Amazing Changes at Sleepy Hollow

[Dean Paolucci]

I had the distinct pleasure of viewing the stunning changes to the first batch of holes at SHCC.  I was amazed at how "in context" the renovations were and at the improvements (specifically to the green sites) to arguably one of my top three favorite courses.  The Club decided to undertake nine holes each year with the 2016 edition being holes 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14.  The second nine holes will commence in late August 2017.  The focus was on adding a dramatic CB Macdonald character to the greens and providing increased value on putting.  Also, a desired result was the addition of cupping locations to spread out wear and put a premium on shot placement. I will describe some of the changes below.

#4 - The green was expanded from roughly 6K to 9K sq. ft. and squared off.  Cupping increased and subtle internal contours were added.
#7 - The Redan approach was softened and the green surface was re-contoured to allow for expanded / fair cupping.
#8 - The teeing area was reconfigured but the most dramatic change was a new green which replaced the previous potato chip shape.  The green was moved back and elevated with a front left guarding bunker reminiscent of the Baltusrol Upper 4th green.
#9 - Another potato chip style was replaced by a new square green with a false front and vast cupping locations.  Internal contours will make this an interesting green to putt.
#10 - A graduated spline from 12 o'clock to 5 o'clock divides this green into two distinct areas and will cause shots to be moved away from the center to the edges.
#11 - The green has been elevated dramatically and re-graded to create a less severe back to front pitch.
#12 - The green surface has been re-shaped to give three distinct plateaus with different elevations and a front left compression.  Some pin placements will be diabolical.
#13 - The tee has been redone into a more eye pleasing shape and very thoughtful changes have been made to the green.  The false front has been extend out and the nose has been reshaped.  The mounding in the rear of the green which used to hold balls on the green has been lowered and softened to allow hot shots to roll through the putting surface to a very difficult area beyond the green to get up and down from.
#14 - The green has been replaced from its previous bicycle seat shape to a glorious expanded square green with two splines running from the back left to the front right.  It will make for some interesting Sunday pins.

I hope that pictures can be posted to bring these descriptions to life as I did not take any on this trip.  I can't wait to play the new holes and experience the improvements first hand.

[Dean Paolucci]

The 2007 posting.  http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/sleepy-hollow-country-club-ny-usa/

[Ronald Montesano]

Did they change the bunker sizes/placements around the green on #4?


And what are splines?

spline
splīn/
noun
1.a rectangular key fitting into grooves in the hub and shaft of a wheel, especially one formed integrally with the shaft that allows movement of the wheel on the shaft.
2[/size].

• [/size]a slat.

[Dean Paolucci]

Ron - Yes the bunkers are slightly deeper and have been expanded as well.  They run along the sides of the green.  Splines are raised linear mounds which start at a high point and taper to the green surface grade.  They are often tied into to the green surrounds but can be internal (1st green at The Knoll).  Additionally, the width at the high point is usually greater and tapers toward the low side.  I believe the definition you cite refers to the ridges in the hub of a wheel.  In the golf sense it refers to the ridges formed in this case the green but could be in other areas of the course.

[Ronald Montesano]

You're saying spline and not spine, right? I just want to be certain. I've been on GCA for over 10 years and I've yet to see the word spline make an appearance. It's always good to expand one's vocabulary.


EDITOR'S NOTE: Just did a quick search and spline appears ALL THE TIME. I guess I haven't paid attention.

[Dean Paolucci]

Ron - No problem and I applaud your integrity.  I too have been a member of the tree house for over 10 years and I commend you doing a background search to validate your premise. I have been quiet for some time because this kind of exchange could escalate for no reason.  Discussion misunderstanding exhaust my patience.  I hope all members would exercise the same level of thoughtful humility as you do.   It is a wonderful trait.

Also, I see your avatar is a Demon Deacon.  Are you located in the Northeast?

[Mark Saltzman]

I'm probably going to get this wrong, but weren't greens like 8, 9, 10 some of the Tillinghast designed greens at Sleepy Hollow? Is the course really better off having lost their unique spot in the architecture world of having a Tilly / CBM mix?

[Dean Paolucci]

Mark - You are correct about the Tilly greens but that is why the Green Committee deliberately changed them.  The Board made a decision a few years ago with the recommendation of the Committee to commit to a pure CB Macdonald layout and placed those changes into their Master Plan.  This most recent renovation is executing on that Plan and the next phase will complete the mission.

[Ronald Montesano]

They have the lower holes that are original CBM, but they must not be held in the same regard as the forest ones (the Tillinghast creations.) I remember that the biarritz is in the northern corner of the front holes. Sleepy Hollow is a unique entity, without doubt.


And for those who follow college golf, the son of the director of golf just completed his sophomore year at Wake Forest. His name is Cameron Young, and he has put together two impressive runs through match play at the last two US Amateur championships.

[jeffwarne]

I have mixed feelings about the CBMing of the Tillinghast holes at Sleepy.
I've yet to see the redo of a few years ago, having seen a horrifying renovation in the mid 90's just after I left working there.
I hear it's excellent(in addition to massive tree clearing) , but I wonder about redoing an ODG's holes in another ODG guy's "theme".


Kudos to them if they did indeed pull it off

[Dean Paolucci]

Jeff - I hope we will get some pictures soon but as I said in my posted, every change was in context to my eye.  I have played well over 100 rounds at Sleepy over the years and countless rounds at The National Golf Links of America.   They have used the CBM templates effectively at Sleepy but seeing is believing.

[Jon Cavalier]

The changes are, in a word, phenomenal. Sleepy Hollow has always been a personal favorite, but these revisions have taken it to a new level.


While I can certainly understand the reluctance that some would have about "getting rid of the Tillinghast," the fact is that since the prior Bahto/Hanse work, holes 8, 9 and 10 were among the weakest on the course and didn't fit all that well with the rest.


Here's a few aerials showing the new holes there. 8 has been made into a Road Hole, 9 into a knoll template, and 10 has had its green substantially remade.


8th hole - Road template



9th Hole - Knoll template



10th hole - new green



I'll post some new aerial and ground level shots in the coming days. Admittedly, I'm biased, but I can't say enough about how good these new holes are.

They have the lower holes that are original CBM, but they must not be held in the same regard as the forest ones (the Tillinghast creations.) I remember that the biarritz is in the northern corner of the front holes. Sleepy Hollow is a unique entity, without doubt.

Ron:


The original CBM holes on the lower 9-hole course are 6, 7 and 8. 7 is the Biarritz. While work was being done this past fall, the club had set the routing so that these three holes were re-incorporated back into the loop, so you'd play 1 through 7 on the main course, then 13 through 17 on main, then 6-8 lower, then 5 lower, and then 18 main. Really fun routing.


6th Hole lower - par-4






7th hole lower - Biarritz par-3






8th hole lower - par-4



5th Hole lower - punchbowl par-3

[Dean Paolucci]

Jon - Thank you for bringing to life these changes.  I hope you can add more when you can.

[MCirba]

Is there an architect guiding this effort?

[Dean Paolucci]

Hi Mike - To my knowledge it is still Gil Hanse.

[Ronald Montesano]

Jon, great drone shots.


Next Question: the cross bunker on #8 serves what purpose of the Road Hole template? I understand the Road Bunker greenside, but I'm at a loss to understand the cross bunker. Does it replace the Railroad Sheds of St. Andrews?


RM

[Jon Cavalier]

Mike:
Gil Hanse is doing the current restoration.


Ron:
The cross bunker on 8 is not new. I think they simply left it alone and made changes to the green to generally mimic the road hole concept.

[Al Jamieson]

Had the pleasure of playing SH two weeks ago with current club president who provided great insight. Very excited to see results of next phase beginning in August.

[MCirba]

Thanks, guys.  I always enjoyed the Tillinghast holes but also understand the desire for a unifying theme.

[Dean Paolucci]

Al - what was your experience putting the new greens on 10 and 14?  Any playability issues?

[Joe Bausch]

If you wish to compare some of Jon C's photos to these from August of 2014:

http://www.myphillygolf.com/uploads/bausch/SleepyHollow/index.html

[Dean Paolucci]

Hi Joe - Thank you for adding these images to the thread.  They add an updated perspective from the 2007 GCA review.  The 2007 posting.  http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/sleepy-hollow-country-club-ny-usa/

[Jon Cavalier]

I may do a side by side photo comparison of the Sleepy Hollow changes in the near future, but for now, those who wish to see the old holes can view my old photo tour of Sleepy Hollow, which I may also update, if they wish to do so at this link: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,60419.0.html


Here are current photos of the changes to holes 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 17 at Sleepy Hollow, taken on 5/31/17:


Hole 4 (and 14; green expanded and recontoured):



Hole 7 (reverse redan):














Hole 8 (new road hole template green):

















Hole 9 (new knoll template green):

















Hole 10 (new green with spine):

















Hole 11 (recontoured green):











Hole 12 (recontoured green):








Hole 14 (extensively recontoured and expanded green, spines added):











Hole 17 (recontoured and expanded green):











As I mentioned previously, and as you can tell from my prior photo tour, I have always been a very big fan of Sleepy Hollow, but with these most recent changes, I firmly believe that the golf course is one of the best in the country.





All images are ŠJon Cavalier 2017 and all rights are reserved. These images may not be copied, reposted, shared, altered or used in any way without permission.

[Dean Paolucci]

Jon - These brilliant photos bring to life what my words could not!  Thank you for sharing them and I agree these changes make Sleepy Hollow one of the elite courses anywhere.

[corey miller]

Thanks Jon for the photo tour.

I have been hesitant to comment on this thread because many of the types of changes that have been embarked upon I would not necessarily recommend to other clubs.  The reason I have been a strong proponent is my confidence and faith in the team that has been assembled. 

We had the advantages of working with Gil Hanse and George Bahto hooking up with them is a story in itself and we had decision makers within the club who were most interested in being educated and learning and turning it over to the "pros".  What was cool is as soon as these people became immersed in the process they became even stronger proponents of restoring a classic era look to the course. Bringing back macdonald.

In addition to Gil, there are more than a few people that I would gladly allow "free reign" to make necessary adjustments to a classic course.  The course will become better.....How much better is predicated on how much the club will stay out of the way, and accept, and in turn evangelize (thank you George Bahto ) for.  With the new greens project we have come very close to getting "everything in the ground"

Sleepy Hollow is now:

A better golf course
A more "fun" golf course
a more challenging and thoughtful course
a more beautiful property
a course that looks more classic (Macdonald)
a improved routing

Other than some stylistic issues that I would never comment on...I am hard pressed if there is anything i would change.

What the nine new greens/greensites have done has:

Put the Macdonald look back on the greensites
Put the Macdondald look back on the green surfaces (Some of the greens are Bahto sketches, #14 is an old aerial

The best original work on the property (I think this is a result of original member "meddling' on mulitple issues)  is the routing, both Macdonald and Tillinghast.  We have maintained that while eradicating the "less than average Tillinghast combined with in-house fixes and Jones family modern ideas" all incurred over the course of fifty years.

As always I leave it to others as to the relative merits of our course, but I do know that if a thoughtful (or less than thoughtful ) golfer puts Sleepy Hollow in any sort of favorite list it should no longer illicit any argument. 

In the end I am very confident we have done our jobs as stewards of the property.  And since he was a dear friend I will add that we are very near (nine greens to go in the fall) realizing the vision of George Bahto who I met in a Southampton Pub many years ago as he talked my ear off about what we (members) potentially had, and if the will existed to realize it. 

I am eternally grateful that I feel we are close and that  I was a very small part of the team.

I encourage everyone to play the course and form your own opinions.....