Thank you all for the thoughtful comments on a course I care about deeply. I do agree, relative to many Met Area course, Sleepy Hollow is a difficult walk so I guess I am in Pat's corner on this. Of course, I am happily in his corner as to the quality of the golf experience at Sleepy Hollow.
Again, in spite of the difficult terrain covered, most all is done while actually playing a golf hole. In addition, one can always walk directly from the teeing area to ones ball and the green to tee walks are much improved and now work very well. Gil and George were able to unify holes by taking out trees and cart paths between these areas as well as actually connecting a few through the use of short grass.
Everyone involved in the process knows #10 is a little out of place. We do hope to address this at a point in the future though if there were any easy "fixes" it would have already been done. The green-site sits in the middle of a pond limiting choices in one direction and the back is hemmed in by substantial rock. Clearly, the rock blasting that we did was more beneficial on other areas of the course (bunker work-$$$ are limited
) where it probably is not even noticed at this point. #10 green is also a little small which actually limits the choices one would have were they to redo the green. Perhaps George Bahto could give a little more info on his thoughts on this? I will say though that prior to Gil coming in there were bunkers in the back (of the Rees variety) and they certainly did not look very good aesthetically. From old pictures I have seen (few actually exist) this hole was much better pre-Rees with a less formal rock wall and an even smaller green with a bunker in front.
As for the lower par 32 course, three holes remain from the original Macdonald layout. These holes are at the lowest part of the property. This triangle area had never had trees "planted" so it always maintained the classic meadow like look in spite of what was going on for many years on the main course with the incessant ornamental tree planting.
As George had mentioned, Tom Winton and Tillie both did work and somewhere along the line we "lost" a road hole like greensite for a range. The substitute, hemmed-in, in-house solution of the seventies, a 110 yard par three would be the weak link on that nine. Otherwise, the holes "feel" old and provide a great golf diversion for a family club.
We did start the restoration on the this lower nine. And through the skilled hand of George and Gil and the process set up by the committee, the project support grew and grew. I was concerned folks would not "like" the look of the new bunkers but remarkably they became enthusiastic once they were put in the ground. Contrary to many "country clubs", people loved the steep look though we did agree to consider some stairs were they deemed necessary in the future. Even that talk died out. The success of the initial phases of the lower course engendered trust as well as excitement for what would be done above. I would be hard pressed to come up with a process that would have been more successful.
Circling back to Pat's original points, one would only need to stand on the green of the lower course biaritz #7(the lowest point on the property) and look up #18 upper and see the clubhouse (now visible) or to the east, up a giant hill and see the flagstick of the #16 short, or the berm and aiming pole for #15 punchbowl and know it was a most difficult property. It almost looks so severe that one could not even design a "good" golf course. Through play however, it is clear that the course is (very good-great) and that is a testament to a great routing and a restoration that allowed for the natural beauty of the property to be enhanced while also improving the choices and strategy of the individual holes.
Many courses in this area could be much improved if the clubs would provide the proper mandate, hire the right guys and then get out of the way. Not sure this happens enough but luckily it happened at SHCC.
Next time Pat you will need to also play the lower course after the upper, such an easy walk, I will carry your bag.
