Sagebrush

[Todd Kuspira]

I had the pleasure of touring and playing the new Whitman/Zokol/Suny design which is located in the interior of British Columbia near the town Merritt.  First of all it is a visually stunning location.  The course is perched on a bench overlooking Nicola Lake with rolling hills throughout the property.  All 18 holes were playable with some grown in to be completed on the tee boxes and a few of the fringe areas.  I was surprised at how great the course played including the greens.  They were certainly 9.5 on the stimp.  There is a great diversity with the length of holes and how they can be played.  The course is built in a windy corridor which will require the ball to played along the ground.  The most unique features of the property will be the size of the greens and the contours of the fairways.  As with most great courses; there are no real tricks to the place only solid design with strategy needed to be adjusted as conditions change.  There will be a soft opening in 2009 and if you are in the area it is a must play.  There is not another course like it in Canada and it is destined to be the best that has been built in recent history. 

ps.  For the hunters on the forum: Dick shot a huge deer the morning after I left.

[Will MacEwen]

Todd,

How much of a factor will housing be?  I know they were selling building lots.

[Todd Kuspira]

The golf course has been designed that the golf course design took priority over real estate, for the best ground. Which is completely different that a conventional approach to development.  That being said, there are only 37 lots on 400-acres and only 5 lots on two different holes that fit real estate between holes on the golf course. The rest of the lots are all on the perimeter and typically well outside play.

[Ryan Chin]

Smithers - hope you are well. Did you bring your camera? Would love to see some pics!

I've seen pictures and talked to Dick Z about it (must be five years ago), but how similar in feel is it to the courses at Bandon (fescue grasses, natural land movement, etc.).

[Bob Jenkins]

Phillipe,

I take it you were trying to send a message with that post? If so, can you translate?

Bob J

[Sandy Smith]

I would like to second Bob's request .

[Yannick Pilon]

Philippe,

Weren't you responsible for the details?  Your comment seems pretty harsh for a course that you worked on.  What's the deal?

YP

[henrye]

I just hope the place survives this economic environment.  Think the timing could have been worse?

[Yannick Pilon]

Phil,

You mean it's a maintenance issue?  I know some bunker faces were seeded prior to the winter and some of them collapsed, but didn't you guys fix that?  I am still not sure I understand your statement....

YP

[Don_Mahaffey]

I used a wrong word again...

the details are fine, up until the seeding... the finishing once the grass had grown could have been a lot better (not Whitman and team's fault)

I haven't seen the "details", but if it's a grass and grow-in issue, count me in as one who thinks it's way to early to come here and be critical.

I grassed last fall and I'm still fixing thunderstorm damage from last November. The finish always looks nice, throw seed, water, maintenance vehicles, snow melt, or downpours on it and sometimes it takes a while before the grass matches the perfection of just floated out seed bed.

Of course, it could be some other problem but with the info given, kind of a drive by slam, I can only take a guess. 

[Philippe Binette]

yannick, on ira prendre une biere pis on s'en parlera

phil

[Todd Kuspira]

Philippe,

The purpose of my post was to inform the interested members of this forum about a unique course in BC.  Everybody should be very proud of their work on this project.  Disparaging Sagebrush or any other golf club is not the purpose of this forum.  Please feel free to contact me privately if you have any other comments regarding this matter.

Todd Kuspira

[Philippe Binette]

I guess it's just because I'm a very severe critique of most stuff including work I've been part of. 

The first thing I mean is that Whitman's work (routing and shaping) is phenomenal... and I want to make sure that down the line, he gets the credit for it.

The details were initlially shaped and done as best as we could possibly do.

There were some decisions along the way in the process that deflected the vision we originally had... some were positive, some not so, and some decisions were taken that prevented us to tie the knot, to finish the course off as well as we wanted to... people won't probably notice it... It's the just when you think you can pull it off feeling...

Down the line, Sagebrush will be unique, a large scale ground game course where you'll have to hit shots that you won't see anywhere else... People will probably love it or hate it (if they play in the Nicola valley afternoon wind... they just might go crazy). It will be well worth the trip...

But from an inside eye, they'll be thoughts of what could have been... but I guess it's the way it goes... you put so much effort into it and for whatever reason, it's just not quite the way you thought it would end up...everybody always think of what they could improve next time...

Harry Colt talked about his least worst course...

It's all about perception

[Philippe Binette]

Just a last note, I don't know how the real estate part is doing, but for those into an outback kind of living (and have a bit of money) Sagebrush will be fun with the Lodge, the fishing pond and whatever else M. Zokol and M. Donald  have in mind... 
Selling the concept to the wife might be a challenge

[Ian Andrew]

they'll be thoughts of what could have been... but I guess it's the way it goes... you put so much effort into it and for whatever reason, it's just not quite the way you thought it would end up...

For perspective:

I used to do what you are doing on this thread with Muskoka Bay. The person I worked for insisted on a couple of alterations to holes during construction that I will never understand. The redan disappeared along with a couple of other minor concepts to turn them into more conventional holes. The back nine also gained length on a number of holes removing the changes of flow that were built intentiionally into the back nine. The holes are still good but they're all very long after the 11th. I was discouraged since I had sunk my heart in this place and I felt it got away from what it wanted it to be.

I got hung up on what it could have been and came away from my two years on site disappointed with the results. After a while when I stopped looking at the 5% that bothered me, I began to appreciate how much of what I wanted to see had made it onto the ground.

[Todd Kuspira]

Philippe,

When your name is listed as a designer/architect then you can make all the final decisions.  Since you are only a shaper, you must follow the lead of the designers and the owners wishes.

Todd

[henrye]

Hmm...

Aren't Shapers entitled to their opinions, or is that only reserved for the Architects or owners?

Ian, 5% can actually make a huge difference, but I like your positive attitude.

[Philippe Binette]

Just a shaper... it's an honor

I thought I was just a french canadian