Fall Flynn Fest at Springdale Golf Club, Princeton, NJ (Pics Present)

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

Please come and be my guest and play our delightful William Flynn course, Springdale Golf Club, in Princeton, NJ. on Sunday the 30th of October.

The fall foliage will be at it's peak. Maximum is 14 guests.

If you would be so kind to PM me if you are interested, I will provide information regarding costs.

Cordially,

Malcolm Mckinnon

[PThomas]

another nice offer...wish i could take you up on it Malcolm

kudos to you for your generosity

[Mike Sweeney]

Malcolm

Any idea of tee off time? Earlier is better as I seem to have somewhat of a free pass this weekend. I realize that you may have restrictions based on the numbers. I have seen the course a half dozen times and would love to play it.

Thanks

[Joe Bausch]

I'll be there M2! 

I'm also anxious to hear the Princeton University Carillon.

Let's go guys, this will be a wonderful early start to the 'off-season' golfing for those of us in or near the Delaware Valley.  Soon I'll be announcing other venues to visit early in the new year.

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

Mike,

I can't book tee times until This coming Sunday. (Two weeks prior).

I am shooting for 12:30PM ish. Will advise participants once this gets settled.

So far we have three confirmed quests. Plenty of room still!

Malcolm

[David Harshbarger]

Malcolm,

I'm a maybe pending the results of the Pop Warner playoff game on the 23rd.  The division championship would be the 30th.  Who to root for....hmm...a dilemma.

Dave

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

David,

Don't sweat it.

If you don't make it this time I'm sure we can work out another time. You get a rain check.

Go for the Pop Warner jugular!

Malcolm

[David Harshbarger]

Malcolm,

Thanks for the rain check.  Now I can root that extreme defeat and humiliation be visited on our foes.

Hope you get a great day.

Dave

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

We have space for one more player to fill out our third foursome.

Please PM me if interested.

If I get a rush of interest I will look into adding a fourth group.

Malcolm

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

Please note that the date is now Saturday the 29th.

Tee times  are 12:40 to 1:00 and perhaps beyond.

Malcolm

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

Due to the snow last weekend this event has been rescheduled for Sunday, November 6th. Sunday is forecasted to be Sunny with a high temperature of 57 degrees. Fall foliage will be near peak.

Tee times begin at 11:30 and I still have room to accommodate more guests.

PM me if you are interested.

Malcolm

[Joe Bausch]

Due to the snow last weekend this event has been rescheduled for Sunday, November 6th. Sunday is forecasted to be Sunny with a high temperature of 57 degrees. Fall foliage will be near peak.

Tee times begin at 11:30 and I still have room to accommodate more guests.

PM me if you are interested.

Malcolm

Looking forward to it Malcolm.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Malcolm,

Thanks again for hosting us at Springdale in Princeton. It was a beautiful day, a good walk in the park, an interesting Flynn course plus we were treated to a carillon mini concert.

http://www.princeton.edu/~gradcol/perm/carillon.htm



Joe Bausch will post his pictures in due time.


 

[Joe Bausch]

Malcolm,

Thanks again for hosting us at Springdale in Princeton. It was a beautiful day, a good walk in the park, an interesting Flynn course plus we were treated to a carillon mini concert.

http://www.princeton.edu/~gradcol/perm/carillon.htm

Joe Bausch will post his pictures in due time.

I will, but for those that want to just jump to the photos:

http://xchem.villanova.edu/~bausch/images/albums/springdale/

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

All,

I'm very pleased that you enjoyed your visit. We will have to do it again.

The timing with the Carillon was almost perfect. Not too many golf courses have a gothic architectural edifice that doubles as a musical instrument. Steve, your link to the Princeton University Carillon website mentions the Bok tower in Lake Wales, Florida so I have to presume that golfing at Mountain Lake can provide a similar experience.

Malcolm
 

[mike_malone]

 Trees Trees Trees.  Some of Flynn's best angles of recovery or strategy were overcome by unnecessary evergreens. This was particularly true on the short uphill par four and #18. I'm sorry that I harp on this but the course would shine if the original design was honored. Taking these trees out would be easy and increase the fun ratio. There were also two instances (#16 and #18) of flanking bunkers in the landing area which turned out not to be original. Removing them would also improve the fun quotient and be more disctinctively Flynn rather than some green cmte.s idea of punishment.

  The most sublime part of the course #13 thru #15 would vault up in interest if the trees lining the creek were removed. The tee shot on #14 would be enhanced by the hill on the left (particularly if you removed the trees on the hill) and the creek on the right being open (no trees!). This seems to be in harmony with Flynn's idea that  natural features are the best hazards. The tee shot on #15  would be awesome with a diagonal carry. Now it has been turned into a fairly typical look . Imagine the distinctive look of the hill on the left of #14 rolling down to the creek on the right and then the rolling terrain up to the left of #15. That would rival any consecutive Flynn holes. As I think about it, remove the evergreens between #13 green and #14 tee and you have an awesome three hole look!

  

[Joe Bausch]

Here are some photos of the front nine.

First the routing:



#1.  Dogleg left par 4 (364 yards).

Tee shot view:



Approach shot view:



From near the green:



#2.  Slightly uphill par 4 (343 yards).

Tee shot view:



From short of the green:



#3.  Slightly downhill par 4, the No 1 stroke hole (442 yards).

Tee shot view:



From short of the green:



From just over the green:



#4.  Par 5 (526 yards).

Tee shot view:



From short of the green:



From over the green:



#5.  Downhill par 3 (193 yards).

Tee shot view:



From short of the green and the creek:



#6.  Slight dogleg left and uphill par 4 (296 yards).

Tee show view:



From just right of the green:



#7.  Par 3 (180 yards).

Tee shot view:



From short of the green:



From over the green:



#8.  Slight dogleg left par 4 (424 yards).

Tee shot view:



From near the green:



#9.  Dogleg right par 4 (405 yards).

View from the beginning of the fw:



Approach shot view:



From over the green:



Back nine later.

[Peter Ferlicca]

I played here probably 4 years ago while my sister was attending princeton.  I agree big time about holes 14 and 15, they were both FANTASTIC golf holes that would be even better with a couple of trees removed.  The slope of the hill canting the fairway down towards the creek on both of those holes was just fantastically routed. 

I felt the front nine was decent but lacking a little bit of that luster.

BUT, once you tee off on #10 you know the back nine is going to be special.  Hole 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 are all VERY GOOD golf holes.  A nice little hidden gem in Princeton, NJ. 

[mike_malone]

 Peter,

   I don't know about other designers but Flynn just nails it when he sees natural features that make a course distinctive, fun to play. and strategic. That area of 13-14-15 is among the best of any Flynn I have seen and my home course's prime spot is the same 3 holes!

    Trees should be used sparingly and only kept out of necessity. Once you start to remove trees that were there for safety then you usually need to go all the way so that golfers on adjoining holes can see each other. It seems to me that only where shots are blind should you consider trees as a safety option.  When is someone going to invent the "invisible fence" for golf balls?

[John Shimony]

Seems I missed a great day of golf.  Can't wait to see the back nine.  And you have to love the cathedral.

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

Mayday/Peter,

It is interesting to note that the original 9 hole routing which opened in 1902 by Willie Dunn Jr. was located primarily on and around the creek portion of the property. By far, that is where the land's best natural assets compliment the architecture of the golf course.

Malcolm

[Joe Bausch]

Now for the back nine at Springdale which is quite nice.  Note, I think Flynn did not do all the routing of the back nine according to info from a lurker.

#10.  Par 4 (413 yards).

Tee shot view:



Long drive leaves this view:



From short of the creek:



From over the green:



#11.  Slightly uphill par 3 (185 yards).

Tee shot view:



From short of the green:



From just over the green:



#12.  Par 5 (470 yards).

Tee shot view:



The green is hard to see as it is lurking in the shadows.



From short of the green:



From long and right of the green:



#13.  Par 3 (126 yards).



Tee shot view:



From just over and right of the green:



#14.  Slight dogleg left par 4 (336 yards).

Tee shot view:



Approach shot view:



From just short of the green:



From just over the green:



Now my favorite hole on the course, as it reminds me a bit of the 12th at Merion but with a slightly downhill approach shot.

#15.  Dogleg right par 4 (404 yards).

Tee shot view:



Approach shot view:



From just short of the green:



From just over the green:



#16.  Par 5 (383 yards).

Tee shot view:



Approach shot view:



From just over the green:



#17.  Par 5 (572 yards).

Tee shot view:



Second shot view:



Approach shot view:



#18.  Slight dogleg right par 4 (318 yards).

Tee shot view:



Approach shot view:



From just over the green:



What a wonderful fall day we had at Springdale.  Thanks again to Malcolm and SGC for making it happen.

[mike_malone]

 Joe,


   Does the lurker say 13 14 15 are not Flynn?

[Joe Bausch]

Joe,


   Does the lurker say 13 14 15 are not Flynn?

Lurker says 14 and 15 are Lambert's doing.

[mike_malone]

 Well that Lambert guy gets it!

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