[Bart Bradley]

Intro:

A couple of years ago, I started to post some course reviews...I have gotten away from it for various reasons but I thought I might do a few this summer/fall.  Enjoy!


Installment #6.…

The Country Club (TN)

Attributed to: William Langford 1955

Location: Morristown TN



What makes it good:  

An outstanding set of greens with some bold features and a very good set of par 3s.  A solid routing utilizing significantly undulating land.  Features that are clearly bold.

The approach to the par 5 1st hole.  Immediately the bold features of Langford are obvious.

 



The cool, volcano-like par 3 17th with an absolute killer green:









What makes it NOT so great?

The course has suffered from benign neglect and is sorely in need of a improved maintenance, recapturing green surface and possibly a different grassing scheme.  Wall to wall thick soft bermuda mutes the features as there is simply no ground game.  Power lines unfortunately are everywhere throughout the course.  Cart path placement is abysmal. This is an unpolished gem, but given the cost of burying power lines and restoring the course, I don't suspect it will ever be shiny again.

The dropshot par 3 short 4th, with the all too present power lines:

 

A lovely mid-length par 4 with a very unfortunate cart path:





My visit:  August 2012

My overall rating:  4.5

Rating Trend:  NEUTRAL- -- Langford's features remain here, waiting to be brought to life.  Unfortunately, status quo is the most likely future.

Previous reviews:

Installment 1 -- Fontainbleau -- France: http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45366.0/

Installment 2-- Whistling Straits -- Haven, WI : http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45417.0/

Installment 3 - Grandfather Mountain Springs - Linville, NC: http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45569.0/


Installment 4 -- Golf de Saint-Germain --Saint-Germain-En-Laye, France -- http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45664.0/

Installment 5 -- The Virginian -  Bristol, VA:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45718.0.html

[Mac Plumart]

I'm glad to see this come back.

Thanks, Bart.

[Bart Bradley]

Thanks Mac.  If the club had the money and Mike Devries, this place could be amazing.

Bart

[Mac Plumart]

Bart, remember...threads on some courses won't get a lot of replys...but they are great to have in the archives when people do searches.  I say this just in case people view these posts more than reply.  Don't be discouraged, keep doing them as long as you have the time.  It will be an asset to the site.

[RJ_Daley]

Bart, It is good to have a continuation of your course reviews.  

However, I am curious as to what you see as 'typical' Langford or Langford and Moreau earthworks features.  While that 'vulcano green' seems to be a cut from the overall slope of a hillside, and pushed out to have a steep slope, (similar but not nearly dramatic as say #1 at Lawsonia) It surely isn't a vulcano or a fortress like #1 at West Bend.  Perhaps there are some L&M earthworks lost sand or grass bunkers hidden by the conifers that seem to be sprinkled about the course in TN which was so prevalent in the 50s and 60s that screwed up so many golf courses wide field corridor designs.  But, from these few photos, with the bland bunkers and now gull wing like grass slopes embracing flat bottom bunkers, I just don't see anything to suggest the L&M we have here in WI.  

I don't have the experience of seeing anything by L&M or Langford in their last productive years.  Did Langford change his style as he wound the career down?

[Wade Whitehead]

Bart:

I really enjoy these threads.  I like your template and especially your trend metric.

When do we get to see a review of The Olde Farm?

WW

[Bart Bradley]

Bart, It is good to have a continuation of your course reviews.  

However, I am curious as to what you see as 'typical' Langford or Langford and Moreau earthworks features.  While that 'vulcano green' seems to be a cut from the overall slope of a hillside, and pushed out to have a steep slope, (similar but not nearly dramatic as say #1 at Lawsonia) It surely isn't a vulcano or a fortress like #1 at West Bend.  Perhaps there are some L&M earthworks lost sand or grass bunkers hidden by the conifers that seem to be sprinkled about the course in TN which was so prevalent in the 50s and 60s that screwed up so many golf courses wide field corridor designs.  But, from these few photos, with the bland bunkers and now gull wing like grass slopes embracing flat bottom bunkers, I just don't see anything to suggest the L&M we have here in WI.  

I don't have the experience of seeing anything by L&M or Langford in their last productive years.  Did Langford change his style as he wound the career down?

Well, there were less earthworks still visible here than other courses bearing the Langford name...but there were some.  I just don't have any great photos.  Here is a picture from the club website that shows a grass bunker (I cannot comment if this feature was original or it is a lost sand bunker):



I believe GCA's Lawrence Largent may have some photos of the course (I found a reference in an old thread, where he indicated that he might post some) and perhaps those would give you some additional Langford feeling..

Thanks for the compliments. 

Bart

[Bart Bradley]

Bart:

I really enjoy these threads.  I like your template and especially your trend metric.

When do we get to see a review of The Olde Farm?

WW

Wade:

Thank you.  I still don't fully understand the Olde Farm, even after 100 plays.  I'll probably do a review when I get it.   I may well post some photos soon but not likely in this same format.

My best wishes,

Bart

[Ed Oden]

Bart, this is the kind of place I find really interesting - an off the beaten track course designed by someone noteworthy.  I'll bet few at the club have any idea who Langford was.  Based on your pictures, the bunkers don't bear much resemblance to others I have seen of Langford courses. 

Wade:

Thank you.  I still don't fully understand the Olde Farm, even after 100 plays.  I'll probably do a review when I get it.   I may well post some photos soon but not likely in this same format.

My best wishes,

Bart

If you do a review of the Olde Farm, don't forget to cover the best split fairway of the modern era.

[Andy Troeger]

I like that first picture of the approach to the 1st.

I strongly dislike having so many Christmas trees on golf courses. Balls that go in often don't come out and are at best unplayable and at worst unfindable. I don't mind so much if the bottom of the tree is cleared, but those trees on the mid-length par four are a pet peeve for me!

[Bart Bradley]

Bart, this is the kind of place I find really interesting - an off the beaten track course designed by someone noteworthy.  I'll bet few at the club have any idea who Langford was.  Based on your pictures, the bunkers don't bear much resemblance to others I have seen of Langford courses. 

Wade:

Thank you.  I still don't fully understand the Olde Farm, even after 100 plays.  I'll probably do a review when I get it.   I may well post some photos soon but not likely in this same format.

My best wishes,

Bart

If you do a review of the Olde Farm, don't forget to cover the best split fairway of the modern era.

Ed:

I spoke to the GM and he is planting the ODEN TREE as we speak.  Sorry, but that option may be lost forever.

Best wishes,

Bart

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