Feature Interview with Chris Buie on Pinehurst is posted

[Ran Morrissett]

To the surprise of absolutely no one, the June Feature Interview is with Chris Buie on his newly released book The Early Days of Pinehurst.

Reading offers many virtues but chief among are surely the ability to learn and be entertained. Chris’s book scores high on both counts. As demonstrated by his varied pieces on GolfClubAtlas.com, Chris enjoys the art of writing. The pleasure is in the journey and reading his work is akin to the Mississippi – various bends and twists make it mighty as opposed to if it just proceeded in a functionalistic  , USA Today-like straight-line.

In terms of the learning side, I have lived here in Moore County for close to 15 years now. I had no idea that the James Barber course (of which Forest Creek occupies a portion) was actually ever built and that golf was played on it. Read this passage that Chris uncovered from a local paper speaking of Ross:

“He has designed a picturesque tract on the summit of the hills which gives a constant outlook all over the country. Below the fairways the reservoir with its sixty acres of open lake spreads out along the whole west side of the course. From the high spots on the course Southern Pines is visible, Carthage, the territory around Vass, Pinehurst and into the indefinite distance in all directions.”

THIS IS TOTALLY NEW INFORMATION, or at least it is to me. Knowing the property as I do, the briefly lived course must really have been striking.

In a similar vein of uncovering important though long gone work, Chris has long championed Overhills which I think surely was the best course in the state of North Carolina when it opened in 1913. Twelve pages of his 200 page, heavily illustrated book are devoted to it.

Only by mulling over and savoring these two (epic) courses does a fuller, more complete picture of Ross emerge. Yet, not to worry, the preponderance of the book is - of course - on Pinehurst and especially the beloved No.2. I know what you are thinking - What could anyone possibly have to offer that is new and fresh on No.2? It would be akin to writing on Augusta National which has been combed over to death. And yet, you would be wrong! Take the rarely seen aerial photograph of the 12th with its awesome cross hazard that Chris shares from his book in the Feature Interview. Though gorgeous, the cross hazard limited options across the board for all players and was a particular menace to weaker ones. Thus, with time, Ross removed it which is particularly telling about what he thought constituted good design.

On my living room coffee table is The Early Days of Pinehurst and probably my favorite section is found on page 109 where Chris examines the same hole on Pinehurst #4 under the hands of Ross, then RTJ Sr. and finally Tom Fazio. It’s highly instructive as to what design elements where prized in what decade. Want to know more? Then, you have to go on Amazon and buy the paperback book for $18.15!

Here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Early-Days-Pinehurst-Chris-Buie/dp/1497543762/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401734663&sr=8-1&keywords=Chris+Buie

Hope you enjoy this month’s most timely subject matter covered in this month’s Feature Interview with my good friend.

Best,

[Rees Milikin]

This book is a very enjoyable & informative read, and thanks to Chris for the early opportunity to read it.  I particularly liked the section on Overhills, it definitely brings to light a course that very few were /are aware of.

[Jaeger Kovich]

Good stuff... Glad I could be one of the un-named, and in the know trespassers of Overhills!

[Colin Macqueen]

Gentlemen,
As usual Chris manages to elicit in me nostalgia and a longing for a bygone era ..... ridiculous romantic that I am. The writing hits just the right note and provides a wonderful insight to what, for me, seems like a magical place to spend a fortnight playing golf. From the pictures of scallywag Buies mixing it with golfing demigods, through the evolution of golf holes, the story of Overhills and a picture of a roaring Twenties/Thirties golfer on the front cover this interview and book have me hooked. Nice interview and a book that will make its way to my shelf to continuously remind me that I should make my way to Carolina.

Cheers Colin

[Mark_Fine]

Very nice interview.  One question and I apologize if it was covered in the interview and I missed it but why is there so little talk about the evolution of the greens?  I am not talking about the evolution from the sand greens to grassed greens, I am talking about the evolution to the present domed "turtleback" surfaces.  If you talk to Pete Dye, he will tell you that the domed surfaces are a result of years and years of topdressing followed by a scalping of the edges by Rees Jones which further elevated the centers of the putting surfaces and helped create the dramatic falloffs.  Too many people think a signature of a great Donald Ross green is a turtleback and that is not true.  Again I am surprised there is so little talk about the history of change to these surfaces as they are the most dramatic and the most evolved aspect of #2. 

[Chris Buie]

Thanks much to Ran, Rees and the always endearing Mr. Macqueen. I was really impressed that Jaeger Kovich and Angela Moser visited Overhills - not an easy thing to do. That makes a statement about those two. And thanks to Mark for the question.

Mark, the way the greens have evolved after Ross is certainly a worthy topic. The book is focused on the Ross years. Conjuring up something magical out of nothingness was the thing that fascinated me. The book does go into the immediate turn away from his work. But studying and writing at length about the years after that was not something that interested me. Richard Mandell's very fine work is a good place to find that story.

Also, Dunlop White did a definitive analysis of the later evolution of the greens. There's imagery of Dunlop's first rate work somewhere. I'll see if I can find it.

Thanks again, Mark.