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Bill Shamleffer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Maridoe GC
« on: April 23, 2021, 08:33:21 AM »
Anyone familiar with this Steve Smyers design in Dallas, Tex.  I see it is hosting the USGA Women’s Four-Ball this week?
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Jeff_Brauer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Maridoe GC
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2021, 10:58:17 AM »
I was out there once at the end of construction, and may go walk around during the tourney just to see the architecture again.
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Steve_ Shaffer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Maridoe GC
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2021, 11:16:16 AM »
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Matt_Cohn

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Maridoe GC
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2021, 01:35:28 AM »
Hard.
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Paul Rudovsky

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Maridoe GC
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2021, 05:51:27 AM »
Hard may be the understatement of the last 100 years!  Played it about 3 weeks ago and it is simply brutal in every respect.  The course rating of 80.5 is appropriate.  Around the greens there is some stuff that may go past the "unfair" line, such a a few "eyebrow bunkers" that go partially around the green (maybe say 30 of 360 degrees) and are only about 3 yards wide...easy for balls to come to rest toward back of this 2 yards space resulting in back lip affecting backing and downswing of bunker shot...to a green sloping away from the player.  Otherwise, piece of cake.


Also, about 3 holes that have dry wash beds or lakes in what I think are inappropriate spots.  On par 5 #2 (611 yards from tips) the dry wash bed was about 350 yds from tips...but last 100 yards of it is downhill and course was very firm/fast.  As a result a long player cannot hot a driver therefore probably must play 3 wood off tee or less and cannot play to reach this one in 2...which I am not sure makes a lot of sense on a 611 yard par 5.  And on #10, small lake leaves a forced carry of up to 140 yards to green unless player really flirts w danger off tee.


Had a tough winter because of the terrible cold wave in February but am sure will come back fine and very playable three weeks ago (lost of still dormant bermuda).  Women there for 4-ball this week.


IMHO opinion Trinity Forest far superior...much more playable for most golfers.  This one is simply brutal...which I guess is great for those looking for as tough a track as possible, but very limited appeal IMO.  What is does do, it does fairly well.
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Phil Burr

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Maridoe GC
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2021, 11:54:16 AM »
I remember looking at Maridoe a few years on Google Earth and other sources and I came up with the same takeaway as Matt: hard.  Also, like many Metroplex courses, just harsh to look at.


My bigger question in response to this thread is about the work of Steve Smyers.  Is hard a common theme?  Wasn't sheer difficulty at least part of the reason Wolf Creek shut down (so hard they couldn't keep members)?  The only Smyers course I've played is Southern Dunes in Haines City FL, which most would deem hard simply because of the sheer number of bunkers.  On the other hand, Four Streams seems to get quite a bit of affection on this site.  The Smyers course that most intrigues me is Old Memorial, because it looks like he's created something memorable out of a forgettable Tampa site.  I also get the sense that Old Memorial is to Smyers what PH2 was to Ross: the course he goes back to over and over to tweak/refine.
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Mike_Young

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Maridoe GC
« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2021, 08:11:43 PM »
Have played it a few times over the last 18 months...an extreme golf course..and once was the windiest and coldest have ever been on a golf course...I like Smyers courses...tough but good...
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"just standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona"

Pete_Pittock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Maridoe GC
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2021, 08:50:54 PM »
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mike_beene

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Maridoe GC
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2021, 11:13:31 PM »
This is Albert’s course and it serves its purpose, is generous with its resources, and I have friends who love the place and people. However, the prior version was the best example of Ralph Plummer. I can’t think of a more fun course anywhere that really sits on the land. Having lost 15 mph of club head speed I can’t play imagine surviving.I played it a few times with the new greens outlined
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Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re: Maridoe GC
« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2021, 12:02:31 AM »
Quote from: Phil Burr on April 24, 2021, 11:54:16 AM
I remember looking at Maridoe a few years on Google Earth and other sources and I came up with the same takeaway as Matt: hard.  Also, like many Metroplex courses, just harsh to look at.


My bigger question in response to this thread is about the work of Steve Smyers.  Is hard a common theme?  Wasn't sheer difficulty at least part of the reason Wolf Creek shut down (so hard they couldn't keep members)?  The only Smyers course I've played is Southern Dunes in Haines City FL, which most would deem hard simply because of the sheer number of bunkers.  On the other hand, Four Streams seems to get quite a bit of affection on this site.  The Smyers course that most intrigues me is Old Memorial, because it looks like he's created something memorable out of a forgettable Tampa site.  I also get the sense that Old Memorial is to Smyers what PH2 was to Ross: the course he goes back to over and over to tweak/refine.


Steve is a ridiculously good player and that is reflected in a lot of his courses.  I do not know if he relates to someone like me having fun out there.
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