[Matt Frey, PGA]

I played Medford Village in New Jersey yesterday, along with fellow GCA member Joe Bausch.

The course, with the name Sunny Jim, was built in the mid-1960s by William Gordon, has always boasted a lengthy test from its inception (built with a scorecard yardage of approximately 7,400 yards). However, the aspect of the design that struck us are the course's greens.

The greens are very bold and have a ton of movement in each green. The most benign by my estimation is No. 18, and it is still no cakewalk. While most of the greens aren't terribly large in size (though not small), each green had two-four "mini" greens within it. Also, don't even consider leaving your ball above the hole and having an easy two-putt.

While very challenging, the greens were very good and interesting.

I have played perhaps played a half a dozen courses designed and built by the Gordons, but I do not recall any of the courses having greens anywhere close to being as bold as they are at Medford Village. Are Medford Village's greens anomalies when compared to the Gordon's other works? If so, why?

[MCirba]

Matt,

The Gordons were charged by the original owner (the aforementioned "Sunny Jim")  with creating a test on par with Pine Valley and my understanding of the course is that it has actually been softened in a number of ways (although I don't know the details) over the years because it was simply much too difficult for the membership.   

That might in large part explain the severity of the greens.   Wish I could have joined you both yesterday as I do really enjoy Medford Village and consider it among the very best courses by father/son William and David Gordon.

[Joe Bausch]

Here is my photo album of Medford Village, with a set of greens I found as difficult to putt as anything I've played in years:


http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/MedfordVillage/index.html

[Tom_Doak]

Matt:


I was there once years ago, after "Sunny Jim's" came up in a grill-room conversation at Riviera.  Apparently the owner had a standing wager against anyone breaking par, and it was several years before he lost a bet on it.


It's been so long that I don't remember the greens well, and it sounds like it's too bad I don't.  Stanwich, which is also a Gordon course, had very difficult greens for years, mostly having to do with back-to-front pitch; I've heard those were softened in the Fazio renovation.

[Bob Harris]

I played Medford Village in New Jersey yesterday, along with fellow GCA member Joe Bausch.

The course, with the name Sunny Jim, was built in the mid-1960s by William Gordon, has always boasted a lengthy test from its inception (built with a scorecard yardage of approximately 7,400 yards). However, the aspect of the design that struck us are the course's greens.

The greens are very bold and have a ton of movement in each green. The most benign by my estimation is No. 18, and it is still no cakewalk. While most of the greens aren't terribly large in size (though not small), each green had two-four "mini" greens within it. Also, don't even consider leaving your ball above the hole and having an easy two-putt.

While very challenging, the greens were very good and interesting.

I have played perhaps played a half a dozen courses designed and built by the Gordons, but I do not recall any of the courses having greens anywhere close to being as bold as they are at Medford Village. Are Medford Village's greens anomalies when compared to the Gordon's other works? If so, why?

Matt,
Have you had the opportunity to play Old York Road? Course was designed by the Gordon's at the same time they were working at Sunny Jim's.  I found that the greens are very similar, if anything, OYR has more movement than SJ.  Just noticed that OYR is not in the Bausch Collection.  Will have to get Joe out there for a tour.


 

[Joe Bausch]

I played Medford Village in New Jersey yesterday, along with fellow GCA member Joe Bausch.

The course, with the name Sunny Jim, was built in the mid-1960s by William Gordon, has always boasted a lengthy test from its inception (built with a scorecard yardage of approximately 7,400 yards). However, the aspect of the design that struck us are the course's greens.

The greens are very bold and have a ton of movement in each green. The most benign by my estimation is No. 18, and it is still no cakewalk. While most of the greens aren't terribly large in size (though not small), each green had two-four "mini" greens within it. Also, don't even consider leaving your ball above the hole and having an easy two-putt.

While very challenging, the greens were very good and interesting.

I have played perhaps played a half a dozen courses designed and built by the Gordons, but I do not recall any of the courses having greens anywhere close to being as bold as they are at Medford Village. Are Medford Village's greens anomalies when compared to the Gordon's other works? If so, why?

Matt,
Have you had the opportunity to play Old York Road? Course was designed by the Gordon's at the same time they were working at Sunny Jim's.  I found that the greens are very similar, if anything, OYR has more movement than SJ.  Just noticed that OYR is not in the Bausch Collection.  Will have to get Joe out there for a tour.

Soon OYR will be at the Bausch Collection at MyPhillyGolf.com.  Just waiting for the webmaster to download off the FTP server.  Grin.

Here is the album hosted on my own server (from another visit, this time June 2016):

http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/OldYorkRoad/index.html

[Matt Frey, PGA]

Tom: The PGA Professionals at Medford Village informed us of that bet! The greens were pretty quick yesterday (especially for mid-March), but the pros informed us they don't get much quicker during the season, as the greens would not be puttable and would lose a many hole locations.

Bob: I did have the pleasure of playing Old York Road in December last year. I do recall the greens having a lot of movement, but I feel as though Medford Village's have more movement and are more challenging as a whole. OYR has some very difficult greens, yes, but Medford Village has 18 very difficult greens.

[Bob Harris]

Soon OYR will be at the Bausch Collection at MyPhillyGolf.com.  Just waiting for the webmaster to download off the FTP server.  Grin.[/size]But here is the album hosted on my own server (from an early Dec 2015 visit; but would welcome seeing the place with the trees popping!):


Joe,


No problem, some time after May 1st.  Let me know when.
BTW, the 6th and 14th greens are not Gordon.  Kelly Blake Moran redid them about 10 years ago.[/color]

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