[Matthew Sander]

I recently returned from a golf trip in beautiful Lexington, KY. We played 5 rounds in 4 days (supposed to be 6 but Tuesday afternoon was a washout). I had the camera along, but didn't take many pics until the last 2 days at the University Club of KY. I'll be posting some pics and a not so complete photo tour of both courses at the University Club. First a little about the courses.

Sunday afternoon (July 25th) we played at Kearney Hill Golf Links. It is a Pete Dye design that used to be the venue for a Senior Tour event. It also held the 1998 Men's Amateur Public Links and the 2007 Women's Amateur Public Links. It is a wide open piece of property with some nice roll. It is very walkable and plays 7079 from the tips. There are some good risk reward holes and it has many of the usual Pete Dye trappings. The one that I find most distinct on this course and many Dye courses is the visual intimidation/confusion. Many shots into greens were at an angle where a knob or bunker makes the green semi blind. In fact, the greens were receptive and could receive a variety of shots, but the visual made you just uncomfortabe enough to be a little unsure. The course has a really good finish (15-18) with a mid length par 3 skirting a lake, a short par 4 with many of the same playing angles and features as the 18th at Sawgrass (except length), a long par 4 with a blind tee shot over a slope to a punchbowl(ish) green in a natural ampitheater, and a down then up reachable par 5. I really enjoyed this course when we lived in Lexington and it didn't disappoint this time. I only took a few pics at Kearney Hill...

1st tee (433 par 4 from tips)



approach to 1st green



12th tee (211 par 3)



A look at the 18th green from the 1st tee

[Matthew Sander]

On Monday, July 26th, we played 36 holes at Old Silo in Mt. Sterling, KY. Old Silo is a Graham Marsh design and for those of you who've played there, you know it is a unique and visually appealing course with a lot of elevation changes and artistic (and plentiful) bunkering. He did a good job with the routing on a difficult and sometimes extreme piece of property. It is a fun course and can be quite difficult in places. Unfortunately, my camera spent the day in the hotel room (I know, that could be grounds for losing my username and password) so I won't bore you with hole descriptions that you can't visualize. Here is a link to their website's photo page http://oldsilo.com/sites/courses/layout.asp?id=432&page=12827 . It plays 6977 from the back tees, but length is not the course's main defense. The bunkering and the topography are the most significant impediments to scoring. It is unwalkable and the trek from 2 green to 3 tee may be an all timer.

The problem with Old Silo seems to be its location. Mt. Sterling is about 35 minutes east of Lexington's east side. That doesn't sound too far, but there are a lot of really good affordable public courses closer to Lexington., with no other large towns anywhere near. I just don't think it gets enough traffic. The conditioning wasn't very good and I saw only 5 grounds crewmen on a Monday morning, one of which I believe was the Asst. Pro. Many of the bunkers had been washed out down to a layer of gravel. As far as we could tell they only had two young kids working on the washed out bunkers and it took them all day (36 holes) to complete the bunkers on hole 18 and half of hole 9. At this rate (barring any more downpours) they may be finished by Halloween. It is a shame, because with decent conditioning this course is excellent. I believe that Golf Magazine ranked it the top public course in KY. Visually maybe, but with the conditioning we saw it can't be anywhere close, and I don't think we just caught them on a bad day. I may be wrong, but I don't know how Old Silo will survive...BTW, it was $59 to play all day.

I'll start posting pics from the University Club of KY soon...

[Richard Hetzel]

I have played both, and both were nice golf courses....

[Anthony Gray]

  I am a Uk grad,Maybe I need to gey back soon,How about OLD SILO?

  Anthony

[Richard Hetzel]

As far as Dye courses go, Kearney Hill Links was on the benign side of design, IMO. Very open, and very fun. We played there on a chilly October day as golf season was winding down. Old Silo was a fun course overall, a few of the holes were somewhat cramped and interspersed amongst some homes, but it was a fun round of golf. Definitely worth the drive from Lexington. We drove 2 hours from Cincinnati to play it.

I have some Old Silo pics I can  post for you if you like.

[Zack Molnar]

I thought Kearney Hill was a PB Dye design. Is this the same as Pete Dye? I agree it is a pretty good course with a great finish, and also very challenging. I played a tournament there in HS and most of the people I was with enjoyed the course.

[John Mayhugh]

I thought Kearney Hill was a PB Dye design. Is this the same as Pete Dye? I agree it is a pretty good course with a great finish, and also very challenging. I played a tournament there in HS and most of the people I was with enjoyed the course.

Kearney is supposedly Pete & PB (PB is his son).  I think of it as kind of Dye-light.  Some good holes, but some not so good.  I enjoy Peninsula more, but conditioning there can be poor.

[Billsteele]

Matthew-Nice pictures of Kearney Hill. If you are talking Dye in the Bluegrass State, I prefer Peninsula somewhat. I think the site is more interesting and not quite as compact as Kearney in spots. There are also some neat touches at Peninsula...like the huge strip bunker on the left side of one of the par fives with the steps leading down to it. The first hole at Kearney always struck me as a clever hole. There is out of bounds (a fence line) on the left so the tendency is to favor the right side of the fairway. But the tree on the right (prominent in your photo) can be an issue since the green is located behind it. I thought it was an interesting decent length par four. I also liked the 18th which plays back up toward the clubhouse.  

Old Silo is pretty solid. I played it early on when there was no housing around it. I loved some of the looks from the tees. The most interesting tee shot that I recall is one over a ravine to a fairway angled right to left away from the player...very cool. I understand what you are saying about the economic viability of the course. However, it has to have been around for about ten years now and is still hanging on. I know that they used to run all sorts of internet specials because I somehow wound up on there mailing list. Hopefully, it  can hang in there.

[Matthew Sander]

Hello all,

I haven't had the opportunity to post the rest of the pics from our trip. The last two days (July 27th and 28th) were spent at the University Club of KY. The Univerisity Club is a 36 hole facility with a public course (Wildcat) and a private course (Big Blue). I believe the complex used to be called The Players Club of Lexington. Both courses were initially designed by the orginal owner. The facility changed ownership and became The University Club of Kentucky. When the club changed hands Arthur Hills was brought in to beef up the Big Blue course. I was told the routing was left in tact, but he redid all of the greens and bunkers. Apparently the Wildcat was left as is. I didnt snap as many pics as I normally would, but you'll get a feel for the property and courses...

On Tuesday morning we played the Wildcat. Earlier in the morning it had poured and the course was soggy, however the greens were still firm and putted quite fast. We were supposed to play the Big Blue in the afternoon, but the round was rained out. We accepted a rain check and returned the next morning. Here are some pics...

Wildcat Course (par 71, 6680, 6254, 5853, and 4955). It was rainy and hazy/humid so the pics aren't what they could be...

Hole 1 (par 4 440 from tips) - A straightaway downhill par 4 w/ a creek about 20 yds short of the green.

View of 1st green from right rough.



2nd Hole (par 5 530) An uphill par 5 w/ landing zone pinched by a creek that runs underneath the fairway in the landing zone



A view from short left of the green. The greens were smallish and pretty flat, but they were a nice surface.





Hole 3 (par 4 499) This hole was a beast in the wet weather. The tee shot is downhill, but wet fairways = no roll. The same creek from #1 fronted this green about 30 yds short, making a marginal approach shot dangerous



From behind the green



Hole 4 (par 3 181)A nice little drop shot par 3 to a green with signifcant back to front slope



Hole 5 (par 4 397) Blind tee shot over a small rise to a fairway bending right to left.





Hole 6 (par 4 331) Short par 4 bending gently to the right with mounds and hazard along the right side.

View from the approach area



Hole 7 (par 5 549)Pedestrian par 5 except you need to favor left side of fairway with tee shot to have a shot at the green in two or even for an aggressive layup.



Hole 8 (par 3 226) Long par three to a small green fronted by a stone lined creek




I'll post more pics later...thanks...

[Matthew Sander]

More holes from University Club's Wildcat Course...

Hole 10 (par 5 494) Par 5 with downhill second shot, either lay up short of creek fronting green, or have a go. You can run the ball in from the left side of the green...



Hole 12 (par 4 429)



Hole 14 (par 3 176) Downhill par 3 over a sea of fescue to a wide green with front shoulder bunkers. Attractive tee shot with good views..



Hole 15 (par 4 360) Most will layup off the tee as the driver landing zone is very narrow between trees and water. Pretty view from the tee...



view from the layup landing area



Interloper...



Hole 16 (par 3 167) All carry to a green with two tiers and b to f slope



The Wildcat course is an enjoyable low key track at the University Club. It is not long, but some of the holes require strategy to score. Very pleasant walk out in the country with no development in sight. The Wildcat rates are $38/weeday $45/weekend (includes cart). We paid $100 for the Wildcat and access to the Big Blue...I'll post pics of the Big Blue course soon...

[Matt Harrison]

Good pictures, and great to hear some GCA folks enjoyed golf in my hometown!  Next time you are in town, send me a message.  There are some good private clubs in town as well that we could set up a round or 2 at with some notice.

On an interesting sidenote- you noticed the number of affordable public golf in town.  The big fight down here is among a few owners of courses in the area, who are pressing the city government to stop subsidizing golf so much.  The debate seems to come down to whether golf should be viewed like a city park, and partially subsidized by the city or not.  And, whether the government is creating an unfair environment for privately-held businesses.

[Harvey Dickens]

Matthew,
             Was Kearney Hills in good shape? Used to play there once or twice a year. Played Old Silo once and it was in the worst weather conditions I have ever played in. I get up to that area every month, I am going to have to try it in better weather.

[Matthew Sander]

Matthew,

Thanks for the kind words, and by the way we had a blast. Some of my friends that are lifelong Chicagoans were really impressed w/ Lexington. One guy said he just needs to find a way to convince his wife to move there! I lived there for couple of years '02-'04 and really enjoyed the public golf. It did seem that there were a rather large number of quality municipal courses when you consider the size of Lexington (BTW, I adored Picadome and I'm sure many here would feel the same). Unfortunately, I don't know when we'll be back, but the trip went so well (and you can't beat $360 per man for 3 nights hotel and 6 rounds of golf) that a return trip can't be too far away. I'll look you up...

Harvey,

Kearney Hill was in decent shape. They had received a lot of rain leading up to our trip and the bunkers were a little washed out. They had some spotty turf damage due to all of the rain, heat, and humidity, but it could have been much worse. Apparently, they had the city championship there the weekend before our visit, so I'm sure it was good timing for conditions.

Old Silo was in rough shape, probably in large part due to the recent weather. However, I really love the layout and I'll probably always return when I'm in the area...When you're in Lexington you should also check out Gibson Bay (for the green fee alone), Golf Club of the Bluegrass, Houston Oaks, Cherry Blossom, The Bull, Peninsula (you may want to ask around about conditioning), University Club, and if you love charming old courses, give Picadome a try...

Matt

[Matthew Sander]

We started the Big Blue Tuesday afternoon, but a nasty thunderstorm chased us away until the following morning. The Big Blue course was designed by the property's original owner, but was renovated by Arthur Hills when it became the University Club. He redid all of the greens and bunkering, but reportedly did not alter the routing. The tees are 7013, 6505, 6059, and 5596. Here are some highlights...

*The first few pics were taken on Tuesday afternoon w/ an approaching Tstorm so they aren't the best quality...


from L to R - Yours Truly, my dad, and my brother



Hole 1 (par 4 419 from the tips)Nondescript slightly downhill par 4.



the approach to a green with a back half that runs away



Hole 3 (par 3 206) You can't tell from the pic, but there is a slope short right of the green that feeds your ball on nicely



Hole 5 (par 5 481) Short par 5 with a difficult green and surround. There is a really effective illusion bunker short right that messed with our minds a little while going for green in two.



Hole 6 (par 4 410)One of the best 4s on the course with a rolling fairway and interesting green setting.



You can risk flirting with the deep bunker left, or use the pronounced right to left slope to feed the ball into the green



Hole 7 (par 5 524) A down then up par 5. The tee shot plays downhill to a wide fairway surrounded by trouble...



Going for the green in two, the shot plays considerably longer than the yardage due to the uphill nature. Bunkering requires precision on a lay up as well.



Hole 8 (par 3 179)An island green par 3. This green is probably the smallest island green I've played and the yardage is longer than most island green holes. However it is about 1 club downhill. As you can see in this pic, the Univesity Club does a good job incorporating texture in the course with their fescues.



Hole 9 (par 4 326) Very short par 4 driveable for some. Awkward as you can't see much fairway for your layup and if you're attempting to drive the green, all you see is rough and bunkers.



uphill approach to the green


Hole 10 (par 4 386)Hit your tee shot into the uphill slope. This green had more slope than most on the course and a litte false front.



Hole 11 (par 4 407) This hole really struck me as the epitome of the Kentucky golf aesthetic. It has an open feel with a horse farm style picket fence running up the left hand boundary.



Hole 12 (par 3 194) Beautiful setting. Tee shot all carry over water to a large green.



shot from behind the green



Hole 13 (par 5 548) Dogleg left par 5 with thick woods on the left and a long bunker complex running down the right side for the last 100 yards or so.



Hole 14 (par 4 370) Here is the start of a difficult section of the course. I feel water is used too much in this stretch, but it definitely increases the difficulty. This hole is a layup tee shot w/ an approach to a green with water in front and behind.



approach with water everywhere



Unfortunately I didn't get any pics of 15 which is the most difficult on the course. A long par 4 with a narrow drive, junk right and water left, leaving an uphill approach to a green guarded by deep bunkers.

Hole 16 (par 5 565) This long par 5 swings dramatically to the right around the slope containing a very large bunker complex. The green you see in the distance is not the 16th, but rather the 14th. 16 green sits well to the right and out of sight.



Wedge to green over more water



The Big Blue course was in excellent shape especially when you consider all of the recent rain. They had heavy Tstorms the day before, but only the lowest of spots on the course were damp. The greens were not the most imaginative, but there were several interesting green surrounds. This is the course that the UK golf teams use has their home turf, and I imagine it presents a pretty good test although it is not overly long. Paired with the Wildcat course this is an enjoyable facility. It has an excellent low key grill room and clubhouse, and good practice facilities. Again, the Wildcat is public, but the Big Blue is private. We played both for a flat fee of $100 which I think they're open to doing as long as the tee sheet allows.

[Matthew Sander]

Kearney is supposedly Pete & PB (PB is his son).  I think of it as kind of Dye-light.  Some good holes, but some not so good.  I enjoy Peninsula more, but conditioning there can be poor.

John Mayhugh,

I can see that. I always have preferred Kearney Hill, but maybe the conditioning at Peninsula influenced that opinion. I may not have given Peninsula enough of a chance while I lived there as I only played it twice (in different years and at different times of the year) and the conditions were equally poor both times. That said, there are some really good holes. I did like #17, the par 5 that sweeps left with a long bunker along the left. 16 was a good uphill blind par 3 that runs away from you if I'm not mistaken. I should give it another try when I'm in the area again...

The Dye-light comment about Kearney is accurate. The size and scale of the property wouldn't allow them the opportunity for one of Dye's grandiose projects. However, I think they used his hallmarks on a smaller scale and for the most part I think they work. There is a 3 or 4 hole stretch on the front that is kind of cramped, but it doesn't spoil it for me. Take care...

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