nursery before it was a golf course. The rough goes. The trees are thinned. The flowers stay.

[Ross Tuddenham]

Not sure if there was ever a version without them, but remove all the plants.  It is a golf course not a botanical garden.

It is a garden. It was Berckman's Nursery before it was a golf course. The rough goes. The trees are thinned. The flowers stay.

Can you grow gorse in Georgia, it is bright and yellow in the summer.

[Mike Hendren]

Let's not over do it.

1.  Quit mowing the tournament tee at 7.
2.  Make two more passes with the mowers on each side of the fairways.
3.  Remove all trees planted right of the 11th and 15th faiways.

Done.

Mike

[Mark McKeever]

Lose the rough, lose recent tree plantings.  Restore the bunker on 14 among others.

Mark

[Kalen Braley]

Here is the best aerial I've seen of Augusta in its early days.



A few comments:

1)  Restoring the bunker on 14 would seem to be a waste.  I know it was very cool looking, but that sure looks like a whole lotta bunker to maintain that would only punish foozlers.

2)  15 could be more interesting if the creek nature of the hazard was returned instead of the current pond configuration.

3)  While I couldn't find a picture of it, 12 used to be very rugged/wild looking.  I think it would be neat to restore it to that.

[Dan Herrmann]

I'd see if I could find the original plans and restore some of the original mounding.

[Mike Hendren]

Kalen, I too like the look of the original 12th.  Unfortunately it spent too much time under water. 

Thank you for posting that aerial.  I never tire of looking at it.  Nonethless, I'll go on the record and say I like today's course much better than the one depicted in that photo.

Mike

[Kalen Braley]

I've always loved that old aerial as well.

I've thought about how it would look if they opened up the areas between 14, 15, 17, and 7 again. It seems like it would add some interesting contrast to the holes that originally looked treed like 2, 10, 11, etc. Variety is the spice of life right?

I suppose it would make those newly opened holes play "easier", but then again, ANGC seems to continue to pose its greatest defenses at the green, despite the distance added...so maybe it wouldn't be a big deal.

[MikeJones]

I'm with Michael in that I prefer the look of the course now to the more rugged early concept. There's something about the picture perfect, park like nature of ANGC for the Masters that appeals to me. It's odd because conversely I love the early wilder look of Cypress Point compared to it's more formal present day state. I have no idea why this is, it's just an aesthetic thing.

Apart from shortening a couple of holes on the current version of the course (7 and 17 spring to mind) just about the only thing I'd like to see now is the removal of the rough so that balls could more easily bound into the pines when hit off line and to open up a few more angles for thoughtful players.

[jeffwarne]

Not sure if there was ever a version without them, but remove all the plants.  It is a golf course not a botanical garden.

Actually it was a plant nursery long before it was a golf course.

I grow tired of all this Augusta hate.
listen to the players-they love the place
Shame when 70 year olds are saying they can't compete anymore because it's too long-no shi#@$
they don't even get to play in the other majors........

[Ross Tuddenham]

Not sure if there was ever a version without them, but remove all the plants.  It is a golf course not a botanical garden.

Actually it was a plant nursery long before it was a golf course.

I grow tired of all this Augusta hate.
listen to the players-they love the place
Shame when 70 year olds are saying they can't compete anymore because it's too long-no shi#@$
they don't even get to play in the other majors........

I really enjoy the masters and think that the Masters tournament may provide more joy to the golfing public than a 1934 rendition of Augusta national ever could.  Lets face it whatever Augusta is like to play only 100 of the worlds best pro's and a few CEO's will play it each year.  For this reason I almost think ensuring the quality of years first major should be the top priority and not ensuring a true replica of MacKenzie's work.  So whatever version of the course has the optimal strategy for current tour pro's would be the way to go.

As for the flowers I guess it just doesn't do it for me.

[jeffwarne]

Not sure if there was ever a version without them, but remove all the plants.  It is a golf course not a botanical garden.

Actually it was a plant nursery long before it was a golf course.

I grow tired of all this Augusta hate.
listen to the players-they love the place
Shame when 70 year olds are saying they can't compete anymore because it's too long-no shi#@$
they don't even get to play in the other majors........

I really enjoy the masters and think that the Masters tournament may provide more joy to the golfing public than a 1934 rendition of Augusta national ever could.  Lets face it whatever Augusta is like to play only 100 of the worlds best pro's and a few CEO's will play it each year.  For this reason I almost think ensuring the quality of years first major should be the top priority and not ensuring a true replica of MacKenzie's work.  So whatever version of the course has the optimal strategy for current tour pro's would be the way to go.

As for the flowers I guess it just doesn't do it for me.

Ross,
Have you been to The Masters?

[Matthew Petersen]

Let's not over do it.

1.  Quit mowing the tournament tee at 7.
2.  Make two more passes with the mowers on each side of the fairways.
3.  Remove all trees planted right of the 11th and 15th faiways.

Done.

Mike

That's pretty much it. I'd also lose the trees added between 15 and 17 and the stupid trees that jut out into the 15th fairway from the left.

Why they want to discourage people from going for the green in two on that hole, I'll never understand.

[Greg Tallman]

Fairway cut only
Remove trees at 11 and 15
Center line bunker on 13?
Remove several bunkers (7 for example would be better without bunkers, 9 as well, right of 10 as a swale, left bunker in 16, front bunker on 18)

Somwhere Jim Lipe is rolling his eyes after reading this

[jeffwarne]

Fairway cut only
Remove trees at 11 and 15
Center line bunker on 13?
Remove several bunkers (7 for example would be better without bunkers, 9 as well, right of 10 as a swale, left bunker in 16, front bunker on 18)

Somwhere Jim Lipe is rolling his eyes after reading this

I'll grant the new trees between 15 and 17 can go, and the ones on 11 should at least be reduced and the rest limbed up for recovery.

But a centerline bunker on one of the greatest pieces of par 5 golf topography in the world?
really?

[Greg Tallman]

Fairway cut only
Remove trees at 11 and 15
Center line bunker on 13?
Remove several bunkers (7 for example would be better without bunkers, 9 as well, right of 10 as a swale, left bunker in 16, front bunker on 18)

Somwhere Jim Lipe is rolling his eyes after reading this

I'll grant the new trees between 15 and 17 can go, and the ones on 11 should at least be reduced and the rest limbed up for recovery.

But a centerline bunker on one of the greatest pieces of par 5 golf topography in the world?
really?

Why not? A nice little bunker cut into the slope about 295-300 from the tee?

[jeffwarne]

Fairway cut only
Remove trees at 11 and 15
Center line bunker on 13?
Remove several bunkers (7 for example would be better without bunkers, 9 as well, right of 10 as a swale, left bunker in 16, front bunker on 18)

Somwhere Jim Lipe is rolling his eyes after reading this

I'll grant the new trees between 15 and 17 can go, and the ones on 11 should at least be reduced and the rest limbed up for recovery.

But a centerline bunker on one of the greatest pieces of par 5 golf topography in the world?
really?

Why not? A nice little bunker cut into the slope about 295-300 from the tee?

thy kind've did that with the newer trees through the fairway.(to slow the bombers who weren't really challenging the left
Why add a bunker to a hole where you're already biting off as much as you dare of the left trees and creek?
the shorter shot is the reward and the reward is commensurate with the risk, to say nothing of the severe sidehill lie one still has to contend with.
save the bunkers for the topography challenged holes.(or lose a few more)

[Greg Tallman]

Fairway cut only
Remove trees at 11 and 15
Center line bunker on 13?
Remove several bunkers (7 for example would be better without bunkers, 9 as well, right of 10 as a swale, left bunker in 16, front bunker on 18)

Somwhere Jim Lipe is rolling his eyes after reading this

I'll grant the new trees between 15 and 17 can go, and the ones on 11 should at least be reduced and the rest limbed up for recovery.

But a centerline bunker on one of the greatest pieces of par 5 golf topography in the world?
really?

Why not? A nice little bunker cut into the slope about 295-300 from the tee?

thy kind've did that with the newer trees through the fairway.(to slow the bombers who weren't really challenging the left
Why add a bunker to a hole where you're already biting off as much as you dare of the left trees and creek?
the shorter shot is the reward and the reward is commensurate with the risk, to say nothing of the severe sidehill lie one still has to contend with.
save the bunkers for the topography challenged holes.(or lose a few more)

OK - no bunker, I'll call Billy and let him know.