Glens Falls CC, NY (Ross, 1914/1922) Photo Tour

[John Mayhugh]

Based upon what I've seen thus far, would it be fair to say that Glens Falls CC is located on a difficult site that  Ross did a superior job of taming? It looks like there is significant elevation change and a number of steep slopes that had to incorporated intelligantly into the design.

I think it had to be pretty tough back when it opened, and not all that easy now.  Ross seems to have been pretty flexible, as Tyler's thread on Essex does a good job of highlighting.
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,57729.0.html

Hope to get a few more holes posted tonight or tomorrow.

[Ian Andrew]

It's funny, when you look at the aerial it's easy to underestimate the routing, but when you see the holes each decision makes perfect sense.

The work on the course is mainly minor tree removal and lots of grassing work. The fairway lines will be taken back out to reintroduce the bunkers to play over the next half dozen years. Otherwise, I hope to do as little as possible beyond some tee work.

[Morgan Clawson]

It's funny, when you look at the aerial it's easy to underestimate the routing, but when you see the holes each decision makes perfect sense.

The work on the course is mainly minor tree removal and lots of grassing work. The fairway lines will be taken back out to reintroduce the bunkers to play over the next half dozen years. Otherwise, I hope to do as little as possible beyond some tee work.

Ian - the way I look at it via the aerial, the property has 5 corners. And each 9 takes you to 4 of the 5 corners. So, you're really traversing the property on your 18 hole journey. I think that's really great. 13, 14 and 15th are back and forth holes, so I'm anxious to see how those look relative to each other.

That 9th hole looks wonderful. I would look forward to that hole every time I drove into the parking lot.

[J Cabarcos]

The problem with an upstate NY getaway is the distance between certain courses. You could do Glens Falls, Mohawk, Yahnundasis, Teugega and Leatherstocking as a central/capital district sojourn.

How about throwing in Donald Ross' Sagamore up the road next to Lake George.  Less driving on the roads = More driving off of the tee box.

http://www.linksmagazine.com/golf_courses/sagamore-golf-club-9-14-12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbOpWN8Wshc

[John Mayhugh]

Finally got back to this.

Hole 10     Par 4, 352/367
The 10th tee is a bit of a backtrack from the 9th green, but you don’t mind as it’s another chance to admire the boldness of both 8 & 9.  The tee shot here is blind up and over the hill, but there is a useful row of trees in sight for aiming.


Approach is somewhat downhill, with a green that is sloped from front to back. The bunkering in front encourages an approach from the correct side of the fairway, especially with the hole up front.




Hole 11     Par 4, 409/436
Even though you can see more from the tee on this one, the landing area is still blind, and the uphill drive feels more challenging.  A good aiming point is the small “saddle” in the center of the fairway.




This approach is considerably downhill.  Note the fairway expansion that Ian is working on.


From behind, note the transition from fairway to green. The fairway expansion makes it easier to run a ball on from the left side while there is a mound to deal with short & right.



Hole 12     Par 3, 186/223
The 12th is a substantial par 3 that is cut into the side of a hill.  Uphill and plays plenty long as anything hit a bit short isn’t going to make it.  The tee also seems to encourage aiming a bit right, which isn’t a great idea.



The green is perched attractively in the hillside. Note how steep the slope is in front.



Some caution is needed putting.  There is a frightening amount of tilt back left to front right.  I tend to find this more difficult to deal with than the more modern approach of loads of interior contours.

[Charlie Gallagher]

Absolutely lovely golf holes that appear to provide plenty of challenge.
Ian,
For reclaiming fairway, are you removing sod in the rough and resoding?

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

I have a book entitled "Golf at Glens Falls," that was apparently printed when the course opened. There are individual drawings of all 18 holes. My copy belonged to Geoffrey Cornish.

Anthony

[BCowan]

John,

   I hope you finish the photo tour, love the course...

[John Mayhugh]

Resuming this after a LONG delay.

Hole 13     Par 4, 447/454
The fairway on the long 13th is s slightly above the level of the tee.  You can just make out bunkers flanking it.  The one on the right is under 200 yards from the tee, while the left one is nearer 220.  On the left side past the bunker, the fairway slopes towards the green, offering the opportuntity for some additional yardage.


Given the length of the hole (it was once a par 5), a long tee shot is essential.  Laying up short of the green is complicated by several bunkers beginning about 130 yards from the green.


From behind the green, you can see the value of approaching from the right side of the fairway.  This green also slopes significantly from front to rear, making it harder to hold with a long approach. 




Hole 14     Par 4, 360/368
Another hole in this stretch where the fairway rises above the tee.  The fairway is pinched in a bit around 180-200 yards from the tee by bunkers on each side. Like the previous hole, these bunkers are staggered. 


The green is angled a bit to the right, so an approach from the left side will be easier.  This is one of the more devilish greens on the course.  You cannot see this from photos, but there are many little humps and slopes that make the green tough to putt.  Back right holes seem especially difficult.





Hole 15     Par 4, 380/394
This finishes the stretch of 11, 13, 14, & 15 that run roughly parallel to each other over the less interesting section of ground.  On these holes, the tee shots did not offer a huge amount of interest, but the approaches and greens make up for that.   The right side of the fairway is preferred as it makes for an easier approach.


The bunker in the middle of the fairway is about 100 yards from the green.  The front part of this green also runs from front to back. 

[Rob Marshall]

Played there a few years ago it was a fun course.

[BCowan]

John,

    thanks for adding more photos

[John Mayhugh]

The Dismal River reference on the original topic listing was just a cheap trick to try to get more views/comments.  Sorry for any disappointment.


Hole 16     Par 5, 482/518
This hole was altered back in the 1980s. The tee shot is original, but the green was moved so an approach would not have to play across an increasingly busy road.  There is OOB all along the right side, but the hole doglegs left and too much conservatism from the tee can result in tree trouble on the second shot.  


A large swale cuts across the fairway about 250 yards from the tee.  Getting to the other side of it requires a drive of about 300 yards and a climb.


Along with a turn left, the approach also runs downhill to a green tucked in the trees.  I did not take any photos of the green, but the contouring and bunkering are not really in character with the rest of the course.  


The original green for this hole has been maintained as a practice area.



Hole 17     Par 4, 338/361
Ignore the hideous tree in the right rough just past where the fairway begins. That has been removed since I was there.  It’s hard to believe that anyone thought such a planting improved the hole, as the tee shot is plenty interesting without it.  A tee shot of about 240 yards gets you started down the hill, but I’m not sure what would be gained by that.  


Sorry for the out of focus picture of the approach.


The green is in sort of a punchbowl setting.






Hole 18     Par 3, 143/149
Nothing wrong with ending a course with a par 3, but this one is a bit of a letdown given the quality of the holes that precede it.  It’s not a bad hole, but like the 16th green just a bit of a misfit.  I’ve read somewhere that as far back as the 1920s, Ross proposed putting a par 3 elsewhere on the course and ending on the 17th.   With the road situation, it seems tough to find a way to do this today.



Tour is finally complete – something in advance of the one year anniversary of my visit.  I really appreciate Ian Andrew’s encouragement to see the course – it’s well worth a trip.  I hope to make it back there in a year or two and see the improvements that he has made.

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

The Dismal River reference on the original topic listing was just a cheap trick to try to get more views/comments.  Sorry for any disappointment.

Relieved is the adjective that springs to mind.

I was going to scream "oh no, not another DR thread".

Thanks for the photo tour; some great holes and great movement on this property. I especially like how Ross wasn't afraid to include several blind tee shots in order to provide visible approaches.

[Chris DeToro]

Great looking track.  Love how Ross subtly uses the subtle movement in the land to create exciting, blind tee shots, something I've seen him do at a number of courses (Muskegon CC, Metacomet).  I need to try to get out there this fall

[David Stewart]

I just saw this thread for the first time. What amazing topography!

In the opening post it mentions the course was designed in two nines opening in 1914 and 1922. Does anyone know what the original routing of the first nine was?

[John Mayhugh]

Donal,
Sorry for the scare.

David,
According to the club's website:
The original nine holes now have been determined through extensive research.  #1 was 1; #8 was #2; #9 was #3; #10 was #4; #6 was #5; #12 was #6; #15 was #7; #16 was #8; #17 was #9.

http://glensfallscountryclub.com/About-Us/History.aspx

[David Cronheim]

I played GFCC for the first time today and was absolutely blown away. I had read this thread prior to my visit so I was tipped off as to what to expect and yet it far exceeded my expectations. The pictures don't do justice to the craziness of the slopes and contours. GFCC is the biggest roller coaster ride I have ever seen on a golf course. It constantly asks you to hit imaginative shots. Also hard to believe the course is only 6400ish yards as so many of the tee shots play into severe upslopes (or downhill shots collect into low spots that you can't knock it past).


I echo John's comments that 18 is a bit of a letdown and 16 seems somewhat out of place. But I disagree that the stretch of holes over the "uninteresting" part of the property are in any way uninteresting themselves. I found them to be perhaps the best on the course. Chalk this one up in the "must be seen to be believed" category because pictures simply cannot do justice to the scale and severity of the property.

[Ronald Montesano]

According to the club's website:
The original nine holes now have been determined through extensive research.  #1 was 1; #8 was #2; #9 was #3; #10 was #4; #6 was #5; #12 was #6; #15 was #7; #16 was #8; #17 was #9.

http://glensfallscountryclub.com/About-Us/History.aspx

There is a wee green for a wee hole next to the current 17th tee. It was a par three that played across the public road, but was taken out of play when the road got busy. It was in play until I don't know when. It had to figure in this original, nine-hole routing. I would love to know what Ian Andrew knows about this subject.

[John Mayhugh]

There is a wee green for a wee hole next to the current 17th tee. It was a par three that played across the public road, but was taken out of play when the road got busy. It was in play until I don't know when. It had to figure in this original, nine-hole routing. I would love to know what Ian Andrew knows about this subject.

I addressed this green in the course tour above.

Originally, the 8th hole (then changed to the 16th when another 9 was added) utilized that green.  Due to road traffic, the club had a new 16th green built, which is a bit out of character with the other green complexes.  The club has continued to maintain the old green, but I don't think this was ever a par three hole. 

[Ronald Montesano]

Thanks for the refresher, John. If I read the original tour (and I'm sure I did) I had forgotten the piece about that green. That makes sense.


RM