2017 IOWA MIDWEST MASHIE IS IN THE BOOKS!

[Jason Topp]

Looks like it's just Bill and I at Deere Run Friday at 8AM. I released the other two times to the course.

I did get confirmed at DMG&CC for an afternoon round Thursday. PM me if you want to join.
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I hope you get good gas mileage.  That is a lot of driving in two days.

[PCCraig]

I hope everyone has a great time in Iowa this weekend and that everyone enjoys Cedar Rapids CC as much as I did. I'm sorry I won't be there but those that will be please post updates/pictures/thoughts!

[Criss Titschinger]

I hope you get good gas mileage.  That is a lot of driving in two days.

The Mashie has become my excuse to get a golf trip in. I got fortunate by being able to work out an extra day for Des Moines. A lot of driving, yes, but go big or go home.


The drive from DSM to Quad Cities is on par with my drive from NCR (post 36 holes) to Wolf Run last year. Let's hope A) the Iowa po-po don't pull me over like Indiana did last year and 2) I take it easy upon arrival. Attendees last year will remember my state at Broadmoor before and during that round. 

[V_Halyard]

Well I couldn't be more pleased to be hosting the upcoming 2017 edition of the Midwest Mashie with an International field! Thanks to those coming and those that are unable, we wish you could join.
I do want to apologize for not taking a more thorough look at the high holiday calendar.

I would like to give Kudos, Plugs and Public/GCA thanks to some names that helped pull the 2017 Midwest Mashie Together. Not that they need plugs but because they very graciously worked with me as I stumbled through putting this together!

First Pat Craig for help with the format and support!

Thanks to the Davenport Country Club membership, some of our group will begin the weekend at a Pre-Game Friendly hosted by the Davenport Country Club Pro John Panek and Board President Bill Eby. This will be followed by a tasting and dinner overview of their fantastic restoration.

We follow that up with the official 2017 Midwest Mashie at Cedar Rapids Country Club hosted by yours truly, Steve Greif, Current Golf Chair Molly Altorfer, GM/PGA-Pro Travis Hall, and CRCC Head PGA Pro Dustin Toner.
They patiently suffered through my having to arrange this during a particularly brutal travel schedule. They were fantastic in helping me pull it together. Melissa Dykstra of CRCC dealt with my consistently "fluid" player total. 
Additionally, we were graciously granted GCA Midwest Mashie adjacent playing privileges at Des Moines Golf And Country Club and Wakonda Club. As I sit in an office on a work trip that took me to LA yesterday and Seattle today, I'm looking forward to jumping on a redeye deep into the heart of Flyover Country and eventually joining this fantastic GCA crew this weekend.

The Field: The Mississippi and Tyler's Canadian border serve as our East vs. West line of demarcation


Morgan    Clawson      WEST
Vaughn    Halyard      WEST
Tyler   Kearns      WEST
Frank   Kim         EAST
John   McCarthy      EAST
Joe      Melchiors      EAST
Doug   Seibert      WEST
Bill      Steele      EAST
Karl      Cassell/crcc   WEST
Jim      Tang      EAST
Jason   Thurman      EAST
Criss   Titschinger   EAST
Jason   Topp      WEST
Buck   Wolter      WEST
John   Mayhugh      EAST
Steve   Greif/crcc      WEST
Brandon   Urban      WEST

Add our club CRCC PGA Pro/GM Travis Hall,  CRCC Head PGA Pro Dustin Toner and CRCC Golf Chair/Women's club Champ and City Am Champ Molly Altorfer to the mix to even the field.

The Iowa Sweet Corn is ragingly good right now. Cedar Ridge Distillery will host a Bourbon tasting, Ron Prichard, Tyler Rae and our Super Tom Feller will join us for dinner and a presentation, and sunny weather will round out an outstanding fast and firm weekend!

Finally, a big shout to Pat Craig, Jeff Shelman, Jack Crisham, Ran, Joe and Chris for putting us on the GCA Radar!

Updates to follow!

V

[V_Halyard]

I hope everyone has a great time in Iowa this weekend and that everyone enjoys Cedar Rapids CC as much as I did. I'm sorry I won't be there but those that will be please post updates/pictures/thoughts!

Most definitely! So sorry you will miss and thanks for your support and assistance!

[Tim Pitner]

Sounds like a great itinerary, so sorry to miss this event. I hope everyone enjoys CRCC and my hometown or, as we say in eastern Iowa, the big city. Tough loss for the Hawks last week (I was literally crying in my beer at the George Cup), let's beat Sparty.

[Jason Topp]

Chicago guys should visit Davenport.  My first impression is that it is as good as anything we have in Minneapolis. 

[Brandon Urban]

Just returned from a fantastic couple of days at Cedar Rapids Country Club. Thanks so much to Vaughn for hosting this GCA crew and to the staff at CRCC for making it a great couple of days. It was a lot of fun to see some old friends and meet some new ones at my first Mashie.

Saturday's dinner featured Ron Prichard and Tyler Rae talking about their restoration of this Ross course. Seeing the before and after photos was, in one word, crazy. Congrats to the membership on a beautiful, strategic, and most importantly, fun golf course. It is definitely worth a visit. A few photos from the weekend.

The beautiful downhill and then back uphill 1st.
1st by burban965, on Flickr

Gorgeous bunkering around the 2nd green.
2nd by burban965, on Flickr

The view looking back on the 5th green.
5th by burban965, on Flickr

My favorite bunker on the course sits in front of the 13th green.
13th by burban965, on Flickr

The incredibly unique and fun par 4, 14th with its volcano greensite.
14th by burban965, on Flickr

One of the many beautiful bridges on the property takes you across the creek to the 15th green.
15th by burban965, on Flickr

[Morgan Clawson]

Cheers to Vaughn for putting together this outstanding Mashie formula: 
2 terrific courses + 2 architect speakers + 2 bourbon tastings + 3 days of great weather + 17 great GCA guys = WOW

Thanks to my playing partners for putting up with my shenanigans:  Tyler Kearns, John McCarthy, Bill Steele, Chris Titschinger, Vaughn Halyard, and Frank "Center Cut" Kim.  It was fun teeing it up with you.

I'll post some photos soon.

[Jason Topp]

The finish to each 9 at Davenport with a big bridge connecting the tee and green on the par 3 10th serving as a backdrop for each hole.


9th hole - a short par 5 running downhill with a river hugging the right side
9 Davenport Cropped by Jason Topp, on Flickr

18th Hole - the closer you are to the river on the left the better your angle to a small green tucked behind the river crossing from left to right in front of the green
18 Davenport B&W by Jason Topp, on Flickr

[Jason Topp]

7th at Davenport - Very unusual long par 4 where the reward for a well placed drive is a visible uphill approach to a green sitting on a ridge that falls away on both sides and in back:


7 Davenport B&W by Jason Topp, on Flickr

[Jason Topp]

8 at Cedar Rapids.  Green is pushed up from surrounding land.  I like how the architects made this transition look clearly artificial.  The look hearkens back to early golf course construction.

CRCC 8 B&W by Jason Topp, on Flickr


10 at Cedar Rapids - Picture does not do the downhill nature of this hole justice.  Ideally the tee ball winds up on the left side of the fairway but a bunker and water looms in that direction.  The Indian burial mound and the 14th green that sits atop it can be seen in the background.


CRCC 10 crop by Jason Topp, on Flickr

[Jason Topp]

I tried everything in my power to goad Mayhugh into hitting this shot.
012 by Jason Topp, on Flickr

[John Mayhugh]

I tried everything in my power to goad Mayhugh into hitting this shot.

Oh, I wanted to. 

Thanks to Vaughn for arranging a great event.  Traveling so just a few quick thoughts:
The land in eastern Iowa is far more interesting than I thought.
Iowa hospitality is wonderful. 
GCA guys visiting less traveled areas helps show club members how wise they are in restoring courses.
Davenport & Cedar Rapids prove it's possible to have courses playing fast in the midwest.
Still looking for a mundane Ross course.  Cedar Rapids is anything but.
Need to see more Alison!!
Tilt to greens makes for much more interesting approach shots than to greens relying on interior contours.
Need to go to more GCA events.

[PCCraig]

Looks like it was a terrific event. The golf courses look like they were in perfect shape...love all the brown I'm seeing in the pictures above! Davenport also looks amazing in Jason's photos.


Congratulations to Vaughn for hosting a successful event. A lot of work goes into putting together these types of events, and his work to set up Davenport, Cedar Rapids, DMG&CC, etc. as well as arraigning visiting from Tyler and Ron Prichard is a second-to-none hosting effort.


I was very bummed I couldn't make it this year (I was scheduled but then a family golf trip to South Carolina) popped up and I had to cancel. But I am equally happy that it seems everyone had a great time and enjoyed golf in Iowa.


The best part of GCA are the events. How great is it to get 20-40 people together from all over the country to enjoy a golf course they likely never would of played otherwise?

[George Freeman]

Congrats to Vaughn for what looks and sounds like an awesome Mashie!!  Really bummed I missed this one - the courses look like a ton a fun and it would have been a great excuse to get to that part of the country. 

The generosity (to offer to host) followed up by a ton of hard work (putting it together) by people like Vaughn are what makes these events so special.

Thanks again!

[V_Halyard]

Congrats to Vaughn for what looks and sounds like an awesome Mashie!!  Really bummed I missed this one - the courses look like a ton a fun and it would have been a great excuse to get to that part of the country. 

The generosity (to offer to host) followed up by a ton of hard work (putting it together) by people like Vaughn are what makes these events so special.

Thanks again!

George it was fantastic and major credit to the pros, supers, staff, chefs and members of CRCC and Davenport CC who rolled out the Green Carpet.
I have but one regret as I was not able to witness Topp v. Mayhugh and his attempt to goad John into an augmented reality experience in the water hazard.  Grand weekend!

[CJames]

What a terrific weekend it sure seems you organized, Vaughn.  You're aces.  Too bad it was such an odd summer, or there's a good chance I could have made it! 

[Tyler Kearns]

Vaughn,


Thank you for all of your efforts in making the Midwest Mashie a success.  Both golf courses were fantastic and in superb condition, and the staff made us all feel very welcome.  The presentations by Ron Forse and Ron Prichard were insightful and helped us piece together the evolution of both golf courses.


I was fortunate to sneak off to Wakonda post Mashie to enjoy another Iowa gem, thanks again for helping to make that happen.


Cheers,
Tyler

[JNagle]

Thought this to be an appropriate follow-up to the Midwest Mashie.  Article was just released this past week.  Would love to have
been present at the gathering but I had a scheduling change on a project in Chicago.


http://www.gcmonline.com/features/2017/10/04/fast-forward-davenport-country-club


http://www.gcmonline.com/turf/2017/10/04/speed-and-style-architect-ron-forse-on-the-davenport-country-club-renovation

[Buck Wolter]

I only made the Cedar Rapids CC portion but Vaughn and the team set the bar high for future mashies.


Main takeaway is the course was fantastic. Having Ron Prichard and Tyler Rae there to discuss what they designed and then how the Super Tom Feller made it happen on a shoestring budget is what this site is all about.


The course was equal parts  brawny, sporty, and head scratching. Anyone who thinks Iowa is flat has never been to CRCC -- it seemed like almost perfect topography. I am also a sucker for an 'urban oasis' and CRCC has that in spades -- you're driving through a middle class neighborhood wondering if Google maps is right and you drive straight into the place.


Holes of note for me --
I liked the starting 5 very much. Straight forward opener that looks longer than it is, super quirky second up and over a ridge, cool dogleg back towards the clubhouse, 4th plays over a ridge and the a redan like par 3.


#9 was probably my favorite --an uphill par 5 for the first 3/4 and then it falls sharply back to the punchbowl green.


#14 with the Volcano Green and #15 Par 3 with a super steep shaved bank.


#18 I'm no Ross expert but the ones I've played his uphill holes are very good. This one is severely uphill at the green with a false front and a severe green. I made a 7 and won the hole to tie my match on what I would assume was a very unpopular pin for the members that day.


BTW I only saw the results on twitter but I believe the West recaptured the Mashie.


Thanks again Vaughn and the whole staff at CRCC for a terrific event.


Buck

[Criss Titschinger]

Finally getting a chance to write at least a quick note here.

I've been to 4 straight Mashies, and this year's iteration was as good as any of them. Even if you hit just Davenport and Cedar Rapids, you got to see two great courses, two masterful renovations, with insightful and interesting presentations from the architects, clubs, and superintendents who did the work. For an architecture nerd, it doesn't get any better.

For me, it was especially interesting to play with Bill Eby at Davenport and hear about the holes, how they are different post-renovation, and continued changes the club is looking at. Same with Vaughn at Cedar Rapids. Vaughn gave great descriptions of how holes used to be, and despite his best efforts, I still can't imagine how CRCC looked before that renovation.

Vaughn was an incredible host and really went above and beyond in the accommodations. I was lucky enough to arrange rounds in Des Moines at both Wakonda and Des Moines Golf & Country Club. Both clubs couldn't have been more friendly and welcoming to me. Especially at DMG&CC, where I had many great conversations with members about the work they did in preparation for this year's Solheim Cup. They take great pride in hosting that tournament and it showed. Still can't imagine the structure that was in place on North's 10 tee (played as #1 for the Solheim Cup).

Every course I played was good, but Davenport really surprised me as the winner on this trip (sorry Vaughn  ). Very cool land, great green complexes, and really good finishing holes. I will say the first 5 at Cedar Rapids are all that and then some. 9 may have been my favorite hole on the course, and ranks with one of the best par 5's I've played. 14 is certainly a hole you don't see everywhere and is fun to play as well. 18 is a short, but brutal uphill finisher. I hit the green in regulation on Sunday and was about 30 ft. away. I barely tapped my birdie putt, and it ran at least 10 ft. past. Three-jacked for bogey.

I took tons of pictures and I hope to post some in the coming weeks. I'll just say that the best of Iowa golf is legit and definitely worth seeing. I'm very grateful to Vaughn and the staff and members of all the places I played for giving me that opportunity. Having perfect weather didn't hurt either. 

[V_Halyard]

I'll just say that the best of Iowa golf is legit and definitely worth seeing. I'm very grateful to Vaughn and the staff and members of all the places I played for giving me that opportunity. Having perfect weather didn't hurt either. 

Criss, thanks for joining and I'm fine that Davenport was your personal favorite and will no way infer that had anything to do with your pain associated with you, as the East captain, having to hand me, a rookie West captain, the beloved Mashie at CRCC.
Seriously, I love DCC as well and appreciate all of you that made the trek and landed in FlyOver country. it was a blast!