7 exceptional acres of architecture

[Ted Sturges]

First, I must admit I am not certain the property I write about below is 7 acres.  I grew up on a 6 acre tract of land, and the property described below seems just a little bigger, hence the title of my post.


I was fortunate enough to be hosted at Garden City Golf Club last August.  The course had been on my "wish list" for quite some time.  I had high expectations going into my visit, and they were exceeded.


The 7'ish acres I describe is the property near the clubhouse, upon which holes 1, 2 and 18 are expertly laid upon the land.  All 3 holes are within view of the stately clubhouse, and the ever inviting back patio.  I don't know the history of this club other than I know that the original course was designed by Devereux Emmet, and the course was later updated by Walter Travis, who was an early member at Garden City.  I'd be curious if holes 1, 2, and 18 are attributed to Emmet or Travis.  But...my God...who could imagine 3 better golf holes on 7 acres of land!  If there is a finer example of designing 3(!) outstanding golf holes on a similar small parcel of ground, I'd love to hear nominations from others here.  A sporty 290 yard par 4 opener, followed by the terrifying short one-shot second, and the uber-fun closing hole, played toward the back patio of the clubhouse (usually occupied by spectators).  7 small acres...3 fantastic golf holes. 


TS

[John Kavanaugh]

Thanks. I miss such stuff.

[Buck Wolter]

The description reminds me of The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis which has the start/finish right by the clubhouse. Such a great start/finish but a little intimidating with so much going on.


Looks like a little over 8 acres for 1, 18 and the putting green hard against the first tee.


https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Minikahda+Club/@44.9427908,-93.3225642,345m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x3a766bd239c9eec3!8m2!3d44.9432359!4d-93.3213233

[Kalen Braley]

If you just include the parts of the land they actually used (water excluded), the area for 15-17 at CPC occupies about 7.5 acres.

[Ira Fishman]

Kalen,


How many acres for 7-9 at CPC?


Thanks.

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen,

How many acres for 7-9 at CPC?

Thanks.

Using the same method as before (tee box area, fairways and rough, bunkers, and greens.) The fairways on 8 and 9 are quite small overall compared to the other holes.

They only used about 4 acres of land total.  For comparison purposes the 1st hole uses about same..

[Ted Sturges]

I don't know how to post pictures, but I found this link:


https://www.google.com/maps/place/Garden+City+Golf+Club/@40.7271338,-73.6447561,300m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c27d492a4261fd:0x74963c086bc0aa2d!8m2!3d40.7257195!4d-73.6432363

[Mike Wagner]

First, I must admit I am not certain the property I write about below is 7 acres.  I grew up on a 6 acre tract of land, and the property described below seems just a little bigger, hence the title of my post.


I was fortunate enough to be hosted at Garden City Golf Club last August.  The course had been on my "wish list" for quite some time.  I had high expectations going into my visit, and they were exceeded.


The 7'ish acres I describe is the property near the clubhouse, upon which holes 1, 2 and 18 are expertly laid upon the land.  All 3 holes are within view of the stately clubhouse, and the ever inviting back patio.  I don't know the history of this club other than I know that the original course was designed by Devereux Emmet, and the course was later updated by Walter Travis, who was an early member at Garden City.  I'd be curious if holes 1, 2, and 18 are attributed to Emmet or Travis.  But...my God...who could imagine 3 better golf holes on 7 acres of land!  If there is a finer example of designing 3(!) outstanding golf holes on a similar small parcel of ground, I'd love to hear nominations from others here.  A sporty 290 yard par 4 opener, followed by the terrifying short one-shot second, and the uber-fun closing hole, played toward the back patio of the clubhouse (usually occupied by spectators).  7 small acres...3 fantastic golf holes. 


TS

Very special place and those 3 holes are just awesome.  Kalen, the ocean counts .. try again.

[Kalen Braley]

First, I must admit I am not certain the property I write about below is 7 acres.  I grew up on a 6 acre tract of land, and the property described below seems just a little bigger, hence the title of my post.


I was fortunate enough to be hosted at Garden City Golf Club last August.  The course had been on my "wish list" for quite some time.  I had high expectations going into my visit, and they were exceeded.


The 7'ish acres I describe is the property near the clubhouse, upon which holes 1, 2 and 18 are expertly laid upon the land.  All 3 holes are within view of the stately clubhouse, and the ever inviting back patio.  I don't know the history of this club other than I know that the original course was designed by Devereux Emmet, and the course was later updated by Walter Travis, who was an early member at Garden City.  I'd be curious if holes 1, 2, and 18 are attributed to Emmet or Travis.  But...my God...who could imagine 3 better golf holes on 7 acres of land!  If there is a finer example of designing 3(!) outstanding golf holes on a similar small parcel of ground, I'd love to hear nominations from others here.  A sporty 290 yard par 4 opener, followed by the terrifying short one-shot second, and the uber-fun closing hole, played toward the back patio of the clubhouse (usually occupied by spectators).  7 small acres...3 fantastic golf holes. 

TS

Very special place and those 3 holes are just awesome.  Kalen, the ocean counts .. try again.

Lol, not that this is a contest...but if the ocean counts on CPC, then the pond and surrounds counts at Garden City, which puts it at just under 11 acres!      And that doesn't even consider slicing one on the range.

[mike_beene]

How big is the 1-18 rectangle at St. Andrews?

[Kalen Braley]

How big is the 1-18 rectangle at St. Andrews?

Mike,

I've got it at about 9.5 acres...

[Zack Molnar]

This is such a refreshingly different perspective from an experience I had a course in the far western suburbs of Chicago a couple weeks ago, where the member was emphasizing that a single hole occupied upwards of 15 acres, most of which was thick rough and bunkers. I haven't had the pleasure of playing the men's club, but I was just looking at aerials and it looks like a wonderful golf playground around the clubhouse to try different shots and approaches.


One area that came to mind for me was the area containing the first, 4th, and start of the 5th holes at wolf point. So many different shots to play around with, covering a little more than 8 acres.

[jeffwarne]

This is such a refreshingly different perspective from an experience I had a course in the far western suburbs of Chicago a couple weeks ago, where the member was emphasizing that a single hole occupied upwards of 15 acres, most of which was thick rough and bunkers. I haven't had the pleasure of playing the men's club, but I was just looking at aerials and it looks like a wonderful golf playground around the clubhouse to try different shots and approaches.


One area that came to mind for me was the area containing the first, 4th, and start of the 5th holes at wolf point. So many different shots to play around with, covering a little more than 8 acres.

Great post


What always amazes me is, the more money spent to build the golf, the more separated from others the playground becomes. Even if there is width,it's often simply containment width with minimal thought or strategy, surrounded by shite where a decent shot is all that's required, and a less than decent shot is lost and a great shot has gained little on the mediocre and has challenged nothing.
Safety concerns aside,it always seemed to me it's be far more fun to create a course with more intimacy,yet often roomy, where strategies are suggested and create the lowest scores, but foul balls are playable and alternate routes available.
In short staying ON the course is easy, but taking the optimal scoring lines is difficult.
The Old Course being the prime example, but most who join the modern monstocities don't understand anything about the Old Course, other than they've been told to like it, or at least pretend to for a day.


For this reason, one of my all time favorite memories(a fading one and alas they have done a renovation involving the common land so it may not be the same) in golf occurred at Gweedore, where roughly the 4th through the 6th (or 7th?)holes simply were played in one livestock height of cut field with wild undualtion and lay of the land greens preferring certain angles. along with wind made for some very interesting and memorable golf, without all of the traditional nonsense that restrains creativity, freedom and free flowing swings.

[Ira Fishman]

It certainly occupies more than 7 acres, but the 1-3, 15-18 loop at North Berwick packs a lot of great golf in a compact space.

[Thomas Dai]

For this reason, one of my all time favorite memories(a fading one and alas they have done a renovation involving the common land so it may not be the same) in golf occurred at Gweedore, where roughly the 4th through the 6th (or 7th?)holes simply were played in one livestock height of cut field with wild undualtion and lay of the land greens preferring certain angles. along with wind made for some very interesting and memorable golf, without all of the traditional nonsense that restrains creativity, freedom and free flowing swings.

Sounds akin to Minchinhampton Old transported to the seaside. Or Westward Ho but in Donegal. Or Mulranny but a bit further north. Or Askernish too. Wonderful (and inexpensive).
Atb

[Steve Salmen]

12 13 and 14 at Shoreacres do not use much land and are holes that are fun to play.