Putting greens in relation to club houses

[MClutterbuck]

In building a putting green, is it desirable to have it integrated close to the club house as a pre/post golf amenity?

Which are the nicest putting greens you can think of that work in synch with the club house?


Who has added the coolest features to a putting green?


For example, has anybody done a cool deck area, fire pit(s), bar food/drink and integrated putting green?


And the more golf architectural question, should the putting green have similar contours than the 18 greens on the course, or can it be more contoured?

[Ben Hollerbach]

I prefer the putting green to be close to the first tee, but ideally it is in close proximity to both the clubhouse and first tee.


My dream putting green would have fairly simple contours closest to the first tee and much more undulating contours nearer the clubhouse. The near first tee portion of the green would be designed for simple warm up, getting use to green speed. The near clubhouse section would be designed more for practice and enjoyment, a place for putting matches to take place.

[Rory Connaughton]

Stonewall has a putting green in the courtyard right off of the main bar/dining room. Great for apres dinner/drinks putting.


Lancaster moved its pool and installed a 16,000 sq. ft putting green built into the first tee and within feet of the pro shop with firepits and andirondacks. Bar is feet away


Baltimore's putting green is in a similar location with clusters of adirondacks and a bar within feet

[Tim Fitz]

I prefer the putting green to be close to the first tee, but ideally it is in close proximity to both the clubhouse and first tee.


My dream putting green would have fairly simple contours closest to the first tee and much more undulating contours nearer the clubhouse. The near first tee portion of the green would be designed for simple warm up, getting use to green speed. The near clubhouse section would be designed more for practice and enjoyment, a place for putting matches to take place.

I think you just described the set up Beverly is building!  The practice green near the first tee is fast, but not wild in terms of undulations.  Across 87th, just below the big patio, Beverly is building a large putting course with wild undulations.  As you noted, they serve different functions.  And at the putting course, a cocktail is only a loud request away!

[Jim Sherma]

I tend to practice a good bit and love the quick stop into the club to putt for 15-30 minutes when there is a gap in my day, I live very close to my club. Selfishly I prefer having a putting green and practice area close to the parking lot so I can quickly hop out and get some work done. I get that this does not lead to many of the clubby perks being discussed. My club has a lower lot right by the range and a putting green while it also has a putting green by the pro-shop and bar. It's a good set up for an in-town club where a decent amount of members live close by.

[Dan Boerger]

Nicest putting green in relation to the clubhouse?


Walton Heath gets my vote.

[John Foley]

Love how Chechessee's range / putting green lays off the clubhouse.


While I love a chair at the firepit, I get the feeling it gets a little overwhelmed with demand exceeding supply and can turn into a negative.

[Rick Lane]

Brooklawn’s putting green is basically an extension of the clubhouse porch/bar/dining room.   There are fire pits  and couches also there.  It is only a few steps from the first, fourteenth and seventeenth tees, which are actually all connected and heading in three different directions.   The 13th, 16th and 18th greens are also steps away.   It’s one of the coolest features of the place, and it’s all been there since 1916, when the clubhouse was built.

[Mike Hendren]

I like how Kilspindie’s 18th green on the 260 yards par four runs right up to the clubhouse.


Mike

[Carl Nichols]

Baltimore CC (Five Farms) has a pretty great one.  It's right behind the clubhouse, on the way to the first tee.  They put Adirondack chairs in the grass between the clubhouse and putting green (and under some beautiful trees), so you can sit in the chairs and look out over the putting green and the course.   It's an idyllic spot.[size=78%] [/size]

[Kalen Braley]

Never seen a better one than what they have at Pac Dunes.  Pretty ideal on every level.

[Carl Johnson]

My two cents. Our practice putting green used to be right next to the club house, but not very visible from inside the club house.  Then we built a outdoor covered patio between the club house and the putting green, converted the putting green to an "event lawn" (outside tables day in and day out).  The lawn overlooks 18 and the rest of the course.  The putting green has been moved to the opposite side of the club house, still close but even less visible from inside the club house, enlarged and much improved.  In our case the new arrangement is much nicer, in my opinion.  So it depends on lots of factors.  Different solutions for different places.

[Tim Gavrich]

The feng shui of clubhouse/putting green/first tee at Keney Park in Hartford, CT, is as good as I've seen in public golf. Bonus points for the clubhouse wall being in play when approaching 9 green, especially with a back hole location.

[MClutterbuck]

Interesting my question is for a course/club where Matt Dusenberry has worked and you respond with another Dusenberry location.


Thanks for the great photo showing this.

The feng shui of clubhouse/putting green/first tee at Keney Park in Hartford, CT, is as good as I've seen in public golf. Bonus points for the clubhouse wall being in play when approaching 9 green, especially with a back hole location.

[Thomas Dai]

Maybe need to consider shade from the Clubhouse falling across the putting green from both the hot and cold climate perspectives.
Atb

[Tim Gavrich]

Marcos--


Another Dusenberry-related project here. This is the setup at the Country Club of Farmington (CT) with the clubhouse, putting green, patio, 1st tee and 18th green. Matt is working on a long-term restoration plan at this course which, like Keney's front nine, was (mostly) designed by Devereux Emmet. Not quite as intimate as Keney, but Farmington is an interesting setup in that while the main clubhouse and patio back right up to the back edge of the first tee, the pro shop is actually in a separate, smaller building just across the path from the golfer's right of the tee. It's called the Little Red Clock Shop, and it dates to 1790.

[Tim Martin]

Marcos--


Another Dusenberry-related project here. This is the setup at the Country Club of Farmington (CT) with the clubhouse, putting green, patio, 1st tee and 18th green. Matt is working on a long-term restoration plan at this course which, like Keney's front nine, was (mostly) designed by Devereux Emmet. Not quite as intimate as Keney, but Farmington is an interesting setup in that while the main clubhouse and patio back right up to the back edge of the first tee, the pro shop is actually in a separate, smaller building just across the path from the golfer's right of the tee. It's called the Little Red Clock Shop, and it dates to 1790.

It’s interesting to note that the current practice green was the original 18th green back when the hole played as a par four as opposed to the current par three set up. When long time pro John Murphy was in charge of the Little Red Clock Shop before retiring it was the only pro shop I knew where you could get Waterford Crystal, an estate piece Rolex as well as a dozen Titleists.

[Ira Fishman]

Two favorites:


Ballyneal. Not only is it great fun, it sits as the center/anchor for the club with the Pro Shop, lodging, and restaurant half encircling it.


Swinley Forest. Just behind the 18th green and steps away from the outdoor patio.

[Rory Connaughton]

Oakmont seems optimal . Is there a better tie in to course and clubhouse?

[John Mayhugh]

Nicest putting green in relation to the clubhouse?


Walton Heath gets my vote.

This was my first thought as well. Here's a pic that Eric Smith posted some time ago. The clubhouse is to the left of the photo, pro shop on the other side of the green. The first tee to the Old is just steps away. There's a putting course set up that's a lot of fun.

The other one that came to mind right away is at Baltimore CC (also mentioned already).

wh putting green by john mayhugh, on Flickr

[Jordan Beasley]

I'm not a member, but the club down the road (Berkeley Country Club) has a unique putting green that is an "island" inside of the club's driveway, with the dual advantage of being just steps from the clubhouse/pro shop and the first tee.

As a side note I'd be curious if anyone has played this course. I snuck a scorecard and it credited both Robert Hunter and William "don't call me Willie" Watson.  From what can be seen from the neighborhood's sidewalks, it looks like a really cool place.

[Alan FitzGerald CGCS MG]

The location of the new one at Lancaster CC is excellent. Lookaway outside of Philly has one in the farm house courtyard, just like Stonewall.

[archie_struthers]

 


Need one close to first tee for efficiency sake ...if it's close to clubhouse also even better.


I always like to build another , even modest one by the practice facility /range

[Tommy Williamsen]

The first tee at Musgrove Mill is a couple hundred yards from the clubhouse. It has large putting green near the clubhouse and practice tee and a smaller one near the first tee. It works very well.


Four Streams has a putting green between the clubhouse and the first tee. It's perfect.

[Mike_Trenham]

The putting green at Merion GC’s East Course built by Bill Kittleman and Richie Valentine mimicked the shape and undulations of the east course’s property.  It was modified by Fazio but I think it was recovered with the most recent work by Gil.