Greetings All.......
I'm excited to announce that Camden Country Club is opening today following a 3 month closing to allow Kris Spence and his crew to complete Phase One of work to renovate/restore the course. I had hoped to document the work as it went along, but my camera crapped out on me just before we got started and I had some other issues in my life that kept me from doing a good job of it. Several people have promised me pictures.... Once I have them I'll get them posted.
The scope of this project:
1) The old TifEagle greens had a fungus that nobody (Clemson, UGa, USGA, or Carolinas Golf Assn.) could defeat. The only reasonable alternative was found to be to gas and regrass (with MiniVerde).
2) In conjunction with #1, several greens needed fairly significant recontouring to restore pin positions on the small greens. Natural evolution due to topdressing and bunker sandsplash, as well as a somewhat flawed renovation in 2000, had resulted in some slopes around 10% (!!!) in what were supposed to be pinnable areas.
3) The 2000 renovation had converted a long par 4 (number 14) to a shortish par 5. The resulting hole had little interest or defense, it was simply a straight 500+ yard hole to the flattest green on the course. Kris has returned this hole to a par 4, normally playing around 470 from the tips but with an option to stretch it to 500. Another long 4 on the front (number 7) was lengthened 40 yards and will be a shortish 5 but with significant strategic interest.
4) The 2000 renovation had significantly changed the bunker/green complex of one par 4 (number 11), eliminating a severe bunker left of the green and replacing it with a green tier. Kris restored this bunker, and the green complex to it's original long, skinny, almost rectangular footprint.
5) Several new back tees were added, resulting in a little over 150 yards total additional length. (That doesn't sound like a lot, but the individual tee shots are significantly changed... most mortals will no longer be simply hitting over trees defining doglegs).
6) On quite a few holes, "natural areas" replaced rough, especially in areas where significant rough was difficult to grow. These are a work in process as additional wild grasses will be added as the need is determined.
I have to say the course is looking spectacular. I've rolled putts around on all the new greens, and when we get the new MiniVerde grass up to speed they're really going to be difficult while more playable than the old ones. Positioning on the approach shots will be even more important than before, and approaching from the best angle will be critical.
One additional cool thing..... In Ross's 1938/39 renovation, he changed what is now #5 from a long par 3 to a short 4, and #6 from a short, dogleg 4 to a long 3. Walter Travis's original sand green for #6 was outside the new playing corridor (50 yards or so behind the teebox at the time for #7) and was simply abandoned. While extending the tee for 7 (it's being converted to a par 5), Kris's supervisor noticed the unusual shaping and confirmed that the original sand green was more or less unchanged (other than some pine trees growing out of it). We've cleaned out around it, and put up some signage to identify and draw attention to it.
Hopefully I'll get some pictures and add more here.... Now it's time to go play!!
Come see up when an opportunity arises.
Jamey