Rees Jones and Atlantic bunkers

[Bob_Huntley]

In a recent thread I saw this, "The 15th green used to be surrounded by uglly imitation lunar mounds and typical Rees styled bunkers.'

I play a Raynor course that was renovated by Jones and was wondering, could someone explain what exactly is a typical Rees styled bunker? Some photographs would be of considerable help.

I have much to learn.


Bob 

[Matt_Cohn]

Bob,

I haven't played a Rees Jones original design, but I have played a few of his renovations including your course, Lake Merced, Duke, and Torrey Pines.

His redesign work seems very different than his original work. It seems like he does better when the routing and general idea of each hole is predetermined. The whole style seems different. Just as a comparison, here are two renovations. The Dunes Course:


And Lake Merced:


Now two Rees originals. Three Ponds on Long Island:


And Santaluz near San Diego:


I don't want to judge the last two because I haven't played them, but I think that's what people mean when they talk about Rees Jones bunkers.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Bob,
I wouldn't, but Ron Whitten would:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_6_59/ai_n28004447/pg_5/

[Bill_McBride]

Bob,
I wouldn't, but Ron Whitten would:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_6_59/ai_n28004447/pg_5/

Why are all the "fairway" bunkers in the rough?   

[Patrick_Mucci]

One of the worst ways to analyze a hole is by viewing an aerial photo, versus, playing the hole and viewing the hole as the golfer sees it.

The bunkering at Atlantic has changed over the years as has some of the mounding.

A good deal of the original mounding at Atlantic was to block out off property views.

[Matt_Cohn]

Patrick,

Do you agree that there are big differences in style between Rees' original work and his redesign work?

[Damon Groves]

The last two showing his original work are simply awful. Is the idea to at least try to immitate nature? I have played Rio Secco that has those same squiggly line and dot bunkers and from the ground and the air they are equally bad.

Interesting to read Rees' own words from the Rio Secco website.....

"If I were to summarize my Philosophy for golf course design, it would be this: to create an environment for the game of golf that is challenging, fair, and aesthetically pleasing.  I would rather create a natural, classic course that blends with its surroundings, than a course full of unnecessary gimmicks which discourages the average golfer.....My style emphasizes definition.  I work hard at giving the golfer a concept as he stands over the ball.  I want him to see the intended target and be able to visualize the shot.  To achieve this, I elevate the tees when possible, grade fairways and add bunkers, pockets and mounds and carefully crafted greens.  The greens are surrounded by features that protect the surface.  These natural-appearing features help to contain slightly errant shots and provide a variety of approach shots.  Our Philosophy is to penalize a missed shot in keeping with the degree it is missed.  Our courses are designed with so many subtleties that a new experience can be encountered on every round.  We often emphasize position and risks off the tee to improve the approach to the green.  I make each hole more distinctive by using a mix of design elements which I call a “multi-theme” approach. I believe graceful lines and greens which allow for multiple options for hole locations.  A properly contoured and fortified green, more than any other feature, is the place where par is presented as a standard of excellence. The selection of a site for the course is crucial.  It serves as the canvas for the creation of the design, I consider myself as a “hands on” architect with an emphasis on quality over quantity.  Frequent visits to the site are essential to oversee construction and create design details."

I guess his idea of graceful lines and natural is different than mother nature's.

[Jason McNamara]

I used to belong to a Rees course (Shadow Hawk in Houston, 1999).  The bunkers were nowhere near as perfectly rounded as the ones in the second two pics.  (Google 29*38'N x 95*41'30" W - basically it is the middle course, but not the 4 up & down holes just N of the large parking lot.)  Try http://tinyurl.com/l4zloj for a link

Have to say I loved the course.

[Emil Weber]

Apologies for the rather bad quality, but here are some pics of his bunkers at Torrey Pines. grass-faced and softly shaped I would describe them. His bunkers are generally quite similar to Nicklaus' in style.

[Anthony_Nysse]

Rees Bunker style really changed around 1998. For one reason or another, it seems to me that after the renovation work at Bethpage is when his style really changed, followed by Black Lake, Shadow Hawk, GC at Briar's Creek, The Bridge and even Thousand Oaks.

Tony Nysse
Pine Tree GC
Boynton Beach, FL

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick,

Do you agree that there are big differences in style between Rees' original work and his redesign work?

Isn't that true of every architect ?

Redesign work usually has a preconceived objective whereas original work tends to be more ...... oringinal.

[Jason McNamara]

Rees Bunker style really changed around 1998. For one reason or another, it seems to me that after the renovation work at Bethpage is when his style really changed, followed by Black Lake, Shadow Hawk, GC at Briar's Creek, The Bridge and even Thousand Oaks.

Tony Nysse
Pine Tree GC
Boynton Beach, FL

Tony, I think you're on to something here.  A quick check indicates Olde Kinderhook also opened in 1999.

[Matt_Cohn]

Patrick,

Do you agree that there are big differences in style between Rees' original work and his redesign work?

Isn't that true of every architect ?

Redesign work usually has a preconceived objective whereas original work tends to be more ...... oringinal.

Well, original courses have objectives too. But that's interesting. I guess I'm just surprised that Rees hasn't built more highly-ranked golf courses, given that he's so consistently able to move already-existing courses higher in the rankings through his redesigns. I'd think he could reproduce Medinah or Hazeltine on just about any site and have a bunch of Top 100 courses to his name. But he tries to do his own style and, if you believe the rankings, ends up with a bunch of good courses but not great ones.

[Michael Dugger]

I don't really think Rees Jones has a style.

Blindfold me and take me out to a Rees Jones, then a Ted Robinson, then a Arnold Palmer....errrr...Ed Seay, and I don't think I could tell who did what.