Pat Ruddy and his concept of "Star Views"

[Jay Flemma]

http://jayflemma.thegolfspace.com/?p=4951

From the Open letter to Pat:

In a chapter titled, “GOLF WITH STAR VIEWS – Bombarded by beauty at every turn”. You write:

“Almost every golf course offers a few eureka [sic] moments. But at Rosapenna it is like living in a picture postcard all the way with…ocean and mountain views to bedazzle and bewitch the player from start to finish….I decided this was a place to give birth to a new descriptive phrase: Star Views.” (p. 22).

Pat, to use the common phrase, I’m not feelin’ it.

You describe the concept as one purely of natural setting: “Tees, fairways, greens, entire holes were to be designed to provide at once great golf and great visuals…thirteen of the holes provide Star Views from their tees with fairways and greens in full view together with their magnificent settings and backdrops. They sit there like diamonds on a precious necklace.”

You further explain them as “iconic views”, asserting that because of “Star Views” “Romance is quickly added to this golfing safari”, and you feel that they “transform Rosapenna into the golfing Naples of the Atlantic.”

Precious necklace?? Golfing safari?? Naples of the Atlantic?? I dub thee “King of the Mixed Metaphor.”

All levity aside this is no more than the doctrine of framing, which spoon-feeds the shot requirements to the golfer – a doctrine which is, thankfully, in severe decline in this Second Golden Age of Golf Course Architecture....

[Tommy Williamsen]

Jay, I am not sure I understand your objections.  I have not had the opportunity to read his book or play Rosapenna. I have played a few of his courses and TEC a couple of dozen times though.  Pat always designs holes that require thought and execution.  Added to that mix is beauty. One of the lures of links golf is the sea.  The other is the dune scape.  Beauty is part of the game and there is no reason it should not be exploited.  Liverpool is  no doubt an excellent golf course, but I do not hanker to go back.  It is a frightfully dull landscape. From pictures I have seen, Rosapenna looks pretty dramatic.  I can't wait to get there.

[David_Tepper]

Castle Stuart is another exponent/example of the "star views" concept. It works very, very well there.

www.castlestuartgolf.com

[Tom_Doak]

Jay:

What's wrong with lining up holes on great views?  I do it all the time.  I just haven't tried to coin a phrase for it, or call attention to the fact that's what we are doing.

Have you ever played Sandy Hills?  It is spectacular -- though I am one of many people who also think it's too unforgiving. 

[Bill_McBride]

Great examples at Capilano in Vancouver.   The front nine downhill holes 1, 5 and 6 frame great views of the harbor and city skyline, and the long par 4's 15 and 17 playing in the opposite direction with big mountain peaks framed in the distance. 

12 at North Berwick has Bass Rock dead in its sights from the tee. 

[Jay Flemma]

Please don't misunderstand...I have nothing against pretty courses. But pretty should not be the first consideration over great strategic design principles.  It also shouldn't be so overstated as a talking point.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Jay:

What's wrong with lining up holes on great views?  I do it all the time.  I just haven't tried to coin a phrase for it, or call attention to the fact that's what we are doing.

Have you ever played Sandy Hills?  It is spectacular -- though I am one of many people who also think it's too unforgiving. 

Heading out to change Stonewall to Stonewow.

Had a few beers with Pat a few years ago, great guy.

[Michael Blake]

But pretty should not be the first consideration over great strategic design principles. 

Says who?

The pretty 'Star Views' concept that you write is 'dumbed-down architecture' I'm guessing is heaven to most people who play.

[Scott Warren]

Tommy,

Pat always designs holes that require thought and execution.

Not in my experience.

I think he realises the average golfer cares more about aesthetics and the superficial than substance and quality, engaging design. He has achieved great success giving people what they want, and best of luck to him.

But for those of us who want playing interest, variety, decisions, options and natural landforms, the Pat Ruddy courses I have played are sorely lacking.

Not many architects have managed to build courses that are everything to everyone, so Pat is far from alone.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Precious necklace?? Golfing safari?? Naples of the Atlantic?? I dub thee “King of the Mixed Metaphor.”

Jay from you that's the highest of compliments.  Of course you could be fooling me with a double secret irony.

[Paul Gray]

But pretty should not be the first consideration over great strategic design principles. 

Says who?

The pretty 'Star Views' concept that you write is 'dumbed-down architecture' I'm guessing is heaven to most people who play.

Nothing wrong at all with beautiful courses but to promote style over substance, it seems to me, is the antithesis of the ethos of design championed by GCAers.

[Jud_T]

To use Nuzzo's parlance,  golfers can have 3 different types of preferences: Pretty, Challenging or Fun.  TEC is Pretty/Challenging.  Pac Dunes is Pretty/Fun.  Jay, if you're saying that Pretty is fine as long as it's not at the expense of Fun I would tend to agree with you, but that's simply a personal preference.  If you look at all the Course Ranking lists Pretty as a design attribute goes a long way with most folks, including the "discerning" rater crowd.

[Ronald Montesano]

What is "TEC," The Elder Course?

[Jud_T]

The European Club

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