Black Mesa course profile is posted...

[Ran Morrissett]

...under Architecture Timeline and Courses by Country.

I agreed with Mike Nuzzo to the New Mexico GCA.com gathering in large part because the experience figured to be new (and thus fresh).  Who knew in what manner but I for one had never played golf in New Mexico and had never played a Spann course or a Ken Dye course.

And while we played three courses in some of the most attractive settings imaginable, Black Mesa was the stand out. During the afternoon round,  it almost seemed like we were playing links golf in the high New Mexico desert - talk about different!   Numerous classic architectural features (unique land forms that send the ball bounding every which way, central hazards, cross hazards, wild greens (some that runaway), the occasional blind shot, etc.) were evident once one stopped gawking at the amazing sandstone rock formations and arroyos.

And when the architect Baxter Spann started talking about a mirror image of the Alps hole from NGLA at his next course, well,  it became evident to many of us that we should all follow Baxter's new courses with GREAT interest as here is an architect that uses natural land forms to confront the golfer in every possible manner.

The southwest of the US with its treeless expanses open to the wind and full of neat land forms is far and away a more interesting form of golf than playing between either rows of trees   or rows of houses  . We might not be as lucky on future such GolfClubAtlas.com gatherings but we definitely were exposed to a very exciting part of modern architecture on our New Mexico outing, as captured by Spann's design at Black Mesa.

Cheers,

[Ran Morrissett]

PS Baxter Spann's Feature Interview will be posted late next week. Also, as you look at some of the pictures from Black Mesa in this DG and in its course profile, remember: this course costs the locals $40 to walk and something like $60 for you or me.  Not bad, eh? This is the very kind of golf that this country is desperately starving for IMO.

[Doug Wright]

Ran,

I just took a quick look at the profile--great descriptive writing, and even greater photography. Well done!

[Bill_McBride]

Great profile, Ran.  I think it's a testimonial to Baxter Spann's strong course in its natural surroundings with affordable green fees that all 18 holes are described and photographed.  It won't ever be boring!  With Paa-ko Ridge nearby in addition to Black Mesa, Santa Fe has to be an enticing destination for all golfers.

[Steve Lang]

   Unique to think that the Southwest pueblos may be the future of US golf, the natives win!

[Michael Whitaker]

Nice job Ran. You're right... the more I think about Black Mesa the more I look past the dramatic landscape and see the "classical" elements incorporated into the design.

Your description of the golfer's thought process on the 7th is exactly what our group went through on that hole. "Should we go for the green, lay up short of the fairway bunker, or play out to the right?" In the end we tried them all... to varying degrees of success.

How many times do you think about the "correct" way to play a course 1500 miles from home? Black Mesa has had that effect on me. I'm looking forward to giving it another go someday.

[Brad Swanson]

   I agree with Ran and Michael.  A little time to reflect on Black Mesa has really elevated it in my opinion as far as its architectural merit.  As much as I liked the experience of playing at Paa-ko (and the great company in our 4some ), I must admit that I have forgotten some of the holes there already.  For me memorability and design quality typically go hand in hand, and I can remember every hole at Black Mesa as if I just finished a round there.
   As always, Ran, another sharp and accurate profile.


CHeers,
BRad Swanson

[Matt_Ward]

What thrills me about the "discovery" about Black Mesa is how others can NOW fully appreciate what design attributes the course is imbued with. New Mexico golf is in the early stages in being fully appreciated although Black Mesa is just one layout the potential for the state is clearly there.

Black Mesa gives you a wide assortment of holes and situations. And, best of all, the routing takes you on a full ride of enjoyment as you encounter one unique aspect followed by another.

The assessment of the course can only be fully acknowledged by those who actually take the time to go there and play it.

You will not be disappointed.

[A_Clay_Man]

Once again Ran lives up to his tag.
I was so looking forward to his waxing poetic about the course, and he didn't let me down. Ran's ability to not only see but also appreciate aspects of a golf course, that most either miss or can't quantify is a real positive and gives great insight into his gentlemanly character. Thanx Ran.

[T_MacWood]

The front nine looks more appealing than the back nine. The holes really appear to blend well with the site. And the land looks to be perfectly suited to golf--very interesting geographic formations without being over the top.

Some of the back nine looks a bit servere and stark. Some of the golf holes look completely foreign or alien.  The holes seems to work best when the natural dirt, rock and flora are brought across play (to break up the green ribbons of turf). Does this bunker style work with the site?

[Matt_Ward]

Tom:

You need to personally play the course because the back nine is where Black Mesa goes into overdrive. The front nine only sets the stage for a grand conclusion. In addition, I have previsously mentioned that four holes (#4 through #8) play in the same direction and the 9th hole is really the only hole I believe that appears to be forced from a design perspective.

I believe the bunker style works because it's so tied to factor in all the strategic implications you need to decide upon with each shot. When you play it you can make up your own mind.

[T_MacWood]

I'll take you word on their strategic effectiveness. But based on the pictures, the bunkering style doesn't appear to work well.

You have an extraordinary natural site, featuring the rough dusty rocky New Mexican landscape with all its distinctive native grass and plants and then you have these big lazy bunkers with their obvious man-made surrounds/faces.

There appears to be a disconnect.

I believe Wolf Creek went into overdrive too....is there a point when the topography or georgaphy becomes so severe and stark that golf holes can not possibly blend naturally to the site, totally alien to the land?

[Steve Lang]

 

Take another look ... native grasses literally non-existant.  If you get off the fairway, you have many rocks and sandy-dust piles & drainage routes and occasional sprigs of tough twiggy biota to deal with..

I had several escapades with the grass on the edges of the bunkers holding the ball up in the air, literally hiding in there.  A quick glance at the sand was not enough to find a ball..  The bunkers worked just fine for me, accenting the fairways and transitioning to the stark realities of "off course"

[T_MacWood]

Steve
You are no doubt right, I probably shouldn't have called the growth, native grass. But whatever you want to call it, there appears to be a disconnect.





How well do these bunkers match the native environment?

[Steve Lang]

Tom,

I think that original pre-development pic was in winter or the spring, sure wasn't very much green stuff off the fairwys the other week.

The older course pics do not show the edges of the traps as many of them they look today, with grass grown up.  Also, its probably the wind blown dust during the summer that has largely eliminated the "white" that the bright blue sky pictures show..  There was a sign in the johns to please keep the doors closed to keep out dust!

I acknowledge your point, but after playing out of the sideline dirt and rocks, I looked forward to finding the traps with bouncing balls, errant or not intended.  Also, after one left the elevated tees, the look of the traps was much more muted by the grassy edges.

You know, there is so much dust out there and the views are so expansive, and as others have commented on the blind shots, that many times the green fairways almost disappear and your fous is totally on the green and its immediate surrounds..

[A_Clay_Man]

I think Tom MacWood just blew away any theories about not be able to tell anything from a picture.
 Looking at all the pictures again, one clearly sees a major difference between sand color, shapes, style and locations from some of those bunkers on the front nine versus those on the back. While Baxter pays homage to the good doctor, perhaps saving some of that homage for a more perfect site, would've been better. Again, New Mexico is still fortunate to have a course worthy of such critical analysis.

[Michael Whitaker]

Tom - you have picked out pictures with the most dramatic color contrast to make your point. Like Steve said, the bunkers do not have the appearance that you see in those pictures... which look like color/contrast enhanced promotional photos to me.

Here is a photo that I took of the same hole showing how the bunkers are not so stark and fit into the overall design. Let's face it... outside of a true seaside links there is no such thing as a naturally occurring bunker anyway.



And here's the next hole, the 13th...

[A_Clay_Man]

Michael- While your defense is a good try, but even Ms. Sheryl has commented on the swoops in the bunkers and how maybe a more jagged edge would've fit this site ala the peaks to the right of center in your photo of #13.

I think what Tom MacW points out is a subtlety that would only help to have made BM a better more natural visual. I think we all agreed that the golf was exhillerating and the bunkers present are a big part of that. Hopefully we can all get something out of Mr. MacWoods keen eye but not if it's viewed as something other than a good observation.

[THuckaby2]

This is all fine and dandy, but of course all that really matters is those studs on #3 green, especially the one carrying the flagstick?  How did they avoid the hordes of female admirers to get the round in?

 

Great profile, Ran!  And I mean all the rest as well....

TH

ps - re the bunkers, give them time...

[Matt_Ward]

The last few comments just prove one thing -- nothing beats the personal experience. All of this conjecture about how a bunker "looks" from pictures is really a big waste of time because anyone who has played Black Mesa will know that the bunkers fit the property quite well and Baxter Spann has not created the mindless bunker version you often see in such desert locales as Vegas, Scottsdale and Palm Springs.

Firsthand experience is always ahead of secondhand speculation IMHO.

[Lou_Duran]

I just read the BM profile and my eyes are still misty from such a moving experience.  Ran, the writer/profiler, is even better than the golfer, and along with Baxter Spann's, I did not witness a better swing among the group.  The degree to which he picks up on detail and nuances is just amazing.  Just reading the profile makes me want to go play the course.  Perhaps it is the kind of place like St. Andrews where it takes some of us repeated play to appreciate what's there; a case where familiarity breeds respect.

[George Pazin]

Another great profile - wish I had read it before we went, I might have picked up a little more.

Michael -

The photo you posted is of #12, the one Tom M used is of #14.

Photos do tend to make things look less natural, though, than the real thing.