Applebrook GC (Hanse): a photo exploration (broken links now fixed!)

[Joe Bausch]

Who is this Hanse guy anyway?  Never heard of him.   

Choosing my favorite Hanse private course in the area is tough.  I love both French Creek and Applebrook.  I've done a photo tour on French Creek already (http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40345.0.html), so now seems like a good time for a tour of Applebrook.  I think you'll enjoy this tour, as the lighting was pretty good on this day and the layout is quite photogenic.

These pics are from a warm, mid-November round back in 2010.  I'm guessing in mid-summer some long grass is up. 

The routing:



The clubhouse is near the lower left of the aerial.  I love the smartly laid out driving range, with a short walk from there to a practice green, then similar short walk to the first tee.  It is a very easy course to walk.

All photos below are "clickable" to a larger size.

#1.  Par 5 (522 yards).  A nice opener where I'm guessing your better golfer, if confident coming out the shoot, will consider this a birdie hole.



Tee view:



It seems like a simple hole to reach in two, but real trouble awaits a short and right attempt at the green:



I played the hole conservatively, leaving a short iron 3rd shot in:



From just over the green, which is very subtly contoured:



#2.  Slightly uphill, dogleg-right par 4 (366 yards).



Tee view, where I think a 3-wood is just fine (that large, deep bunker can probably be carried with driver, but I'm not sure it is really worth the risk):



Approach shot view to an slightly elevated green with closely mowed areas short, right, and over the green:



From just long and right of the green:



The 3rd tee is connected to the back of the 2nd green:



#3.  Downhill, dogleg-right par 4 (310 yards).



Here's a hole I'm anxious to play again.  I'm confident many try to drive this green, with the line being over the visible part of the large bunker to the right.  Or play it 'safe', but you need to avoid the cross bunker with just the top visible if you are my height. 



If you want to be very conservative, just bunt one down there 190 yards or so and stay short of that bunker to leave a short iron in with this view:



Play past that bunker with the tee shot to leave a view like this, which also shows the turbo boost a tee shot going for the green can experience (I'm still not sure if it is best to play a 250 yard shot to the beginning of the slope and speed down to the green, or try to hit driver and carry to a less steep part of the slope...):



A view from the mound over the green:



I'm guessing this tour could generate just a wee more interest than the Lake Jovita one from the other day.   

Three more holes tomorrow.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Not only is Applebrook "an easy course to walk,"  it's the only way to go unless you have a medical certificate. The club only owns about 6 or 8 golf cars for riders-hence a GAP Member Play Day is next to impossible.

[Joe Bausch]

Not only is Applebrook "an easy course to walk,"  it's the only way to go unless you have a medical certificate. The club only owns about 6 or 8 golf cars for riders-hence a GAP Member Play Day is next to impossible.

Now that's good knowledge.  I'll admit I was unaware of this fact.

[Ed Brzezowski]

I play in 2-3 charity events there per year. They have supplied up to 120 caddies, so a GAP play day would be possible if timed correctly. Killer food too, nice pics Joe but I am not a huge fan of three. While a nice short par four I think it just seems out of place.  However I love Ledgerock so go figure.

Ed

[Bill Brightly]

I played the hole conservatively, leaving a short iron 3rd shot in:

I hit a good drive, and chose to play aggressively, aiming a power fade at the big mound on the left. I was rewarded with a ball that bounded a good 30 yards onto the green, but had my fade turned into a slice, I am wet. Alternatively, if I hit it long and straight, I could be on the wrong side of the mound and par would be a good score. It is just a FUN second shot, which I think sets the perfect tone for the round.

[Bill Brightly]

[#2.  Slightly uphill, dogleg right par 4 (366 yards).

Tee view, where I think a 3 wood is just fine (that large, deep bunker can probably be carried with driver, but I'm not sure it is really worth the risk):

I agree, 3 wood is PLENTY, Unfortunately, my partner who "knew" the course told me to hit driver and I flew it right over where that caddy is, ending up in the junk over his head...and I was D-E-A-D. I later learned that my partner is one of those guys who hits driver EVERYWHERE... And while he hit a perfect drive, he left himself in the throw up zone, and one-hopped his wedge into the junk behind the pin, which was tucked in the back left corner.

I like a hole that occasionally penalizes those who blindly hit driver. The tee shot is also very deceptive, there is far more room right than it seems, and my target was horribly wrong.

[David Kelly]

I really like the 3rd hole and it is a great example of Hanse's talent at creating interesting and unique short par 4 holes.

[Joe Bausch]

Good chatter thus far.  Three more this morning before class.   

#4.  Slightly downhill and dogleg-right par 4 (418 yards).  There is a road cutting the fairway in two about 300 yards out, so your best players are probably going to hit 3 wood off the tee.

Tee view:





Approach shot view (those green posts mark the road; but note there is a small creek running short of the green too):



From short of the creek:



From the back of the green:



#5.  Par 3 (211 yards).  This hole plays slightly uphill to a beautifully bunkered and uniquely shaped to my eyes greensite.



Tee view:



From left of the green:



From right of the green:



From over the green:



#6.  Par 4 (396 yards).



Tee view:



Approach shot view:



Another large closely mowed area at this green, this view from just short and left, which also connects up to the 7th tee:



From left of the green:



More Thursday.

[Sean Remington (SBR)]

   Haven't played Applebook yet but from what I see so far it would quickly become on of my favorites in the Philly area.

[JESII]

It's a great course, one of my favorites anywhere.

I don't know how an architect would define "Quirk" on a golf course but #3 at Applebrook is the singular hole I think of in this regard.

[George Freeman]

Thanks Joe!

Course looks really fun, thought provoking, and interesting.  Applebrook has always caught my eye...

Does it play as firm and fast as it looks?

[John Shimony]

Thanks for the tour, Joe.  The course looks very interesting.  I am wondering how it is faring in terms of membership as there are a lot of clubs in the area.  Are the clubs in the West Chester/Malvern area doing well overall?  Does the relative newness of Applebrook and its very good course help it attract new members?  Is it struggling?  Maybe Mr. Shaffer knows.

[Joe Bausch]

Does it play as firm and fast as it looks?

My one time there it was nicely f and f.  And my guess that is the way they desire it too.  But those familiar with the soil here in SE PA know that being f and f all the time is a struggle....

[Joe Bausch]

#7.  Par 4 (466 yards).



Here's a view of how the back tee ties into the 6th green surrounds.



Now the view of the hole from near the forward tees:



Approach shot view:



From just over the green:



#8.  An S-shaped par 5 (581 yards), the No. 1 stroke hole.



Tee view:



2nd shot view:



Approach shot view:



From a hill over the green:



#9.  Par 3 (149 yards).

The ninth takes you back to the clubhouse. 





Miss this green anywhere and have fun, particularly short and left:



From over the green:



More maybe later today.

[George Pazin]

Thanks for the tour, Joe. Walking Applebrook with Gil and everyone else back in 2001 was a real eye opener for me personally, and I absolutely loved it. Prior to that, my only real experience in playing golf was at parkland courses, so the openness juxtaposed against the intimate feeling of the routing was very cool.

[Mark McKeever]

For some reason I just can't seem to get enough of this 9th hole.  The grading is just stellar (pics 1-2)

Mark

[Joe Bausch]

Thanks for the tour, Joe. Walking Applebrook with Gil and everyone else back in 2001 was a real eye opener for me personally, and I absolutely loved it. Prior to that, my only real experience in playing golf was at parkland courses, so the openness juxtaposed against the intimate feeling of the routing was very cool.

I really wish I was part of that gang back in 2001.  Sounds like a most informative day.

[Mac Plumart]

I love those bunkers.  His bunkers really stood out to me at Tallgrass...and again here.

[Joe Bausch]

I love those bunkers.  His bunkers really stood out to me at Tallgrass...and again here.

Maybe it comes from listening to the Grateful Dead?  Or Dave Mathews?

[Joe Bausch]

On to the back nine.  And some of the lighting gets very good.

#10.  Par 5 (528 yards).



After the 18th hole I stood near the elevated view of the clubhouse and grabbed this pic that includes the par 5 10th hole.



2nd shot view:



There are some very nice landforms at Applebrook, IMO:



3rd shot view:



From right of the green:



#11.  Par 3 (121 yards).



Another hole that the yardage may suggest a piece of cake....

Tee view:



From the back left part of the green:



Looking back to the elevated green on the way to the par 4 12th:



Not exactly a piece of cake, eh?  Especially with it being the highest part of the course, I think, and probably more windy than other spots.

#12.  Slight dogleg-right par 4 (370 yards).



Tee view:



From near the dogleg:



Approach shot view:



From short of the green (just beautiful to my eyes):



From over the green:



More tomorrow.   

[George Pazin]

#11.  Par 3 (121 yards).

Another hole that the yardage may suggest a piece of cake....

Tee view:



From the back left part of the green:



Looking back to the elevated green on the way to the par 4 12th:



Not exactly a piece of cake, eh?  Especially with it being the highest part of the course, I think, and probably more windy than other spots.

I don't remember the houses from '01, this hole had more of a skyline-ish look to it - it just looked like a tiny green hanging out there...

My strongest recollections of the tour are:

1) the melded green/tee from 2 to 3

2) the short 3rd

3) the ha-ha

and

4) how cool all the par 3s seemed.

[John Shimony]

I agree with Mac.  The bunkers look to be placed in the correct spots, nicely carved out of hillsides, not overdone but with a lot of character.  Specifically, I like the third hole with the options off the tee and with an interesting green that is open in front.  If a long hitter goes for the green it seems as if the bunker left of the green would be the likely end result given the sloped landing spot short of the green in direct line from the tee.  And the delicate bunker shot required to the plateau where the pin is place in the photo is not in my arsenal.  Anything past the hole from that bunker looks like it would roll down to the front of the green.  Another point, the course seems to have an even mix of raised greens and greens that are merely an extension of the fairway.  Very nice.

[Chris Roselle]

As always, thanks for the tour Joe.  Applebrook is one of my absolute favorites in the Philly area and probably my favorite modern course.  Neat little story about the little 11th.  In the 2007 GAP Amateur Championship Chip Lutz aced the 11th in the sudden death playoff for the last qualifying spots for the match play.  Walk-off aces are always rare (Jonathan Byrd is the most famous)...

[Joe Bausch]

#13.  Dogleg-left par 4 (453 yards).



Tee view:



Approach shot:



From the just over the green:



#14.  Dogleg-right par 4 (444 yards; No. 2 stroke hole).



Tee view:



Approach shot:



From the over the green on the next tee:



#15.  Slightly downhill par 3 (224 yards).



Tee view:



From just short (those three humps are named after Gil's three children, I'm told):



From right of the green:



The tour finishes tomorrow!

[Dan Herrmann]

(I still think French Creek is a better golf course )

PS - I love Applebrook too.  IIRC, they have Gil's as-built diagrams hanging in the locker room.