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Ran Morrissett

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Winged Foot East profile added under Architecture Timeline New
« on: October 19, 2016, 01:11:54 PM »
Like Pinehurst, Winged Foot has always fascinated me. Courses that good that emerge from good but not great land are a testimony to the architects/clubs involved. Very few courses in the world - if any - are so much better than their raw land than those at WFGC and Pinehurst No.2. We are fortunate that Michael Baity has taken the time to pen and then illustrate with first rate photography a detailed analysis of Winged Foot East. In particular, he chronicles Gil Hanse's restoration that has brought back the subtle playing features of A.W. Tillinghast's noble design.

Here is the link found under Architecture Timeline:

http://golfclubatlas.com/winged-foot-golf-club-east/

While the West has always soaked up most of the attention courtesy of its Opens and greens like the 1st and 10th, the East may have gotten the short shrift. No more! Everyone who has seen the East since Gil completed his work agrees that the course was markedly improved visually. Michael's 'before' and 'after' photos of the 4th green complex leave no doubt. The bunkers have come to life and their famously stylish sweep up faces enjoy a real pop against the landscape.

All that's great but as Michael points out, it is the subtle ground contours that have been recaptured that will fascinate the purist. He nails it when he writes,  'While much less invasive than the work he performed on Los Angeles Country Club's North Course, Gil Hanse's restoration of Winged Foot's East Course is a brilliant example of how subtle changes in course maintenance and mowing patterns can greatly improve the experience had by golfers of all abilities and should be reviewed continually by superintendents. Special acknowledgement should also be given to Director of Golf Courses, Steve Rabideau, and his team at Winged Foot for their incredible contributions to this successful restoration.' Look no further than the 3rd green as a stunning example. Neil Regan graciously showed me the umpteen benefits of having the high side (the left) mowed tight and having all the corners of the green blown out to their full original size. All of a sudden, the game becomes more intense and interesting.

The quality of golf in the Met area is staggering. More likely than not, something like a third of the true top 100 courses in the United States are in the Met area. Yikes! Even in that brutal neighborhood, the East Course shines. Other courses might have more diverse land but none have better greens. Look at Michael's photos of the 13th or even the 17th - there is simply no good reason for such great par 3s to exist on their respective patches of ground. Yet they do.

Studying a Sand Hills or Barnbougle is very site specific; to me, there is nothing more illuminating than learning about a great design like Winged Foot where the lessons are far reaching. Thanks to Michael, we can do that very thing today!

Best,
« Last Edit: October 31, 2016, 12:42:33 PM by Ran Morrissett »

Mike Sweeney

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Re: Winged Foot East profile added under Architecture Timeline
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2016, 05:58:42 AM »
Winged Foot East has always been my preferred course as there is more diversity in the holes, to me. The routing is very interesting - old aerial but the sequence is the same:




They are a little tough on it during the US Open:
« Last Edit: October 20, 2016, 06:48:22 AM by Mike Sweeney »
"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us."

Dr. Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

Jeff_Lewis

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Re: Winged Foot East profile added under Architecture Timeline
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2016, 10:31:03 AM »
Great job as usual 'Dolph.  Even as a married guy, you've still got it. 

Were I ever fortunate enough to join WF, I would play 3 or 4 out of every 5 rounds on the East.   It's delightful.


David Wuthrich

Re: Winged Foot East profile added under Architecture Timeline
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2016, 12:02:47 PM »
I agree with Jeff.  8 or 9 out of every 10 rounds I would play would be on the East!

Jeff_Lewis

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Re: Winged Foot East profile added under Architecture Timeline
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2016, 05:01:12 PM »
And that is not to say that I do not love the West.  I am just not sure how good of a game one needs, maybe it's short game more than long game where I really struggle there, but to want to take on the West on a regular basis I am certainly not good enough.  I don't necessarily feel the same weight at Pine Valley or Shinnecock or Oakmont, or the Black, all of which are less of a grind for me than the West.

Eric LeFante

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Re: Winged Foot East profile added under Architecture Timeline
« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2016, 08:59:54 AM »
To Ran's point about the fairly pedestrian land where the 13th and 17th holes are, has anyone seen holes that replicate these two?


Many members consider the 13th hole their favorite hole on the property. It seems like this hole can be replicated almost anywhere. The green is slightly below the tee. On 17, the tee shot is more down hill than on 13. 


Interesting how the 17th originally had a bunker on the left. I'm not sure if I would like the hole more if there was a bunker there. I think it's unique how there aren't bunkers on that hole, especially at Winged Foot, where most greens have bunkers on both sides. Some may say that's why the bunker needs to be restored, because it's out of character with the rest. It's a fantastic par 3, either way.


The green expansion to the original dimensions is striking on the 17th hole. In my opinion this is Exhibit A for the reasons to expand greens to their original size. That false front is massive, and so much more interesting now. I love how square the green is.


Great piece Michael.

D_Malley

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Re: Winged Foot East profile added under Architecture Timeline
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2016, 10:57:44 AM »
This looks fantastic!

I find it very interesting to compare the different styles between Keith Foster's work at Phila. Cricket and Gil's work at WFE. The main difference being that Gil maintained the flashed up bunker faces at WFE where Foster decided not to at Cricket.

I am sure there are many different issues which would effect this choice, but it seems to me that the flashed up bunker face is truer to Tillinghast's original style for both of these courses.

Matt_Cohn

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Re: Winged Foot East profile added under Architecture Timeline
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2016, 12:03:46 PM »
Sixteen of the greens have false fronts. It's pretty amazing. Cool course.

mike_beene

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Re: Winged Foot East profile added under Architecture Timeline
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2016, 11:47:34 PM »
The split routing at Winged Foot has always puzzled me. I get that it works but it is so odd to split especially the west course 9s. Has anybody found history or explanation on this?

Terry Lavin

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Re: Winged Foot East profile added under Architecture Timeline
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2016, 09:28:40 PM »
These comments remind me of those made by the cognoscenti about Olympia Fields where plenty prefer the South (non-championship)  over the North. Like my man Jeff Lewis, as length off the tee diminishes, I like the somewhat more manageable courses where I can hit more greens in regulation. The East has that appeal. Thanks, Ran (or Dolph!) for another pithy and informative review.
« Last Edit: October 23, 2016, 09:30:53 PM by Terry Lavin »
Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.  H.L. Mencken

Jeff_Lewis

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Re: Winged Foot East profile added under Architecture Timeline
« Reply #10 on: October 24, 2016, 10:01:25 PM »
Ahem....who said my length was diminished.  Thanks to the USGA, with less strength and flexibility I hit it miles further than I did 20 years ago!

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