2022 Lake Michigan Tour: 7 Shoreacres, Chicago GC & Cool CULVER ACADEMIES

[Sean_A]

We made the long drive from Roscommon to Chicago after playing the The Loop Red. Shoreacres and Chicago GC were next on the itinerary during this somewhat rushed trip.  While both courses are outstanding Raynor designs, the individual properties earmark each as highly individual. The only other Raynor course I have seen is Yeaman's Hall and I believe the Chicago cousins are the better efforts. Indeed, Chicago is one of the three best courses I have seen in the US and Shoreacres is top 10. Chicago Golf 2* and Shoreacres 1*.

No photos so I leave you with Rans review of Shoreacres
https://golfclubatlas.com/countries/shoreacres-il-usa/

The boys saw the Chicago skyscrappers and took in a Chicago River cruise in exchange for a burger and beer at the Billy Goat. I was asked if the burgers were any good. Ally & Doc's expressions were priceless when I told them no, the burgers are not good and neither is the beer, but its the Billy Goat. I hadn't seen the place since ~1992 so they cut me some slack. Besides, ya gotta drink at least one Old Style when in Chicago.






After dropping off Ally & Doc at O'Hare on Sunday afternoon I had unfinished business. I tried to convince my companions to play Culver, but they were skeptical and that is their loss...a very big loss. I had never seen Notre Dame so I decided to spend the night in South Bend...enemy territory for a Michigan Man ('87).  The town is ok in the centre, but quite run down on the not so far away edges. I saw Touchdown Jesus and his side kick Knute, before retreating to an ND bar.  I don't need to return  .






Up in the morning with a shortish drive through lovely northern Indiana farm country to Culver.



I am not aware of many high schools privileged to own their golf course, but then Culver Academies is no ordinary high school. In rural Indiana, this institution was founded in 1894. It is now a co-ed college prep boarding school which has 44 buildings and its resplendent campus is nearly 1900 acres in size with views over Lake Maxinkuckee. The name is rather unusual due to three programs on offer; Military Academy, Girls Academy and Summer Schools & Camps. Golf is one athletic offering among many which include ice hockey, rugby, rowing, fencing, lacrosse, horse jumping, polo, rough riding and sailing among many others.

Firm advertisement.


WB Langford


27 Hole Plan


1951 Aerial


The original idea for the course was grand indeed; 36 holes with a hotel. After calling in Langford & Moreau to inspect the site in 1922 the notion was to plan 27 holes on the 250-acre property, which would be linked to a nearby hotel. Despite the heady days of the Roaring 20s, it was thought best to be conservative and open a nine-hole course with no hotel affiliation and only using about 75 acres. A most interesting decision was taken, that is the best nine holes were to be built. These would be holes 10, 11, 8, 9, 1, 2 & 16-18 from the 27-hole plan. These holes form two boozer loops and two starting points: 1-4 and 5-9. Furthermore, the unusual configuration of three of each par is represented. The course opened in 1924 as a sleepy high school amenity and remained as such for eight decades. Perhaps this state of affairs was a spot of luck for the original design. While sorely neglected, the course was not interfered with. The Langford & Moreau work sat buried in the weeds and grass of time. Anthony Pioppi wrote in his book, the Finest Nines:

“For decades the golf course at Culver Academies existed as if it were a painting hanging on the wall of a long-abandoned home, covered in soot, dust, and grime. If one looked intently enough, the forms and images could be discerned, but the true artistry was hidden by years of neglect.”

It is appropriate that an architect with the name Weed was approached in 2008 to review the course and he did so the following year. Needless to say, Bobby Weed was impressed. It took several years, but the finance and will power finally came together in 2013 when tree growth and an irrigation system were addressed. But this would be a long-term restoration project which continues to this day. The final piece of the puzzle was to engage a greenkeeper for the first time in Culver history. Previously the school used groundsmen to maintain the course on a small budget. It didn’t make sense to spend a significant number of resources on a restoration without hiring a greenkeeper to improve the course conditions and oversee the work required to bring Culver into the 21st century. Culver made the commitment to hire Mike Vessely in 2014 and the course has seen continued improvements. In fact, not long after my visit Mike worked on the 9th to bring the green and right bunker more in sync with Langford & Moreau’s vision. 

The opener is a shortish par 5 playing parallel to East Shore Drive which separates the course from Lake Maxinkuckee. There is now just the single bunker on the left.


If there are any ideas about going the short route up the left let the buyer beware.


The green is unusual in that it runs left into a slope coming from the left.


A pair of short holes follow. Each is about 175 yards, but are nothing alike. Trees on the course border are still an issue.




More to follow.

Ciao

[Jeff Schley]

Sean I got the popcorn out and waiting for more.   

[Ally Mcintosh]

Sceptical? Only because it was two hours more driving on a day with no hours and it would have come at the expense of The Dunes Club…. Would have very much liked to see Culver but not all of us can afford more than two weeks swanning around playing golf, you know…


Maybe next time. Look forward to seeing your report.

[Sean_A]

Sceptical? Only because it was two hours more driving on a day with no hours and it would have come at the expense of The Dunes Club…. Would have very much liked to see Culver but not all of us can afford more than two weeks swanning around playing golf, you know…


Maybe next time. Look forward to seeing your report.

Ally

Excuses, excuses. 😎

Jeff, do you know Culver?

Ciao

[Jeff Schley]

Sceptical? Only because it was two hours more driving on a day with no hours and it would have come at the expense of The Dunes Club…. Would have very much liked to see Culver but not all of us can afford more than two weeks swanning around playing golf, you know…


Maybe next time. Look forward to seeing your report.

Ally

Excuses, excuses. 😎

Jeff, do you know Culver?

Ciao

Hi Sean yes will like to read your write up. Between Dunes Club and Culver you only have to include the Sacred Nine.

[Kurt Everett]

Culver was one of the most fun courses I played this year!

[Sean_A]

Jeff

I really liked Eagle Springs as well. Plus, I have a lot of time for Reigate Heath, Alnmouth Village and Castlerock Bann.

Culver Academies Tour Cont

Perhaps the best hole on the course. The 3rd strikes me as a true multi-distance hole which can be set up from varying angles and distances. Its one of the best short holes I have seen. From this angle near the 2nd green the reader can clearly see the hump back ridge on the right feeding into the green.


There aren't tees spreading toward the 2nd green, but there is tons of room to create some.




A closer look at the reverse two-step green.


Looking back to the green from near the 4th tee.


Double drama! The 4th takes us up near clubhouse level with a sweeping uphill dogleg left.


These photos emphasis the more direct route to the green. There is some fairway out of picture right. Notice the bunker waiting on the far side of the fairway.




The hole isn't an overly long par 4, but the nature of the terrain may encourage shorter hitters like myself to treat the hole like a three-shotter. The green falls away left quite harshly.


Looking back to the tee. Some trees down the left (right in the photo) have been removed. 


The course has two loops leading back to the house. This creates a bit of an awkward walk past the 9th to reach the 5th tee. This par 5 is fairly straightforward until the green is reached. About the only aspect of the presentation I dislike are the circular tees. I much prefer squared off tees.




Yes, a putt will roll back off the huge left bank. There was only one other group on the course. So after the first round I dumped the bag and went out with an 8 iron and putter for couple hour knock around. I only scratched the surface of the greens.


More to follow.

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

From the photos so far, Culver looks magnificent. Does it play as well as it looks?

[Sean_A]

From the photos so far, Culver looks magnificent. Does it play as well as it looks?

I think M Vessely is still working on getting the turf just right...he is close! It's a remarkable turn around considering he is Culver's first "proper" greenkeeper.

Ciao

[Sean_A]

CULVER ACADEMIES TOUR CONT

The 5th took us to a much more wooded area of the course which doesn't open up until the 9th. This section of the course isn't as attractive as the other five holes (1-5 & 9), but they are difficult. A straight-away longish two-shotter, the 6th runs to the end of the property along the boundary line.


Another cracking green.
 

We now head for home. A fairly routine par 4 doglegging left, the 7th is for me the least interesting hole on the course.
 

 

A treacherous hole, the short 8th rounds out the exceptional set of 3s.
 

I am not sure this hole location was part of the green before the restoration!


The bunkering and earthworks look very close to the 9th tee which caused me some confusion. I think this tee shot was designed to be much more open. There is a weird aesthetic I think caused by the enclosed to open space transition and being uphill.


The hole is terrific once in the open.


Many golfers can reach this par 5 in two.


However, it may be best to layup and aim for a position which offers a relatively level putt. The newish clubhouse helps set the scene.


It was fitting to end the Lake Michigan Tour as it started, on a Langford & Moreau course. While Lawsonia garners  plenty of headlines, I don't believe it outshines Culver. First and foremost, Culver's greens are superlative not least because of their variety. The par 3s and especially the 3rd are the glue of the course. They are not holes which tackle tough terrain, but they do enhance the attributes of the terrain with standout shaping. The 1st & 4th also expertly use the land. I hope that Mike Vessely continues his fine work on the course to shine a brighter light on Langford & Moreau. 1*  2022   

Below is a newspaper article about the construction of the course.


Other courses on the 2022 Lake Michigan Tour

The Loop Black
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,71448.0.html

The Loop Red
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,71451.0.html

Crystal Downs
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,71406.0.html

Arcadia Bluffs South
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,71374.0.html

Eagle Springs & Dunes Club
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,71344.0.html

Lawsonia Links
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,71343.0.html

After the game I made my way to Ann Arbor for a few nights. Despite the town becoming more plasticy modern over time, its always a treat to see old landmarks.


Inside the Fleetwood.




Nickels Arcade


That ends the 2022 Lake Michigan Tour. I was completely spoiled by the standard of courses. Their consistently high quality surprised me. I would have expected a 10 course tour to have one or two disappointments....not so. Every course offered something that was extraordinary. Included on the tour were five on my bucket list: Culver Academies, The Loop, Crystal Downs, Shoreacres and Lawsonia. Thats not bad going for one trip. 

Its typical, my favourite course of the trip was Eagle Springs and it was really an afterthought stop to kill time on the way to the airport.

The best course was Chicago Golf. However, if I were to treat The Loop as one course which has 36 holes, I think it has to be best of the lot.

My favourite 9 holes was the front nine at Crystal Downs. Many will disagree with me, but I think the course could well be better as a 9 holer. The front nine offers most of everything I could want in a course.

My favourite vibe was Crystal Downs. Very simple, no frills, chill.

We didn't get a chance to have many proper meals, but my favourite restaurant was Rocks Landing, hard on Crystal Lake, across the street from Chimney Corners Resort.

One thing this trip hammered home is that I am enjoying nine hole courses more and more. These days they seem to better facilitate my lowered tolerance for swinging a club.  Four courses on this tour make my Happy 100; Culver, Eagle Springs, The Loop and Lawsonia.

I enjoyed my sojourn into Wisconsin and brief visit to Chicago. These are two places I would very much like to see again. It was also lovely to see northern Michigan again, but I admit that Detroit has a greater pull for me in terms of culture and golf. I know Detroit is a tough city to like, but I like it and to some degree its still home. But man I hate winter!

Ciao

[Kevin Pallier]

Sean


I believe you've seen a few "template" holes now - how does Chicago's compare to other's you've seen?

[Jon Heise]

Great tour, thanks for sharing!

[Jeff Schley]

Sean it appears no Shoreacres photos, but do you have any takeaways from there?  Such a great relaxing day of golf there. Love Shoreacres.

[cary lichtenstein]

I played Shoreacres a few times and other than 2 holes, I thought the course was ordinary. I guess I missed something.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Shoreacres is a masterclass in how to maximise a natural feature in the routing process: For a flat site, it uses the ravines in different ways on eleven different holes. I loved it.

[Adam Lawrence]

What amazed me at Shoreacres was just how much use he got out of the ravines, bearing in mind that quite a lot of the property is fairly bland. It's a masterpiece of routing.

[Sean_A]

Sean

I believe you've seen a few "template" holes now - how does Chicago's compare to other's you've seen?

Chicago GC's templates are more blended with the terrain. A little less obvious. Mind you, Chicago has a bit of roll to the land. That isn't so much the case at Yeamans and Shoreacres.

Jeff

To put it bluntly, I would rather play Shoreacres on regular basis than I would Chicago. Very impressive routing. The ravines/water use is highly varied. Jeepers, what is it, 13 holes with a ravine/water? The flat property makes for a great walk, but there are still moments of high drama.

Does anybody know why the course wasn't routed for a hole or two to touch Lake Michigan? Seems very strange to have that feature only to be ignored?

Ciao

[PCCraig]

Does anybody know why the course wasn't routed for a hole or two to touch Lake Michigan? Seems very strange to have that feature only to be ignored?

Ciao

Sean,


Did you spend any time in or around the clubhouse? It’s view and location along Lake Michigan (and subsequent free air conditioning) would of been obvious 100+ year ago. 

[Jeff Schley]

Sean

I believe you've seen a few "template" holes now - how does Chicago's compare to other's you've seen?

Chicago GC's templates were more blended with the terrain. A little less obvious. Mind you, Chicago has a bit of roll to the land. That isn't so much the case at Yeamans and Shoreacres.

Jeff

To put it bluntly, I would rather play Shoreacres on regular basis than I would Chicago. Very impressive routing. The ravines/water use is highly varied. Jeepers, what is it, 13 holes with a ravine/water? The flat property makes for a great walk, but there are still moments of high drama.

Does anybody know why the course wasn't routed for a hole or two to touch Lake Michigan? Seems very strange to have that feature only to be ignored?

Ciao

Sean you are correct the only thing missing from those who realize how close it is to the water, is the Lake Michigan views. Very close.

[Richard Hetzel]

I love Culver, great golf course. It was the 2nd best course that I played all year (Yale #1).

[Jeff Schley]

Actually the view here is more accurate as the trees between 9 and 18 are gone in the previous photo.

[Sean_A]

Does anybody know why the course wasn't routed for a hole or two to touch Lake Michigan? Seems very strange to have that feature only to be ignored?

Ciao

Sean,

Did you spend any time in or around the clubhouse? It’s view and location along Lake Michigan (and subsequent free air conditioning) would of been obvious 100+ year ago.

Pat

From memory the property on the lake is narrow and would hold a green and a tee. Just a thought to bring the course to the lake. It may not be worth it, that is why I asked.

Yes, we did tour the house. Very nice and totally empty! I could be wrong, but I get the impression the proper house isn't used on a regular basis. Hence all the more puzzling why it wouldn't be used for golf if reasonable.

Ciao

[Sean_A]

Well, how's that? The Wings drafted a kid, Larry Keenan, from Culver at #117. I guess that makes him a 4th rounder, but still...

Ciao

[John Mayhugh]

I played Shoreacres a few times and other than 2 holes, I thought the course was ordinary. I guess I missed something.

You missed a lot! I can't begin to understand this opinion. Shoreacres - ordinary? Wow.


Sean,
Sorry I missed this tour the first time around. I've only been to Culver once, but enjoyed it as much as you seem to have. Michael Vessely seems to be making the course better every year. An educational follow on Twitter, too. Great pics.

https://twitter.com/mdvessely?lang=en