Golf Digest Best New Remodel 2006

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Here's the link:

http://tinyurl.com/yzo283

1. THE STANWICH C.
• Greenwich, Conn. • 7,455 yards, par 72 (private). • Initiation fee: undisclosed • Tom Fazio. • stanwich.com
2. THE C.C. OF ROCHESTER
• Rochester, N.Y. n 6,547 yards, par 70 (private). • Fee: $40,000.
• Gil Hanse. • ccrochester.org
3. KINGSMILL RESORT & SPA (RIVER CSE.)
• Williamsburg, Va. • 6,831 yards, par 71, $175. • Pete Dye.
• 757-253-3906. • kingsmill.com
• More about this course.
4. PETE DYE RIVER CSE. OF VA. TECH
• Radford, Va. n 7,665 yards, par 72, $70. • Pete Dye. • 540-
633-6732. • rivercoursegolf.com
• More about this course.
5. HERMITAGE C.C. (MANAKIN G. CSE.)
• Manakin-Sabot, Va. • 6,955 yards, par 72 (private). • Fee: $40,000. • Keith Foster. • hermitagecountryclub.com

[Jeff_Mingay]

For all those Tim Liddy fans out there...

If my memory hasn't failed me, I'm pretty sure Tim was involved with both Pete Dye jobs on the list.

[Adam Sherer]

By the way:

The fifth place selection, Hermitage C.C., as renovated by Keith Foster Design and McDonald & Sons as contractor, is well deserved.

A recent thread showed some great pictures of Eastward Ho!, which was also a Keith Foster restoration.

[Jimmy Muratt]

It's nice to see my home state of Virginia getting some love with three of the five!  Adam is right about Hermitage, the work done by Keith Foster and crew is excellent and they now have a top-notch 36 hole facility.

Gil Hanse's work at the CC of Rochester is also very well deserved.  It's a really neat Donald Ross course that Gil has brought back to life.  It's one of the many very good Ross courses around Rochester.  

[Tom_Doak]

I don't have any idea how they try to judge this category.  How many of the panelists saw the "before" to judge the "after"?  Or is the best new remodel every time they put in a new tee at Pine Valley?

[Noel Freeman]

I live very close to Stanwich and have played the course several times before the Fazio remodel.  I freely admit having not played in since the updating but I've driven into the property and looked around. The article states the bunkering was done with the Gordon ethos in mind.  To my eye, it doesnt appear like the old style.  Did the Gordon's have a style or was it somewhat Tillie like?

[Scott Witter]

Tom:

You are spot on...in this case, living an hour from Rochester and having three clients in Rochester and knowing several involved with the master plan and the construction aspects of CCR, I know that VERY FEW panelists ever visited the course BEFORE work began, but hey, they have all sorts of pretty score cards, photos etc, to look at and make their 'educated' decisions

[BCrosby]

Does GD have a separate "Best Restoration" category?

If they don't, the "Best Remodel" category is beyond a mess.

Bob

[RJ_Daley]

Too bad the GB&I courses aren't included.  I'd love to know how the Dukes course remodel by Liddy and friends stacks up with critics.  It sure looked good in the skins match they had there, televised by TGC.

[Jim Franklin]

I don't have any idea how they try to judge this category.  How many of the panelists saw the "before" to judge the "after"?  Or is the best new remodel every time they put in a new tee at Pine Valley?

Tom makes a great point. I wonder if Baltimore Country Club will be up for "best remodel" in 2007 because we added some new tees, moved a couple of bunkers, and redid all of the bunkers? It must be hard to rate a remodel without having played the original.

[Dan_Callahan]

Based on improvement over what was there before the remodel/restoration, it's hard to find a more significant leap forward than the tree removal at Yale.

[Scott Witter]

Dan, BCrosby & Jim:

In Rochester, NY I did an identical scope of work as was done for CCR at another private club and RTJ2 did a huge bunker, fairway and drainage project at Midvale CC (RT Jones Sr. first course) also in Rochester, but neither of us submitted our projects.  BTW, the CCR work was done almost 3 years ago. The category is too obtuse and without a clear defined scope (basically impossible to do) of what is remodel vs renovation vs restoration, it is impossible to divide and conquer for 'awards'

[Tom_Doak]

Dan Callahan:

Your post is a perfect example of just how silly this category of awards really is.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Perhaps it would be helpful to have an "index case" or ideal example of a remodel, one people could use for the sake of comparison or, even, inspiration. I nominate a candidate from the art world:
http://www.artinthepicture.com/paintings/view.php?nr=737

Mark