While there is a dearth of new golf course construction, quality restoration work abounds (see this month’s Feature Interview as exhibit 1A). A number of projects is being met by top flight people to do it. To my mind more good restorations will be completed in this decade (2011-2020) than in any previous one, especially as the process is very much helped along by the fact that more and more green committee remembers are gaining a sound foundation as to what constitutes good golf. Perhaps the famous quote ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’ will spur them on!
All this is great news and one positive effect will be the pressure exerted on clubs to bring back their bolder, often controversial original features. Why controversial? In the case of bunkers, it is because the Golden Age architects put them where they mattered – in the line of play.
In that vein I came across this quote from an architect consulting on a restoration. I lifted the entire section for context (XXXXing out the architect's name) and have highlighted my fifteen favorite (killer!) words with bold type. It is an all-time favorite and every green committee member should become familiar with its sentiment.
‘I believe it would be nice to reintroduce some of XXXXX’s driving strategies back into the course, if it can be done in a way that it doesn’t become a burden to the average member. Certainly, the bunkers we are considering will come into play, and there will be some complaining – if not, there would be no point in building them. Our goal is to choose the bunkers which will make the holes more diverse, and more interesting from day to day.’
So who is responsible for this pithy morsel and to what classic course does it refer?
Best,