[Malcolm Mckinnon]

Mac,

Exactly!, My intention was to get the photos up and try to fly under the radar. I hated to see Ran's similar tour disappear from this site. I also hoped that being in the "discussion group" we could gain an extra layer of obfuscation.

Perhaps the only worrisome post is Steve's with the club logo.

Steve,

If you wouldn't mind please delete that one. Otherwise I believe we have been discrete enough.

Ran, if you have your own reservations, please advise.


Thanks,

Malcolm

[Phil McDade]

Well, it's not as if someone associated or familiar with the club couldn't take a glance at the thread (available for public viewing by anyone on the Web), know what course it was, and make the request to Ran anew. I've never played the course, or even visited, but after about three pics, knew what course this was. And it's pretty easy to find the old GCA profile if you spend even a modest few minutes searching for it on the web (as well as a still up-and-posted thread by the itinerant one that's about as comprehensive as Malcom's terrific tour).

The club, from what I've read, is about as time-warpy (in a good way) as it gets here in the U.S. But in this day and age, the idea that you can keep photos of a placed wrapped in that kind of mystique off the web strikes me as a hopeless cause.

(I heard similarly that a club I profiled here on GCA wasn't too thrilled about pictures I had taken. But I'm not sure I'd take them down even if so requested by someone from the club.)

[Matt_Cohn]

What's the point of a club trying to quash pictures of its golf course? I don't understand what's in it for the club.

[Mac Plumart]

What's the point of a club trying to quash pictures of its golf course? I don't understand what's in it for the club.

I don't get the point either Matt, but I'm not a member there so my opinion is irrelevent to them.

[Tim Martin]

MM-Fantastic photo tour. I would agree with all those that have this high on their bucket list.

[Phil McDade]

What's the point of a club trying to quash pictures of its golf course? I don't understand what's in it for the club.

Keeping membership requests and applications down?

[RJ_Daley]

IMHO, such clinging to a facade of exclusivity and fierce suppression of common knowledge about their stodgy old club seems like an affectation of culture and breed that is sadly anachronistic.

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

Just a quick interjection before I retire to SNL.

This is no knuckle dragging, stodgy club. In fact it is very, very welcoming and friendly, one of my favorite places to visit. The staff and membership are outstanding.

When I leave I glow with pleasure, even after being beaten up on the golf course.

I don't know why the original Ran Morrissett review was removed and could only guess that it was at the club's behest, therefore my caution in cloaking the current thread.

Given the high praise we are heaping on the place they should have a link for prospective members to this very review on the front page of their website.

[Mac Plumart]

This place looks off the charts amazing.  I find myself continually going back through the pictures hole by hole.  It really, really looks like a special place.

I'd like to ask a few questions, as I never played golf in the State.

What type of grass of the greens and fairways?  Fescue?

How fast do they normally keep the greens running?

Do you have insight into the soil type?

Is it normally windy or fairly calm?

Thanks...again, this is an amazing thread.

[Eric Smith]

I would agree with all those that have this high on their bucket list.

Certainly on mine. The bunkering style here has always intrigued me. Also, a friend (initials are TIM MARTIN) sent me a visor with the Rat & Toilet Plunger Club logo. I'd love to return the favor.

[Matt Kardash]

This looks like the kind of course I would never tire of playing.

[John Kirk]

I spent one full day walking around this course during a state golf association event.  It's wonderful.

Somebody asked about grasses.  I would guess the greens are mostly old poa annua, but there is a lot of fescue out there.

[Bill Shotzbarger]

I would have to imagine that they would be way more upset with the title of this thread than the contents.

Malcolm, thanks a lot for the pics.

[Bill Crane]

Malcolm;

Great job.  Can I tag along next time? 

The satellite view on Bing maps is very interesting.  It appears that most holes have wide playing corridors.

Glad I rembered where you were going.  B C

[J_ Crisham]

Just a quick interjection before I retire to SNL.

This is no knuckle dragging, stodgy club. In fact it is very, very welcoming and friendly, one of my favorite places to visit. The staff and membership are outstanding.

When I leave I glow with pleasure, even after being beaten up on the golf course.

I don't know why the original Ran Morrissett review was removed and could only guess that it was at the club's behest, therefore my caution in cloaking the current thread.

Given the high praise we are heaping on the place they should have a link for prospective members to this very review on the front page of their website.

Malcolm,  I could not agree more with you. The staff and members that I met were very engaging. This is a club that you could never tire of playing a round at.  Very much a family club with the riding sports, beautiful pool etc. Some of the fastest greens I've encountered anywhere.

[ChipRoyce]

I spent one full day walking around this course during a state golf association event.  It's wonderful.

Somebody asked about grasses.  I would guess the greens are mostly old poa annua, but there is a lot of fescue out there.

Took me a while and a little bit of research but finally remembered that the greens are "Vesper Velvet Bentgrass".

I've never seen anything before like it - is almost like a kind of moss and as a result, it didn't seem to tear the way regular bent greens do when receiving a shot. If I remember correctly, the ball might dent the ground, but not break the surface of the soil. Sort of like champoins bermuda.

[Tim Gavrich]

Chip--

I believe Shelter Harbor GC in Rhode Island has that sort of grass on their greens as well. Those greens were awesome; I wonder how long ______ has had them, because I believe that sort of bentgrass is relatively new.

[Brad Tufts]

I think the Vesper Velvet has its roots (zing!) in the 50s-60s with Manny Francis, the super at Vesper at the time.

Of course, the originals are now gone with Vesper's recent renovation, and the grass considered passe'.

This is funny: http://www.golfcourseindustry.com/Author.aspx?AuthorID=5270

[Rich Goodale]

We've talked about velvet before....

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,27417.msg521075.html

[John Ezekowitz]

Belmont CC put in Vesper Velvet in the restoration in 2006 and the greens are absolutely fantastic.

[Joe Bausch]

Don't recognize the place.  Is it on GolfNow?

 

[ward peyronnin]

Original review was removed when the staff member who hosted the reviewer was informed that if it persisted he would lose his job. Warm and fuzzy to guests maybe.

[Mark Pearce]

Original review was removed when the staff member who hosted the reviewer was informed that if it persisted he would lose his job.

Seriously?  What on Earth are they worried about.  Like others I really, really don't get what their issue might be.  This takes "exclusivity" to a level I can't understand at all.

[David Federman]

 Just about everyone that has posted a comment knows the identity of this stealth course.  Someone even posted that outside events are held at this course, and they then must allow spectators to see what is behind the curtain!  The pictures are nice, but without, yardages, geographic location, lay of the land, etc. it is hard to appreciate the architecture from the 2 dimensional pictures.

[Joey Chase]

Having never been to said club, does it have a similar feel to Garden City?  It seems to at least have that yesteryear charm of GCGC.  It looks to have a bit more elevation change and a few more trees too.  It is way up on my list too!

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