You guys need some Max Behr...
I have been wanting to see and play this track for years, but never got around to it. Several of the SoCal "usual suspects" had mentioned it as worthy of study, but not much beyond that.
I'll be a little more firm... It's a MUST. Period. If you're interested in Max Behr, I think you simply have to see it. There's just way too much of his design still out there and more so on the back nine.
It does look like the nines were reversed at some point (plus reordering within the nines) + some changes for a few holes in terms of tees. It's not clear when that would have happened, but I would not be surprised if the range had a lot to do with this. But overall, looks largely intact from I could gather. Maybe some softening over the years for the greens + some awful waterworks like on the current 2nd (previously 15th).
I don't know much of the history except to say this was once known as the Long Beach Country Club and that the club was probably built in and around 1925. A prospectus on PBA had the following details:
"The club was incorporated on February 28th, 1924. At the time of publication, the course was projected to be ready for play by January 1st, 1925."
Here's how I see before vs. after hole by hole:
- No.1 is now no.10
- No.2 is now no.11
- No.3 is now no.12
- No.4 is now no.13
- No.5 is now no.14
- No.6 is now no.15
- No.7 is now no.16
- No.8 is now no.17
- No.9 is now no.18
- No.10 is now no.3
- No.11 is now no.4
- No.12 is now no.5
- No.13 is now no.6
- No.14 is now no.1
- No.15 is now no.2
- No.16 is now no.7
- No.17 is now no.8
- No.18 is now no.9
Aerial 1928
Hole No.1:I was immediately concerned ... very concerned. If this was an early clue to what the round was going to be about then I wanted nothing to do with it. Trees in the wrong places. Lame... Green felt a little overdone and relative to the rest of the course told me it had been changed over time. The ubiquitous mounding was a dead giveaway. Add to this 20 minutes for just one hole!
Hole No.2:Now I'm somewhat alarmed. WTFs are going through my head... We have Cal Olson to thank apparently for the waterworks here and elsewhere. The green is simpler when compared to the 1st hole. Great width, but not offering much of an advantage in going either left or right of the fairway with a forced carry from all angles.
Hole No.3We finally start to see some interesting features in the ground and especially in the approach area. The transition from the 2nd to the 3rd hole is pretty weak and disjointed. Tame but subtle green with some mild containment mounding. We're almost an hour in at this point... A dull blade to my wrist starts to sound compelling. I promise it gets better. Way better... and it starts with the next two holes. By now though, one already gathers the usual "classic course" problems are surfacing with the loss of playing surfaces in and around the greens along with the botanical garden theme going on and some awful modifications along with horrendous cartpathing, but for the most part the width is still quite solid throughout.
Hole No.4The aerial from the previous threads shows how this par 3 was an island green surrounded by sand. A rather pushed up green, but quite interesting with what appears to be a spine or slight ridge running throughout. Pretty neat little hole. Third pic is from the 18th tee.
Hole No.5A wonderful shorttish par 4 that offers some interesting choices and angles. Go for the green and risk being short and possibly blind or go safe left but face a tougher angle into the green? The green is oriented to the left. Either way means options. Very cool. Not much to this green however.
Hole No.6It does look like this would have been one interesting version of a Bottle / Road Hole, as mentioned to me by the Emperor. Alas, pretty much anything Road Hole like is gone. The green is pushed up as well. Somewhat banal hole now unfortunately.
Hole No.7In another twist to the adjusted routing, the 7th takes us back and around the clubhouse and range. It's an absolute mess and causes a huge backup here. We have either Cal Olson or Billy Bell, Jr. We had 3 ... yes 3 ... groups waiting here. We waited almost 30 minutes on this one. I took the time to just lay back and take in the breeze coming head on. It's also here where it becomes pretty clear the range messed things up. It reminded me of San Clemente in that respect. In terms of the hole, it's nothing like the Biarritz like hole from the original Long Beach CC routing. It also looks like the hole was moved to the right possibly and the pond feels forced and like a bad afterthought. The original tee would have been much further back and towards the clubhouse. Not a bad green though with some interest.
Hole No.8Not a bad little par 4 here. Can't say I care for the "yet another pond", but whatever. Good little green with some subtle movement. Fourth pic is from the 9th tee.
Hole No.9Two sets of tees here immediately next to each other, but the right tee makes more sense. The left set of tees runs straight into the tree line. Lame... Yet again, good width on this one with a dicey approach. The big Euc out left and short desperately needs to go. Looks like this one had much more of a Punchbowl going on and we'll see this again on the 11th. The two tiered green feels out of character to me, but who knows...
Hole No.10Onto the back nine now and we start off with a staightforward downhill par 4 that's pretty simple. Not much to say here, but a good green with more subtle movement.
Hole No.11Not too dissimilar hole to the 9th, but with a different green. I prefer this green to that of the 9th. Side slopes could be used if it weren't for the type of grass in play that will hold the ball up. Lots of buried under the trees land out right of the fairway that makes me wonder if there was something different going on for this one back in the day. A quick look at the routing map offers some idea of the "better" angle from a shared fairway with the 12th.
Hole No.12We now reach the hole that makes you fasten your seatbelt because from here on out ... you're in for a hell of a cool ride. This hole reminded me of some of Riverside's Victoria holes with the hidden line. The not so obvious line. On this one, it's buried in the trees and what a shame. A line down left of the cartpath and into the tree line offers a potential power boost and better angle into the green. However, miss your tee shot down that line and you'll get either kicked to the right with still a decent position but a tougher angle or you'll stay up top with a tough lie. Wonderful green on this one as well that was a lot of fun. Now I'm smiling... Really cool hole
Looking back to show ridgeline
Hole No.13We finally reach a par 3 and this one's REALLY good. How it combines with the 16th is a thing of genius. The pictures simply don't do the green justice with the peaking sun because it's one of the better ones on the course I feel. Maybe one of Behr's best examples of a double green complex. Not unlike something we'd see at North Berwick's 16th for comparison purposes, but certainly different.
Hole No.14Another good hole awaits with this par 4. Lots of changes appears to have taken place on this one and yet it's still decent now. Desperate tree management is needed around the green with hardly any sunlight reaching the green. Rather damp and wet around the area.
Hole No.15Without question for me, this is one of the best holes on the course. A fantastic right to left turning fairway to a perched green that feels peninsula like somewhat but isn't. Depth perception here is the big equalizer. The skeleton bunker in the upper right of the fairway was the challenge for a better angle, but is gone. Unfortunately, trees down the length of the left side hurt the hole now. Still ... hell of a hole in my opinion!
Hole No.16We finally reach a much talked about par 3. Redan anyone? Hell ya! And a good one at that. Plus we see the very cool tie in of the 13th green here. No doubt some of Behr's most inspired I think. Lots of good tee angle options as well that play as originally setup. Just a shame to not see it play as it should from a playing surface standpoint.
Notice the 13th green tie in to the 16th green through a swale with a tree now
Notice the 13th green in the background and the swale adjoining the 16th.
Hole No.17Good 17th here and I suspect much of the hole in the approach and green areas changed relative to the original. Remnants of the original design strategy are in the ground (especially mid fairway and to the left of the green). The routing shows this as well. Another solid green. The angle of the light on this green reflects the subtlety in movement.
Notice the fairway channel running across
Remnants of original design left of the green
Hole No.18Ubiquitous water hole 18th on a classic design. Who knew? A pretty decent one to finish on. Really solid green here.
