Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture Discussion Group => Topic started by: Sven Nilsen on January 17, 2012, 03:38:35 PM
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I was driving in Michigan yesterday and passed a course I had played some years back, well before my GCA interest had piqued and long enough in the past that my memories of the place aren't exactly lucid. The course is called Pierce Lake, and I honestly have no idea if I'd want to play the place again. If anyone has any thoughts on Pierce Lake, please send them on.
Thought this would be a good repository for questions on no name tracks that have slipped through the cracks of your memory or the discussions on this board.
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For me, it would be Santa Maria CC in central California. Played there for 4 years growing up and have fond memories, but have not been back since I was 15 years old (over 30 years ago).
While I have vivid memories of some holes, especially the short par 3 7th and the par 5 9th, my strongest memories are of a club that had an absolutely wonderful junior golf program which really encouraged juniors to play (kudos to the pros at the time, Ron Janney and Jim Vaughn). My father worked in a plant / office building across from the 11th fairway, and he always told us what a joy it was to look out his office window and see four of his sons getting so much enjoyment out of the course and the game. With reasonable monthly dues and four sons who played 18 to 54 holes most days in the summer, he figured at one point that our family's cost per round in the summer months was something like 50 cents.
Would love to hear whether any of our CA contingent have played the course and what they think of it from a gca standpoint.
Mike
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I miss Delta View in Pittsburg, CA
Originally it was only 9 holes, that were allegedly 9 of the last holes AMK designed. Either way, they weren't built until after he died. Then in the 90s 9 more holes were added and is now a really fun course to play.
The original 9 holes have some wild greens and severely canted fairways that really seem to fit the flow of the land pretty well.
I miss my old friend...
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I was driving in Michigan yesterday and passed a course I had played some years back, well before my GCA interest had piqued and long enough in the past that my memories of the place aren't exactly lucid. The course is called Pierce Lake, and I honestly have no idea if I'd want to play the place again. If anyone has any thoughts on Pierce Lake, please send them on.
Thought this would be a good repository for questions on no name tracks that have slipped through the cracks of your memory or the discussions on this board.
Pierce Lake is a county-owned golf course that is really a solid course for what they charge (I think you can walk it at peak times for ~$35) and always in nice shape. There is nothing revolutionary out there in terms of GCA, but it is challenging enough on a pretty good rolling piece of property, the front nine being more open with more movement in the land, and the back being cut through some fairly thick woods. A nice variety of holes - some tough long par 4s and par 3s and a couple reachable par 5s along the way (along with the tight 10th hole that I can never seem to play in less than 7). If I lived a half hour from it instead of an hour, I'd play there a few times a summer at least.
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Riverside Municipal in Janesville, Wisconsin.... an old Robert Bruce Harris that opened in the 20s and expanded in the 40s. For a thirteen year period covering age eight to age 21, it was basically the golf course I played 95% of the time... anywhere from 50-100 rounds a year. Also worked there in the pro shop for two years.
I haven't played it since 1998. I moved to another part of the state at the end of that summer, then a few years later I moved overseas and now I live in Colorado.
Someone posted a photo thread here on GCA a year or two ago, and I got very nostalgic.
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Someone posted a photo thread here on GCA a year or two ago, and I got very nostalgic.
Here it is:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40066.0.html
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I was driving in Michigan yesterday and passed a course I had played some years back, well before my GCA interest had piqued and long enough in the past that my memories of the place aren't exactly lucid. The course is called Pierce Lake, and I honestly have no idea if I'd want to play the place again. If anyone has any thoughts on Pierce Lake, please send them on.
Thought this would be a good repository for questions on no name tracks that have slipped through the cracks of your memory or the discussions on this board.
Sven
Pierce Lake was a course I lost along the way as well. Not a bad course at all - it was in my rota when I lived in Ann Arbor.
http://michigan.twoguyswhogolf.com/reviews/piercelake.html
Others lost courses from the rota included:
Leslie Park - always liked this course
http://michigan.twoguyswhogolf.com/reviews/lesliepark.html
Brae Burn - probably my favourite of the rota
http://michigan.twoguyswhogolf.com/reviews/braeburn.html
Green Oaks - in Ypsi, not good, but could always walk and was dirt cheap
Tyrone Hills - much like above
Huron Hills - very cool back nine
Hunters Ridge - in the PM when no carts required
Ciao
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Three courses played a major role in my becoming a golfer. Two municipals (Wexham Park and Rickmansworth) and a 9 holer (Chorleywood) that was the first private club I belonged to. I haven't been back to any of them for at least 14 years. I don't miss Wexham at all. I can only remember a hole or two and what I remember was flat and boring. Chorleywood I remember fondly, tight, short and tree lined. Tiny greens and no sand, rather each green protected by hollows and swales. The best of the three, though, I think, from an architectural point of view, was probably Rickmansworth. It was short (par 63 with no par 5s, only one hole over 400 yards and a number of very short par 4s and a couple of very short par 3s) but, looking back, a fair few interesting holes. I can certainly still remember each hole. It used to be Moor Park's ladies course and, I have a vague feeling, may have had at least some input from Colt. It was never in great condition but one of these days, perhaps even this summer now I'm spending more time in London, I'll go back.
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While I was visiting the parents a few weeks ago I drove by a course I had forgotten about that I always really enjoyed, Virginia National. The Course was built right on the Shenandoah River and actually has a few mountain style holes in addition to the river holes. It was always a very challenging course where making a birdie was very satisfying.
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For me, it would be Santa Maria CC in central California. Played there for 4 years growing up and have fond memories, but have not been back since I was 15 years old (over 30 years ago).
While I have vivid memories of some holes, especially the short par 3 7th and the par 5 9th, my strongest memories are of a club that had an absolutely wonderful junior golf program which really encouraged juniors to play (kudos to the pros at the time, Ron Janney and Jim Vaughn). My father worked in a plant / office building across from the 11th fairway, and he always told us what a joy it was to look out his office window and see four of his sons getting so much enjoyment out of the course and the game. With reasonable monthly dues and four sons who played 18 to 54 holes most days in the summer, he figured at one point that our family's cost per round in the summer months was something like 50 cents.
Would love to hear whether any of our CA contingent have played the course and what they think of it from a gca standpoint.
Mike
I was a member at Santa Maria CC in 1985/86 and have not has the chance to play it since I moved away from the area in 1986. Because I was under the age of 35 I had a junior membership( I was 25 at the time) that was only a $100 initiation and $100 a month dues. I didn't know much about GCA then but I loved the mix of holes and the par 4's that were lined with eucs. Greens were very subtle and seemed pretty small. I remember that the long drive champion John McCommish was a member or worked there and one day when I was on the course the word went around that he was a couple of holes from shooting a 59, I think he would up with a 62.
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Courses I played once as a youth, during trips to New England, were
Webhannet @ http://webhannetgolfclub.com/
Putterham Meadows @ http://www.brooklinegolf.com/
I enjoyed both tremendously.