“Just be Yourself”

[Brian Marion]

Interesting listen to a recent podcast with Andy Johnson interviewing Rodney Hine. Rodney stated that courses should just “ be themselves” and not copy others, latch onto trends, etc.


This could also be called differentiation.


What examples of this has your club done on the course? Small or large?


What sets your course apart?

[Jeff_Brauer]

Well, in landscape architecture classes, they had a concept called "a sense of place" and taught that among the best ways to achieve it was to minimize changes to the site's landscape, which also seems a lot like golf course architecture tenants 101, although not always followed.  And, to a degree, overridden by the signature architecture movement, where everyone wanted an "RTJ Championship Course" regardless of where in the world they were.


That said, there can be attempts to make a course unique in a region with similar landscapes.  I know a few courses here in Texas that have planted 1000's of Crepe Myrtles, for instance, as a locally practical way sort of recreating ANGC.  Sand waste bunkers have been used on many dessert sites to minimize turf and produce a "look."  And, they have been tried in Florida where weeds grow too well for that artificial differentiation to be sustainable (by most courses.)


Currently, I suspect if a course wanted to avoid trends, it might shy away from chuncked and frilly edged bunkers.  That trend may have gone on long enough that Mac Style bunkers might be seen as something totally new.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I have had a home in the resort where I now live full time, for almost forty years. I did have them move a couple of tees but wanted to make changes that made the course more interesting, albeit more difficult. The board and GM always resisted. We cater to  beginners and the full time residents are all retired. We know that we will never be anything great but we are in a pretty location, have decent conditions, and for a mt course it is very walkable.

[Tom_Doak]

Interesting listen to a recent podcast with Andy Johnson interviewing Rodney Hine. Rodney stated that courses should just “ be themselves” and not copy others, latch onto trends, etc.

This could also be called differentiation.

What examples of this has your club done on the course? Small or large?

What sets your course apart?

Crystal Downs has done the opposite of this.  We used to have lots of unusual native plants in the roughs; most of them have now been cleaned up, because they "look scraggly" or play "too difficult".  There used to be wild strawberries in the rough on the first hole that you could pick or eat; you'd be crazy to do that now, if they hadn't wiped them out in the name of fairness.


It was the superintendent in the early 80's, Tom Mead, who told the green committee he would like to let the roughs go wild so he could spend all of his then-meagre budget on the fairways and greens.  We've come so far from that, nobody remembers why it went that way to begin with.


The inability of people in the golf business to leave things alone that are working fine is hard for me to understand.

[jeffwarne]

Interesting listen to a recent podcast with Andy Johnson interviewing Rodney Hine. Rodney stated that courses should just “ be themselves” and not copy others, latch onto trends, etc.

This could also be called differentiation.

What examples of this has your club done on the course? Small or large?

What sets your course apart?

Crystal Downs has done the opposite of this.  We used to have lots of unusual native plants in the roughs; most of them have now been cleaned up, because they "look scraggly" or play "too difficult".  There used to be wild strawberries in the rough on the first hole that you could pick or eat; you'd be crazy to do that now, if they hadn't wiped them out in the name of fairness.


It was the superintendent in the early 80's, Tom Mead, who told the green committee he would like to let the roughs go wild so he could spend all of his then-meagre budget on the fairways and greens.  We've come so far from that, nobody remembers why it went that way to begin with.


The inability of people in the golf business to leave things alone that are working fine is hard for me to understand.

Heavy sigh.
As good as many of the moderns of the last 20 years have been, I can't help but feel that ample resources have sucked the charm out of many places that had it, and kept newer courses from attaining it at all, regardless of how good their design is.
I guess that's kind've a ridiculous statement,with no data other than anecdotal, but I'm talking about things like clover blooms in fairways, sandy rough with weeds etc.. -fortunately poa greens seem to be making acomeback and the best greens I've played the last few years have all been poa.(on the east coast-not the west)
Nothing screams NEW at me more than monstands of grass and absolute definition from from fairway to rough to "native"

[Joe Hancock]

Interesting listen to a recent podcast with Andy Johnson interviewing Rodney Hine. Rodney stated that courses should just “ be themselves” and not copy others, latch onto trends, etc.

This could also be called differentiation.

What examples of this has your club done on the course? Small or large?

What sets your course apart?

Crystal Downs has done the opposite of this.  We used to have lots of unusual native plants in the roughs; most of them have now been cleaned up, because they "look scraggly" or play "too difficult".  There used to be wild strawberries in the rough on the first hole that you could pick or eat; you'd be crazy to do that now, if they hadn't wiped them out in the name of fairness.


It was the superintendent in the early 80's, Tom Mead, who told the green committee he would like to let the roughs go wild so he could spend all of his then-meagre budget on the fairways and greens.  We've come so far from that, nobody remembers why it went that way to begin with.


The inability of people in the golf business to leave things alone that are working fine is hard for me to understand.

Heavy sigh.
As good as many of the moderns of the last 20 years have been, I can't help but feel that ample resources have sucked the charm out of many places that had it, and kept newer courses from attaining it at all, regardless of how good their design is.
I guess that's kind've a ridiculous statement,with no data other than anecdotal, but I'm talking about things like clover blooms in fairways, sandy rough with weeds etc.. -fortunately poa greens seem to be making acomeback and the best greens I've played the last few years have all been poa.(on the east coast-not the west)
Nothing screams NEW at me more than monstands of grass and absolute definition from from fairway to rough to "native"

My sentiments also.

[jeffwarne]

.

[Peter Pallotta]

For me, this so well describes the majority of courses that Sean profiles here, from Cleeve Cloud to Sherwood Forest etc. 'The average English course' is great for precisely that reason, it's been content to be itself for decades. (Is it rude to suggest one the reasons is that, unlike in the US, there haven't been hundreds of architects constantly pitching renovations to them.) There's something so peaceful and calming about that.

[Ken Moum]

For me, this so well describes the majority of courses that Sean profiles here, from Cleeve Cloud to Sherwood Forest etc. 'The average English course' is great for precisely that reason, it's been content to be itself for decades. (Is it rude to suggest one the reasons is that, unlike in the US, there haven't been hundreds of architects constantly  pitching renovations to them.) There's something so peaceful and calming about that.

Lack of money is like divine intervention for golf courses.

[Steve Lang]

Interesting listen to a recent podcast with Andy Johnson interviewing Rodney Hine. Rodney stated that courses should just “ be themselves” and not copy others, latch onto trends, etc.

This could also be called differentiation.

What examples of this has your club done on the course? Small or large?

What sets your course apart?

Crystal Downs has done the opposite of this.  We used to have lots of unusual native plants in the roughs; most of them have now been cleaned up, because they "look scraggly" or play "too difficult".  There used to be wild strawberries in the rough on the first hole that you could pick or eat; you'd be crazy to do that now, if they hadn't wiped them out in the name of fairness.


It was the superintendent in the early 80's, Tom Mead, who told the green committee he would like to let the roughs go wild so he could spend all of his then-meagre budget on the fairways and greens.  We've come so far from that, nobody remembers why it went that way to begin with.


The inability of people in the golf business to leave things alone that are working fine is hard for me to understand.

Tom Doak,


Black Forest used to have some excellent berry picking off 1st tee, the never completed driving range, and some years along the path back to Clubhouse from 18...

[Peter Pallotta]

That's a terrific line there, Ken -- very nicely done indeed!
I would love if Ran could make it the tagline for this entire website....but somehow I'm not holding my breath.

[Brian Marion]

Interesting listen to a recent podcast with Andy Johnson interviewing Rodney Hine. Rodney stated that courses should just “ be themselves” and not copy others, latch onto trends, etc.


This could also be called differentiation.


What examples of this has your club done on the course? Small or large?


What sets your course apart?

I keep telling people here that no other course has our history, our location and our sense of natural. Why would we want to be the third best club in the region when we can be the BEST at what WE do! And attract people who like authenticity (ahem, millennials) as our next generation of members.


Sadly, I battle these misperceptions as I'm sure many others do.


That natural means weeds (sometimes, yes),


That we should water the fairways in hottest days of summer because the bermuda is dying (nope, just dormant and we have rocks in some places just under the turf that dries the fastest).


That we should have "fill in the blank" like "fill in the blank" does. (rolleyes)



I find those clubs and courses who have a sense of "self", don't really worry about these things. And they seem to be the best.



A couple of years ago, we removed the "no dogs on the course" rule. My thinking was that where else would a dog owner want to have his buddy tag along and get some exercise? As long as both dog and owner are respectful, all is good! We have had zero problems. Same with walking the course by the local morning walkers

Don't like dogs? Don't play here. Don't like walkers, same! LOL

[Dave McCollum]

Love it Brian.  We've been dog friendly for 20-25 years and never had a problem.  I give all credit to dog owners that know their critters and whether they would behave appropriately.  Plus we have a couple of resident dogs to chase the geese away from where we don't want them and to let us know when someone or something is prowling around a shut down and isolated golf course.  They get adopted by dog loving golfers pretty quickly.  A golf course is pretty much dog heaven and they do seem to appreciate it more than their masters.  I have no idea how many people bring their dogs to play golf.  My sense is not a lot.  The important fact is I have no idea because I've never had a reason to know.


As to your main question, we are who we are because because of divine intervention (lack of money).  We have a great property in a great landscape.  By this, I mean really unique.  Ask those here that have ventured to see it.

I completely endorse being yourself.  We've done that even to the point of rejecting the online booking services that appear to be totally rational, but in certain markets like ours, actually convert our season pass customers to daily actition         
     

[Dave McCollum]

Tried to correct.  Meant to say auction

[Brian Marion]

Interesting listen to a recent podcast with Andy Johnson interviewing Rodney Hine. Rodney stated that courses should just “ be themselves” and not copy others, latch onto trends, etc.

This could also be called differentiation.

What examples of this has your club done on the course? Small or large?

What sets your course apart?

Crystal Downs has done the opposite of this.  We used to have lots of unusual native plants in the roughs; most of them have now been cleaned up, because they "look scraggly" or play "too difficult".  There used to be wild strawberries in the rough on the first hole that you could pick or eat; you'd be crazy to do that now, if they hadn't wiped them out in the name of fairness.


It was the superintendent in the early 80's, Tom Mead, who told the green committee he would like to let the roughs go wild so he could spend all of his then-meagre budget on the fairways and greens.  We've come so far from that, nobody remembers why it went that way to begin with.


The inability of people in the golf business to leave things alone that are working fine is hard for me to understand.

Tom, that’s a shame.


Sometimes we should all better understand where to put true focus and just leave things alone.

[MCirba]

One cool thing I learned about being yourself this year is that Cherry Hills (CO) has in their by-laws a clause that prohibits their original William Flynn push-up greens of bent and poa to be changed to USGA spec.   


They are still wonderful to play and putt one hundred years later.