Flynn bunkers!?

[TEPaul]

A month ago I mentioned how good the Flynn bunkering at Lancaster looks these days following bunker restoration by the club and Gil Hanse a few years ago.

Kittansett's Flynn bunkering is also looking good following restoration consultation and design work done by Hanse & Co and inhouse work.

The best of all I've seen, though, is the bunkering on all 27 holes at The Country Club (Brookline). I just spoke with the superintendent at Brookline, Bill Spence (a fascinating conversation on bunkering and architecture generally) and he said he feels the bunkering may have been Flynn's redoing on the original course, at the same time he was adding the additional nine holes to The Country Club in the late 1920s, but at this point no one can be sure about that. All that is certain is that the bunkering on the Primrose nine is Flynn's and the rest of the course looks the same!

Bill Spence did say that the bunkering and their surrounds that're there now is the result of real photographic analysis, tons of inhouse hand labor in restoration work and some years of proper evolution and careful maintenance practices.

Tee to green Brookline has a look about the course with it's generally rugged natural topography and fescue areas that frankly just looks old fashioned as could be (as it should). And the bunkering of Brookline melds it's rugged, grassy bunker surrounds into that overall course look just perfectly.

I'm no agronomist at all but it does not look to me like it's possible to get that rugged natural look whether or not that look is what Flynn was all about with just bluegrass surrounds--at least not Bluegrass that's keep close cropped. A fescue mix (of whatever percentage) seems to be the trick to that look--or maybe just fescue.

But whatever it takes, in my opinion, The Country Club at Brookline's bunkering is hitting the grand slam. Their bunkering, for that particular style, whether it's strictly Flynn's style or not, is about as good as it gets!

[Ed_Baker]

Tom Paul;

I would agree, and add that it is no accident that "the finest examples" of some of these old architectural styles are at clubs with long time superintendents that understand and care about the history and heritage of the golf courses they maintain. They are thoughtful custodians that have also mastered the art of diplomacy, which enables them to preserve the playabilty of their golf courses and resist the "idea du jour" of the very committees that they rely on for their paycheck. A daunting task that few of us could be successful at.

Bill Spence has gone through an Open and a Ryder Cup with all the "consultants" that come with it, yet his members tee it up on that great golf course everyday with that "look and playabilty" that hearkens back to Quimet, Vardon, and Ray.In the final analysis, he has earned the respect of his membership to the point that he is the last word on TCC's golf course. Kudos to Bill Spence and kudos to the membership at TCC for realizing what they have and zealously preserving it.

[TEPaul]

They all have my respect that's for damn sure. Another part of the conversation touched on archtiects and the commonly held belief that if you tell any architect what you want you'll get the same result!

I sure don't think so and it doesn't seem like BillS does either. Apparently Brookline does have an architect they may consult with on certain things and in that area they've also hit a grandslam homer in my opinion too!

[Mike_Cirba]

Tom;

They sure have the Flynn bunkers over at Philly Country Club looking fabulous, as well.  There is clearly a mix of grasses in the surrounds, and I defy anyone to tell that they were "restored" in the past two years, under the guidance of Ron Forse with Superintendent Mike McNulty doing the work inhouse.  

Coupled with the extensive tree removal over there, the course is going to be a real pleasant surprise to those unfamiliar with it when it co-hosts the medal portion of the 2005 US Amateur (with Merion).    

[TEPaul]

MikeC:

It's interesting to me that three courses that have good restored Flynn bunkering (Lancaster, PCC, and The Country Club--if the latter can be considered all Flynn style bunkering) were done inhouse or partially inhouse! All of them had architects in one form or another to help with design and placement, I guess, but a lot of the actual construction seems to have been done inhouse!

[Mike_Cirba]

Tom;

That is an intriguing, and excellent point.

I know that Rees Jones got much deserved credit for the restoration of Brookline, but it seems that most of the "in the ground" details were accomplished by inhouse staff.

I've yet to see Lancaster...hope to soon...but after playing Philly CC recently I'm beginning to wonder if there isn't something to this whole idea of "inhouse" work, if talented staff are available.  There are a lot of seeming benefits to this approach, not the least of which is the element of TIME....too many restoration jobs done by contractors seem rushed and done in the most "efficient" manner, which often yields less than desirable results.

The other thing to consider is accountability, which seems easier to me to control using inhouse staff as opposed to a contracted outfit, over which the club may not have the proper communications and working relationship, as well as the financial leverage to achieve the desired results, as well.