Forrest Fezler and Brian Silva both said to me that it's just as important to make sure you design for the 70 y/o as well as the 70 shooter. So, in that regard...here's what my mon and dad - ordinary golfers, but lifelong players (Dad actually won the city championship one year) had to say about Kelly's course. (Its form my website..please remember, they have never studied GCA, but then again neither have 95% of players...maybe that's why hopefully, there'll be interesting nuggets...they are the target consumer!)
Thanks to the wonderful generousity of Kelly Blake Moran and the folks at the Hideout G.C., my mom and dad had a chance to play Kelly's wonderful private design which is the flagship in SW Florida.
Mom said: "The par-5s were terrific. The fairways were wide so you had alot of playing angles. The waste bunkers were really interesting and made for a lot of choices off the tee. From the back tees, it has to be murder. I liked number 9 because this huge bunker was in the middle-ish of the fairway and had four trees growing in it! I loved the warm relaxing rustic feeling of the clubhouse and everyone was so nice. The conditioning is incredible. The greens were lightning! I three and four putted all day long."
Dad had this to say: "Its a really nice layout. Some of the fastest greens I've ever played. Conditioning is pristine. We loved it. The par fours are very long from the back tees...7 are over 400 yards...one is even 460 something! The par-5s are very long too. The 579 yd par 5 2d is immense from the back tees. 12 was my favorite par-5. Also, I liked the 9th. They have these four trees in the middle of the fairway and you have to go through them or around them. I suppose you could go over them, but the only way to go over is to hit it way the hell up in the air! I can't do that. There's lots of dog legs and it's constantly changing routing direction wise. It was really interesting."
Anyway, Kelly thank you. You have no idea exactly how wonderful this was. Mom and dad have spent their whole lives playing puni munis in Utica and such...not great private designs. They deserve it. My dad, a lawyer for 28 years and a family court judge for 26 is the most virtuous man I know. Everyone loves him 'cause he treats everyone like gold, no matter who they are, he does things for people with no thought of recompense for himself and he is noble.
No son ever had a better father...and no son could be more proud of his dad's example.