Michael Baity's detailed profile on Winged Foot West

[Ran Morrissett]

https://golfclubatlas.com/winged-foot-west/

Hard to believe that in a couple of weeks, the 2019 majors will have been played and we’ll begin to ponder the 2020 venues. Hence, Michael Baity's newest contribution is well-timed as he takes us on a tour of next year's U.S. Open host site, the recently restored West Course at Winged Foot.

Michael succinctly sums up WF's place in architecture when he writes 'Both courses at Winged Foot outperform the land that they are on as much as any in the world and for that reason they should be on the short list of required courses for architectural study.' Arguably, an architect's greatest achievement is to turn an unremarkable property into a household name. Hats off also to the architects at Pinehurst No.2 and The Sacred Nine but there aren’t many others that join Tillinghast in that realm.

Championship courses produce speeches by the victors. Most are forgettable but a few like Justin Leonard's at Royal Troon and Lee Janzen's at Olympic were noteworthy. I particularly recall Janzen speaking of the need to shape the ball both ways, a challenge which he accepted better than anyone else in the field that week. His revealing words provided great insight into a major championship's mental grind. While having to shape the ball both ways might be viewed as old fashioned in some circles, I celebrate designs that demand it. Harbour Town is one such example, and Michael makes it abundantly clear that WFW does as well. He explains why WFW isn't just an approach course - you have to get the ball into the fairway. His prose vividly describes the strategy on WFW's numerous doglegs and his photographs of the 17th fairway before and after Hanse Golf Design's work dramatize the concept. Next year, it won't be only the greens that take the fight to the players; it will be a profound need to find the banana-shaped fairways, even if that means eschewing the driver. WFW has a long history of punishing greedy tactics and 2020 will be no different; Hard to imagine a player imposing his will on that course and those greens for 72 holes!

If you haven't seen the WFW it in the past few years, prepare to be surprised by the magnitude of Hanse Golf Design's efforts. Though Michael writes with an eye toward the 2020 US Open and that WFW stands ready, his descriptions make it clear that the course is far more enjoyable to play today for members and their guests than just five years ago. Being championship caliber yet fun to play on a daily basis is a very neat trick to pull off from a design perspective. So few courses do it, and most of those feature a plethora of short grass but not Winged Foot. While the sides and backs of her treacherous greens are dominated by rough and sand, more approach options now exist since Jones won there. How? Michael highlights a crucial aspect of Gil's work: wider short grass areas before the putting surfaces.  For instance, the fronting bunkers at 4 and a front left pit at 14 are no more. Combine with some recaptured putting surfaces at the rear of greens like 8 and 15, and the players will face many more interesting hole locations - both front and back - than when Ogilvy won there.

We even learn the origins of holes like 'Sound View' and 'Shamrock' - it’s all great stuff. Thank you, Michael, for posting this sister profile to your three year old tour of Winged Foot East, also found under Architecture Timeline.

Add Winged Foot Golf Club to the list of Golden Age courses that have never been better.

Best,

[V. Kmetz]

As I person with scores of plays and 300 rounds on each course as a caddie from the tree-lined  80s, to the tee cleared 00s to the reno-storated now, this is a wonderfully apt and detailed profile worthy of the spirit of the site and our loving interest in GCA.  It's 100% center cut meat for afficiandos near and far. I'm actually jealous as I wished to do this, but thought it was to early to compile and offer...no matter; what is here is winning and better than I could submit.


Additions/Comment:


One superb feature of this piece (that Ran highlighted) is the recognition of the fairway shapes as they work with and enhance the contour of the property... At WF, with firm and fast conditions (I submit the fairways roll out at like 8.5 in some spots) and healthy rough to gather overwrought hits, the fairways no longer play "flat" in the sight or experience of the golfer...any bit of cant/pitch is gathered and utilized, both in how and where the balls rolls out... So a "flat" hole like #2, which indeed has the tiniest bit of pitch to the outside left of the bend, is made into a much more precise big hit than could be understood from watching it on TV or seeing it on Google Earth.


The historical perspective on #4's Biarritz green presents an interesting debate in two ways: #1. Isn't the green that has been there now for 75 odd years (Hanse's renostoration being very faithful to that iteration) pretty damn great and itself worthy of retention? #2. Isn't the contributing rationale for restoring the Biarritz, that "we now have the modern maintenance to maintain such features" part of the economic challenge for golf design today?...e.g.  that restoration courses or new design will have to have this expensive equipment and somewhat skilled use and that makes it that much economically harder for the undercard local designs to thrive?


Biarritz-notwithstanding, I am of mixed opinion about the overall treatment of #4...on the one hand, I think the hole has been made easier for USOp competitors, but somewhat harder for everyday players... I think the narrower opening, sand flashed bunkers in the pre-Hanse presentation made the hole a greater threat all the way back to the tee, where you know the fairway was ultra important to be able to control your approach...now, I feel as if top players will still bomb and gouge past the newly down-ranged fairway bunkers and not worry about hitting a 145 yard downhill, downwind wedge out of whatever rough, as it could very well trundle (on these fairways) all the way up to a birdie chance. At the same time, the downrange bunkers really threaten the everyday player from letting out the shaft, yet he DOES fear the 165-70 yard shot out of whatever rough, but I'll have to see more play on it to really say.


The switch of US Open card par of #5 and #9... hey anyone who knows me, knows my opinion of individual hole par , but what will be interesting to measure for the US Open is this:   In 2006, the stroke average for the 515 yard "par 5" 5th was 4.65 and it was the easiest hole (in relation to par) on the course... the par for the 514 yard "Par 4" 9th was 4.39, where it was the 5th hardest hole course....will anything about #5 being carded as a 4 lower  4.65 or prevent it from now being (at that number) the hardest hole on the course?. And won't #9...even with some 55 yards added,.. seem pretty certain to now be the easiest hole on the course in relation to par?


More to say on this thread as re-reads ensue...brilliant treatment about a brilliant course.


cheers  vk

[Thomas Dai]

Great profile. Very impressive. Thanks to all involved.
Interesting to view in the autumn photos how many leaves there are on the ground and the leaf dispersion pattern. And this after some tree removal has been undertaken.
I like the sound of the original 55-65 yd fairways and of course the consequential effect on the playing angles taking into consideration the severity of the green complexes and putting surfaces.
Be nice to see the bunkering within the fairway cut and less collars around the bunkers though.
Atb

[Tim_Weiman]

https://golfclubatlas.com/winged-foot-west/

Hard to believe that in a couple of weeks, the 2019 majors will have been played and we’ll begin to ponder the 2020 venues. Hence, Michael Baity's newest contribution is well-timed as he takes us on a tour of next year's U.S. Open host site, the recently restored West Course at Winged Foot.

Michael succinctly sums up WF's place in architecture when he writes 'Both courses at Winged Foot outperform the land that they are on as much as any in the world and for that reason they should be on the short list of required courses for architectural study.' Arguably, an architect's greatest achievement is to turn an unremarkable property into a household name. Hats off also to the architects at Pinehurst No.2 and The Sacred Nine but there aren’t many others that join Tillinghast in that realm.

Championship courses produce speeches by the victors. Most are forgettable but a few like Justin Leonard's at Royal Troon and Lee Janzen's at Olympic were noteworthy. I particularly recall Janzen speaking of the need to shape the ball both ways, a challenge which he accepted better than anyone else in the field that week. His revealing words provided great insight into a major championship's mental grind. While having to shape the ball both ways might be viewed as old fashioned in some circles, I celebrate designs that demand it. Harbour Town is one such example, and Michael makes it abundantly clear that WFW does as well. He explains why WFW isn't just an approach course - you have to get the ball into the fairway. His prose vividly describes the strategy on WFW's numerous doglegs and his photographs of the 17th fairway before and after Hanse Golf Design's work dramatize the concept. Next year, it won't be only the greens that take the fight to the players; it will be a profound need to find the banana-shaped fairways, even if that means eschewing the driver. WFW has a long history of punishing greedy tactics and 2020 will be no different; Hard to imagine a player imposing his will on that course and those greens for 72 holes!

If you haven't seen the WFW it in the past few years, prepare to be surprised by the magnitude of Hanse Golf Design's efforts. Though Michael writes with an eye toward the 2020 US Open and that WFW stands ready, his descriptions make it clear that the course is far more enjoyable to play today for members and their guests than just five years ago. Being championship caliber yet fun to play on a daily basis is a very neat trick to pull off from a design perspective. So few courses do it, and most of those feature a plethora of short grass but not Winged Foot. While the sides and backs of her treacherous greens are dominated by rough and sand, more approach options now exist since Jones won there. How? Michael highlights a crucial aspect of Gil's work: wider short grass areas before the putting surfaces.  For instance, the fronting bunkers at 4 and a front left pit at 14 are no more. Combine with some recaptured putting surfaces at the rear of greens like 8 and 15, and the players will face many more interesting hole locations - both front and back - than when Ogilvy won there.

We even learn the origins of holes like 'Sound View' and 'Shamrock' - it’s all great stuff. Thank you, Michael, for posting this sister profile to your three year old tour of Winged Foot East, also found under Architecture Timeline.

Add Winged Foot Golf Club to the list of Golden Age courses that have never been better.

Best,

Ran,


Great write up. I am a big fan of being required to work the ball. Perhaps that comes as a result of growing up with persimmon, blades and balata.


If Winged Food can demand this of modern players playing with modern equipment, then it is even more special than we always knew it to be.


I have to get to New York and have a look!

[Roland Waguespack]

Had the wonderful opportunity to play WFW late June.  Wonderful detailed essay about the course and especially the work of Gil Hanse (only wish it was posted a month ago).  I described the greens to a friend as looking diabolical but being wonderfully playable.  Let's see how the USGA ruins that with excessive green speeds!?

[Peter Flory]

What a great read!  I love the old photos mixed in.  That 3rd green was insane. 

[Eric LeFante]

This profile is so good I had to read it twice. Can’t wait for next year.

[mike_malone]

 “Outperforms the land” was the exact opposite feeling I had about the green complexes. More like “ don’t trust the land; build up artificial protection “.

[Michael Pelliccione]

Outstanding read!  Thanks Mike!!

[corey miller]

Clearly Winged Foot "outperforms the land". 


Winged Foot does have wonderful greens but I do have questions about the greatness (top 3 in world?) when Michael states the positive attributes (humps, ridges, spines, false fronts) but then adds that "keeping the ball below the hole is the first priority".


in and of itself, isn't the latter statement a disqualifier? How many greens on the course does one  have to be below the hole because they are sloped low-front to high-back?

[Tommy Williamsen]

To my eye many of the bunkers seem unattractive and shallower than I remember.

[Conley Hurst]

To my eye many of the bunkers seem unattractive and shallower than I remember.

I had the privilege of playing WFW for the second time last week. My first time was before the renovation. The new bunkers seemed deeper than the pre-renovation bunkers on several holes and more naturally situated into the green pads. The question of pure aesthetics is a subjective one, though.


I was most impressed by the work on the greens. Had my host kept silent on the matter, I would never have guessed that the greens had been entirely rebuilt. They felt exactly like the old greens, just bigger. As Michael has detailed, the green expansions have brought out just how brilliant the complexes are on holes 1, 8, 9, 15, and 18 just to name a few.


Yes, WFW "outperforms the land." But it also outperforms its identity of being a brutal, "championship" course. On paper, it should be a long slog. But I find it to be a surprisingly fun course to play, largely because of the interest around the greens coupled with the firm playing conditions.

[V. Kmetz]

I agree with TW...


I acknowledge that the Hanse reno-storation, with the companion tree removals, brings it smartly back to a first decade (1923-33) look, but I had grown to like the monumental style of bunkering that was in place...they were more threatening and fearsome, and more satisfying to conquer...most tellingly on 2, 6, 7, 13 and 16...


It is indeed a subjective aesthetic judgement, but the reno-stored bunkers are incongruously softer and sublime on a course of what were/are bold, audacious presentations...


cheers   vk