Flossmoor CC GCA Play Day

[tlavin]

Greg Ohlendorf and I are happy to announce a golfclubatlas.com play day at the newly renovated Flossmoor Country Club in south suburban Chicago on Thursday, August 13.  The course opened in 1899 and hosted the PGA Championship and various WGA events over the years.  It was reworked by Michigan-based architect Ray Hearn over the course of the past three years.   The result is the most eye-popping restoration that yours truly has ever seen.  Countless trees were removed, two holes were completely rebuilt and every bunker on the golf course was redone.  Flossmoor has surely fallen off the national radar and it's not all that prominent locally either, to tell you the truth, but this golf course needs to be seen and played.  In my not-so-humble opinion, it has the best set of 18 greens in Chicago.  Hands down.  The superintendent is top-notch and the layout itself is an old-time classic.

We'll have a lunch program with the architect going over the work, starting at noon and golf approximately 90 minutes later.

If you're interested in playing, contact Greg or me via instant message or email.  My email is lavin@lavinlaw.com and greg's is gohlendorf@comcast.net

Cheers!

[Richard Choi]

Oh MAN!!!

There are just not enough vacation days to play all of these wonderful GCA get togethers! I am bummed I can't go...

[Mark Smolens]

I agree with Richard, but it's not lack of vacation for me.  My annual trip to Lost Dunes is that day (hopefully Point O Woods on Wed pm, followed by a night in a cabin at LD, and golf there in the am).  Have not been to Flossmoor since the work was completed, and regret missing out. . .

[C. Squier]

I'm in if the boss lets me have the day off....

[Greg Ohlendorf]

Just to chime in...hope that you guys can come out and see the work. I think you'll be amazed. FCC has hosted a number of events in its history including the Amateur won by Max Marston and the PGA won by Jock Hutchinson. Bobby Jones held our course record for decades. Check out the recent thread that included some before and after photos. We will have others available for viewing at the event during Ray Hearn's talk at lunch. Golf photographer Mike Klemme just finished a photo shoot of the "after" work that turned out great.

Let Terry of me know if you can make it!

Greg

PS. Clint, I think we may be able to squeeze you in!

[PThomas]

Please count me in gents...thanks for the invite!

[Dan Moore]

In case anyone needs encouragement here are some photos from 2008.  Flossmoor ranked among Chicago's best courses in the 1920's, hosting the 1920 PGA and 1923 Amateur.  The transformation is quite remarkable.  This opportunity should not be missed. 

Thank you Greg and Terry for setting this up. 

Tweedie did the original layout which has been modified over time.  Many holes remain much as Tweedie laid them out in 1900.

Willie Watson revised #1 and added new holes #2 and #3 around 1910. 

Harry Collis (greenskeeper teens and 20's) had a huge influence adding new holes (#7, #18) modified many others (notably #6) and probably all the green complexes in the teens. 

Ray Hearn update 2006-2008.   Significant change to #4, new green on #8 and new #13.   

Here is a look at some of the holes.  One through six are pre-restoration.  The back nine, hole for hole, is as good as it gets.


#2 Par 3 Pre restoration  Willie Watson original


#3 Par 4  Pre restoration.  This was the 18th hole until 1915 and this would have been the view from the clubhouse porch 100 years ago.  Watson original.


#4 Before Renovation.  Hill removed opening up view of entire fairway.  Trees removed and bunkers added to create a very strategic short par 4. 


#6 Par 4  Pre restoration.  Considered by many as Flossmoors best hole in the 1920's.


#7 Harry Collis addition in 1915


#8 Hearn's New  Green


11th Tee 173 yd Par 3  Tweedie original


12th Tee 408 yd par 4 I love the bunkerless fall away green on this hole.  Tweedie Original


#12 Fabulous bunkerless green. Green looking back up fairway


#13  Ray Hearn's New par 3 13th Hole



#14 From tee. Left Right or Over the Top.  Another short par 4


14th Green 334 yd Par 4  Treacherous Collis Green


15th Tee 425 yd Par 4  Tweedie original.  Great Driving Hole


15th Green


#16  Famous Flossmoor Bunker Fronting Green


17th Tee 461 yd par 4  Named on of the best 18 holes in country by George O'neil in the teens. 

17 from Tee before tree removal


After Tree Removal


17th Green Looking Back to Clubhouse


#18 Uphill Par 5

Before Tree Removal


After Tree Removal

[Mark Smolens]

Note to all Chicago-area denizens of this group, do NOT miss the event.  I had the privilege of being invited to join Mark Chaplin's Royal Cinque Ports group at Flossmoor on Sunday.  What a treat.  The work done by Mr. Hearn is nothing short of spectacular.  The vistas across the golf course (resulting from an aggressive tree removal progam), and the green complexes were amazing.  You didn't use to get the feel for the elevation changes when you couldn't see the other holes.  Don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of trees to get behind, but Flossmoor is a definite must-play (and the hosts can't be beat either!).

[David Amarnek]

I'll second the comments by Mark, as I too participated in the event as an international member of RCPGC.
Dan, thanks for the before and after pics, what an improvement!
We had a great time with our hosts at both Olympia Fields and Flossmoor.  Splendid membership and fine golf. 
Our match at Flossmoor was sure exciting as we were 4 down with 6 to play against Keith and Tom only to tie them at 17 and then crash and burn on 18.  Great finishing holes.
Wish I didn't have to leave the group and return to STL and work, but duty called. 

[Greg Ohlendorf]

Mark and David,

We enjoyed our friendly matches against our guests from Deal. It was a great day for the Flossmoor membership as well. Thanks for your kind comments.

If any of our GCA or rater friends would like to attend, we will be hosting a play day on August 13th beginning at noon with lunch and conversation with our renovation architect Ray Hearn, followed by golf, followed by cocktails, etc afterwards. Please let Terry Lavin or me know if you are interested in seeing the "after" work Ray has helped us create.

Greg

[Dan Moore]

Bump

This is a great opportunity to play one of Chicago's best and most historic courses.

Hope to see you there on Thursday August 13th. 

[Dan Moore]

Its only fitting that this GCA day coincides with the 1st round of the PGA.  The third Annual PGA Tournament was held at Flossmoor in 1920 which was won by Glen Views professional Jock Hutchinson.  I look foward to tomorrow's gathering and the matches that will ensue.   

[PThomas]

supposed to be 84 tomorrow and sunny!

i'm truly looking forward to it...thanks to Greg and Terry

[Tom MacWood]

Whose bunkering style were they going for in the restoration?

[Greg Ohlendorf]

Tom,

Hearn used a Thomas style bunkering. He felt that the original Tweedie bunkers, which lacked any real design, were one of the courses weaknesses. Most of the original routing was basically intact. His wanted to use a classic era bunker design to keep the look and feel of the course appropriate for its age. The club was founded in 1899 and opened on September 10, 1900.

Greg

[Dan Moore]

Greg,  I suspect the old oval bunkering was a watered down version of Harry Collis" bunkers rather than Tweedie.  While I like the more modern look of the new bunkers (as seen in photos above of holes 7-18) I also think the Collis style like we see in the 1920's photo of #6 would have worked quite well. 

Tom,

Collis added new 7th and 18th holes in the teens and it seems like Willie Watson added the 2nd and 3rd holes around 1910.  Hearn added a brand spanking new 13th and new green on 8.  The rest are more or less Tweedie originals reworked to some degree by Collis, Hearn and others.

[Greg Ohlendorf]

Dan,

I would also assume Collis had an early impact on the bunkers that lived on for years. I don't see "modern" though in Hearn's redo of the bunkering we see today.

Look forward to more discussion and golf in a couple of hours!!

Greg

[Mark Chaplin]

How did the play day go. Any feedback on the course?

[Phil McDade]

Mark:

It was a terrific outing -- I plan to post a fairly extensive photo thread early-to-mid next week.

Great club, neat course, terrific conditions. More to come.