Shared Fairways

[PCCraig]

In reading last month's feature article on Kyle Franz, he talks about a potential plan of connecting two fairways at Minikahda Club in Minneapolis, the 1st and 18th, which run parallel to each other.


Another recent example of this is at Shoreacres where the 9th and 18th fairways were connected with short grass.


I just saw a picture on Twitter this morning that Mike Nuzzo tweeted of a 100+ y/o course where he connected the fairways.


What is the origin of this "trend?" Was this a practice typically followed during the "golden age" of design, but removed with the advent of modern irrigation?


What are some of the best recent examples of this practice?
Are there any places where it doesn't work?
What effect does this have on pace of play, if any?

[Ian Mackenzie]

Pat,


For starters, how about the 1st and 18th at the Old Course?


Also, and this is just a guess, in a trditional "out and back" links routing, the fairways of the front 9 could join those on the back as well as share green sites.


Since our planned trip to Sand Valley was rained out yesterday, we played 36 at Shoreacres. The 9th hole is now VERY easy since it joined FWs with 18. You can flair it right all day and still have a simple approach of less than 150 yards to a relatively flat and benign green.


ZERO impact on pace of play.


Our home course originally had shared FWs on 8/9 and 15/16. Perhaps we will return to that someday.
Cheers,
Ian

[Ed Brzezowski]

It is used at Fieldstone in Wilmington De. I forget the hole numbers but it is a beautiful look, punctuated by a ruin of an old farmhouse. I will try to find the pic I took of it.

[BCowan]

Old Town and Inverness (more partial)

[PCCraig]

ZERO impact on pace of play.


Our home course originally had shared FWs on 8/9 and 15/16. Perhaps we will return to that someday.
Cheers,
Ian

Do you think the impact on pace of play is minimal due to the low number of rounds at SA?


I didn't know about GVC's shared fairways at 8/9 and 15/16. That certainly would be a cool feature to restore! (especially on 8/9).

[J_ Crisham]

Flossmoor has a shared fairway on 16/17. Have not seen an impact on pace of play. Great stretch of golf at FCC.

[Howard Riefs]

There are a handful at Streamsong...

Blue 2 and 17
Blue 14 and 15
Blue 9 and 11
Black 12 and 18

[Patrick_Mucci]

The 6th and 7th at GCGC used to be a shared fairway.
 
The Cal Club 10th and 11th.
 
 

[Jon Cavalier]

It is used at Fieldstone in Wilmington De. I forget the hole numbers but it is a beautiful look, punctuated by a ruin of an old farmhouse. I will try to find the pic I took of it.

Here you go, Ed (I think it's 12 and 14):

[John Connolly]

It's a subject near and dear to my heart, Pat. I play a course that had 2 pairs of them 100 years ago, one on the front, the other on the back. Flynn came through for a restoration and both pairs were separated. I often wonder why. From a purely aesthetic sense, I think they work more often than not. Pace of play has come up as a concern but for every instance where you're waiting on the approaching group, there's another instance when you're NOT waiting on your partner search for his ball in the junk or under a leaf pile. In Chicago, 9 with 18 at Shoreacres comes up the most when the benefits of shared fairway creation is discussed - and uniformly in a positive manner. I love that part of the course.


Here are some old threads I threw out there on the subject.


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,63213.msg1505572.html#msg1505572


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,60473.msg1439687.html#msg1439687

[Niall C]

Pat


MacKenzie spoke often of how TOC influenced him and I think shared fairways was perhaps the biggest influence judging from the relatively few of his courses that I've seen. He seemed to like having holes going in opposite direction dog-legging into each other such that the driving area was shared. That was probably OK back in the golden age but not so clever now with busier courses and modern technology. To my mind a major flaw in his routing.


I don't recall seeing an original routing of Pasatiempo (although perhaps I have) but it strikes me that the trees/cart paths between the 6th/7th holes (?) were put in to provide some separation and the design has inevitably suffered even if it is a good bit safer.


Niall

[Ed Brzezowski]

It is used at Fieldstone in Wilmington De. I forget the hole numbers but it is a beautiful look, punctuated by a ruin of an old farmhouse. I will try to find the pic I took of it.

Here you go, Ed (I think it's 12 and 14):


Yes John  you are correct, I forgot about that par three between them. A very nice look.