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Steve_ Shaffer

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The Other Gleneagles
« on: September 26, 2014, 10:50:59 PM »
"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

David_Tepper

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Re: The Other Gleneagles
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2014, 11:07:35 PM »
Steve -

Thanks very much for finding that article and for the link. It was nice to see the late Erik de Lambert get mentioned and get credit for turning the fortunes of the course around many years ago. Tom Hsieh and his colleagues (with a noble assist from the Cal Club staff) have done a wonderful job with the course in recent years.

I first played that course in the early 1970's, before de Lambert took over management of the course. I remember the 1st fairway being so choked with white daisies you needed to play with an orange ball, just to be able to find your ball in the center of the fairway!   

I seem to remember reading in Lorne Rubenstein's A Season In Dornoch that there is a handmade course somewhere on the outskirts of Brora that is also called Gleneagles.

DT 

Jim Nugent

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Re: The Other Gleneagles
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2014, 03:47:27 AM »
Steve, also another thanks for the article.  Among several interesting points I didn't know:

"The course was designed by Jack Fleming, a protégé of the course architect Alister MacKenzie, and opened in 1962."

Anyone know about Jack Fleming?  His relationship with Mackenzie? 

When I played Gleneagles -- maybe 20 x? -- in the late 1980s, we had zero problems with crime or even indications of it. 

Peter Galea

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Re: The Other Gleneagles
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2014, 04:30:00 PM »
Jack Flemming also designed Sharon Heights CC in Palo Alto,
as well as "The Fleming" nine holer in the middle of Harding Park.
His son John (deceased) was a former superintendent at the Olympic Club.
Jack' grandson and John's son, Pete is the superintendent at Canyon Lakes CC.
That's a lofty legacy.

Thanks for the link to Erik's obit. I missed it. He was a gentleman and a friend.

I may have posted this already.

Erik required steel spikes. When you stood in front of the desk at
Gleneagles to check in there was a square of concrete to stand on,
they would say to "let me hear them", requiring you to stamp your feet.
No click-no play.

He also forbade carts in the rough, drive in fairways only so as not to mat down the rough grass.
You hit it in there you deserved to be in deep.

On 7 I believe, Erik installed two evil little pits, called the "greed bunkers".
Number one had an alternate green, which as I remember was as good as the original.
Switched it up occasionally.

It was in my opinion the best 19th hole I can think of. Windows looking out over 9 green, dark wood, Scottish brews
and Eriks' Crosby invitation framed and hanging on the wall.

And oh yeah, birdie 9 and Erik would buy you a drink. Wouldn't you know he never had to buy me one!
« Last Edit: September 28, 2014, 02:31:45 AM by Peter Galea »
"chief sherpa"

Kevin_Reilly

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Re: The Other Gleneagles
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2014, 02:20:22 AM »

Erik required steel spikes. When you stood in front of the desk at
Gleneagles to check in they would say to "let me hear them", requiring you to stamp your feet. No click-no play.

He also forbade carts in the rough, drive in fairways only so as not to mat down the rough grass.
You hit it in there you deserved to be in deep.

No practice swings on the tee either!  He ran out to our group on the first tee one time when a friend took a practice swing...Erik sent him off to the side of the tee for a practice swing with a warning to not repeat any practice on the tee!

The golf shoe requirement also was strictly enforced!
"GOLF COURSES SHOULD BE ENJOYED RATHER THAN RATED" - Tom Watson

Jim Nugent

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Re: The Other Gleneagles
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2014, 10:20:25 AM »
The hole that gave me the most trouble was a simple little par 3, #4.  I never could get the wind right and always seemed to walk away with bogey.
 

Keith Doleshel

Re: The Other Gleneagles
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2014, 03:13:17 PM »
Really neat article.  I don't get up to Gleneagles as much as I would like, although I played it about 2 months ago.  Pretty cool to see my friend Brad Bulcock getting a picture on the NYT internet article and being quoted in there.  Tom Hsieh deserved a lot of credit for hanging in there with essentially no support from the city of San Francisco.  I never met Erik de Lambert but wish I did.  Sure sounds like quite the character.

It's worth a play when in SF.

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