Pat,
Thank you for posting that article. I think Point O'Woods
is one of a small group of very good golf courses built by RTJ, including
Hazeltine, Seven Oaks, The Heather course, Peachtree and the now defunct
Cotton Bay Club. (Unfortunately, however, he benefited a little too much from the
corporate affinity for golf in the '50s and '60s and built more courses than he could
practically conceive or design well.)
The greens and tee boxes at POW are huge, and fit with
the massive trees. The tree tops are not too hazardous
(from what I can remember) or an overgrown
menace. The grandiose trees were part of the design (1958),
not something that naturally overtook an early-century masterpiece;
or planted by hippies and dead members' wills in the '60s and
beyond.
It feels like a golf club built by a Fortune 500 company in the '50s --
big and built for competition -- but also has a gentle giant Cadillac-
of-the-era impression when not playing in a tournament. It's fair and
walkable and enjoyable to play. As for sustainability, they
may need to get their green and tee mowers Energy Star
certified.
- AC