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Joe Bausch

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The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (all holes up) New
« on: September 20, 2012, 05:01:55 PM »
It is with great pleasure that I can present a detailed photo tour of a course I've been curious about for years, Apawamis.  A lurker of this site contacted me about the 1911 Daily Eagle hole diagrams I put up a few years ago.  This led to an invite to the Club last Saturday.

If you put 'Apawamis' into the search engine, you'll find it has been mentioned on this site many times, but usually just in passing.  And I've not been able to find any significant photos.

Apawamis began in 1890 and had a couple of nine-hole courses in the late 90's before building an 18 hole course at the current site.  The architectural history, particularly that near the beginning of the current course, appears a bit muddled although I think I now have a better understanding of it.  Their course history web page indicates a member and Willie Dunn are really responsible for the first iteration of the current layout, but I don't think that is quite accurate.  Other places and people (including the late Tom MacWood) indicate Tom Bendelow was involved to some extent.

I'm quite confident the first iteration of the entire 18 holes of the current layout was by Tom Bendelow.  He was living in the area at the time.  But more on that later.

In the clubhouse is a framed layout of the course from 1917 by Donald Ross.  I'm trying to learn exactly how much of his changes were put into place in the 20's (this is talked about in some depth in the 50 year anniversary book of the Club).  Others have done work there since, the biggest being Gil Hanse in 2001.  I've been in contact with the course superintendent, former GolfClubAtlas'er Bill Perlee, and he relayed the following is what Gil (and Rodney Hines) did:

In 2001 Gil rebuilt all the bunkers, several tees, expanded fairways, eliminated some trees, modified to some extent all the greens and totally rebuilt 6 greens with the intent to regain lost hole locations.  He was sympathetic to the original design recapturing locations due to years of topdressing.  In an effort to have the new greens (#2,4,10,11, practice, and chipping) blend in with the other greens we were fortunate to have the help of Dr. Huff from PSU.  He gave us some POA cultivars from his nursery that he had collected from old courses around the country.  We blended that with bentgrass and the composite of the new greens matched the existing greens in appearence.  We also used a rootzone mix to match our existing mix was a rather dirty 6-2-2 composite.  Gil and Rodney Hines were on site throughout the project and did all the final greens grading personally.  Gil thoroughly researched old photos and aerials to restore features that had been lost over the years.

The history at Apawamis is rich, with probably the most famous tournament being the 1911 National Amateur where British Amateur chamption Harold Hilton defeated American Fred Herreshoff in a 37 hole thriller.  This was, IMO, the greatest game every played until Brookline two years later!

The course is shaped like the letter 'T' with the clubhouse at the bottom of the 'T'.  The routing in place today is pretty much what Bendelow put in place back in 1899.  Some extra land was gained so that some holes changed significantly, but the routing really has not changed.

Here is the current hole-sequencing:



From the back tees Apawamis plays just a hair under 6600 yards and a tough 72.1/139.

The terrain at Apawamis is just so interesting.  Lots of obvious macro stuff (many exposed rocks) with plenty of micro too.  I hope the pictures can capture some of it.

All the pictures below are "clickable" to obtain a larger size.

#1.  Named "Hilton's Rock", a staight-away par 4 with an uphill approach.



(Curiously, legend has it that Hilton's approach shot hit a rock on the 37th hole well right of the green and bounded onto the green with a lucky bounce, but my research suggests this likely isn't true!)

Tee view (note that like some old time courses used to do, the driving range at Apawamis utilizes the first fairway; so don't use a yellow ball on the first hole!):



The approach shot is very much uphill (I had a 7 iron in) with the 2nd tee high to the left, and the "Hilton Rock" to the right:



A view from the 2nd tee down to the green, with the 3rd green in the background very close by:



A view back down the hole from high up over the green:



#2.  Called "Hillside", a par 4 with a very uphill approach shot to the 'regular' green.



Tee view (many will hit less than driver here to the bottom of the hill):



Here is the tee shot landing zone:



An uphill approach:



The green is big, and two-tiered:



Years ago the USSGA (United States Senior Golf Association) had the lower green built so they wouldn't have to walk up the hill:



It is no bargain as it is tiny:



#3.  Called "The Dipper", a par 4.  I believe the original tee, near the 2nd green, was moved once the alternate green was put in.



Tee view, where this fairway is really unusual and many won't hit driver:



If you get just to the end of the first fairway, you can sometimes get a view of the top of the flag:



Or I guess you can try to get to the next little landing area to again leave a semi-blind short iron to the green sunken below:



Here is a look back to this neat landform:



A view from short of the green:



And this very elevated view from long and left of the green (not far from the 3rd tee as well as the Hilton Rock):



More tomorrow, but I think this was a real nice start!
« Last Edit: December 25, 2019, 01:35:15 PM by Joe Bausch »
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Morgan Clawson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-3 up)
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2012, 07:42:35 PM »
Actually it's a great start.

What a great opening hole.

Josh Tarble

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-3 up)
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2012, 08:26:19 PM »
Looks like a really cool course.

Very unusual routing. I don't know I've seen anything similar.

David Harshbarger

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-3 up)
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2012, 08:29:55 PM »
I agree, this course had me at "Hello."
The trouble with modern equipment and distance—and I don't see anyone pointing this out—is that it robs from the player's experience. - Mickey Wright

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-3 up)
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2012, 08:33:05 PM »
Looks like a really cool course.

Very unusual routing. I don't know I've seen anything similar.

It's always been one of my favorites.
Great variety and cool greens.
Requires a lot of imagination and short game.
haven't played it since the 90's-lost in the finals in a match play event there missing a shorty on 19...... ::) :o :-[ :'(
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Keith Phillips

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-3 up)
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2012, 09:02:17 PM »
Great timing - The Julian Curtiss Cup is being played at Apawamis in a few weeks - this is an interclub affair involving a dozen clubs of similar vintage - will study this tour closely!

Dave Falkner

Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-3 up)
« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2012, 10:19:45 PM »
Westhampton is also T-Shaped

Malcolm Mckinnon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-3 up)
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2012, 01:05:12 AM »
Joe,

I cant believe that they built a second green on number two just to accommodate the USSGA's annual visit there. Now there is a group with some clout!

Looking forward to "Eleanore's Teeth" and the impossible green on number five.
« Last Edit: September 21, 2012, 01:09:39 AM by Malcolm Mckinnon »

Mike Sweeney

Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-3 up)
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2012, 05:04:15 AM »
Wow. Fabulous start and have never played it. Thanks Joe.

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-3 up) New
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2012, 10:26:00 AM »
#4. "The Plateau" (Par 4, 326 yards), best known for the "Eleanor's Teeth" bunkers.



Tee view:



The bunkering of note:



The green, reworked by Hanse, is just spectacular with four tiers!





#5. "The Dell", par 3 (158 yards).



Tee view:



From short of the green where more of the bunkering is visible:



Fairly severe back to front slope from on this green so choose your club carefully.



#6.  "Sunnyside", a par 4 (333 yards).



Tee view, which feels very tight but there is much more room than it appears:



The fairway is generous but cants hard to the left:



Approach view:



From just over the green:



More over the weekend.
« Last Edit: December 25, 2019, 01:37:51 PM by Joe Bausch »
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Mark McKeever

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-6 up)
« Reply #10 on: September 21, 2012, 10:54:45 AM »
Looks great thus far! 

Mark
Best MGA showers - Bayonne

"Dude, he's a total d***"

Mark Johnson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-6 up)
« Reply #11 on: September 21, 2012, 02:24:58 PM »
thanks for sharing.   I've played apawamis several times since my boss has privleges there.    one of my favorite old school courses and surprised it doesn't get the love that many of its neighbors do on this site.

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (holes 1-6 up) New
« Reply #12 on: September 23, 2012, 10:27:30 AM »
Time to finish up the front nine this morning before I head out for a round of golf on a beautiful afternoon in the Delaware Valley!

The next two par 4's are quite fun.

#7.  "The Gorge", a par 4 (409 yards).



Tee view (this pic from the forward tees, see diagram above, as the back tees are much further left but poor lighting at the time from there):



A conservative tee shot leaves a blind 2nd shot up the chute to a green that readily accepts a run-up shot:



Here is a look back down the fw:



Even a bit of a punchbowl quality to the green:



#8.  "Woodside", a par 4 (362 yards).



I'd prefer to call this "Appo Alps" instead.  A good drive can carry the hill, but others will leave a blind or semi-blind shot in.

Tee view:



Here's the neat landform to be scaled:



If you play out right in the above picture, you'll likely just get a small view of the flag:



Longer drive down the middle can leave this view:



From short of the green:



Nice view from over the green:



#9.  "Broadway", a par 5 (586 yards).



Tee view:



Second shot is blind, leaving an approach view like this:



From short of the green:



Back nine starts on Monday.
« Last Edit: December 25, 2019, 01:40:41 PM by Joe Bausch »
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Mike Sweeney

Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (front nine up)
« Reply #13 on: September 23, 2012, 08:18:50 PM »
The wows continue...

Sure a couple of trees still need to come down but this course looks like the definition of "under the radar".

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (front nine up)
« Reply #14 on: September 23, 2012, 09:31:36 PM »
The wows continue...

Sure a couple of trees still need to come down but this course looks like the definition of "under the radar".

Yes.

:)
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (front nine up) New
« Reply #15 on: September 24, 2012, 12:35:06 PM »
(I appreciate the comments thus far, but was thinking this course would generate even more.... maybe the back nine will do so)

#10.  "Land's End", par 5 (528 yards).



Tee view on this hole that I think your better players see as a birdie hole:



Second shot view where the green is tucked up against OB right and left tumbles down into nothing good, but the green and the 'safe area' is pretty big:



From just short of the green that is a bit bowled:



From just behind the green where you can see how in the distance how just after the driver landing zone a steep landform exists:



#11.  "The Bridge", par 4 (342 yards).



Tee view, where straight is important with OB right and a creek meandering left:



Approach shot view:



From near the creek fronting the green:



From an elevated spot over the green:



#12.  "Bunker Hill", a real nice par 3 (215 yards).



Tee view, the shot over water being uphill:



From short and left of the green, which does nicely allow a run up shot:



From over the green:



Three more tomorrow.
« Last Edit: December 25, 2019, 01:43:53 PM by Joe Bausch »
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Alex Lagowitz

Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (back nine started)
« Reply #16 on: September 24, 2012, 03:07:44 PM »
I hate to burst everyone's bubble here but its not a good course at all.
I love golden age designs and have played here many times.
Hole 1 is not a good hole, hit a boring tee shot to a green that unfairly sloping towards the fairway.  You hit it short of the pin and put uphill. Done.
Hole 2 is a terribly boring tee shot and a severly uphill second.  Its a slog and not a fun hole.
Hole 3 is pretty cool, boring drive but a neat second. 
Hole 4 is a really boring tee shot to an "interesting" green.
Hole 5 is a nothing par 3.
Hole 6 seems like it would be cool, however since no one is tempted to hit anything more than a 4 iron, it becomes a chip and a putt. Decent hole.
Hole 7 looks absolutely sweet.  I would love this hole if the dogleg want so damn close to 90 degrees.  You have to really be precise and for a long hole like that its definitely asking a lot.
Hole 8 has incredible ground movement, although it doesn't play as well as it could.  If it were really firm, you could get a fun shot into the green, but I have yet to see it play like it should.
Hole 9 is a slog par 5 with a good approach for a 3-wood for those long enough.  Nothing interesting if you lay up.
Hole 10 is a little better for a par 5, having a split fairway.  What the pictures fail to reveal is an ugly lake that is about 100 yards from the green left of the fairway.  The green is nice.
Hole 11 has very little historical feeling to it, a flat green.
Hole 12 is an awesome par 3.  Great elevation change, pretty flat green although i can see with that distance being ok.

Will let the pictures be posted before I go on, but truth be told, it looks way better in pictures than it actually is.

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (back nine started)
« Reply #17 on: September 24, 2012, 03:11:38 PM »
Alex, do you find Apawamis hard or easy or somewhere in between?  Have you played there in any college matches?
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Mark McKeever

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (back nine started)
« Reply #18 on: September 24, 2012, 03:45:15 PM »
My buddy who played for Fordham loved Apawamis. 

Mark
Best MGA showers - Bayonne

"Dude, he's a total d***"

JNC Lyon

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Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (back nine started)
« Reply #19 on: September 24, 2012, 06:52:20 PM »
I hate to burst everyone's bubble here but its not a good course at all.

Does this opinion have anything to do with past tournament performance at Apawamis?  Just a rumor I heard...
"That's why Oscar can't see that!" - Philip E. "Timmy" Thomas

Brad Tufts

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Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (back nine started)
« Reply #20 on: September 24, 2012, 10:00:39 PM »
I'm loving this tour...I have a friend who was thinking of looking to join this club, and these pics will help the interest level.

Not sure what the bee in Alex's bonnet is, but this place looks like pure quirky fun to me.

My one comment to Alex's criticism is #7 as a "long hole" at 409?!?!  That's like D-7i even for short knockers these days!
So I jump ship in Hong Kong....

Tim_Weiman

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Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (back nine started)
« Reply #21 on: September 24, 2012, 10:21:56 PM »
Brad,

My only visit to Apawamis was for the wedding of the best looking girl in my college class and I wasn't the groom!

But, that aside, I agree with you the place looks quirky fun. I read Alex's comment several times and don't really get what he doesn't like. You get the feeling he wouldn't like a North Berwick either.

Wish I could play Apawamis.
Tim Weiman

Scott Warren

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Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (back nine started)
« Reply #22 on: September 24, 2012, 11:39:20 PM »
On the strength of John's post I Googled Alex Lagowitz Apawamis and I think I now understand what the issue is! ;D

Alex Lagowitz

Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (back nine started)
« Reply #23 on: September 25, 2012, 12:16:15 AM »
i probably should have stayed out of this one  :-X


Alex Lagowitz

Re: The Apawamis Club (Rye, NY): a photo tour (back nine started)
« Reply #24 on: September 25, 2012, 12:23:14 AM »
But honestly I still stand strong on my views of the course, regardless of what may or may not have happened