[Mark Brown]

John

What don't you like about Smyers?

[John Kavanaugh]

What did I ever say bad about Smyers.  From what I have heard he is a great guy and a fine player.  The only course I have seen of his is Wolf Run and I thought enough of it to attempt to be a member when they were recently running a special but called too late.  If he like you believes that Merion should never again hold a major incuding something so innocent as a US Am then I may feel differently.  The only reason I didn't join Wolf Run at full price was that I found a deal similar in stature in St. Louis...a town I frequent dozens of times more often per year.

[John Kavanaugh]

As much as the intent of this tread pissed me off, I'm gonna make something good come out of it.  I go to Mt. Vernon every once in a while and next time I'm through I'll take the 40 mile detour to go see http://www.kokopelligolf.com/golf.html ...could you call ahead and get me comped..  I have thought about seeing that course someday and never realized it was so close to home....thanks.

[Mark Brown]

John,
John,


I do have my own design philosophy. Steve is a good friend and architect but I don't get my ideas soley from him.

I think you'll enjoy Kokopelli. Good land and firm turf so you can play the ground game.

All the Best, Mark

[Brad Klein]

John,

Kokopelli is a low budget daily-fee facility that survives on green fees. Instead of trolling for freebies, why not ante up like a man and pay the going rate?

Not every Midwestern track can get by like that dirt bag of a 9-holer you described the other day where annual memberships are $450.

[Paul Payne]

Kokopelli?!?!?!?

I have played there a number of time as business brings me into that nether part of Illinois.

I have always thought that Kokopelli was an underachiever. I do enjoy the course but I have issues with the way it is run.

First, they do not identify all hazards on the card. If you are going to give a hole diagram it seems a little sneaky to leave out the creek that traverses the fairway on number 3. Yes I got burned by that.

Secondly, the conditions can range from great to downright deplorable. I have been there in early July and the fairways are similar to a little league base path, maybe less grass.

Don't get me wrong, I go there because it is a nice layout, I just wish they would put more care into the course. It seems like an afterthought to keeping their business going. Just MO.

[John Kavanaugh]

Oh come on Brad, according to their site I'll need to wait till past five to play for $20 including cart.  What kind of man pays fees like that.  Another course in a similar location is Tim Liddy's Cambridge in Evansville, IN...I am looking forward to seeing how they compare.

Side note:  At 132 miles from my home the gas to get to Kokopelli will cost more than the golf itself.  

Goat update:  A potential super was recently contacted who while qualified has one important question. "How far from town are ya."  It seems our friend will be riding his bicycle to work for the next three years.  He is on the short list.

[JESII]

Frequently a pain in the ass, but never boring.

[redanman]

Sully, you mean John, right?

Not clear from your post.

I don't know anyone with a bad word for Smyers except as relates to bunkers and he even kids about that himself.

[JESII]

I know Steve and he's a great guy.

[Doug Braunsdorf]

What did I ever say bad about Smyers.  From what I have heard he is a great guy and a fine player.  The only course I have seen of his is Wolf Run and I thought enough of it to attempt to be a member when they were recently running a special but called too late.  

John,

Come out to NJ and play Royce Brook with Kyle Harris and I, that way we can try to determine who the real John Kavanaugh is, if he's a fiftysomething midwesterner or a twentysomething Pennsylvanian  

[John Kavanaugh]

Thanks for the great offer, but really...who plays a Smyers course on their first trip to Jersey..

[Doug Braunsdorf]

John;

  You're right; most just ask for access to one of the trophy wives of our state  

[Mark Smolens]

I was spending Tuesday evening in Marion, Illinois, preceding Wednesday's deposition at the Vienna Correctional Center down the road a bit. Long drive from the big City, but as I was approaching my exit I noticed some cool looking bunkers on the west side of I-57. Checked in to my hotel and looked at the "things to do guide" on the desk -- Kokopelli Golf Course, a Steve Smyers design, was 5 minutes away.

$35 for twilight (including a cart) -- a bargain at that price. Greens were fairly quick but rolled very nicely. Nice rolling terrain, beautifully bunkered (the sand was absolutely perfect), and nice blend of long par-4s with some shorties. Did not think that the creek on what is now #12 was in any way hidden. Played one hole with a member, 72 year old just retired stockbroker who lived behind the 12th green. Apparently next year's State Am event will be here. Not sure I'd make this drive just to play, but if you're in Southern Illinois it's well worth a visit.

[Lester George]

Steve Smyers is a friend of mine and the straightest driver of the golf ball I have seen....bar none!

Lester

[Andy Silis]

Lester;

That is 100% correct. He hosted me at Old Memorial about 2 1/2 years ago and put on a driving clinic the likes of which I may never see again. Steve plays my company's Exotics Fairway Woods and I brought him one of our hybrids to try. Hit it great on the range and said he would experiment with it to see if it might replace his 3 Iron since he was getting older and felt like he needed to bring his trajectory up. The 3 Iron like the rest of his vintage Titelist Forged Blades had a Hoganesque dime spot worn dead nut on the sweetspot. I'm guessing my hybrid didn't make the final cut....lol....We played in a good 20-25 mph wind and not one single drive missed the strategic target he was aiming for relative to the preferred angle of approach. He has had the same putter in his bag since he was 14 I believe. Mackenzie Bag of course. I told him that although our company made an Exotics Tour Driver I thought he would like, I could not in good conscience recommend that he do anything but sleep with his current gamer.

My round with Steve ranked as one of my most enjoyable and memorable golf experiences ever. He shared with me his design philosophies and his thinking behind the strategy and intent in the creation of each hole. Steve Smyers is truly one of THE class acts in golf and a nicer or more generous person would truly be hard to find.


Andy Silis

[John Kavanaugh]

It is important to note that Mark Brown was one of the great ambassadors for golf. This thread reminds me how much we all miss him.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()