The GA's arch's and their region's topographies

[David Stamm]

When looking at the GA's architects and their bodies of work, I sometimes wonder if their legacies would be different had they ended up someplace else in the country. While some did design thorughout the country, most were centralized to certain areas where the topography generally speaking was similiar. Mackenzie was in Northern and Central California, most of Thomas' work was in So Cal, Flynn in Philadelphia,  Ross in the Carolina's and New England, CBM/Raynor in New York. If these arch's had switched places with each other geographically, would their personal design philosophies have changed as well?

[Garland Bayley]

MacKenzie was all over the world, and it didn't change his philosophies.

[David Stamm]

Garland, I was referring more to here in the US. But, yes, I agree with that.

[James Bennett]

MacKenzie was all over the world, and it didn't change his philosophies.

Mackenzie was all over the world, involved in clay soils and sandy soils, on in-land and coastal courses.  But, with a few exceptions, I think the courses typically experience moderate rainfall (say 20 inches to 30 inches a year) and are relatively playable all year round (ie not snow bound).

I know there are exceptions like Meadow Club (which has over 40 inches of rain a year, and perhaps 70 inches in the El Ninio year when I visited in 2006) and Augusta (co-design with Boby Jones, which I assume has a much more volatile, hot and humid climate).  Are there any snow-bound courses?  Or courses with much wetter climates?

James B

[Kalen Braley]

MacKenzie was all over the world, and it didn't change his philosophies.

I know there are exceptions like Meadow Club (which has over 40 inches of rain a year, and perhaps 70 inches in the El Ninio year when I visited in 2006) and Augusta (co-design with Boby Jones, which I assume has a much more volatile, hot and humid climate).  Are there any snow-bound courses?  Or courses with much wetter climates?

James B

I'd be willing to bet that Crystal Downs get more than its fair share of snow in Michigan...

[TEPaul]

David:

I think facts and history can prove that most of those top-named architects of that era were really adaptable no matter where they went.

The only real chink in the armor of a few of them seemed to be how to handle golf architecture around certain environments where Mother Nature was inclined to really tear things up.

In my opinion, this was true of Macdonald/Raynor on courses like Lido and The Creek or even Fishers Island.

This isn't meant to be a knock or criticism of them necessarily because after-all who could have imagined back in that day or had any historical understanding golf architecture-wise with something like the incredibly destructive effects of that infamous hurricane of 1938?

Back in that day I think there was a ton of the caveat of drainage, drainage, drainage in a sheet flow or naturally diminishing way, if you know what I mean.

The other caveat was obviously "don't f.... with Mother Nature" when she's in one of her 100 year anger cycles.

Some obviously heeded those kinds of things back then better than others.  

[James Bennett]

MacKenzie was all over the world, and it didn't change his philosophies.

I know there are exceptions like Meadow Club (which has over 40 inches of rain a year, and perhaps 70 inches in the El Ninio year when I visited in 2006) and Augusta (co-design with Boby Jones, which I assume has a much more volatile, hot and humid climate).  Are there any snow-bound courses?  Or courses with much wetter climates?

James B

I'd be willing to bet that Crystal Downs get more than its fair share of snow in Michigan...

Kalen (and others, eg Ed Getka)

how does Crystal Downs compare with other Mackenzie masterpieces?  Does the snow impact on a design (I don't know, I have no knowledge of such climates)?  Also, how wet is the playing season at Crystal Downs (eg, is it subject to more than 4 or 5 inches of rain a month) and have the architectural features had to be constructed differently as a result?

James B