Mike:
You have started a very interesting thread here. Holston and Beverly are both wonderful, classic Donald Ross courses which share more similarities than differences.
Although the routings of both courses are world-class, Beverly would win in a head-to-head comparison. No less an authority than Bradley Klein has pointed out how ingenious Ross’ routing was at Beverly – two loops of returning nines, contained in a rectangle, with consecutive holes going in the same direction only once (#11 and #12). The three par’s display good variety in length, (143 to 233) with none of the five playing in the same direction. The four pars range from 332 to 461 yards. The five pars, amazingly for such an old course, are actually pretty long, tough, and play very differently (555 to 594).
Conditioning at both courses is excellent, with Ryan’s crew handling Holston’s and Servicescape at Beverly.
A huge similarity at both of these Ross gems is that one should never leave his ball above the pin!
The Champions of Beverly include: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Chick Evans, and Francis Ouimet. Still investigating for the Champions of Holston.
The members of Holston Hills should be commended for embarking on the restoration plan being conducted by their Superintendent, Ryan Blair. The work done as of early June, during the Ross Society Annual Meeting, was very impressive, and you can be sure that when it is completed, it will be awesome. My first round there of 43-33=76 was unforgettable (not bad for a 9-handicap!). Not only was I fortunate to play this round with Bradley Klein, but the 33 was a personal best 3-under-par for 9 holes (I had also shot a 33 on the back nine at Cruden Bay once). Three birdies and six pars – unbelievable!
Beverly has been presented with its own Long-Range Master Plan by Ron Prichard. The Master-Plan Committee hopes to get Ron’s plan approved by the membership and placed in the Club’s by-laws some time in 2002. There is still a bit of education and explanation that needs to be completed before the Club conducts its membership vote.
In essence, Ron’s plan is a “tweak” to what is an absolute gem. Greens that have shrunk over the years will be restored to the edges of their fill pads. Tees, some subject to a bit of modification, will be aligned and squared. Fairways will be gently contoured. Drainage will be improved. Some trees will be removed. Old bunkers will be restored. All bunkers will be redone in the Donald Ross style (see Skokie’s new bunkers for a reference). The course will be lengthened, but not significantly.
To demonstrate to the membership how impressive it is to reestablish Beverly’s original greens, the Grounds Committee authorized the use of our sod farm to expand the fifth, ninth, and seventeenth greens to the edges of their fill pads. The expanded greens are absolutely amazing! Seeing is believing. The greens had shrunk over the past 60-odd years by some 25-40% in some places. Many think that the bigger greens will make the course play easier – however, hitting more greens-in-regulations leaves one with the potential for many more 3-putts over Beverly’s slick greens!
Following are my comments concerning Mike’s match-play format of Holston vs. Beverly:
#1 – The differences between the starting holes is striking; Beverly’s is a short, tight four par, with pin placement determining the best angle of approach and type of tee-shot needed. Don’t be long here! Holston’s first is much more dramatic. Strangely, for Ross, it’s a pretty long, tough opener, although the fairway is wide and generous. The green is huge and very treacherous. Holston, leads 1-up.
#2 – Beverly’s tee shot down the ridge from the highest land point in the city of Chicago makes for a wonderful hole, but Holston’s Cape is a bit more impressive. Holston, 2-up.
#3 – The 242-yard hole-in-one I made at Beverly’s third in 1998 is certainly a tremendous memory on this long, tough three par. However, Holston’s table-top green at the edge of the valley gives it the nod. Holston, 3-up.
#4 – Agree with Mike. Holston, 4-up.
#5 – While the fairway bunkering at Holston’s fifth is excellent, the fifth at Beverly is a very special hole. The 419-yarder offers a tight driving area, and then a mid-iron to the newly-expanded green perched on the ridge of what had been Lake Chicago. This green is lightning fast and you do NOT want to be above this pin position. HH, 3-up.
#6 – Agree with Mike’s assessment. HH, 2-up.
#7 – Although Ross loved this hole at HH with the alternate fairway, it is now obsolete. At Beverly, when the wind is out of the South, the hill at #7 is no easy carry from any portion of the rear of the tee. The closer you get to the green, the tighter the landing area as the oaks start to impinge on the fairway edges. Once on the green, there are many subtle breaks that make for some tough putting. A much tougher and better par five than the one at HH. HH, 2-up.
#8 – While the eighth at BCC is my favorite driving hole (grip it and rip it!), the ugly tree at the front right half of the green effectively removes many pin placements. Holston’s short three par will remain the winner until Prichard’s plan is implemented, when BCC’s eighth will be better. Until then, it’s a tie … HH, 2-up.
#9 – HH’s ninth is much more dramatic, although BCC’s newly-expanded green makes for a huge improvement. HH, 3-up.
#10 – Agree. HH, 4-up.
#11 – Agree. HH, 3-up.
#12 – Agree. HH, 4-up.
#13 – Agree. HH, 4-up.
#14 – Agree. HH, 4-up.
#15. - While I absolutely loved the mounding on the 15th at HH, there is no doubt in my mind that the 15th at BCC is one of the best four-pars anywhere. Playing 461-yards, over rolling sand-dune humps and bumps, this is a tough driving hole, and, after a good drive you have a long mid-iron approach from an uneven stance, to a slick green that runs from front-to-back and to the left. A tough, tough par 4 ½. This hole is the start of a finishing quartet that would hold its own against just about any closing four holes on any course in America. HH, 3-up.
#16 – HH’s 16th is a really fun short hole, but no match for BCC’s brawny 424-yarder tucked into the hill. HH, 2-up.
#17 – BCC’s reestablished green here makes an awesome hole even better. HH’s is no match. HH, 1-up.
#18 – Holston’s par-5 finisher is pretty good, but absolutely no match for Beverly’s magnificent 592-yard, dog-leg right around the massive oak. When you turn this corner and see everything in front of you, including the massive clubhouse, you are really impressed! The bunkers tucked perfectly into the sand dunes, and the green is very tough – don’t be above this pin. Match – even.
After a grueling match, Beverly comes back from 4-down to tie the match.
So Mike, I have to agree with you on this:
>>Why is Holston Hills ranked 29th and Beverly unranked?
In conclusion, as much as I loved Holston Hills, my true conviction is that once Ron Prichard’s Master Plan is implemented fully by Beverly CC, there is no doubt that Beverly not only will deserve to make the list of America’s Best Classic Courses, but it will be ranked above Holston Hills as well!