Ekwanok opinions

[Brad Tufts]

I just played Ekwanok for the second time ever yesterday, and was curious what everyone thought about it.  The weather up here in VT finally cooperated, but the wind was up, making things difficult.  

What do you think is the hardest hole?  Nicest?  Easiest?  Most Strategic?

My other point relates to the fourth hole, a par 3, that they are changing the tee so it plays longer and from a different angle.  I hear it used to play from where the temp. tees are now...from directly behind the 3rd green, but now it will play at about 190 (as opposed to 145) to a green that seems more suited for short to mid irons.  Another attempt to lengthen a course that is plenty at 6566 par 70.  Any thoughts?

[Brad Tufts]

oh, forgot to mention my picks.....

#16 as hardest (#6 as runner-up)

#10 as easiest

#8 as most strategic

#14 as nicest...favorite

[corey miller]

remember eight as one of my favorites also.  Liked the par three sixth with the birch trees one of the only trees I have actually liked seeing on a course.

Favorite hole though was the seventh.  Reminded me of what i remember Yale being like.  though I must say it does have perhaps the most unfortunate and misplaced cart-path in golf.  The hole and path through the nob in the hill i will never forget.

[Ran Morrissett]

Certainly the best in the state, and miles better than its sister course down the road, too little remains of the original bunkering schemes and greens for it to be a great favorite.

As with Hollywood, the central bunkering schemes need to be re-instated, considering how many holes play more or less in a straight line.

Brad, did you know that the 6th green is a Cornish green? It has some of the most interesting interior contours that I've ever seen, though perhaps it isn't in keeping with the other greens. The two tiered 8th is a Cornish green as well and I agree with you, it is a very neat hole.

The 6th and 14th were great favorites and the 13th was very impressive, as being both hard and strategic. That whole loop from 4 through to 14 is very special but what were they thinking with the cart path that mars the hill on 7?  

Cheers,

[Brad Tufts]

Ran,

     That green on #6 had one of the most difficult pin positions i have ever seen....our groups of three and two made 4,4,5,6, and 6...the pin was on the upslope about 10 ft. from the top edge in front, and we watched as each one of our first chips rolled back to our feet.  The hole doesnt seem to quite fit into the others, but it is in a good setting.  I agree that the cart path on #7 is atrocious.  The other hole that I thought didn't quite fit in was the 15th, the one with the pond in front of the green, and the "where do i hit it" tee shot.  

The other thing I wanted to mention is that you can notice the bunkering from the past that is being brought back into play. Some have appeared since last fall when I first play the course.  The caption of the pic of the par 3 11th on the course profile mentions that there used to be a bunker on the hole where a ladder was used to get to parts of it.  The brush to the left about 40 yards from the tee has been turned into a huge old bunker on the side of the 25-foot high mound there.

[Ran Morrissett]

Brad,

The work on 11 sounds very encouraging and the course will continue to get better and better as Hepner brings back a few Travis/Dunn features each year.

Suppose Travis came to Ekwanok later in his design career - I wonder if Dunn and he would have figured out a routing that avoided 1-3 and 16-18 paralleling each other? Perhaps not, and those six holes are all individually fine, but the sense of going up and back in a field is nonetheless regretable.

Cheers,