[Scott Weersing]

Chris asked, Could the more typical golfer (not GCA junkies like us) be more likely to prefer Bandon Dunes in part because the precision needed on shots from the fairway and green surrounds is not as high on that course versus the others and therefore may have more positive feelings towards the course because he/she had better shots which contributed to their experience?

I am not sure if Chris is asking whether the grass on Bandon Dunes makes people prefer Bandon Dunes. Or whether the fairways are more forgiving.

I doubt that the type of grass can impact whether a person likes a course or dislikes a course. People either accept the thin lines of Bandon or dislike the thin lines of Bandon. I can't say that the turf is thicker on one course over another. As to precision, I don't think that Bandon is any harder or more forgiving than any of the other courses. Bandon has holes that allow you to miss a shot from the fairway (e.g. no. 14) and still be ok. And it has holes where you miss a shot from the fairway and you are in trouble (e.g., no. 17).

I think people like Bandon Dunes because it is a traditional routing where each nine ends with a par 5 that comes back to the clubhouse. People like it because it has great views. People may like it because it rewards good shots and does not penalize bad shots as harshly as the other courses.

I like Bandon Dunes because I am a GCA junkie so the reasons I like it cannot be applied to the typical golfer.

[Jerry Kluger]

Tom: Are you saying that Poa is going to take over the greens on all the courses?  It was kind of disappointing to me when I saw it on a number of the greens at Sand Hills.

[Aaron McMaster]

Tom: Are you saying that Poa is going to take over the greens on all the courses?  It was kind of disappointing to me when I saw it on a number of the greens at Sand Hills.

Jerry Poa is tough to keep out of golf courses when it's in the right environment and unfortunately it's a very adaptable weed.  There are currently a couple of promising chemicals close to approval that can do a great job of killing it but they are still about a year or two away.  Here is a little poa info for you that will help you see why it's so hard to keep off golf courses.

Some Interesting Facts about Poa annua

Depending on the climatic region Poa annua is a plant that you either try to manage as a desirable turf, or it is a weed to be removed. Its evasive characteristics are due in a large part from the evolution of different survival strategies (Cline et al., 1993). One strategy is its broad genetic base resulting in a wide range of genotypes within a small area like a golf green. Poa annua has also maintained its ability to flower and produce seed under low mowing heights.  

                                           Poa annua (annual bluegrass) uses 4 to 35% of its top growth (dry weight) for seed production. As a reference, annual plants like cereals invest 20 to 50% of their top growth for seed production.
• Annual seed production on a golf green is between 150,000 to 650,000 seeds per meter squared per year (177,000 to 767,000 seeds / square yard / year). The majority of this seed would be produced from spring through early summer.
• Approximately 75,000 to 225,000 tillers per meter squared per year flower (88,000 to 265,000 /square yard /year)
• During the growing season annual bluegrass tiller mortality is roughly 100,000 tillers per meter squared per month (118,000 tillers / square yard / month). Annual bluegrass has a strong potential for replacing dying tillers with new ones. Obviously sustaining favorable growth through the season is critical in maintaining annual bluegrass turf.
• Annual bluegrass seed dispersal is passive. The mechanism of dispersal is by human (animal) or equipment. Annual bluegrass has been found where human disturbance has occurred, which means it is found on all 7 continents.

[Chris_Hufnagel]

To threadjack a bit, I was curious with your comment that OM was the most polarizing of the four courses. I played it in the GCA event last May when it first opened and loved it, of course, But I wonder if the resort does anything to help educate guests about CB Macdonald. Do they leave reading material in the rooms? Anything special on the scorecards or yardage books? Do the caddies know the hole names and the original holes/courses where Macdonald was inspired? I have always felt this knowledge would help the average first time guest enjoy it more.

As far as what the resort is doing to help promote/educate golfers on OM, in the main gift shop the new (and very good) DVD on the making of Old Macdonald is on a continuous loop.  The DVD is for sale there along with the OM Pro Shop.  "The Making of Bandon Dunes" - the latest edition which includes several chapters on OM along with a hole-by-hole commentary by Tom Doak is also for sale.   I will say that I had purchased the DVD over the holidays and have read the book, along with 'The Evagelist of Golf' and many of the threads on this site prior to my visit and without a doubt I enjoyed my experience much more with the information and background I had gathered.  I will say that re-reading the book on Bandon on my flight out and my flight home was a great way to pass the day of travel...

[Bill Brightly]

Chris,

Great, we sold a DVD to a CGA geek

Wouldn't it be great to have a simple two-sided card in each room with a short paragraph explaining the history behind each hole at OM?

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()