AAC 2 Entry 10. Old Mill Golf Club

[Garland Bayley]

...
The look to play narrower as well - they both slope into the creek.
...

It is well known on this site that I am not a great golfer, but couldn't you strategize to handled the slopes as necessary for your game. If your ball moves right, hit it down the creek and have it bend into the slope on the right, or vice versa. Or if you stuggle to try to just manage to hit it straight like I do, hit it to the opposite side to get it to be directed up slope.

[Alex Miller]

Hole 2, 320 yard par 4

My favorite hole on the course. Just under 300 yards to the front edge of the green from the back tees. Options to a split fairway if you choose to lay up. I posted my least favorite hole, so here's my favorite.\

[Garland Bayley]

Gee, A big mound in the center of the fairway. Where have I seen that before?

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,38984.msg814740/#msg814740

My favorite from last year.

[Garland Bayley]

Your 14th lying exactly on top of my 9th. You designing a hole with a big hill in the middle of a fairway like I did for the last  contest. You designing a hole with the stream running right down the center of it like I did. Have you been hacking into my computer and stealing my ideas?

Actually your 5th was one of my top rated holes that I chose not to include in my routing to get others (like my 16th) in.

[Alex Miller]

I swear I had no idea. 

I think there are some other architects out there who need to credit your work as well. I really like your 16th btw, but I could've got it into my routing (if I were creative enough) without sacrificing my western holes. From my 9th green I could've made a nice par 4 up near your current 16th tee, played 16 down, and then made a hole from that green to my 13th tee. Unfortunately that would make my course have 6 par 4s in a row and I'd have to sacrifice my 10th, which is almost as wide and strategic as your 16th! I really liked that hole, if it prompts any discussion I will post pics of it.

[Garland Bayley]

...

As for 8 I couldn't hit either fairway with my 2nd shot.
I'd get rid of the right fairway and put 1/2 of it on the left.
Now you are back in business...

Mike,

How do you think you would fair at the 16th at Colorado Golf Club?
Or should Bill and Ben get rid of the narrow right fairway and put 1/2 of it on the left?


Alex,

It turns out not only were you stealing ideas from me, but you have been stealing from Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw too!

[Alex Miller]

Garland and Nick had some comments from Philippe so here are his on my course,

"there are too many holes with too much stuff going on.. it's normal, because if there's no bunkers off the tee, you have a hard time selling the point that the drive is fun...

calm down on the design... don't worry, professional architecs do the same mistake. A golf course is to complex yet simple to be put on a plan.?

First a huge thanks to him for the response. His point is one that Mike Nuzzo made before. Looking back on it, I probably did try to impose strategy a little harder than I should have. He pointed out that computer models make it difficult to show all the nuances. Ideally next year we will find a way to send our files so that the judges can look at them in sketch up, walk around (virtually) and get a better idea of what we were doing, but they will never provide the same experience as being on a sight. Looking back I would eliminate the right side bunkers on #1, the left bunker on #7, the bunker on #9, change the drive on #12, eliminate the left bunker on #15 and #17. This was a great experience, if anyone else has comments to share feel free to do so!

[Garland Bayley]

Alex,

Here's another one that probably has too many holes with too much stuff going on, and probably needs to calm down on the design.

http://www.bandondunesgolf.com/filebin/images/course/pacificdunes/PAC_ROUTING_x.jpg

Of all the entries, yours is the one I want to play the most.