Gil Hanse Plainfield Quote

[John_Lovito]

I thought many of you would find this Gil Hanse quote about the green restoration at Plainfield interesting.  It appears in the monthly Plainfield Country Club newsletter and touches on many topics that have been discussed on the DB.  It is clear from the quote that Hanse has done his homework and is restoring the course to the original Ross design, and not a liberal modern interpretation.


“We must do everything we can to preserve and protect these putting greens.  In large part, we are proposing to expand and extend all the greens back to their original size and configuration.  Most of the greens have surrendered a large amount of space and character to the years.  Some of the more eccentric shapes, like holes 6, 12 and 18 have been regularized into ovals.  Large cupping areas, as well as strategic slopes have been lost and removed from the strategy of the golf course.  Most of the greens will benefit greatly from the expansion due to the fact that some of them have severe slopes that make it impossible to locate holes in these areas.  The expansion of the of the greens will help to soften some of these slopes, create interesting hole locations, and allow for recovery shots to be played.  In particular the ability to land the ball short of the steep slopes, and still be on the putting surface will have a great impact on the green complexes.

We have heard the argument that smaller greens make a tougher golf course and that we would be making a course easier by reclaiming the greens.  However, we feel very strongly that the golf course will maintain its challenges and perhaps have it enhanced by reclaiming some of the edge positions.  The most difficult pins to access by a golfer exist on the edges of the greens.  Due to sharper angles and closer proximity to bunkers, these pins call for more accurate shots.  Previously these pin positions had been lost due to the shrinking of the greens.  By reclaiming the greens we have resurrected these pin positions, thereby restoring a key element of the original design of the course.”  

Never having played a Hanse course, I am curious if some of the green philosophy (i.e. availability of recovery shots) mentioned in the quote is obvious in his original work.

[Ran Morrissett]

John,

A great example of what Gil talks about can be seen at the 5th hole at Fenway (pictured in the course profile) where he reclaimed the back upper right of the green and the golfers can once again use those severe slopes to work the ball toward the back right hole locations. Such shots are the best of all worlds as they are both fun and challenging for all level golfers.

Hasn't the Club agreed and isn't Gil pursuing the eccentric shaped greens that he mentioned?

And yes, your guess is correct - one round at Inniscrone would show you that Gil loves to use strategic slopes to allow the golfer to work the ball in toward certain hole locations.

[John_Lovito]

Ran,

The club has agreed to restore the greens per Gil's recommendations.  I'm pretty sure that much of the work will be done this offseason.  Some chipping areas have already been restored.  I'm not completely sure of the schedule, much will depend on weather, but I'm fairly sure that Gil will be on hand to start restoring the tunnel holes (13,14,15).

[Ran Morrissett]

John, Once the Club sees the great success and starts receiving the accolades due from a job well done, I wonder if they will eventually let Gil go after the obviously non-Ross 5th green complex and restore the old punchbowl one there?

Still, that work can wait as having the tunnel holes better tie into the rest of the course is more significant.

[Mike_Cirba]

John,

This is indeed wonderful news for Plainfield.

I can personally attest to the amazing right to left sideslope being recaptured by Hanse on the 5th green at Fenway.

I got off to a really shaky start, and by the 5th, duck hooked into trouble way right (I'm a lefty, as you know) behind trees).  Not taking the safe route back to the fairway, I caught trees ahead with two-iron second and my total distance gain was about 40 yards on the very long par four.  I was left in even worse position, and played smartly to about 120 yards short of the green with my third.

Then,  I remembered....

I had read about the 5th green on GCA and its tremendous right to left slope beyond the ridge that splits the green.  Taking a punched down 9-iron, and aiming for the right fringe, my 4th shot came off perfectly.

It landed on the right hand slope, about halfway up the green, and about 40 feet to the right of the hole.

I tapped in the 18 incher for bogey.  I was so inspired that the rest of my game fell immediately into place, and played more than respectably the rest of the way.

The greens at Plainfield are so good as they are that I'm sure it was a tough sell for Hanse and club advocates to change them in any way.  Still, if he's able to bring that kind of amazing fun and options into the greens at your wonderful course that I'm sure existed originally, then the course and your membership are lucky indeed!

[Patrick_Mucci]

John,

If the club allows Gil a free hand, and no political issues or internal conflicts rear their head, I have every confidence that Gil will do a spectacular job, and that the public will see the showcased product when the Senior Open visits Plainfield.

Hopefully, they'll let him restore all the fairway lines, and eliminate most if not all trees planted from 1960 to current date.

[John_Lovito]

Mike,

Fenway is fantastic!  Unfortunately for me, my one visit two years ago took place on a very cold and VERY rainy november day and I only was able to play nine holes.  Still, the course left quite an impression and I can't wait to get back.

Pat,

Part of the rennovation over the winter will be restoring the fairway lines on many holes.  #1 has already been moved to the left.  I know work is planned for holes #2, 8, 9 and 16.

[GeoffreyC]

Two shots from GCA'ers stand out for me this year.  

One was watching Mike's ball land so far away from the hole in the right fringe at Fenway's fifth and slowly take the slope and trickle about 40 feet back to the center of the back shelf for a tap in. These great green features with the correct "maintenance meld" make golf fun.

The other was Paul Turner's pitch in from the front right of the redan at Yale again watching the ball take the slope and then the back to front pitch of the green right into the center of the hole.

Plainfield is a GREAT course and they are lucky to have Gil's thoughtful eye and emphasis on details that restore the thought required to play the course. I can't wait to see teh results.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Ran,

Didn't your favorite shot to watch take place at Plainfield ?

On the 13th hole ?

A pitch from over the green ?

Was it that or the long putt you so witnessed on # 15 ?

Both had to be amongst the best shots you ever saw  

[Ran Morrissett]

Mike,

You'll remember that shot for a long, long time.

Of the 6,000,000   courses that you've played, think of all the green sites that are on a gradual incline like the one at 5 at Fenway and yet...how many greens even come close to the one at Fenway?

Not many I would venture!

John MacMillan posted one month ago how he enjoyed discovering that same feature at 8 at High Pointe.

The 12th at Plainfield has a similar catch slope on the left of its green - I wonder if it might have more by the time Hanse is finished?

Cheers,

[Bomer Thoimpson]

Plainfied is an interesting track....why isn't it more well documented?

[Russ T. Roome]

Sir Mucci--For someone so plugged into the USGA inner workings you seem unaware that the prestigious United States Senior Open was pulled from Plainfield because the PGA Championship was moved to Baltusrol in 2005. Supposedly the Far Hills corp tent sales team feels it cannot compete with the PGA of America's corp tent sales team.
RTR

[ed_getka]

I have seen Gil's original work first hand at Rustic Canyon and you can rest assured he and his group know how to design interesting greens and surrounds. I had a wonderful time playing Plainfield this summer and anticipate that the course will only be enhanced by Gil and his guys. I think they certainly are astute enough to bring out the best of what Ross put there.

To address Pat's question regarding the decision making process, the member I spoke to there told me they have a committee that makes these decisions (not as good as a dictator I know ), but they don't have to worry about being overturned by the general membership. So, hopefully the committee keeps going in the direction they have been, because what I saw is a course I would be happy to play for the rest of my life as member.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Russ T Roome,

Why don't you look more carefully at the DATE of my post.

It was made on 12-01-01 not 12-01-02, before the decision was made.

Try being plugged into reading comprehension, it helps.

[Matt_Ward]

When Gil's work is done at Plainfield it will only serve to elevate the course even further. It's still hard for me to fathom how such a wonderful design has been under appreciated nationally for so many years. The qualities of Plainfield will certainly rise as more and more people become aware of this superb layout.

I personally believe the 12th is without question one of the 4-5 finest par-5's in the country I've played and the best of its type in all the metro area courses I've visited. The plentitude of options and challenges presents a hole of tour de force caliber. As has been mentioned by many others the twists and turns of the greens are the heart of the course. I also beliee Plainfield's starting hole is an out and out winner and compares equally to the 1st at PV.

I just hope there is some resolution to the situation connected to the 10th hole -- the pond, and the finishing hole is still a weak link to what otherwise is a superb layout. Be most interested also in what might be done with the 14th because playing from the extreme tips can be a bit severe with the green contours present.

Hats off to the governing board at Plainfield and to Gil in taking such a fine diamond and making its luster even brighter.

[John_Lovito]

Matt,

The 14th from the tips is a killer, especially when the pin is upfront near the water.  A fairly large chipping area directly behind the green has been added allowing for more rear pin placements and more recovery shots.

Also, the bunker on the left has been removed and replaced with mounding similar to what is on the left side of the 15th fairway.

John

[TEPaul]

Hanse & Co. is just wrapping up for the year on the first part of a two part restoration of Gulph Mills and the first part was greenspace reclamation and restoration (and green-end bunker restoration). Next year will be fairway expansion and fairway bunker restoration. The tree project started in the beginning of the restoration and will be ongoing as per the Master Plan.

But the green expansion (restoration) seems to be a grandslam homerun HIT with every single member whose seen it and they haven't even been able to PLAYED THE COURSE (greens) YET!

Our course is pretty old Ross (1916-9), and some of the Ross greens are somewhat squarish, others not. But even on the squarish ones, Ross was beginning to get more elaborate and he "flaired out" the corners on some of them, particularly the back corners. On one green (#17) Gil picked up 27'!!! on one of those rear "flairouts" that had not been in greenspace in maybe 75 years!

Now, just how cool is that?

[Matt_Ward]

redanman:

Don't doubt the merits of the 16th. The chain reaction bunker has certainly influenced many a player over the years and now with the "new" chipping area behind the green as well as the alternate route "around" the chain reaction bunker the hole has definitely taken major strides forward.

Still, the 12th in my mind is simply a superb example of varying options. No matter how big a long hitter hits the tee shot -- you still have to deal with the hazard near the green and that clever spine that runs down the middle of the green. What a hole indeed!

Bill, I'd have to go with the 12th over the 16th because the range of numbers that are in play is more forthcoming. What is often overlooked is how wide a gap there is in the quality of the par-5's on the back side compared to those on the front.

You are correct about the 10th hole and the pond becoming something similar to what one finds at the 12th. Be most curious to see how that finally turns out.

Regarding the 18th -- I've never really liked the hole simply because Ross originally never intended for it to be the closing hole. Obviously, all of that changed when the original final two holes were abandoned to allow for the practice area. The hole says simply to play to "x" spot at the turn and then hit a short iron generally to the putting surface. There's very little decision-making -- it's just automatic pilot type golf. Clearly, the hole is not as weak as the finisher at CP, but it's far from the grand finale it could have been. I also don't advocate a ball buster type closer but it's not the most stirring of holes from a strategic purpose.

I do agree with your statement that Plainfield is likely the most highly underrated of the elite clubs we have in America. Gil's work should serve to push it's visibility, but it never fails to amaze me how avid golfers who come to the other side of the Hudson often only make the trek to Springfield and Bernardsville when in the immediate area.

[John_Lovito]

redanman,

  I have not played Inniscrone. It would be a real treat to get out there next year.