Twofer: (1) Only Golf Matters. (2) The new Edina Country Club.

[Dan Kelly]

(1) This week, I've added a new "home page" to the dozen-and-a-half pages that open automatically each morning when I boot up my computer.

It's the artfullly named blog "Only Golf Matters." (See? That "matters" works as both a verb and a noun! This is the sort of deft touch I admire.)

The address is http://onlygolfmatters.com.

"Only Golf Matters" is written by GCA.com stalwart (and former newspaperman -- till he got sensible) Jeff Shelman, who lives here in the Twin Cities. I've been visiting his blog for only a few days now, since I learned of its existence -- but have been very happy to have done so, each time. (Can't say the same for all of my home pages -- e.g., wunderground.com, which continues to inform me that nothing approaching a proper springtime has arrived here in the Northern Heartland, or is ever likely to.)

(2) It was through Jeff's blog that I learned of the existence of this: http://www.restorationupdate.com/?page_id=28 -- an absolutely fascinating (to me, at any rate) hole-by-hole tour of the new Edina Country Club course (Edina, Minnesota; Tom Bendelow, originally, I believe, with some other visitors since), conducted by the architect of the renovation, Tom Lehman. It will take you about half an hour to watch it -- but anyone familiar with the course will want to do so, and anyone wondering what goes through the mind of an architect will get a good glimpse here of at least one architect's thinking.

Edina has been bedeviled, for many years, by its greens -- which have had an unfortunate tendency to die. The members have ponied up for several sets of new greens, I believe.

After watching the Lehman video, and seeing the ENORMOUS changes to the course (18 new greens; many bunkers added, many bunkers removed; fairways reoriented; fairways regraded; tees moved; trees removed), it seems to me that Edina becomes a Tom Lehman course in everything but its routing -- which changes minimally.

I am really hopeful of getting out there to see what's been done -- a feeling I've never had about Edina before.

[Rick Shefchik]

I talked to Lehman a couple of weeks ago about his work there, and he had strong praise for Bendelow's original routing, which Lehman is trying to return to wherever possible. The problem is they relocated the clubhouse in 1959 to the area that used to be the driving range, causing a re-sequencing, and then the dominoes began to fall.

Here's the really, really short version of what's been done there: they moved the 18th green and 10th tee to make room for a swimming pool in 1948; re-sequenced the holes in 1959, moved the new 18th hole (which used to be the 4th hole) to the west and created a new driving range between holes 10 and 18; the 6th and 9th tees were moved back to the site of the old clubhouse. The 8th hole was lengthened by moving the green to the site of the old pool. In 1966 the pond on #10 was removed, and the nines reversed. In 1987 Gene Cornish was hired to make improvements; he put in pot bunkers and gum drop mounding; all of his work was eliminated six years later by Roger Rulewich, who rebuilt 6 greens complexes. The members then voted to re-do the rest of the course. Now Lehman is re-doing it again.

Lehman says his mission is to take the course back to the look of the '20s and '30s -- back to Bendelow.

[PCCraig]

Dan:

I'm a big fan of onlygolfmatters.com (Jeff's Blog). Jeff has a distinct advantage over other golf bloggers in that he actually knows how to write. I'm looking forward to his report on Keller Golf Course...if he ever posts it!

I don't know much about Edina CC other than what others (like Jeff) have told me about it and that it's very close to our new home. From what I've heard it's "story" reminds me alot of a Chicago area club, Westmoreland CC. Westmoreland is a true family "country club" on the North Shore with a golf course that has been butchered by many GCA's (a 1980's Art Hills renovation being a big part of the problem), been plauged by bad greens, and a golf committee that historically has no idea what it's doing.

[Jason Topp]

Thanks for posting the Lehman discussion of Edina CC.

A few reactions

1.  Lehman focuses his discussion largely on tee to green aspects of the course.  The worst part of the prior course was the greens (both in terms of conditioning and design).  The greens will almost surely be an improvement but how much of an improvement remains a mystery.

2.  It looks like the awkward walk from 3 green to 4 tee remains.  Essentially - the 3rd green is near the 4th green and you walk the length of the hole, hit your shot and return.  I expected that feature to be changed and am surprised it is not.

3.  There are going to be a lot of blind/partially blind shots into the greens.  It will be interesting to see how the membership reacts.

4.  I like the concept of the high side of the fairway being the preferred angle into the green.

5.  The par 3 6th holds painful memories for me (I made a 13 on it last year).  I wonder what he is doing with the slope on that green. 

6.  I look forward to seeing 15.  They moved the tees up when I played there one year in a competition so that it played at 260-270 and it was a fun hole at that length.  Not sure whether the new hole will be an improvement but it is radically different.

7.  Thank goodness they are flattening 16 a bit.  I know that swamp well.

8.  The 18th sounds interesting with a punchbowl type green.  I usally have had a pretty long iron into the old green, so I am thinking it will be a 3 wood or hybrid for me now.  A punchbowl sounds like a lot more fun than flying the ball to the old green which stood high above the fairway and punished shots that were just slightly long or short.

9.  It looks like he is squeezing the driving range.  I envision range balls pummelling people on the surrounding holes.

I look forward to seeing the course.  I have always disliked it so it will be interesting to see whether it is significantly improved.

[Dan Kelly]

I liked a lot of what you liked, Jason -- and you're right, of course, about the greens. If Lehman doesn't vastly improve them (design and durability), it'd be a rotten shame.

I like how many times Lehman uses the term "fun." And I like how often he mentioned the possibility of bounce-and-roll leading to satisfying results.

[Adam Clayman]

Dan, It's expected that Tom would have a deeper understanding, after his experience at The Prairie Club. Pretty cool actually. He might be one of the very few that can still play and turn out a few courses every year.

Rick, If thats the synopsis, I'd hate to read the full story.

My thoughts were; Those poor short seasoned poor bastards. The course must've been under construction more than it was ever opened for play? What a pity, but a great example of either incompetent planning, the problem with green committees, or, both.

[Dan Kelly]

My thoughts were; Those poor short seasoned poor bastards. The course must've been under construction more than it was ever opened for play? What a pity, but a great example of either incompetent planning, the problem with green committees, or, both.

The members at Edina have grown accustomed to a lot of reciprocal privileges -- for which, of course, they've often been unable to reciprocate.

[John_Conley]

I've played E.C.C. a good bit, mostly back in high school.  A few memories:

That one flagstick was always about 15' long!  (Hole #6 at times.)
Four par 5s in a 6-hole stretch.  (#8, #10, #12, #13 as I recall.)
I've played the first par 3 as #2 and #4, so it really feels shoe-horned in to the layout.
Don't get above the hole on the front-nine par 3s!
Everything I'm calling front or back has at times been the opposite!  (They reversed at some point.)
Trees!

[Jason Topp]

My thoughts were; Those poor short seasoned poor bastards. The course must've been under construction more than it was ever opened for play? What a pity, but a great example of either incompetent planning, the problem with green committees, or, both.

The members at Edina have grown accustomed to a lot of reciprocal privileges -- for which, of course, they've often been unable to reciprocate.

They are reciprocating nicely in the coming year

[Jeff Shelman]

First off, thanks to Dan and others for the kind words on the blog. I decided to pull golf stuff off of my regular/personal blog and make it a separate. I'm going to try to keep it updated on a regular basis.

Second, I'm interested in seeing Lehman's work at Edina. I still haven't seen his work at North Oaks, but I've heard that it is good.

I have played several of Lehman's original designs (including ones he did with Fought) and like several of them. He seems to have a nice feel.

[Jason Topp]

I finally played the revised Edina Country Club yesterday on a beautiful fall day.  Edina has never been one of my favorite courses in the city but, without a doubt, the work of Lehman's firm greatly improved the course.

I thought it would be interesting to compare my impressions from Tom Lehman's presentation on the changes to the course (posted erarlier) to my impressions in person.

1.  Lehman focuses his discussion largely on tee to green aspects of the course.  The worst part of the prior course was the greens (both in terms of conditioning and design).  The greens will almost surely be an improvement but how much of an improvement remains a mystery.

The changes to the greens are the primary thing I noticed in person and the changes are dramatic and for the better.  They also require a fair amount of local knowledge for approach shots because of the green surrounds, which include a number of sharp fall-offs in back.  The surfaces themselves are relatively flat although they may become more difficult to putt as green speeds increase.

2.  It looks like the awkward walk from 3 green to 4 tee remains.  Essentially - the 3rd green is near the 4th green and you walk the length of the hole, hit your shot and return.  I expected that feature to be changed and am surprised it is not.

Still awkward.  I am not sure there is a great way to fix the issue and clearly the decision was made that the quality of the resulting holes justified keeping the routing

3.  There are going to be a lot of blind/partially blind shots into the greens.  It will be interesting to see how the membership reacts.

Depends on your definition of blind.  The flagstick is usually visible but the challenges around the green are not.  Local knowledge is critical but I supect the membership already has it.

4.  I like the concept of the high side of the fairway being the preferred angle into the green.

I did not notice this factor as being huge on the first play of the course.

5.  The par 3 6th holds painful memories for me (I made a 13 on it last year).  I wonder what he is doing with the slope on that green.  
It is actually the 7th and the hole is greatly improved with a more flat green but more challenging surrounds.

6.  I look forward to seeing 15.  They moved the tees up when I played there one year in a competition so that it played at 260-270 and it was a fun hole at that length.  Not sure whether the new hole will be an improvement but it is radically different.
It is now a very good par 4 on the short side

7.  Thank goodness they are flattening 16 a bit.  I know that swamp well.
A greatly improved hole with a better green and a fairway that tempts agression but punishes mistakes

8.  The 18th sounds interesting with a punchbowl type green.  I usally have had a pretty long iron into the old green, so I am thinking it will be a 3 wood or hybrid for me now.  A punchbowl sounds like a lot more fun than flying the ball to the old green which stood high above the fairway and punished shots that were just slightly long or short.

The 18th is 465 from the back tees, 435 from the tees we played.  The second shot is blind over a hill with significant contours short of the green that seem to make a run up shot a random event, at least on the first play.  This was by far the most controversial change to the course based on the impressions of my group.  I would need to play the hole multiple times to understand the options available for the approach.  It could become reviled or revered with time.  

9.  It looks like he is squeezing the driving range.  I envision range balls pummelling people on the surrounding holes.

It is exciting to play the 10th and 18th.  Not sure whether or not the range was tightened but there are a lot of balls flying into the adjoining fairways.

I look forward to seeing the course.  I have always disliked it so it will be interesting to see whether it is significantly improved.

Without a doubt the course is greatly improved.  Significant number of trees were removed.  There is a lot more room to play off the tee but the bunkers and remaining trees make the course a difficult test of driving accuracy.  
The biggest change iI did not mention before is on the 9th which was a relatively mundane downhill medium length hole to a pretty interesting driveable par four that requires one to skirt a pretty nasty bunker to get close to the hole.  

Congratulations to Edina Country Club and Tom Lehman’s design firm.  They did not by any means play it safe with the changes to their course and I think the result will be enjoyed for many years.

[Jeff Shelman]

Jason,

Pat Craig and I played there a couple of weeks ago and I have yet to blog about it.

I thought it was really good. One of the members we played with said, "this is so much better. The old course wasn't very much fun."

I thought it was certainly fun.