Hole from Dreams

[Don_Mahaffey]

This is the first hole Mike Nuzzo and I ever built together.
Today hasn't been the best of days for me.
As I sit here with my chin a little down, I'm thankful that Mike is a prolific photographer and we have literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of photos from our work together. I like this picture not only because it looks good, but because one of my best friends in the world, Joe Hancock did the shaping, and because Mike and I managed to build this hole when we were really just finding our way. This is a hole built from dreams and I think we did OK. 10th at WP.

[Jim_Kennedy]

I'd say so!

[David Harshbarger]

I'd say so, too.  Wolf Point pictures capture a sense of place there,of wide open, disorienting plains, with that great texture thrown in.  It also captures the conception of grounds for golf that the WP faction has articulated the 2 years I've been here, a formulation that to my ears seems distinct, an authentic POV that I value, and that you deserve to be proud of.  Kudos!

[Jim_Kennedy]

If you look closely you can make out where the front edge of the green is, but just barely.

Seamless, the entire photo looks like an "infinity" green.  

[Peter Pallotta]

Don - I'm sorry to hear you're a little down. I'm glad you have the photos. You and Mike and Joe added something beautiful and useful to the world -- and that is something to be very proud of. (I mean that: of all the ways human beings can and do spend their time in this world, adding beauty and usefulness for others to enjoy ranks really high on the list of the good and honourable things.)  I don't know either you or Mike, but I do know Joe a little bit, and have spent a day with him; I don't think I've met many people who strike me as finer or more decent or kinder than Joe, and a fun guy and a true professional. Keep doing what you're all doing.

Peter

[Bill_McBride]

Wolf Point # 10.   The wind's howling from the left. You just f#*cked up #9.  How far right do you dare to play?  The tighter to the lake the easier the pitch on this short par 4.  It's a butt puckering choice!   Great hole guys!

[Sam Morrow]

I like when your partner (the OP) missed left with a wedge and you have what might be the hardest pitch on Earth.

[Don_Mahaffey]

It was a bad miss, but fun shot for you.

[Bill_McBride]

You guys played foursomes?   I am so jealous!   

[Don_Mahaffey]

yup, had 8 guys. Four teams playing foursomes. had a blast. Sam was a good partner, never put me in trouble. I can't say the same.

[Wyatt Halliday]

This is the first hole Mike Nuzzo and I ever built together.
Today hasn't been the best of days for me.
As I sit here with my chin a little down, I'm thankful that Mike is a prolific photographer and we have literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of photos from our work together. I like this picture not only because it looks good, but because one of my best friends in the world, Joe Hancock did the shaping, and because Mike and I managed to build this hole when we were really just finding our way. This is a hole built from dreams and I think we did OK. 10th at WP.

You guys did better than OK. Hard to believe it's been four years since I was there. I remember every hole and every shot played that day. I can remember seeing you pop up around each corner. I remember Mike's silence throughout the round. I remember listening intently to you and Mike on the 12th green. I remember the feeling I had when driving away. I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity for all of it as it was too brief an encounter.

I hope your chin rises tomorrow

[Sam Morrow]

It was a bad miss, but fun shot for you.

I said I wanted a large bucket over there and I meant it!

[Frank Pont]

Don,

I badly want to see WP in person.

Given my focus on building new courses in the low country of The Netherlands, the typical site I will get is perfectly flat, the only good news being that it most of the time is perfect sand, tree lined and has a low water table.

My role model for what I would like to build on such sites are the landforms I have seen on many of the pictures of WP, better approximations of natural wind eroded landforms than I have seen on any of the maybe more pictoresque designs often shown on GCA.

You and Mike deserve a lot of credit for what you have done at WP.

[Charlie Gallagher]

Don,
You, Mike,  and the owner did something truly special at Wolf Point.
     The 10th hole is a wonderful short 4. Rob took a very aggresive line the day we played and put us in position A, but I couldn't quite pull off the running pitch required to get the ball up on the left knob, hillock, deck, plateu, what ever you want to call it. Going long is a poor idea, but coming up a little short means your birdie putt will be from 30 feet, as I sadly found out.
     You have lots of friends in golf Don. If there is anything I can do, please contact me.

[Adam Lawrence]

I like the hole too, but it will never be my favourite on the course, if only because of what a certain someone did to us on it!

Take care, Don.

Adam

[Bill_McBride]

yup, had 8 guys. Four teams playing foursomes. had a blast. Sam was a good partner, never put me in trouble. I can't say the same.

Sounds like a perfect day.

[Paul Jones]

yup, had 8 guys. Four teams playing foursomes. had a blast. Sam was a good partner, never put me in trouble. I can't say the same.

Sounds like a perfect day.

It was the perfect day. The most fun I ever had playing golf.  I did not think an experience could top Sheep Ranch, but this did.

Don,

Take a day off and come to Lafayette - great food, great people and decent golf.  Pickup Sam and Mike on your way over, teasing Sam will make the 3 hour drive much shorter :-).

I hope whatever is bring your chin down will pass and I see that smile again.

Paul

[Mike Nuzzo]

Is this the shot you are referring to Charlie?

[Charlie Gallagher]

     My oh my, I didn't know there was an actual picture of the mistake by the lake!
     Let me give you a little inside baseball; Rob suggested 8 for the run up, but I went with the 50 degree. Just didn't give it enough horsepower to get up top. It's called "listen to your partner!".
     For those who haven't played this amazing course, the 10th is a cape style hole, lake right, and depending on where you tee off, its around 290, very wide (almost disorientingly so) fairway. As photo shows, the green has a large mound left with a plateu on its summit and falloffs all around. If the hole is left, you need to take a very aggressive line for your tee shot and play along the lake, the angle from the safer left side is lousy for the second shot due to the prominent slope of the plateu's sides and the close proximity of the falloff behind the green. Wolf Point repeatedly asks great questions about shots such as the one I faced here.
     I strongly agree with Paul Jones, in 38 years of golf I have never had a greater experience on a golf course than I had at Wolf Point. The course is off the scale strategic and interesting. It is gorgeous visually, and on a virtually flat piece of land. I have never played anything  quite like it. It is a symphony of superb design.  I have played 17 links in Ireland and  been very fortunate to see some of America's very best golf courses. This is the ONE that no one knows about. Mike and Don, you are to be congratulated for your great work at Wolf Point. 

[John Ezekowitz]

Photos like these are why WP is near or at top of my US courses to see list.