Settindown Creek (Ansley Club)

[Jason Blasberg]

I had the opportunity to play Settindown Creek a couple of days ago.  

It's a Bob Cupp course and worth a visit from anyone in the Atlanta area.  Lots of trouble off the tee and it's visually intimadating but there's lots of room on many holes.  A good mix of long and shorter par 4s.  A great short hole #7.  The par 5s were challenging with a shared green over water on #s 1 and 10, although they felt a lot alike.  

Some very good green contouring and some real tough pins to greens flanked by water.  There was also lots of nasty long grass an run off areas around the greens to keep you honest.

A course with great texture although a couple of holes are a bit forced.  

 

[Mike_Cirba]

Hi Jason,

How's things?  

I can't let you get by without asking, how do you define "A course with great texture"?  

Love the word, but would enjoy hearing how you think it applies.  

[Jason Blasberg]

Mike:

Hope all is well with you.

My take on texture is interesting movement to the land with a richness in contrast between fairways and roughs and bunkers.

I would say that a course with a lot of texture would combine well (without blending) the contour of the course with the native grasses, fauna and other hazards, including water hazards if applicabe.

It's like a feast for the eyes, almost like one would salivate over a meal.  

I would say the course that I've played recently with the best texture is Boston Golf Club.

In contrast, I would say a course where the fairways, roughs, bunkers and other hazards blend visually would not contain a lot of texture.

[Jason Blasberg]

In the interests of full disclosure, I'm totally ripping off the use of texture from Ran's review of Lost Dunes.    I'm not sure what Ran's definition is but I certainly have formed my own and consider it when seeing a course.

[Mike_Cirba]

Jason,

Thanks for the reply and I think it's a really good description, not to be confused with courses that are framed well for strictly visual purposes.

Tell me if you disagree, but I also tend to admire courses that have a certain vagueness about them visually, where it's not entirely clear where to proceed, or where there is clear delination between features, or sometimes even between fairway and rough and you must find your own way.

I tend to enjoy when the various textures "blend" into something very amorphous, which to me more closely emulates nature and the uncertain lines between features.

Things are good, if busy and crazed, thanks.  I'm actually going to be in Atlanta the second week in July, with the possibility of playing at least one, and possibly two days.  I'll let you know more specifics.

[Jason Blasberg]

 I'm actually going to be in Atlanta the second week in July, with the possibility of playing at least one, and possibly two days.  I'll let you know more specifics.

Bring your sun block  We just got back and it was great weather, high 80s and little humidity but that sun is strong down there, not like sunny days in the NE.