Phil, what were your favorite holes? What about your least favorite?
It should be noted that Prichard's work at Idle Hour is more of a "sympathetic renovation" than a true restoration. It is the rare urban Golden Age course that originally sat on a smaller parcel of land than what it occupies today. The original Ross routing is pictured below:
And here is the current routing, skewed about 45 degrees unfortunately. Someone smarter than me might be able to fix that.
A summary of changes - hold on tight, as it'll be easy to get confused going through these:
* The original 1 and 2 no longer exist. The area occupied by those holes originally now forms a practice field and the fantastic short par 4.5 12th.
* The original 10th hole is now the first, and the original back nine routing continues through the 15th (now the 6th).
* The current holes 7 and 8 are on a new section of property. I'm not sure when they were built. The 7th is a stout par 4 (as they all are at Idle Hour) and an excellent hole, though the approach doesn't feel very Ross-y with its angled green protected by a water hazard front right. It does, however, fit the course's unique character, as a similar water hazard was present in Ross' original routing at the original 3rd (now the 13th) while the same hazard is used at the original 12th (now the 3rd). The 8th is another wonderful par 5 and could easily pass for a Ross original.
* The current 9th was originally the 18th and would've been a pretty anticlimactic finisher compared to the present day 18th. While today's 9th is a fine mid-length par 4, it plays to a corner of the clubhouse alongside the parking lot. The present day 18th plays to a beautiful panoramic view of the clubhouse, forming a view that is arguably Kentucky's most impressive finishing backdrop.
* The original 7th has been lengthened and doglegged to form the present day 10th. It's still the second shortest par 4 on the course at around 400 yards. All but three of the par 4s are over 430 from the tips. The original 8th follows suit as the present day 11th. Then we head to the present-day 12th, the aformentioned par 5 that occupies the corridor where 1 and 2 once sat.
* The original 3-5 now form the 13th-15th.
* The original 16th is now the 17th, and the original 17th is now the 16th.
* The original 6th is now the 18th. The stretch from 13 onward is easily the most difficult finishing stretch in Kentucky - a mid iron par 3 over water that typically plays into the wind followed by 5 straight par fours of between 440 and 500 yards. It's far less demanding from the members' tees, but the variety over this stretch is surprisingly impressive given what would appear to be a one-dimensional stretch from a glance at the scorecard.
Many people talk about how big and broad-shouldered Idle Hour feels compared to other Ross courses. It's not hemmed in at all and the property is expansive, especially given that it's located in the middle of Lexington. This is partially explained by the rerouting and addition of new holes, as the course occupies an acreage notably larger than what it occupied upon its original construction.
Another interesting aspect of the routing is the numerous loops of holes that are available. I once counted 27 loops of between 2 and 8 holes that a member could play in the evening if time wouldn't permit a full 9, just starting from the first hole. This, coupled with the use of the hills rolling through the property, makes Idle Hour one of the most compelling routings I've seen.