The Biarritz at Greenbrier

[Dan Herrmann]

Anybody but me loving the Biarritz at Greenbrier today.  It's great seeing the pros get stuck in the valley.

I wish the TOUR would play more classic courses!

[Nigel Islam]

I agree the course looks terrific.  The Tour does have a fair amount of classic courses mixed with all the TPC courses. Pebble, Riviera, East Lake, Torrey, Colonial, Congressional, Akron, Greensboro CC, and Waialae. I always really enjoy the majority of those tournaments. I wish Waialae LOOKED more like the Greenbrier though.

[Mac Plumart]

Dan, I'm enjoying the course in its entirety, including the Biarritz.  Cool looking place.

[Bill Brightly]

I wonder if I am the only one pausing my DVR and taking pictures of the TV with my phone...

[John Scharon]

I thought it was nice to hear the announcer say it looked like the 9th? at Yale.  Didn't hear anyone say "Biarritz" though.

[Dan Herrmann]

John - they did earlier in the week - several times.

[John Scharon]

Thank you, Dan.  I only watched this afternoon.

On another note, what do you all think of those rectangular bunkers?  Very strange to look at from the blimp, though I might not have even noticed it from the ground, where I would have been standing in them all day!   

[Mac Plumart]

where I would have been standing in them all day

 

Seriously, I don't mind the geometric look on courses as long as the features are well placed.

[Evan_Green]

There was quite a bit of architecture discussion, not only of the Biarritz, but others...Ian Baker Finch in the final round spoke about Redan holes for a good 2 minutes when (I believe) the final group was playing the Greenbrier Redan. He cited the Redans at Chicago Golf, Camargo, National and Somerset Hills and of course North Berwick...sounds like he has made a point to see classic courses

[Matthew Rose]

Biarritz's are just really, really cool. A pity I've never had a chance to play one.

[ChipOat]

I put up a thread in 2002/early 2003 saying that I was not impressed by the Old White as the "signature" holes all looked like they were dumbed down for resort course purposes - sort of "Macdonald Lite".  The Alps, Redan, Cape and Short (#18) were especially disappointing.

At the time, Lester George was starting a restoration/renovation and I have not seen the course since then.  I hope he has put some teeth into the template holes - closer to Piping Rock if not National.

[JC Jones]

I agree the course looks terrific.  The Tour does have a fair amount of classic courses mixed with all the TPC courses. Pebble, Riviera, East Lake, Torrey, Colonial, Congressional, Akron, Greensboro CC, and Waialae. I always really enjoy the majority of those tournaments. I wish Waialae LOOKED more like the Greenbrier though.

FYI, it is now called Old White TPC. 

[Wade Whitehead]

Chip: Please revisit the course.  You'll be impressed with Lester's work.

Ian Baker-Finch does play good golf courses.  He tweets fairly often about them.

WW

[astavrides]

Faldo said that the first Biarritz was at North Berwick.  I think he meant 'at Biarritz', didn't he?

[Bill Vogeney]

Loved the look of the hole. I just played my first Biarritz at Shoreacres a few weeks ago. It seemed like the valley on the White was deeper than Shoreacres though. Don't get me wrong, it was wonderful to play it.

[Jim Beard]

MacDonald's course at The Greenbrier is great and a lot of fun to play.  It was fun seeing the pros play this course instead of the usual bland TPC courses.

[Jerry Kluger]

Wexford Plantation on Hilton Head redid their greens and put in a Biarritz.  We played it in the Dixie Cup and had not idea it was there and boy was it a shock considering it was probably the deepest one I have seen.

[Alex Lagowitz]

Faldo said that the first Biarritz was at North Berwick.  I think he meant 'at Biarritz', didn't he?

A common misconception is that the biarritz originated at North Berwick - the 16th hole.
Not surprising that Faldo said that.