Those are some special greens at Hollywood.
Photos for those interested:
http://www.myphillygolf.com/uploads/bausch/Hollywood/index.html
Joe,
Time for an update now that the grow-in has the course looking more brown and playing more firm. I did not take any pics yesterday as the day was too much fun.
I made a return trip to Hollywood yesterday, and Doak’s crew did a great job. The grow-in at Hollywood post-Doak work is really good. I have played it for 12+ years and yesterday was a huge leap as the conditioning was just awesome.
My updated view could in part be due to the fact that a couple of us played in a Travis Society outing at North Jersey CC the day before and it was a lesson in what NOT to do to your historic course. They have had 4-5 architects in there over the last decade or so and it was just inconsistent. Green speeds were too fast for the Travis greens, when there were Travis greens.
The Hollywood Super has done a great job with the grow in, and I almost want to go back and walk around to find SOMETHING wrong
Between the grown-in, my game coming back a little, the weather, and the hospitality of the club and my host, Hollywood just vaulted past a bunch of famous/fancy NJ/NY clubs and courses. When I played it in August after The Met Open, my game stunk and the rough was playing hard, so my eyes were closed. Yesterday, was just perfect and yes, I think it deserves a discussion of “Doak 8” status. Certainly Tom Doak would take credit
Is there a better course in NJ or Westchester? Yes, there is Pine Valley and then there is Hollywood. Honestly, that was my feeling this morning and I probably need to see the more updated Sleepy Hollow. However, Travis greens are Travis greens.
In addition, the Club has set up a new Blue/White course that makes the course very fun to challenge and play. Two birdies for me during the round combined with doubles makes an interesting course. GCAer Bill Steele closed us out on 18 with a birdie to win the match before his drive back to Ohio. Sweeney and The Host took the ferry back to Manhattan, and there were some very angry faces when they saw us land on 34th Street with clubs and smiling faces