Sewanee – Gil Hanse renovation in Tennessee

[John Mayhugh]

This Golfweek article describes a bit about the history of the nine hole course at The University of the South, commonly known as Sewanee. Between Nashville and Chattanooga, the renovated course takes advantage of the views atop Monteagle.
http://golfweek.com/news/2013/may/07/gil-hanse-sewanee-golf-course-renovation/

I was visiting Lookout Mountain earlier this year, and stopped in to see Sewanee just a few days after the course opened up post-renovation.  They are building a new clubhouse, so the hole sequence that I played was a bit off from the eventual plan. I started on #2.  The photos use the intended hole numbers.  Here is a link to a routing map, and I’ve included Hanse’s commentary in italics for each hole.
http://sewaneetigers.com/documents/2013/Golf_broch_Oct2012_FINAL.pdf

Holes 1 and 10:
Road
Par 4, Par 5  488 yards
Perhaps the most famous hole in all of golf is the 17th hole at The Old Course, St. Andrew’s, known as the Road Hole. Sewanee’s new first hole will replicate some of the original’s charmand challenge with a center-line bunker and a mounded landform in the fairway that will ask the golfer to choose a line of play off the tee that steers clear of these hazards and the roadway to the left. The green is well protected, elevated, and, like the original green, wider than it is deep.

The tree short of the bunker is about 190 from the tee.  I couldn’t understand leaving it there as it serves to make one more likely to avoid taking on the bunker that’s another 20-30 yards ahead.




The mound Hanse refers to isn’t that large, but enough to affect the very long hitters off the tee or the shorter ones with their second shots.


I had a front hole location.  The tilt of the green and surrounds funnels balls into the bunker rather easily.



Holes 2 and 11:
Alps
Par 5, Par 4  453 yards
This long hole, named for the 17th hole at Prestwick in Scotland, plays over and through some beautifully rolling terrain. The name of the hole describes the blind nature of the second shot over the ridge, an effect that will be enhanced by a new sandy area at the top of the ridge. Shots carrying the sandy area will have the best angle into the green for the third shot on the par-five version, while the par-four version carry will help to feed a ball toward the large angled green.

The tee shot is through a chute of trees and feels a bit constricted. 


This large, diagonal ridge provides the Alps feature.  You can shorten the hole by driving up the left side as the carry to get to the top of the hill is less.  There is a hazard on the left, though, and the slope in the fairway helps funnel balls towards it.  This is likely to be a problem area as there will end up being a lot of divots in the area.  It’s probably a tee shot of 260 yards to get to the top of the hill.



From the top of the hill, you can see the sandy area on the right. Behind the green is a hotel under construction.


I loved this green complex.  Wide green, but shallow.  I think this is going to be a three shot hole for most of the people that play here. 



Holes 3 and 12:
Springhouse
Par 5  548 yards
Named for the springhouse and rock in the left center of the hole, this stout par five will be greatly enhanced with a new green pushed farther back and the restoration of some dramatic
bunkering. When you walk past the springhouse, take a look at the initials on the rock and learn about another tradition at Sewanee, the love story of Oscar Torian and Sarah Hodgson. But don’t let it distract you too much from the work at hand as this hole will take its toll on the golfer who plays with his heart instead of his head.


The tee shot here will carry a large waste area. The fairway is somewhat hidden from the tee.


A creek crosses the fairway about 300 yards from the tee.  The tee shot plays downhill, and the fairway has a bit of a trough running though it, making a level lie more difficult to find.


Looking back towards the tee you can see one of the bunkers that complicates a layup second shot and further back the tee shot landing area.


The bunkerless green is perfect for a run-up shot, and there are slopes to help feed balls to various hole locations.




Holes 4 and 13:
Infinity
Par 3  196/165 yards
The canvas is here to produce one of the most visually stunning par-three holes in the world of golf. By moving the tees up and pushing the green back toward the edge of the bluff, the green will sit with nothing but sky to the rear of it, creating an infinity edge as a backdrop. Once you reach this breathtaking green, you may never want to leave.

From the tee, the tree line and bunker in front encourage a safe play towards the right side.  The tee shot would look even better with fewer trees on the right.


As you walk up, the miss left looks even more punishing, with the steep slope of the green and deep bunker.


Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take a good photo of the small mound on the right side of the 4th green.  A safe miss to the right becomes much less so thanks to this clever, simple feature.


The view from up top is pretty awesome as well.

[Joe Hancock]

Looks pretty cool, John!

[Mark McKeever]

Wow, very cool!  Thanks for sharing John.

MM

[John Mayhugh]

Holes 5 and 14:
Short
Par 4  278 yards
For variety, every golf course should have a good short par-four hole. This fun little hole will offer many distinct ways to play, thanks to the addition of bunkers and the extension of the green onto a peninsula.

The 5th is an outstanding short par 4.  I played it twice, am convinced that going for the green doesn’t make much sense, but would probably go for it every single time I play it.  The fairway bunkering and slopes make a layup somewhat uncomfortable.


From the right side.  Note how the opening the green is narrowed by a steep slope on the left and bunker on the right.  The green is both elevated and fairly narrow, so approaching or recovering from the sides is very difficult.  This was especially true due to the new grees that were really firm.




Plenty of internal slopes as well. 


From the next tee looking back at the green from the left side.  Fantastic hole.

[Bill_McBride]

Since my brother went to Sewanee I have always been intrigued by this nine holer.  I was able to drive down and play there in the early '90's and found the course very spare and not too interesting.  The renovation looks really good.  Some more tree removal wouldn't hurt. 

[John Mayhugh]

Holes 6 and 15:
The Edge
Par 3  210 yards
This hole is named for the distinct drop-off to the left of the green and for the dramatic views off the bluff to the rear of the green. The creation of a long tee along the water’s edge will create an uphill tee shot over the pond. The rock ledge to the left of the green will be carefully uncovered, further enhancing the dramatic setting of this bluff-top green.

The par 3 6th shares the same sort of view as the 4th.  It’s a good hole, but I though the distances and setting were a bit too similar, especially with only the 5th hole between them.


The green is bunkerless, with a significant plateau on the right side.

[John Mayhugh]

Holes 7 and 16:
Shakerag Hollow
Par 4  402 yards
This hole gets its name from a significant right-to-left slope, which feeds balls toward Shakerag Hollow. With clearing to the right, the fairway will be expanded, providing more room for balls to stay in the fairway. A new green will sit in a perfectly contoured natural valley and will add some needed distance to the hole and form a beautifully merged tee and green complex with the 8th hole.

A narrow tee shot between the trees, with a bunker on the right side further narrowing the landing area.


The green is built into a hill sloping right to left.  Attractive bunkers built into the hill.






Holes 8 and 17:
Valley of Sin
Par 4  391 yards 
A valley in front of the tee will be only the first of several valleys that will cross this hole as it is extended with the building of a new green some 40 yards beyond the existing green. The natural valley in front of this new green location will create a “valley of sin” in front of the green. Named
after the sharp valley in front of the 18th green on The Old Course, this valley will collectanything less than a perfectly struck approach shot.

Tee shot, with a right to left fairway slope.


This large mound and bunker is about 230 from the tee and separates the 8th and 9th fairways.


A bad picture of the valley.




Holes 9 and 18:
The Bishop’s Nose
Par 4  313 yards
Our final homage to the traditions of golf course architecture providesa twist that is uniquely Sewanee in nature. In the middle of the 16th fairway on The Old Course is a three-bunker complex affectionately called the Principal’s Nose. To challenge the tee shot on the finishing hole at Sewanee, the hazard will be recreated, but in deference to the designer of the original course, the Rt. Rev. Albion Knight, we have dubbed it the Bishop’s Nose.

The tee shot needs to carry a large waste area. It’s attractive, but didn’t seem to add much value and could be a bit of a waste in construction/maintenance cost.


The Bishop’s Nose hazard ended up being a little further from the green than seems to be shown in the Hanse sketch.  It’s about 210 yards to get past it, so for shorter hitters it serves to narrow the landing area considerably. 


The green is surrounded by bunkers, with the one on the front right creating a bit of deception about where the green begins.


That’s a quick look at Sewanee.  I never saw the original version of the course, but this one should be a nice benefit to the University and its visitors.  A visitor, walking, pays $31, while a student can get an annual membership for $200.

If you visit, be sure to take a look around the campus as well.

[Rees Milikin]

Thanks for the course pictures & review.  I was planning on heading to Nashville this Saturday, and thanks to your review, I will be making a pit stop.