Interview with architect Kelly Blake Moran

[Jay Flemma]

This was as much fun as the two Pete Dye interviews I did.  Great stuff, Kelly!

http://jayflemma.thegolfspace.com/?p=4151

From the article:

JF: What’s next for you?

KBM: Mexico. I’ve been doing reno work at a club in Central Mexico called Torreon. I’ve been working on the greens 7-10 days at a time.

It’s been a wild time. I almost got shot at during a soccer game we went to. They have a pro team in the town, and we went to a game and I guess there were some bad guys, some banditos coming through the area in vans, and they didn’t stop at a police road block set up at the game, so the cops opened fire. Well they were fully armed, and they came out of the van and returned fire with machine guns. We’re in the stadium when the machine gun fire breaks out, and though we were never in danger, the players ran off the field and we all ducked under our seats. We thought maybe they were trying to shoot their way in…we had no idea what the intention was.

That went on for five minutes, but eventually the gunfight ceased, they moved on, and we got ourselves together and walked out of the stadium. The minute the gunfire started the players left. It was scary. There were little kids frightened out of their minds. To have that happen was unfortunate.

JF: What is the strangest, zaniest thing you have ever had to deal with while trying to build a golf course?

KBM: Oh, that…

(Laughter)

JF: How about on a site?

KBM: Well again in Mexico at another course with a lot of water, they gathered all the crocodiles on the site in little canoes and roped them, and put them in the canoe one by one and transported them to a preserve a few miles away and – lo! and behold! – somehow all the crocs came back! So while I’m making site visits, I had to cross bridges and all they had installed were narrow pieces of metal to get over a 60 foot water way! So I’m on my hands and knees going across because I’m afraid I’m gonna fall and get eaten by crocs! I’m afraid of heights, and lemme tell you something – once you look down, you’re done!

[Jason Topp]

Nice interview Jay.

Kelly - I had a friend who played golf for Odessa Jr. College.  I think they won the national title in the year before and the year after he was there.  I got the feeling it was a pretty dreary year.  It ended with a guy from the team putting a butterfinger bar in his gas tank.  Every time the tank got half empty the engine would sputter and he would have to fill up to dilute the sugar.  He drove from Odessa to Iowa that way.

[Jay Flemma]

That's a good story, Jason:)

[Jeff_Brauer]

Kelly,

Funny thing about gators and crocs, they do find their way.  We were watching the filling of a lake in Myrtle Beach, not even half full from the well when a alligator came waltzing by to flop in what water was there.  I also saw a frog jump in the first few inches of water in a new lake once, too.

[Ben Klaas]

Thanks for the post.  Kelly designed the course which I am a member here in Florida.  The members love it.

It is always interesting how designers continue to study TOC and try to capture its essence still today.

[JMEvensky]

I wish KBM still participated here.I always enjoyed reading his opinions.

[Randy Thompson]

Great interview, great architect and even greater person!

[Randy Thompson]

Seems to me Kelly doesn´t want any competition in Mexico and thus the gun battle stories. I have been to Mexico with him and the only bullets he had to dodge was when he got back home from Lauren

[Jay Flemma]

Well I've always liked this one

Reservoir Dogs, GCA edition

[Mark Ringsmuth]

Ben,

Hideout?  Fun course and a great all around place.

[Jay Flemma]

My parents played there and loved it:)


Mom said: “The par-5s were terrific. The fairways were wide so you had alot of playing angles. The waste bunkers were really interesting and made for a lot of choices off the tee. From the back tees, it has to be murder. I liked number 9 because this huge bunker was in the middle-ish of the fairway and had four trees growing in it! I loved the warm relaxing rustic feeling of the clubhouse and everyone was so nice. The conditioning is incredible. The greens were lightning! I three and four putted all day long.”

Dad had this to say: “Its a really nice layout. Some of the fastest greens I’ve ever played. Conditioning is pristine. We loved it. The par fours are very long from the back tees…7 are over 400 yards…one is even 460 something! The par-5s are very long too. The 579 yd par 5 2d is immense from the back tees. 12 was my favorite par-5. Also, I liked the 9th. They have these four trees in the middle of the fairway and you have to go through them or around them. I suppose you could go over them, but the only way to go over is to hit it way the hell up in the air! I can’t do that. There’s lots of dog legs and it’s constantly changing routing direction wise. It was really interesting.”