Thanks Tom for a wonderful event.
You grew the game this weekend(at least in my family)
I'm still trying to absorb it all.
I've often wondered if you present 18 interesting, all world holes if they run together and take away from the product as a whole.I realize that makes no sense, but it's why I've hesitated to comment.
Such variety in green size, shape and design.
Different and alternative ways to access a pin.
Shots you'd rarely play anywhere else(on modern courses).
Greens in bowls,uphill tee shots. blind tee shots,
false fronts, sides, backs
The short par 4 Ash referenced is brilliant.
I played it par, birdie by hitting 3 wood round 1, then driver, then laid up the third time and made bogie from the middle of the fairway with a solidly struck pitch. Much judgement required to get on the green with the pitch.
Despite a severe false front and left side, the ball can be run up with a carefully judged play through the hollows, but the green is quite small.
Tilted greens!!! (2,5,8,10,12,16)actual tilt demanding good angles or curve of the ball, not multiple flat tiers which generally yield flat putts and disproportionately varied approach results.
...And plenty of others where you could use the contour to access a pin if not in the traditionally ideal angle position to approach.
The tilt and slope of the greens made downhill putts fast and uphill putts slow
Imagine that!
I do take exception to the weather being perfect
. The wind did blow on Friday(10-12) and I found that almost perfect(perfect would've been about 15-18 mph
,
but I missed the wind on the weekend though it did blow enough breeze to keep it cool.To play such a varied imaginative course without much wind seems a (minor) shame.
Being the middle of my winter,and reacting to the match play situations presented I didn't attempt that many of curved shots or knockdowns, but would like to play the course when in midseason command of the ball, particularly with a bit more wind which would've inspired/created demand for more shotmaking.
I've only played 4 of Tom's courses (Renaissance,Sebonack,Heathland, Tara Iti) and I'd find it hard to compare/contrast as I like them all.
That said, how anyone could walk out the back door of the clubhouse and not fall in love with the course, the setting,the scenery, the intimacy ....is beyond me.
I would find it hard to believe that Tara Iti would not crack the World Top 25, and as I told Tom I rarely like modern courses as I usually find the required scale and acreage to try to be all things to all people a big turnoff.
I found Tara Iti fun from all the different sets of tees I played, and the scale and walk very enjoyable from all tees.
Lots of width with plenty of interest on the front nine, more defined,maybe a few more exciting tee shots on the back.
Great variety on the par 3's
I enjoyed that the nonfairway areas were findable,mildly vegetated and hazardous and required a little luck and skill to execute a good shot. The bunkers were certainly hazards (even though they weren't
) and they were to be avoided as the sand was not imported from Ohio .
There was a WIDE spectrum of shots played from them-both good, great, indifferent and terrible.
I struggled greenside in them where I usually excel (a good thing I think as more skill was required)
I will say I did struggle with the tight sandy turf and found it more challenging to hit pitches and full wedges than traditional older firmer UK links turf. I assume that's simply a maturity thing, could be recent topdressing (or natural wind blow of sand) or the torrential rain of Thursday (hardly noticed by midday Friday thanks to incredible drainage and hard work by the crew)
Or it could just be me
who needs to work on his game as I heard universal praise of the turf by high and low handicappers alike.