The relative merits of firm conditions

[James Brown]

i would like to try a little test, given that 2018 has been the rainiest year on record for the Mid-Atlantic.  I am curious how much people prefer firmer conditions to better rated courses that are somewhat similar. 



Please divide your selection of 10 rounds between these two sets of choices:


1. 
Choice A:  Yeamans Hall (a Doak 7/8) with very wet conditions, basically hit and stick everywhere.


Choice B:  Wilmington Golf Course (a 6) with firm but not baked out conditions, say 20-30 run out on tee shots and greens that hold after a big first bounce.


2. 


Choice A:  Black Mesa (a 6/7) with wet conditions, hit and stick.


Choice B:  University of New Mexico South (a 6/5) with firm conditions.

[Tom_Doak]

James:


I'm curious if your examples are true to life.  Is Yeamans soft while Wilmington is still fast after some big rains?  Or the same for Black Mesa vs. U-NM-S ?


In many cases, when it's wet it's wet on every course in town, so I wouldn't favor one course over another based on conditioning.  But certainly if you're in the UK in a wet period, it's better to stick to links courses than try to play most of the inland ones.  And if some courses in the US provide firmer conditions than others in the same area, that's a plus for them.

[James Brown]

I was trying to set up a comparison to explore the relative merits of firm versus soggy and very good versus just good. 


You’re right that the two sets are not likely to have different conditions.  I assume that everyone will want to play a course in firm conditions versus soggy.  Just trying to find the right equivalent comparison for courses that are at least comparable.

[James Brown]

Or put another way.  How important are firm conditions compared to better courses?


(I drove 40 miles today to avoid playing courses that were totally waterlogged)

[Tim_Weiman]

James,


I don’t mean to hijack your thread, but I was wondering if by Wilmington you were referring to Wilmington Municipal, the Donald Ross course.


If so, I would appreciate any comments you can make about the course.


I am from Houston, but am staying in Wilmington for about 2-3 months helping a dear old college friend who has some medical issues.


She lives in Landfall, just a few miles from Wilmington Municipal. Is this Ross course worth playing?

[James Brown]

It’s totally worth playing!


Great example of a restored Ross course.  The bunkering is great.  And it’s super fun and a good walk. 

[Tim_Weiman]

James,


Thanks. I went over there last week and liked the looks/feel of the place. Seemed like a classic muni environment and a course I would enjoy. A guy in the pro shop told me that walking on as a single is often no problem.

[Tim Martin]

James,


I don’t mean to hijack your thread, but I was wondering if by Wilmington you were referring to Wilmington Municipal, the Donald Ross course.


If so, I would appreciate any comments you can make about the course.


I am from Houston, but am staying in Wilmington for about 2-3 months helping a dear old college friend who has some medical issues.


She lives in Landfall, just a few miles from Wilmington Municipal. Is this Ross course worth playing?

Tim-As you are staying in Landfall have you played the Pete Dye course? I thought the housing and golf course coexisted nicely and the development itself is beautiful. I didn’t enjoy the Nicklaus course nearly as much.

[Tim_Weiman]

Tim - I have done a lot of walking around Landfall but haven’t actually played any golf.


Yes, Landfall is a beautiful development. Also, one thing that stands out about the golf and the housing is that the housing almost always appears well set back.


I don’t know if I can recommend anything to see from a purely golf architecture point of view, but Landfall does appear worth studying from a golf/housing development perspective.


Apologies again to James for posts that kind of hijack the thread. I didn’t expect that Wilmington Municipal would be mentioned in the same breath as a place like Yeamens Hall.