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Jason Topp

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Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« on: March 23, 2010, 11:32:50 AM »
I am interested in this description of Palatka Municipal Golf Course from the report on the winter Donald Ross Society trip:

"Tuesday January 26
The Palatka Municipal Golf Course is a fabulous layout bordering the
beautiful Ravine State Gardens. Although only 5942 yards long from the tips,
it annually hosts the Florida Azalea Amateur and certainly wasn’t a
pushover. Whether or not it is truly a Ross design is problematic, and not just
because the plans that Head Professional, Spanky Aaron produced list W.D.
Clark as the "Designer" in February, 1925.

Nevertheless, this wonderful layout has suffered over the years as Municipal
management has steadily lost money in its operation. While we were in town,
however, a remarkable series of events has resulted in Bobby Weed Golf
being awarded a contract to manage the property. His plans to restore the
greens to original contours and improve the agronomy of its fairways could
make this into one of the country’s best Classic Munis."

The full report is here http://www.donaldross.org/Default.aspx?pageId=549996

William D. Clark designed my course and was the original head professional.  I would be interested if in fact he did this one.  Anyone know anything about the course or its history?

Steve_ Shaffer

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Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2010, 11:42:25 AM »
"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

TEPaul

Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2010, 12:58:58 PM »
Palatka!?


My God, just the mention of the name brings back memories from old Florida traveling around down there in the early 1950s with my father to golf courses. I always thought the name Palatka was just so odd but it never topped my favorite of some of the places we used to go like Howie-in-the-Hills, Florida. Or how about the Tamiami Trail? Is that still there? He used to tell me if we broke down out there on that lonely stretch of road we would get eaten by alligators or Indians!

John_Conley

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Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2010, 12:16:59 AM »
Palatka!?


My God, just the mention of the name brings back memories from old Florida traveling around down there in the early 1950s with my father to golf courses. I always thought the name Palatka was just so odd but it never topped my favorite of some of the places we used to go like Howie-in-the-Hills, Florida. Or how about the Tamiami Trail? Is that still there? He used to tell me if we broke down out there on that lonely stretch of road we would get eaten by alligators or Indians!

Mission Inn is in Howey, and they added a second 18 almost 20 years ago. 

Yes, the Tamiami Trail is the main road that runs through Fort Myers and Naples.

As far as the course in Palatka, I have yet to play it.  They have a good event annually.  "Florida Azalea" or something. 

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2020, 12:03:35 AM »
Bump
 played this gem today.
Wow!
Head to head by holes I've got it even (5-5-9)with Aiken GC...but it has much better driving variety and better hole length variety
AGC has the edge on par 3s(both have 5)
Palatka on par 5s((even though I like all of AGCs par 5s)
And Palatka on par 4s(some great short par 4s at Aiken GC but maybe one too many)
Same yardage but Palatka feels bigger like you use driver  as a weapon if you can shape it-with Aiken using far more yardage on their par 3s.
Definitely much more of an advantage to working the ball at Palatka but Aiken has  a couple where it is suggested.
Highly recommended.


I even put it up against the mighty Palmetto but Palmetto crushed it 9-5-4 even though overall I think it's far closer than that.


Very impressed on an impromptu no tee time round trip drive to Orlando from Augusta that also  included Great Dunes on Jekyl and Ocala Golf club.Highest green fee was $25.


A very old school muni bar/restaurant right up my alley (newspaper clippings laminated into the bar)but I am also a big fan of Aiken gcs as well which has older school charm rather than neglected  retro:)
« Last Edit: January 25, 2020, 05:52:40 PM by jeffwarne »
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

MCirba

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Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2020, 08:12:23 AM »
Sounds great, Jeff.  I'm going to make a point to get there. 

Seems conclusive architect was W.D. Clark.  Anyone know on what basis they claim to be a Ross?
« Last Edit: January 25, 2020, 08:15:52 AM by MCirba »
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

Tim Martin

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Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2020, 08:56:38 AM »
I’m going to try to play in March. How far off of I95?

Derek_Duncan

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Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2020, 10:29:34 AM »
I’m going to try to play in March. How far off of I95?


Tim,


About half an hour. An easy drive.




Jeff,


I love Palatka but I'm surprised you put it up in the same category as Aiken. It does have some wonderful holes (the par-3 3rd is incredible), and the entire second nine is all-star material. It's come a long, long way presentation-wise in the last 15 years. It does play much longer than its alleged 5800 yards. I think they've mis-measured the course.  :)
www.feedtheball.com -- a podcast about golf architecture and design
@feedtheball

Scott Senior

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Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2020, 11:16:48 AM »
Interesting, Palatka's website 2nd paragraph still has Donald Ross as the designer in 1925.
Either way, if has found it's way on my must play list!! Hoping to put it on my personal list of "Hidden Gems".

Jim_Kennedy

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Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2020, 12:26:12 PM »
The Tufts archive has a scorecard from the course, wonder if it has Ross' name on it?
"I never beat a well man in my life" - Harry Vardon

JBovay

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Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2020, 11:08:43 AM »
Seems conclusive architect was W.D. Clark.  Anyone know on what basis they claim to be a Ross?


I've always assumed it was a product of the course's vintage and proximity to Ross courses like Keystone Heights and (NLE) Ponce de Leon in St. Augustine.


If Jeff praises it so much, Bobby Weed's changes must have been brilliant. I would say the old version was a 3/10.

MCirba

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Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2020, 11:44:56 AM »
Ahhh...the Donald Ross was alive and working within 100 miles defense.  ;)
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

https://cobbscreek.org/

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #12 on: January 26, 2020, 12:16:02 PM »
Ahhh...the Donald Ross was alive and working within 100 miles defense.  ;)


Perhaps he just stopped by for lunch
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Rees Milikin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #13 on: January 26, 2020, 08:13:38 PM »
Thanks for the bump Jeff and wish I could have met up for a round. This is one of my favorite places to play in FL and is the Aiken GC of Florida.  However, I enjoy Aiken GC more and think Aiken is far more interesting.


What’s your favorite 3 hole stretch at Palatka? I always look forward to 13-15 the most.

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #14 on: January 26, 2020, 10:35:56 PM »
Thanks for the bump Jeff and wish I could have met up for a round. This is one of my favorite places to play in FL and is the Aiken GC of Florida.  However, I enjoy Aiken GC more and think Aiken is far more interesting.


What’s your favorite 3 hole stretch at Palatka? I always look forward to 13-15 the most.


Rees,
yes it was spur of the moment on a trip that included impromptu trips to Great Dunes on Jekyl, Ocala GC en route to the PGA Show and Palatka on the way back.
Much better than flying as I was travelling from Augusta.


I've thought about the comments from others re:Aiken as well.


here it is hole by hole(of course not the most objective way to evaluate as a course's good-great holes can get squashed by another's great, or worse yet waste a great hole to beat a dud.)

1. Tee shot at Palatka is a bite off what you can 322 yard dogleg protected by huge live oaks which turns uphill at the landing area to the green. The green itself is crowned with great interest making even the wedge approach dicey
At Aiken, you have a similar length hole with  another green of even greater interest-an undulating double green shared with 17.
The drive however has zero interest other than club choice for drive length and the I-95 cartpath down the left is a blight.
Palatka one up in a close one, mainly because I really liked #1 at Palatka.

2.Palatka #2 is a straightish hole 370 with another well tilted green, this one tilted enough to encourage an approach from the left, as well as a faded second. (the poster child for what I constantly moan about with increased green speed and reduced gradual tilt(as opposed to tiers-ick) on modern courses
However, #2 at AGC is one of my favorite drives AND approaches on the course as the back tee requires a draw/and or a fade to allow a good look at the green tucked into a corner that feels like something out of Swinley Forest.  1-1

3. Palatka's #3 is a strong 180ish par 3 with an interesting green, but Aiken GC's 3rd is a strong par 4 over a meandering creek once again feeling English heathy to me.  push  1-1-1
4.Palatka's 4th features a long walk back, but for once, it's worth it. An uphill drive to a hogback fairway that plays far narrower than it appears, with OB being tighter right than it appears due to tilt of fairway. A long second shot to another slightly elevated domed green makes wedge play dicey and or creative
Aiken's 4th is an excellent uphill(which I really like)well bunkered par 3. but Palatka's interest thorughout the hole carries the day
2-1-1

5.Palatka's 5th features an all world seemingly dog leg tee shot to a left to right sloped fairway that while it appears to invite a fade, I would need another play to take it on as I played conservatively up the left side just missing the big kick right a straighter(more aggressive) drive would've gotten. The second shot is then a fade as a bunker about 40 yards short covers the middle to left side of the fairway encouraging the shot around it for a mere mortal using the ground. The hole is a 455 par "5" but par means nothing to me as it is an interesting and engaging tee and second shot played with a long iron for one who did not challenge the tee shot.
Aiken's 5th is a good dogleg left to a long narrow green-the third hole in a row where a very good hole lost to a great hole. Palatka now leading 3-1-1

6.Palatka's 6th is a shorter 145-150 yard par 3 to another tilted green with a runoff left, encouraging one to challenge the right bunker that fronts half the green but seems like more due to tilt of green.
Aiken's is a short 340 yard slight dogleg and is a decent hole to a flattish green, but one of so many similar length at Aiken GC(that at some point wear on me at AGC).
- win for Palatka based on strength of par 3 and many par 4's like this at AGC  4-1-1

7.Palatka's 7th is relatively straight attractive hole with the "aqua range" on the left relatively out of play and out of sight from the tee due to gravity of the slope up to it reducing the chances of reaching it. Pretty straightforward short iron approach to well contoured green with a pronounced higher side on the right front.(I took 4 shots to get it in from 5 yards left of the green after a perfect drive and poor iron shot)
Aiken's 7th is another short par 4 with houses left and right to another flatish green
a battle of a pretty good hole against a mediocre hole at AGC which followed another mediocre hole of similar length to the previous two at AGC. Palatka  5-1-1
 
8.Palatka's is a slight dogleg right against a slightly reverse cambered fairway with the aqua range on the left close enough to strike fear. Slightly elevated green with a short iton to wedge apprach, depending upon aggressiveness of drive
 Aiken Gc' s 8th is a terriffic down hill drive to areally cool green protected by sleeper bunkers-though the 4 the driver wedge hole in a row,this one belongs to Aiken..   5-2-1

9. Palatka's 9th is decent hole with a live oak right to get a right to left player's attention on the tee shot start line. A good drive leaves to another short iron approach.
Aiken's 9th is an all world uphill par 3 that can play as long as they want it too 180-200-cool elevated green.  AGC wins   
5-3-1    Palatka leads at the turn.


10. 10 at Palatka requires,for one playing the back tees, a sharp dogleg left that requires an aggressively well shaped right to left tee shot for a look at the green in two. Otherwise, less than driver is the play. I like quirk, and I like occasionally needing to ACTUALLY curve the ball.


Aiken's 10th is a really good hole with a downhill tee shot and a green tucked away behind tall pines when the pin is right.
Layup has to be left unless challenging green with shaped second.
Controversial push due to quirk and shotmaking in this case matching a really good big hole on a small scale course.  Push   5-3-2


11.Palatka's 11th appears to dog leg left as the live oaks get your attention and create the appearance of a dogleg left off the tee, but the hole turns right on the second shot. Palatka's weakness seems to be an overly steady diet of short irons(not wedges) after a well placed or worked tee shot, but Aiken GC has so many wedges after drives that weren't really all that demanding or creative in some cases.
Aiken has a strong long par 3 to an interesting green.  Push 5-3-3


12. Palatka's weakest par 3, and ordinary 165ish yard par 3
Aiken's  par 4 12th is a pretty cool drive from what is a mix of more English Heathland and a Taco Bell lingering(not visible but you know it's there) just over the fence and a short iron/wedge to an elevated green    not close-Aiken wins   5-4-3


13.Palatka's is a truly short par 4 299 up and over and a slight fade can reach the green as the tee shot is downhill the last 150 yards and the green is open in front. I really liked this hole, especially in the context of it beig Palatka's first short par since #1. I'm a big fan of the occasional short par 4 where sheer execution is the skill required and rewarded, not some over thought risk reward/penal greensite where layup is usually the best option. :(
AGC's 13th is a downhill tee shot to an uphill green which is full of interest-simlar in many ways to 5 at Palatka in that it is short but requires a good drive and a good long-mid iron. Something very different for Aiken GC other than on a par 3's
a tough call as I love both holes. Push     5-4-4


14.Palatka's first or second best par 3,an uphiller mid-long iron to a classic elevated green.
AGC's is a cool short par 4 to an interesting green, but by now the abundance of AGC's short par 4's have worn on me collectively so I'm probably being unfair as it is a good hole.  Push   5-4-5


15. Palatka's relatively tightish drive gives way to an ordinary looking green which is fact sloped mightily against the player, leaving one to wonder why he had 115 in and is now putting from the back fringe...Shades of 15 at Palmetto but more of a wolf in sheep's clothing
AGC counters with ANOTHER short par 4, but this one is all world.
Tough one, and upon reflection I'm leaning towards 15 at AGC and I originally called it a push but now      I'm going AGC  5-5-5


16. Palatka's is a decent mid length par 3 to a well bunkered and contoured green, but there already was one of these length and a live oak encroaches on a fader who doesn't have to height to launch it over (from all tees)     
Aiken GC has a wonderful drop par 3 that brings us back to Royal Ashdown Forest-great hole     5-6-5  Aiken now leads for the first time, despite Palatka's solid back nine.


17. Both Palatka and AGC feature slight dogleg right tee shots and elevated greens. AGC's green has more interest but Palatka's tee shot is slightly more compelling, and the green has good interest of its own. Another hole that originally I had as a push but now I am leaning slightly more towards AGC as 17 is a cool hole sharing the wild green with #1. 

Push  5-6-6

18. Palatka's 18th tee box is pushed way back into 17 fairway and is played uphill from below and over the white tee-which is fine by me but they have planted a stupid young pine on the left by the white tee creating a narrow chute  (presumably for safety)
Nonetheless, it is a fine piece of ground, an up and over dogleg right tee shot where the further right you go along the right treeline, the shorter the hole gets, which you need on a 461 yard par 4 finisher.  Absent the skinny chute tree on the left(which needs to go), it is a fine hole with TONS of room on the left for the safer the shot leading to a poorer angled longer second shot.

18 at AGC is another good par 3 in a really good set of 5, but 18 at Palatka challenges the player to demonstrate power and shotmaking for a shot at glory.   Palatka wins hole 6-6-6


While I think in a couple cases Aiken actually might win a hole or two I had as a push, I do penalize it for sooo many driver wedge holes-each a good hole, but collectively too much repetition for me. Palatka does a bit of this with short irons, but at least the drives on those holes have far more interest to me, and the angle and short iron are well earned.
Like both courses a lot, Aiken seems smaller to me.I think it used a lot of its yardage on its longer par 3's.
Palatka was 6041 on the scorecard.

Palatka could use another real short par 4 and 1 more longer 400 plus par 4 rather than a couple too many doses of 380.
Aiken could use 2-3 less short par 4's-wedge to nearly all, and often not a PW but rather a SW(and I love drive and pitch par 4's.
Having Par 3 as the only iron tests using tees are not the same as striking non wedges from interesting fairway terrain.

« Last Edit: January 27, 2020, 11:50:47 PM by jeffwarne »
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Craig Moore

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #15 on: January 27, 2020, 10:46:45 AM »
Thanks for the bump Jeff and wish I could have met up for a round. This is one of my favorite places to play in FL and is the Aiken GC of Florida.  However, I enjoy Aiken GC more and think Aiken is far more interesting.


What’s your favorite 3 hole stretch at Palatka? I always look forward to 13-15 the most.


Rees,
yes it was spur of the moment on a trip that included impromptu trips to Great Dunes on Jekyl, Ocala GC en route to the PGA Show and Palatka on the way back.
Much better than flying as I was travelling from Augusta.


I've thought about the comments from others re:Aiken as well.


here it is hole by hole(of course not the most objective way to evaluate as a course's good-great holes can get squashed by another's great, or worse yet waste a great hole to beat a dud.)

1. Tee shot at Palatka is a bite off what you can 322 yard dogleg protected by huge live oaks which turns uphill at the landing area to the green. The green itself is crowned with great interest making even the wedge approach dicey
At Aiken, you have a similar length hole with  another green of even greater interest-an undulating double green shared with 17.
The drive however has zero interest other than club choice for drive length and the I-95 cartpath down the left is a blight.
Palatka one up in a close one, mainly because I really liked #1 at Palatka.
2.Palatka #2 is a straightish hole 370 with another well tilted green, this one tilted enough to encourage an approch from the left, as well as a faded second. (the poster child for what I constantly moan about with incresed speed and reduced gradual tilt(as opposed to tiers-ick) on modern courses
However, #2 at AGC is one of my favorite drives AND approaches on the course as the back tee requires a draw/and or a fade to allow a good look at the green tucked into a corner that feels like something out of Swinley Forest.  1-1
3. Palatka's #3 is a strong 180ish par 3 with an interesting green, but Aiken GC's 3rd is a strong par 4 over a meandering creek once again feeling English heathy to me.  push  1-1-1
4.Palatka's 4th features a long walk back, but for once, it's worth it. An uphill drive to a hogback fairway that plays far narrower than it appears, with OB being tighter right than it appears due to tilt of fairway. A long second shot to another slightly elevated domed green makes wedge play dicey and or creative
Aiken's 4th is an excellent uphill(which I really like)well bunkered par 3. but Palatka's interest thorughout the hole carries the day
2-1-1
5.Palatka's 5th features an all world seemingly dog leg tee shot to a left to right fairway that while it appears to invite a fade, I would need another play to take it on as I played conservatively up the left side just missing the big kick right a straighter drive would've gotten. The second shot is then a fade as a bunker about 40 yards short covers the middle to left side of the fairway encouraging the shot around it for a mere mortal using the ground. The hole is a 455 par "5" but par means nothing to me as it is an interesting and engaging tee and second shot played with a long iron for one who did not challenge the tee shot.
Aiken's 5th is a good dogleg left to a long narrow green-the third hole in a row where a very good hole lost to a great hole. Palatka now leading 3-1-1
6.Palatka's 6th is a shorter 145-150 yard par 3 to another tilted green witha runoff left, encouraging one to challenge the right bunker.
Aiken's is a short 340 yard slight dogleg and is a decent hole to a flattish green, but one of so many similar length at Aiken GC(that at some point wear on me at AGC).
Push  3-1-2
7.Palatka's 7th is relatively straight attractive hole with the "aqua range" on the left relatively out of play and out of sight from the tee due to gravity of the slope up to it reducing the chances of reaching it. Pretty straightforward short iron approach to well contoured green with a pronounced higher side on the right front.
Aiken's 7th is another short par 4 with houses left and right to another flatish green
a battle of a pretty good hole (which I doubled after a perfect drive) against a mediocre hole which followed another mediocre hole of similar length to the previous 2. Palatka  4-1-2
8.Palatka's is a slight dogleg right against a slightly reverse cambered fairway with the aqua range on the left close enough to strike fear. Slightly elevated green with a short iton to wedge apprach, depending upon aggressiveness of drive
 Aiken Gc' s 8th is a terriffic down hill drive to areally cool green protected by sleeper bunkers-though the 4 the driver wedge hole in a row,this one belongs to Aiken..   4-2-2
9. Palatka's 9th is decent hole with a live oak right to get a right to left player's attention. A good drive leaves to another short iron approach.
Aiken's 9th is an all world uphill par 3 that can play as long as they want it too 180-200-cool elevated green.  AGC wins   
4-3-2    Palatka leads at the turn.


10. 10 at Palatka requires,for one playing the back tees, a sharp dogleg left that requires an aggressively well shaped right to left tee shot for a look at the green in two. Otherwise, less than driver is the play. I like quirk, and I like occasionally needing to ACTUALLY curve the ball.


Aiken's 10th is a really good hole with a downhill tee shot and a green tucked away behind tall pines when the pin is right.
Layup has to be left unless challenging green with shaped second.
Controversial push due to quirk and shotmaking in this case matching a really good big hole on a small scale course.  4-3-3


11.Palatka's 11th appears to dog leg left as the live oaks get your attention and create the appearance of a dogleg left off the tee, but the hole turns right on the second shot. Palatka's weakness seems to be an overly steady diet of short irons(not wedges) after a well placed or worked tee shot, but Aiken GC has so many wedges after drives that weren't really all that demanding or creative in some cases.
Aiken has a strong long par 3 to an interesting green.  Push 4-3-4
12. Palatka's weakest par 3, and ordinary 165ish yard par 3
Aiken's  par 4 12th is a pretty cool drive from what is a mix of more English Heathland and a Taco Bell lingering just over the fence and a short iron/wedge to an elevated green    not close-Aiken wins   4-4-4
13.Palatka's is a truly short par 4 299 up and over and a slight fade can reach the green as the tee shot is downhill the last 150 yards. I really liked this hole, especially in the context of it beig Palatka's first short par since #1
AGC's 13th is a downhill tee shot to an uphill green which is full of interest-simlar in many ways to 5 at Palatka in that it is short but requires a good drive and a good long-mid iron. Something very different for Aiken GC other than on a par 3's
a tough call as I love both holes. Push     4-4-5
14.Palatka's first or second best par 3,an uphiller mid-long iron to a classic elevated green.
AGC's is a cool short par 4 to an interesting green, but by now the abundance of AGC's short par 4's have worn on me collectively so I'm probably being unfair as it is a good hole.  Push   4-4-6
15. Palatka's relatively tightish drive gives way to an ordinary looking green which is fact sloped mightily against the player, leaving one to wonder why he had 115 in and is now putting from the back fringe...Shades of 15 at Palmetto but more of a wolf in sheep's clothing
AGC counters with ANOTHER short par 4, but this one is all world.
Tough one, and upon reflection I'm leaning towards 15 at AGC but I originally called it a push so for now      4-4-7
16. Palatka's is a decent mid length par 3 to a well bunkered and contoured green, but there already was one of these length and a live oak encroaches on a fader who doesn't have to height to launch it over (from all tees)     
Aiken GC has a wonderful drop par 3 that brings us back to Royal Ashdown Forest-great hole     4-5-7  Aiken now leads
17. Both Palatka and AGC feature slight dogleg right tee shots and elevated greens. AGC's green has more interest but Palatka's tee shot is slightly more compelling. Another hole that originally I had as a push but am leaning more towards AGC as 17 is a cool hole sharing the wild green with #1.   Push  4-5-8
18. Palatka's 18th tee box is pushed way back into 17 fairway and is played uphill from below and over the white tee-which is fine by me but they have planted a stupid young pine on the left by the white tee creating a narrow chute  (presumably for safety)
Nonetheless, it is a fine piece of ground, an up and over dogleg right tee shot where the further right you go along the right treeline, the shorter the hole gets, which you need on a 461 yard par 4 finisher.  Abent the skinny chute tree on the left(which needs to go), it is a fine hole with TONS of room on the left for the safer the shot leading to a poorer angled longer second shot.
18 at AGC is another good par 3 in a really good set of 5, but 18 at Palatka challenges the player to demonstrate power and shotmaking for a shot at glory.   Palatka wins hole 5-5-8


While I think in a couple cases Aiken actually wins a hole or two I had as a push, I do penalize it for sooo many driver wedge holes-each a good hole, but collectively too much repetition for me. Palatka does a bit of this with short irons, but at least the drives have more interest to me.
Like both courses a lot, Aiken seems smaller to me.I think it used a lot of its yardage on its longer par 3's.
Palatka was 6041 on the scorecard.

Palatka could use another real short par 4 and 1 more longer 400 plus par 4's rather than a does of 380.
Aiken could use 2-3 less short par 4's. Par 3 as the only iron tests using tees are not the same as striking non wedges from interesting fairway terrain.


Jeff,


This has turned into one of the best threads on GCA.  Great to see a hole by hole comparison on courses I haven't played. You made it feel like I was playing the holes.  These are the courses that I seek out in my free time. 

Rick Shefchik

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #16 on: January 30, 2020, 03:34:12 PM »

More evidence for Clark:

Clark's Florida courses - 1927 Tampa Tribune by Rick Shefchik, on Flickr
"Golf is 20 percent mechanics and technique. The other 80 percent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship, camaraderie, cussedness and conversation." - Grantland Rice

MCirba

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Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #17 on: January 30, 2020, 08:36:44 PM »
Not to pile on but doesn't Daytona also claim to be a Ross? 


I may be misinformed...
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" - Calvin Coolidge

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Sven Nilsen

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Re: Palatka Municipal Golf Course
« Reply #18 on: January 30, 2020, 10:06:59 PM »
Not to pile on but doesn't Daytona also claim to be a Ross? 


I may be misinformed...


Daytona G&CC (South) is a Ross.


There were a few other courses in Daytona built in the 1920's where Clark may have been involved.
"As much as we have learned about the history of golf architecture in the last ten plus years, I'm convinced we have only scratched the surface."  A GCA Poster

"There's the golf hole; play it any way you please." Donald Ross