Scott,

Thanks!

Ok Craig...your turn!  


Folks...let's remember that this course opened in 1909, the same year as NGLA was coming into fruition.   Other than a brushing up by a Bob Cupp master plan over the past decade, it hasn't been touched.

I think that knowledge provides some good historical background when you look at the features of Leatherstocking and consider just how far advanced it was at that time.

Joe,

Having played many a round with Mike over the past few years, your one line may be the funniest thing I've read on GCA.com. I am still laughing out loud.

It's official, Mike Cirba has lost his title to whitest legs on GCA!

Hey Hey fellas...this thread is about OUTING Dev Emmett's Leatherstocking!

Your lame attempts at humor are very distracting to those of us trying to keep the GCA focus on architecture.  




 

Mike,
   You are outing Dev Emmett at Leatherstocking GC?!  I knew my post on the switch hitter thread had some merit.

Cheers,
Brad

Great pictures, Scott.  I've heard nothing but great things about the golf course.  Tough luck about the camera running out of juice...I look forward to seeing a few more pics.

I know I've mentioned it here before...but Leatherstocking was the site of the first time I ever beat my father in a round of golf.  It was the summer of 1990 (I was 21) and we were on a two-man trek to scout grad schools I was to attend that Fall.

Not being an architectural "geek" back then I didn't really have the appreciation for it that I might have now...but knew even then that it was a pretty neat place, especially those last few holes.  I hope one day to get another crack at it...thanks for the pics and bringing back some very fond memories.  The course looks wonderful.

I completely agree with Scott and Mike's take on Leatherstocking. I also was impressed with how little the course has deteriorated over the years. The man-made features, bunkers and mounding, are crisp and well-defined as you can see from the earlier photos. The conditioning is the only thing that Dev wouldn't recognize. It was excellent.

Taking up where Scott's camera went to sleep...

The approach to the par 4 10th. The tiny green is so well hidden that you don't see it until you're almost on top of it. How could Emmett have thought this was a par 4 in 1909? It's as brutal as the 7th.



The off-camber fairway on the par 5 11th viewed from the tee.



Approaching the green which is in a hollow behind the last ridge. The picturesque bunkers on the left are severe but the correct approach is from the right.



The 11th green.



The 9th green viewed from the 12th tee.



As the sun drops behind the ridge on the right, the 12th green. It's almost invisible from the back tee so you have to hit your shot and run to the front tee to see the result.



The short par 4 13th. A massive, presumably natural, mound, sits in the middle of the fairway.



Looking from the 13th green back down the fairway at the mound.



The 13th green from the left. The grass bunker is about 15 feet deep and to the rear is a drop that goes on forever. It's just great topography for a short par 4.



The short par 4 14th - a deep swale cuts across the fairway; the green is narrow and very deep



Mike's blind approach from within 100 yards.



The par 5 15th. The fairway has a pronounced tilt similar to #11. A 2nd shot approach to a massive green is blind.



The green slopes away from the player and is surrounded by awkward ground.



The par 4 16th.



The par 3 17th. A straightforward carry over a marsh to a relatively flat green. After what went before, I found this hole less interesting. A more natural ending to the course would have been to go straight to the famous 18th tee and back to the hotel.  I wonder if Dev was happy with this hole.



The light was going fast so this was the best I could do on #18. The view from the tee to the green near the hotel. The tee box sits on a pile of rocks and old building debris in the middle of the lake. I'm sure there are those who would attempt the 300+ yard carry but the rest of us turn right and find a comfortable distance over the lake. An impressive hole now, it must have been astonishing in 1909.



My only complaint is that the hotel couldn't accommodate us for dinner immediately after the round.  

Well...I guess architectural comment on courses is passe here and soooo early 21st century.  

Perhaps I should jump on the "Rules and Ethics" thread at 420 posts or the "Snob" thread with 240?  

GCA jumped the shark?   Shoot...we're in summer re-run season!  

I'm thinking we should be labelling the architectural-related threads as OT.  

John,

No, unfortunately there wasn't enough daylight left.   We played Teugega in the morning, grabbed a quick lunch, and then headed down to Cooperstown.

I had hoped to stop by Otsego because from aerials, it looks unchanged since it was built in 1894.  Maybe next time.

Brad,

Like most courses, you could remove every single pine tree from Leatherstocking and improve it considerably.

In fact, I'd take every tree out but the specimens (and I'd chop of few of them too) and it would shine.  

I don't know if adding pines is part of the 10 year Master Plan put together by Bob Cupp, but so much of what they've been doing there seems right-on that I doubt it.

I'd also add that the fairways offer considerable width, and I only recall one time any of the three of us got into real tree problems.   Scott or Craig..do you recall any others?

Tuegega was very nice. Hope we get to see that write up

You guys should have made it to Yahnandasis in Utica, which is very very good. I'll write up some notes & post some pics for there

Brad,

Like most courses, you could remove every single pine tree from Leatherstocking and improve it considerably.

In fact, I'd take every tree out but the specimens (and I'd chop of few of them too) and it would shine.  

I don't know if adding pines is part of the 10 year Master Plan put together by Bob Cupp, but so much of what they've been doing there seems right-on that I doubt it.

I'd also add that the fairways offer considerable width, and I only recall one time any of the three of us got into real tree problems.   Scott or Craig..do you recall any others?

Mike,

Did you feel, at any time on the course, that the trees really came into play on any of the holes?  

What did you think of hole #6, with the creek up the right protected by trees?  What was your play there?  

Standing on #9 tee, the trees do encroach on the right, but it is a busy road...almost a necessary evil for safety.  

Did you think the trees came in too close on the left of #10?  

Otherwise, I can't think of any examples where I felt there were too many trees.  

What about you?