The Pine Valley experience

[Steve Scott]

Just wanted to mention that my day at PV was great today.  The course was in great shape as they are getting ready for The Crump.  As far as the challenge goes, from the back tees it was was all I could handle.  It played soft though as we have gotten so much rain so I didn't get the full test of all of the slopes on fairways like 8, 11,13 and 18.  What a GREAT mix of holes and elevations.  Every club in the bag was tested.  A true sign of a tough test is one that not only tests physically but mentally as well.  It's difficult at times to judge the amount of uphill or downhill on both approaches and putts.  I seemed to burn the edge of the hole with each putt as my speed was just not right.  The visuals on the 16th into the green with the angle of the pond right and how the hole cuts back into the hill on the left can play with the eye a little bit.  The overall design reminded me of C&C courses like Hidden Creek with the breadth of the fairways and how it lulls you into thinking there is so much room.  There is always a proper line to attack off the tee to offer the best line into the hole depending on the location.  If you do not pick that perfect tee shot line, you are still offered a shot that you can pull off bit it will require much creativity.  Hope I get back soon to test it again!

[Joel_Stewart]

Steve:

Like most great courses, Pine Valley requires many very precise golf shots.  I agree that their is a line to play and if you execute it well off the tee, your second shot is a bit easier and/or straight forward.   I agree with you that their are options if you're in the wrong spot but it calls for an extremely precise shot.  It's one of the features that makes it so great.

That's not your first time is it?

[Mike Sweeney]

One of the great threads from the old days.


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,6167.0.html

[Steve Scott]

I had actually played it a few times before but not from all the way back...the new tee on 4 was really something...had 239 to a front pin on my 2nd...not much roll at all in the fairway.... I am appreciating it very much...like challengIng the 8 th green(s) with driver lends itself to a more flat pitch rather than a ball that's below the feet and downhill.....

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Steve,

If you had to pick one, which is your favorite hole?  Least favorite?

[Steve Scott]

Steve,

If you had to pick one, which is your favorite hole?  Least favorite?

My favorite hole probably is 11 because of the way it is so naturally framed...just a great picture.  My least favorite  if i had to pick might be 14...we played from all the way up and it's 225 down that huge drop to a green that accepts a 6-8 iron better than a nuked 4...

[Dan Boerger]

Steve - Interesting that you mention #11. I played a short time ago and someone in the group mentioned that it's, perhaps, an under appreciated hole there. I agree. Great framing and a great green.

Drive on #4 must have been something from that downhill back tee!

[archie_struthers]

 


Steve 11 was always one of my favorites aesthetically....when you fore caddy there is almost always a nice breeze  blowing from 16 on the hot hot days. It's really neat late in the day as shadows start falling . 

Hey Dan don't confuse our friends out there, there is there is nothing downhill about the tee shot on four unless you fly it about 285 lol,

[Patrick_Mucci]

Archie,

I think he meant, "down below" the old tee.

The walk back and forth to the back tee is enough to tire you out.

[Dan Boerger]

Archie - Pat's right - I did mean below the old tee. Which got me to thinking ... the back tee on 18 plays lower as well. Just what length shot is necessary to hit the fairway from back there?

[archie_struthers]

 


Dan , assumed as much.  Just splitting hairs lol

Not having exact yardages on the new tee on 18 it's about 230 250 carry depending on where you play the tee box. Someone no doubt can accurately gps it for us. The tee shot on 4 is much harder IMHO.

[Steve Scott]

;


Dan , assumed as much.  Just splitting hairs lol

Not having exact yardages on the new tee on 18 it's about 230 250 carry depending on where you play the tee box. Someone no doubt can accurately gps it for us. The tee shot on 4 is much harder IMHO.

Archie,  I carry my driver 265 and I was 30 yards past the start of the fairway, so 235 is pretty accurate.  I got no roll and hit 5 iron to middle of the green...

[Mark Chaplin]

We played 18 from the stone and it was a good carry to the fairway, I hit a Sunday best and had 195 to the green, there'd been 3" of rain overnight do there was minimal roll.

On 4 we did walk back to the new tee which makes the hole an absolute monster, playing from the back of the normal tee I struck a beaut but far too right on the tree line. Thinking it was touch and go we got the "safe" signal from the caddie and found the ball by sprinkler 4 only five yards from the fairway cut off and a soft 8 iron from the green. It was the classic great result that you'd never attempt!

Steve you are right about 14 I hit 4 iron from the back of the members tee and it's a very different shot from the previous days soft 6 iron from the front of the tee. from the back tee I'd have been hitting rescue.

[archie_struthers]

 

I
I really like the new tees for the good young players with exclusion of the back tee on the 14 th.  it's just not necessary in my opinion, as the front two tees are tricky to gauge the yardage and fit the eye much better.  I think the tee on 13 to the back left might be the best addition of al the new ones!

[Patrick_Mucci]

Archie,

Agree about # 14 tee.

That's got to be one of the most frightening shots in golf, especially with any kind of a breeze.

Didn't play # 13 from all the way back, but, I hit two decent drives, one from the upper tee, one from the lower tee and hit 3-wood both days onto the green.  Trouble is, you can easily have a 90 foot putt on that green.  PV in the spring or after rains takes on a different playing personality.

[archie_struthers]

 

Pine Valley is an anachronism! Despite it's extreme difficulty under tournament conditions, it is almost always set up benevolently for the daily golfer who visits. It is an extremely rare occasion when they set it up tough.  it's almost never frighteningly firm and fast. I think this is definitely by design, and comes from past oligarchs (lol) Ernie Ransome and Gordon Brewer, who both did a great job as steward  of the club, . Pine vValley  set up like Oakmont  on a daily basis would be fun  for only a select few masochistic low low handicap players.  

However con the rare occasions, usually in the Crump. , it's quite amazing, as you see all the vagaries of slope and roll that rarely bubble to the surface !

[Joel_Stewart]

Steve,

If you had to pick one, which is your favorite hole?  Least favorite?

My favorite hole probably is 11 because of the way it is so naturally framed...just a great picture.  My least favorite  if i had to pick might be 14...we played from all the way up and it's 225 down that huge drop to a green that accepts a 6-8 iron better than a nuked 4...

Interesting choice for the 11th.  It's a hole that doesn't get much attention?



My choice is the 2nd but it comes so early in the round it's also easy to forget. 

[Peter Galea]

Eleven is sexy.