This week - Sebonack and Fox Chapel

[BHoover]

This week offers the chance to check out two interesting courses.  Sebonack for the US Women's Open and Fox Chapel for the Senior Players.

Which one are you looking forward to watching?  I suppose I'll watch the Open to check out Sebonack.  I'll watch the Senior Players both to check out Fox Chapel and for the tournament itself (I think this week marks Monty's debut on the senior tour).  Unfortunately, I'm not holding my breath that the broadcasts will focus on much in the way of gca, but we take what we can get, right?

Is anyone attending either event?

[George Pazin]

Depends a bit on work, but I am planning on attending the senior event at Fox Chapel. Anytime anyone is this close, it's hard to resist.

Broadcast will miss the strong features that comprise FC - boldly contoured greens, steep and deep bunkers, etc. In person, the 3rd looks sloped too much to hold a shot. And the redan looks like someone imported a banked turn from Nascar (albeit backwawrds). All in all, a beautiful place to spend a day, playing or not.

If anyone else will be there and would like to meet up, please send me a message.

[BHoover]

I thought it might be worth it to link to Bill McKinley's fantastic photo tour of Fox Chapel.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,50437.0.html

[Ronald Montesano]

I am at Sebonack until Friday morning, it seems. There are worse places to be a fugitive from reality...

Here is a pair of galleries from today at practice day number one. I suspect that Karrie Webb grumbled something at me, but I cannot confirm.

http://wp.me/p20nYT-1Sz

y

http://wp.me/p20nYT-1S0

I also peaked through the bramble at NGLA. Kinda nice to be neighbors.

[astavrides]

In person, the 3rd looks sloped too much to hold a shot.

Not only looks that way, plays that way too.  time before last when I played it (~8 years ago), putt rolled up hill towards cup, then back down to where I was standing at the bottom of the green.
I think that was an anomalous day though.  great course.

[Joel_Stewart]

Looking forward to both especially with Monty making his debut on the Senior tour. 

[Jim Nugent]

Any early observations on how the players like the course, how well they are handling it, trouble spots for them, etc? 

[RJ_Daley]

I'm also looking forward to the telecast of Sebonack.  From Ron's photos, it looks like they have not obscured much of the scenery with grandstands and TV towers, so we will likely get to see the expanse of the golf course. 

[Jim Nugent]

I'd like to see Ran profile Sebonack.  The course sure looks spectacular in the photos I see. 

[Frank Sullivan]

Web.com tour is at Victoria National as well!  Great week for GCA in HD!

[Michael Ryan]

I can tell you I'm making a point to watch this weekend's coverage of the US Women's Open.  That statement in itself tells you how interested I am in seeing Sebonack.  While I respect the Women's game, I would rather watch paint dry.  It's all about the course for me.

Mike

[Ronald Montesano]

Michael, if you can get past pace of play issues,, the women's professional game teaches you more about golf than does the men's...unless you are at least 6'3" tall with a drive swing speed over 110 mph. If you've never watched them hit in person, your perspective is incomplete.

Here is another round of gallery images from Tuesday morning. Just finished Stacy Lewis interview session in tent. Off to find Doak. I'll be the guy yelling "Yo da' man, Steamshovel" and "Nice cigar, Old Man," to see if I can get a smirk out of him.

By the by, someone asked me on tee one if Rees Jones had designed Sebonack. Like a good, card-carrying member of GCA, I expounded on the course's unique evolution for ten minutes. He was impressed.

Oh, right, the link to the gallery...http://wp.me/p20nYT-1Tc

Here's a link to this afternoon's gallery, which included a stroll with one of our own...http://wp.me/p20nYT-1TF

[Michael Ryan]

Ron,

I'm the former tournament director of an LPGA event.  Like I said, I have respect for them-but would rather watch paint dry.  I say that with complete perspective.

Mike

[Bill Brightly]

Nice tweet from Steve Elkington about Fox Chapel:

elkpga Steve Elkington 24h I could play Fox Chappel golf club everyday in Pittsburgh...the most amazing display of Seth Rayner architecture ... pic.twitter.com/ZDnnuI3wHC

http://t.co/ZDnnuI3wHC

[Ronald Montesano]

Sebonack-Wednesday PM: http://wp.me/p20nYT-1UG

[Mike Benham]

I'm also looking forward to the telecast of Sebonack.  From Ron's photos, it looks like they have not obscured much of the scenery with grandstands and TV towers, so we will likely get to see the expanse of the golf course. 

TV golf telecasts have proven time and time again that the showing the architecture is an afterthought, that the broadcast will focus on the marquee player(s) and not the marquee course.

Perhaps this time will be different, just set your level of expectations accordingly.