Having played five courses that Lester George has worked on (Ballyhack, Kanawha, Old White at the Greenbrier, Kinloch, and the Westhampton Course at the Country Club of Virginia), I'm not entirely clear on what to say!
Having said that
, what I mean is that each course is so different/unique that it is hard to believe that the same man was involved in each project. That's intended as a great compliment to Lester. The work of many other architects (ironically, the most famous ones) is too easily stereotyped. Not Lester who is certainly a 'think outside the box' person.
First, there is Ballyhack. Not unlike Tobacco Road (another design that I have high regard for), Ballyhack has the ability to polarize golfers (it was more or less the genesis for question #13 with Joe Passov). Some, like me, love its wide open nature and bold features while others think that it is too much. That’s great - so be it! Though certainly not its purpose, the grandness of Ballyhack helps expand the field of golf course architecture. A lot of fun, quality shots exist whereby the golfer aims at A to end up over by B. This sort of ground golf is totally absent in the region and the grassing scheme/low humidity help the course play just right.
Then there is Kinloch which is Lester's most acclaimed design. Featuring multi-route options off the tees, raters have loved it from the start. Close by but totally different is the stylish Kanawha, a par 27 nine hole course/club. The owner was to keen to have a relaxed place to stay in touch with the game when a four hour round was out of the question. The fiercely sloping, firm greens do just that. Played in peace and quiet, the golfer is quick to know when he is out of position from the tee. Once above certain hole locations, even the late, great Seve Ballesteros would have his hands full trying to sort out a way to stay within ~8 feet of the hole on one's next shot. If you can manage your ball around this little gem with its pitched greens, your game is all set for whatever important trip/match you have coming up.
Apart from the diversity of Lester's work (just look at the bunkering style difference between Old White and Country Club of Florida as another example) , it is also a PLEASURE to post a Feature Interview with an architect who elects to spend time posting on this web site. Yes, anyone can slant their posts and attempt to sell something here but those folks generally are sussed out and fade away. Lester has been around for a long time and posts out of genuine conviction. Hopefully, the woeful economy won’t blunt his raw passion for the game and for design. From a quick one hour loop around Kanawha to the big and burly golf at Ballyhack, Lester enjoys an imaginative sense of what works well.
Cheers,