Tumble Creek, the best in WA.....Now a short review of the course.....

[Jordan Wall]

Thanks for the writeup, Jordan, sounds like a great time.

Did Tom share anything about the course with you that surprised you, something you would not have noticed on your own?

George,

There were definitley some cool things Mr. Doak explained that surprised me why it happened.

For instance, on the fourth hole he said he had one of his workers take out a set of tall trees about 400 yards off the tee (the hole bent to the left big time bit it was an open dogleg).  He said the reason for this was to detract from aiming at the trees but rather so people would aim at the mountain in the distance.  Very cool and something I would not have otherwise have noticed.

On the fifth hole, I had a little 90 yard, downwind wedge shot.  The only was I could see to get to a front pin was to land it on the slope and hit a spinner that would come back.  I asked Mr. Doak if that was a good idea, and surprisingly he said it was not.  Long was not the place to be, and what I thought was a ridge was indeed a smaller, more subtle slope and I would have had a devilish putt coming back, because my ball simply could not have spun off that slope which looked more severe than I had thought.

Stuff like that was really cool!

[Steve_Roths]

http://www.cybergolf.com/news/golfnews4069.asp

[Tim Gavrich]

All this GCA enlightenment has got me thinking.  For you non-16 year old gentlemen/ladies, when did your eyes open to the wonders of golf course architecture?  Were you guys under 18?  My guess is that it was probably a little later than that.  But because you all have allowed people like Jordan and myself the opportunity to learn from you by becoming some of the youngest members of this discussion group, we may well have a multi-year jump on our comrades in a true golf awakening.  Unlike nearly all of our peers, we do not judge golf courses simply by superficialities; how fast the greens are, or whether the carts have GPS in them.  I know find enjoyment in every golf course I play.  I appreciate the game even more than I used to.

Here's to GCA, and all its characters.

[Jordan Wall]

"I appreciate the game more than I used to"

Tim,

I couldnt agree more.

Thanks GCA.

[Doug Sobieski]

All this GCA enlightenment has got me thinking.  For you non-16 year old gentlemen/ladies, when did your eyes open to the wonders of golf course architecture?  Were you guys under 18?  My guess is that it was probably a little later than that.  

Tim:

I think I was 14 when I got my copy of Golf Digest's book on Top 100 courses. I ruined at least two copies because I was reading it so often (I recently bought a copy on eBay for sentimental reasons). I used to have pictures of Pine Valley and Cypress Point (and others) that I would cut out of magazines taped to my wall. I grew up on a rather mundane public course, and I dreamed about how many putts I'd make on the smooth greens of a country club. Believe it or not, at 15, the course I wanted to see the most was Wannamoissett (because of the aerial picture in the book and the cool name). The first "Great" course I ever played was Harbour Town (when I was 15), and that got me hooked.

Note - Teenage girls don't think pictures of golf holes on your wall are cool.

Regards,

Sobe

[Jordan Wall]

Doug,

That is really cool about the pictures.

I have many of those too.  Some of my framed pictures are holes like 16 CPC, 17 SH, and 4 at Spyglass, and other holes like that.  My, neigbor doesnt seem to mind them though, which is cool, and she is 16 years old.  She actually thinks it makes my room colorful.  
Hey, whatever works I guess...
 

I also have, like you, a bunch of the top 100 magazines.  I cant help it, I love it.  I think I have four sets of clubs in my room, and a few really old hickories hanging on my wall.  My whole room is golf, and I am even debating of getting a small mural of Pebble #7.  The first great course I have gotten to play, also when I was 15, was Kapalua Plantation.  Really opened my eyes to what golf can show and present.
Thanks for the cool story Doug!  

[Tim Pitner]

This looks like a very interesting course.  It's very different from Pacific Dunes, Barnbougle Dunes, and Ballyneal (which are all cut some the same, sand-based cloth).  Judging only from the photos, Tumble Creek appears to be very understated and traditional.  I believe it was Mr. Kavanaugh who suggested that Doak's recent designs were perhaps too similar.  While one could point to Cape Kidnappers as a counter-example, there did seem to be some truth to John's statement.  Tumble Creek is certainly a departure.  As much as I like Pacific Dunes and look forward to playing Ballyneal, I'd like to see more of these types of courses from Doak.  Perhaps the course in Central Oregon . . .

[Tom_Doak]

Tim P:  Thanks for noticing.

On the way back down the pass from Tumble Creek I was trying to decide whose work the course could be mistaken for, since it doesn't look like anything we've built lately.  The immaculate conditioning makes it look like a Nicklaus course, but the features don't.  The bunkers are a little like Fazio's, but the greens certainly aren't.

Come to think of it, it looks like a Brian Slawnik design.

[ed_getka]

Jordan,
   Thanks for posting about your day. I especially enjoyed reply #15. That is not blabbering, that is a well-written summation that showed clearly how much you enjoyed the day. Good for you.

[Jordan Wall]

George,

Thanks for that.  I certainly didnt mean to blab and I am glad that is not how it came across.


Tom,

That is one of the things I noticed about the course I did not make mention of but I admittedly really liked.  In the pictures I have seen of say, Pac. Dunes and Barnbougle the fairways were very dry, not very green (still great shape though).  It was nice to see that Tumble Creek had a type of conditioning where the grass was a lot greener and everything was smooth.  I do not think the brownish look of faster and firmer conditions would have looked the best at Tumble Creek.

[Gene Greco]

   What a great story recounting such an exciting and surely one of the most memorable days of your life. I enjoyed reading all about it!