The Creek Club---"Serenity now, Jerry!"

[Peter_Herreid]

If you are like me, and coming to the end of a trying work week, you might need a bit of a calming thought before the weekend.

Also, the drizzle and cool temperatures have descended upon Seattle, and the idea of transporting oneself somewhere else is quite appealing...

For those of you in similar situations, I present a few calming shots of The Creek Club, and one of the fullest golf experiences I have been fortunate to experience....

10th tee--


Pause for a moment, and take in the sights and sounds and smells and then take a whack a the green with your 3-wood or driver, if you dare, or thread the needle with your metal, hybrid or long iron...

View from the 14th tee back across the pond/marsh to the 10th green


With any luck, you will have navigated the tricky front left slope off the bunker/knob for your birdie on the short 10th...

11th tee...


In his recent post on versatility/elasticity of the 11th at the Creek, I'm not sure if Pat Mucci discussed one other element of versatility of this fun hole----Low Tide!!!

I was able to navigate off the rocks/mud by the bridge with a chip/hack back up onto the green to save a bogey, certainly not possible in high tide.  It will surprise no one to know that I have considerable experience in odd recovery shots---it's the clean fairway lies that baffle me, but I don't get many of those!

As you leave this glorious corner of golfing serenity, gaze back at the beach, which may not be so quiet in July and August, as it is on a September Wednesday...


Serenity now, Jerry, serenity now....

[Wayne Freeman]

Peter- thanks for posting the pictures, which are of course very nice, but don't begin to convey the beauty and serenity of one of the very best courses in the country.  What's so awesome about Creek is that for 4 holes you are in fairly average tree lined surroundings and then on 5 after your drive you march up a big hill and then just over the crest you are confronted with an incredible view of the Long Island Sound- then you head toward the water until you actually reach it at 10.  The 11th is an amazing Biarritz that can stretch to well over 200 yards and is almost a complete island green.  

[Mike_Sweeney]

Peter,

Mark Rowlinson sent me this picture of some GCAers at the Short hole at The Creek. The caption was something like "GCAers Praying To Bring Back Seth Raynor".  

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mike & Peter,

I still don't understand why a horseshoe or contouring were not incorporated into the 17th green.

I don't understand why the club isn't interested in incorporating those features today.

The hole lacks the challenge at the green end that is associated with most "short" holes..

While the pictures of the golf course are nice, a photo of Christy Newman would have been a better addition, especially if they were taken at the pool or beach.  But, while waiting for those missing photos, I'll have to settle for photos of the golf course.

[Peter_Herreid]

Pat--

Interesting you happened to bring that up, as that was a specific question we posed to our host that afternoon...

The horseshoe effect certainly livens up the Short Hole at St. Louis, and the "Toilet Seat Lid" effect of the Short Hole at Blue Mound are but two examples of what might be implemented...

Our host did not mention any plans to that end at The Creek...

[Patrick_Mucci]

Peter,

Tom Doak addressed that issue a while ago, but, his response was in the context of the time that he was involved with the golf course, which was a while ago.

Certainly, even the casual observer can see that the hole is desperately lacking character at the green end, and in need of the prototypical contouring on "short" holes.

When you consider that # 17 is followed by a weak par 5 finishing hole, it's all the more reason to restore or reintroduce the wonderful horseshoe feature to that green.

This is a clear case of a wonderful golf course that could have a hole dramatically improved by introducing internal contouring typically found on his other short holes.

[Mike_Sweeney]

While the pictures of the golf course are nice, a photo of Christy Newman would have been a better addition, especially if they were taken at the pool or beach.  But, while waiting for those missing photos, I'll have to settle for photos of the golf course.

Patrick,

Where is Neil when we need him? Next year we will recruit him for some Christy pics. He was probably hitting a fairway putter In Ireland!