Charming bridges in golf?

[Jeff_Brauer]

Loved the footbridge on the St. Clair CC thread.  In some cases, I think the non golf features can make a course or at least contribute to its character.

Of course, we know the famous TOC Swilken Burn and Augusta Ike bridges.  But, what courses have you played where bridges, or maybe shelters or similar non golf features added charm?

In DFW, some of the Dallas courses had WPA era built caddie shacks and shelters.  In Duluth, the same, with documentation that they were built with WPA funds.  Certainly a lot more substantial and with more character than they typical shelters today, and a nice touch lending history to the courses, even if not famous.

I guess it could even be front entries.  I know Medinah and La Costa have entry structures that make me love the place even before I get in the gate.

I have seen a few modern courses stick pieces of art out in the woods.  Nice, but maybe because of the lack of history, they don't have the same effect on me.

Any other features that add to your golf experience on other lesser known courses?

[John McCarthy]

At an otherwise skipable course called Crane's Landing in Lincolnshire IL there are a pair of old boxcars that have been repurposed into bridges.  Good look.

[Phil Lipper]

I'm not sure if charm is the right word but I love the bridges at Sleepy Hollow

[Jeff_Brauer]

It now occurs to me that this should be a photo tour to be an effective thread!

[Jason Topp]

I like stuff that was already there.  Although I do not have pictures our course has a horse barn which was a part of the original ranch on which the course is located.  A silo also exists although I suspect that was built at the time the course was built and therefore it holds less charm. 

Old Head has you walk through some ruins that preexisted the course that I think adds to the experience. 

Using pre-existing structures reminds you that the land has a history.

[Chris DeToro]

I really wish I had a picture, but I really enjoy the bridge on number 4 at The Country Club.  There's also a cool one at Blythefield CC (Langford/Moreau in Grand Rapids MI) on the par 3 13th

[Ronald Montesano]

This has been a thread. Someone search it in the engine.

[Dan Kelly]

Bridges: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,58119.0.html

Baker National (Medina, Minn.) has a beautiful barn to the right of the first green.

StoneRidge (Stillwater, Minn.) has a nice barn to the left of the landing area on the par-5 11th hole. (I made the best par of my life after banging my tee shot off it and having it ricochet back into the long grass just past the water hazard.)

I take that back. The best par of my life (so far) was my most recent par, this past Sunday, at Jason Topp's Windsong Farm, when I got up-and-down from the bunker left of 18 green after short-siding myself -- thus saving myself the indignity of signing my dollar bill over to Jason, as my par halved the match!

[Bill_McBride]

The ancient castle and church ruins that flank the 7th fairway at Pennard are pretty cool.

[Ronald Montesano]

The ancient castle and church ruins that flank the 7th fairway at Pennard are pretty cool.

Neither of which is a bridge, right Bill? 

[Mark_Rowlinson]

There are several spectacular bridges crossing ravines at Brancepeth Castle in Co Durham. Sadly, I haven't got any photos. I think Frank Pont is doing some work there. He might have some.

[Bill_McBride]

The ancient castle and church ruins that flank the 7th fairway at Pennard are pretty cool.

Neither of which is a bridge, right Bill? 

Dear Snarky,

If you refer back to the opening post you will note that the author went beyond bridges to discuss other interesting structures on golf courses.  They don't get much more interesting than Pennard's.  Lucky for you I am not Mucci. 

[Dan Kelly]

Lucky for you I am not Mucci. 

Lucky for all of us!

[Brent Hutto]

Lucky for you I am not Mucci. 

Lucky for *you* you are not Mucci.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Not a single picture on the Brancepeth Castle website! They are amazing - built by military experts. I wonder if I would now get vertigo traversing them? Please, anybody got pictures?

[Ian Mackenzie]

I'm hoping my good friend, John Connolly, can back up this post with photo evidence as our home course has some of these features.

1. Between 16 and 17 lies the "Dewes Cottage" - the original farmhouse from when the land (that our course now occupies) was homesteaded in the early 1800's. (Just outside of Chicago.) It is very well-preserved and, during our member/member, my partner sprayed a drive right and it bounced off the roof of the cabin and landed in the middle of the fairway. He proceeded to make a 3 for 2 and it won us a $500 skin!

2. The West Branch of the North Fork of the Chicago River meanders through our back 9. Ever since the US Open and US Amateur, held at our course in 1902 and 1904, the river has flooded 2-3 times per summer. There are 9 bridges on the back 9 and some are quite interesting with construction materials connections to the Illinois railway.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Jeff,

I think this is a neat topic.

Creating bridges that are unique, yet fit the property/golf course can be a challenge.

I've seen railroad cars (box cars) used as bridges.

For whatever the reason I've always been fascinated by how a club introduces or redesigns bridges for their course.

Essex County East, in NJ has some neat wooden bridges that span a chasm.

Bel-Air has the famous 10th hole suspension bridge that traverses the 18th hole.

More later.

[Dave McCollum]

Want bridges?  Does this work?

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab122/fishman2010/CSCGA/DSC_0146.jpg

[Dave McCollum]

Nope, how about this?

[Dave McCollum]

Course is Canyon Springs, my course.  You all will be happy to know the shot is dated.  Since I took it, I gave the rock in the middle of the fairway a haircut and chopped down the large cottonwoods on the left side.  The big ones shading the green.  It is a drivable par 4.  Anything left of the rock and short runs to the river.  Right of the rock is safe, but hangs up on the slope; right over the rock is perfect.  Its about 300 yards downhill and downwind usually.  The rock is about 20 feet high and 20 feet wide.  Don't know if it's like an iceberg and there's 90% under the surface.  It took the Great Bonneville Flood to deliver it, so we think it deserves to stay. 

[Tom_Doak]

Loved the footbridge on the St. Clair CC thread.  In some cases, I think the non golf features can make a course or at least contribute to its character.

Of course, we know the famous TOC Swilken Burn and Augusta Ike bridges.  But, what courses have you played where bridges, or maybe shelters or similar non golf features added charm?

In DFW, some of the Dallas courses had WPA era built caddie shacks and shelters.  In Duluth, the same, with documentation that they were built with WPA funds.  Certainly a lot more substantial and with more character than they typical shelters today, and a nice touch lending history to the courses, even if not famous.

I guess it could even be front entries.  I know Medinah and La Costa have entry structures that make me love the place even before I get in the gate.

I have seen a few modern courses stick pieces of art out in the woods.  Nice, but maybe because of the lack of history, they don't have the same effect on me.

Jeff:

A nice thread idea.  I agree with you in particular about the last paragraphs ... at Medinah we did our best to make the gate house the focal point of the 12th hole on #1, but the "art" I've seen on a few courses recently left me cold, because it just has no function and never did.

The coolest bridge I've seen in a while was at Mayfield in Cleveland, a very old course.  Their 4th hole comes down to a stream hard along the right side of the green, and the next tee is on the opposite bank ... except that the opposite bank is a rock face about 20 feet higher.  There is a cart path that goes way around the back, but there is also a footbridge right off the back of the green hanging over the creek, that ramps partway up and then turns and has stairs the rest of the way to the top.  I snapped a picture of it but in the shade, you can hardly see it.

The old bridge on #3 at Sleepy Hollow was spectacular ... I hope it's still there.

The only course where I've gotten to build a cool bridge is the 13th at Rock Creek, but I've always got features like this in the back of my mind.

[BCowan]

Kirtland has a very cool suspension bridge. 

[Jeff_Brauer]

TD,

Yes I like the bridges/structures where form follows function, rather than something that tries to add ornamentation.  Those LM footbridges were nothing fancy, probably just the minimum needed to accomplish their function.  Of course, most courses look at bridges the same way, with little money to spend.  Maybe there is hope yet for our low cost bridges to someday be seen as quaint, but it seems like the standardized Continental (iron) or York Bridges (wood) will never have the same charm as something locally constructed, as in the old days. Sort of like golf courses themselves, you are tending to see the same style everywhere.

Not that I don't understand it.  I tried to get a stone arch built on a project years ago, and the custom design came in at over $100K, so we ended up with a $15K wood bridge......

[Tommy Williamsen]

I always liked the bridge at Belair CC.  It fits the mold for the course.  I didn't take the picture.

[Mark Pearce]

Not a single picture on the Brancepeth Castle website! They are amazing - built by military experts. I wonder if I would now get vertigo traversing them? Please, anybody got pictures?

Agreed, the several bridges at Brancepeth are serious structures - not over engineered but economical.  And yes, I always feel a little nervous walking over them, despite their apparent sturdiness.