A genius routing

[JC Jones]

Tom D: Re Post #36 - my guess is course #2 at Dismal River.

Was it a guessing game? 

If you're right, I think the result will be the greatest course since WW2 and Top 10 all time.  Doak is hands down the greatest architect of the modern era and a piece of property like that would combine world class property with world class design.  I'm drooling at the thought.

[Patrick Little]

A genius routing ultimately will see the designer find the number of required holes out of a stock of potentials.  From there it takes pure genius to not only route it but blend it within what the sport requires.

After that, the real trick is to offer complete, and unobstructed individuality to each hole and create a consistency in them all without creating boredom.  For instance....
Generally, while I truly appreciate the work of AW Tillinghast, I have always believed Winged Foot and Baltusrol were far overrated simply because all the holes tend to "look alike".  His work at San Francisco GC on the contrary is memorable on each hole.  You can not find boredom at Cypress Point either!  I also find much of Donald Ross's work is not as memorable as many claim.  Pinehurst #2 and Seminole excepted.  Southern Hills has a distinct flavour, and yet all the holes look and feel alike.  They are well designed in themselves, but not memorable.  Give me a designer with a commitment to the game and the mind of Salvadore Dali anytime. (I didn't say Andy Warhol!)

 

[Sean_A]

Patrick

We must remember that sometimes good drainage is paramount in a design and this may help to explain the similar look of holes on some classic courses.  Its a tradeoff which in the long run serves the club better.  I have said it before, but I also think that ability of people to travel and see large percentages of designers' work may work against the legacy of some designers...especially those who were prodigious in their output.  Without a doubt after a while some designers there is a sense of been there done that...victims of their own success. 

Ciao

[Eric Smith]

Tom D: Re Post #36 - my guess is course #2 at Dismal River.

Perhaps now Scott will have an answer to his question!

[Chris Johnston]

I often looked at Tom quote here as we navigated the process.  I recall him saying at one point..."this course has to be built".   Anything that important to Tom is important.   

[Forrest Richardson]

A wise designer once commented: "Not many people are able to get more than one golf hole in their head at a time..." I think that is the crux of the routing "genius" — as designers we are expected to keep a lot of balls in the air all at once, and this is not easy.

It is made even more complex when you are walking at the same scale as the land, across the terrain, unable to transport yourself high up into the sky and look down on the possibilities left, right and below. This is why the topo map becomes important — on sites where you cannot see X from Y you often need a map to show you where you are, and to keep things in perspective.