While there is nothing better than shining the spotlight on a design gem (hidden or otherwise), that pleasure has become almost impossible to achieve thanks, alas, to web sites like this one. Mark Saltzman’s recent photo tours of TCC outside of Cleveland, Sleepy Hollow, Piping Rock, and Cape Breton are all examples. Another highlighter of intriguing courses is Joe Passov as he travels the world. Back in 2009, he came across one that he liked so much that it was named GOLF Magazine’s Restoration Course of the year. I am referring to Flossmoor on the south side of Chicago. This month’s joint Feature Interview is with two of the main protagonists that made the transformation so successful, namely architect Ray Hearn and the Green Keeper Bob Lively.
Like so many Golden Age courses around Greater Chicago, Flossmoor had inadvertently lost its way over the past several decades. Apart from the core of the routing and greens, little else suggested a Golden Age course. So what, you say? The course was designed by little known Herbert Tweedie. If Tweedie was so good, why don’t we know more about him? The answer is simple. After designing his masterpiece Flossmoor, he died five years later at the age of 41. Midlothian and a few others were on his resume but one walk around this course will tell you that this Scot had an uncommon feel for the game. Without ever the threat of losing a ball, he could challenge the fortitude of even the most skilled. Just read what Bobby Jones wrote in Down the Fairway if you don’t believe me. No telling what Tweedie’s accomplishments might have been if not for the early death.
Give Ray Hearn credit for quickly grasping the unique playing features of this course and then systematically developing a game plan to highlight – as opposed to alter - them. Ray hammers home two essential truths in architecture – the routing is the foundation of any design and the greens provide the heart and soul. If this was on the tony north side of Chicago, gosh knows how long Flossmoor's waiting list would be because it scores high in both regards.
Bob justifiably takes great pride in the presentation of the highly respected greens. More molten in color than 99.X% of clubs in America, his greens reminded me of those at the leading Australian clubs. The focus there is on brick hard playing surfaces that play true, color be damned. The focus in both Australia and Flossmoor is controlling the growth of the grass while ensuring that it never quite dies.
In a lot ways, the study of Flossmoor depresses me as it puts into sharp focus just how much we have strayed from core design principles established long ago in Scotland. Take a look at Flossmoor’s greens. They are simple in that they predominately just tilt but they are remarkably effective at surface draining while totally bewildering the putter. Form follows function in other words and it has worked great at places like Garden City and Flossmoor for over a century - what does that tell you?!
We goofed around on the 10th green where I saw eighteen foot puts break six feet, all because of the green’s pitch! Best yet, any age person can play them as many of the finest greens start off simply as an extension of the fairway. Why build elevated, convoluted multi-section greens?! They are harder/more costly to maintain, offer less good golf and discourage all golfers except those that hit a high ball. Yuk. Give me Flossmoor all day, everyday.
Anyway, enough of the pity party. Golf architecture at its best looks simple yet offers so much – that’s Flossmoor and it is great to make the acquaintance of Ray and Bob's handiwork and to relay that story here in their own words.
Cheers,