Dan,
did you try and go for it on 13? i love the risk reward possibilities of each shot on that hole.

Jay,
Thanks too to you for sharing your passion for Mr. Strantz.  You really helped make the trip special for all of us.

Jamey--

Thanks for the description.  

My family vacations at Pawleys Plantation, about 55 minutes north on 17, and we always remark the understated sign (just the bull skull; similar to TR's symbol, a great touch) whenever we drive down to Charleston.  We even drove up the entrance road once, just to have a look around, and perhaps snag a scorecard.  A friendly bagroom guy let me help myself to a couple scorecards, which was good to see, especially since I was only 12 or 13 (it was at a time early on when a couple greens were not doing well).

I am intrigued by the aerial view of the par five preceding the par three along the entrance road (13, is it?).  It seems as though the dogleg comes very late and seems to preclude a try at reaching in two.  Is the vegetation to the right of the fairway and stream low enough to fly a 3 wood over, or is it a three-shot hole?

Dan Callahan--

I've never had the pleasure of playing Stonehouse or Royal New Kent (only a scorecard-retrieval excursion to each when I've been in the area).  It's good to know that all these Strantz courses allow for some spectating on the closing holes.  Shows an uncommon level of thoughtfulness.  Shows why Strantz was indeed a genius.

The one fault I find in his work that I have sampled is how watered-down True Blue was after the initial blood-letting that the golf course exacted on its first customers.  Today it's quite an easy golf course from tee to green (I've never had an easier time hitting 12/13 fairways and 16/18 greens).  That isn't to say it isn't great fun, but I'd love to see some of the original features restored, if only halfway back to the original.  I think it would pull the quality of TB up closer to that of Caledonia.

Tim, the 13th is indeed what many call the Mike Strantz question mark par 5.  There are 2 interesting ?s at BB.  #2 is the other, and bends in opposite direction to 13.  

Can I get some love for #11?  What is it?  A triple roller, faux biarritzishlike thingy?  

Our host had the distance to go for the drive cutting off big chunk of water to attempt front of green.  He came up short and only hit his tee ball what I figured was about 300.  He then proceded to use a wedge to scoop up about 18 balls from the reeds right next to the shore.  



in front


front left


left side above

Wow, from the picture, #12 at BB seems to resemble very closely #3 at TB.  

Tim, I think that's exactly right--I hd the same thought.

Now to the after golf festivities:


My best effort at identification.  Clockwise from myself looking over my shoulder in front.  Randy McArthur, Doug Carnes (member of Bulls Bay), I need some help with this next gentleman, Mike Christensen of Atlanta, Jason Mandel of Philly, Dan and Laura Hermann of Philly, standing Jamey Bryan of Camden SC, David Mulle, of NY, NY, and Dick Daley hang out in the comfortable bar area overlooking 18.



Mike Whittaker thanks Mike and Jason for their monetary contributions the night before at game night at the Whittaker house.



The Wisconsin Mafia L-R Dick, Jerry, & Randy.



From the balcony, the 10th fairway on the left and the 15th fairway on the right side.


Looking down on the 18th hole.


A group on the 18th tee, the 7th green beyond that bulkheaded in behind the water hazard, and looking out over the lowcountry the Wild Dunes watertower (I think) on the horizon.


A great day was had by all.

Tom,

The main reason I could think is that from the 18th tee (especially the back couple) the carry to the meat of the 9th fairway I think would be much tougher than the shot to the meat of the correct fairway.  

Also once you got to the 9th fairway you would probably have a completly blind shot to the 18th green as both greens are set back into natural amphitheater hollows into the hillside.  So you definitely would be approaching the 18th green from way left of the opening into the green and have to carry it all the way over the large ridge separating the two greens.  I could be wrong, because I didnt specifically look at the option when I was there on the ground, but putting together the mental pieces from several trips around the course coupled with the aerial photo on page one, those are my quick thoughts as to why that might not work.

Besides neither of the holes are that long that you have to cheat the corner like that, you can just challenge the angles in your own fairway.

Yo Turboe!

Tom D says

All of Mike's work seems to be designed at a different scale than most other golf architecture.

Along that same line of thought some comments.  I got to 10 tee and our host told us that the new tee set back was response to the college toon-a-mint they had where the kids were driving and 7 iron to that par 5.  I looked from the regular tees and it looked like a 1000 yards!  I did hit a nice tee ball, nice second, on easily in 3 and two putted for par.  
But, when we got to 15, I had a nice tee ball to the point in rough FW fringe you see above the trees:

Then, our host comes up to me in cart, shoots a range finder up to 10 green, which I was disoriented and took my cue that that was the green, having only played it minutes prior and not recognizing it.  he said it was 178.  I said, "no way" but then thought maybe I was again deceived like thinking this very same green was 1000 yards from up top.  So not believing 178 and thnking way over 210, I compromised and pulled 4wood and hit one in the left throat of 10 green.  Then the laughing started.  I realised what I did, so engrossed in my own game, I hadn't noted the others already hit to the proper green which tucks in to right behind that tree near the lake and waste area upper right of pic that can be seen in the pic above.  

When I got done laughing and peeing my pants, I had to go sheepishly up to the middle of a tight group of the 4 balls the actual players on 10 had hit right within the left front of that green where my ball made 5 and really had everybody wondering what they hell.  I said, "sorry" and picked up my ball.  I did hit a free drop ball to the correct green eventually.  

But, if you look at the picture, I hope you can tell how I was tricked.

tom,
there isn't really a point to drive in the other fairway, because the landing areas are so generous. It's actually my only problem with the course, its sooo wide open off the tee that you can actually hit driver almost  every hole. I don't know if those that played it in the Dixie notice that, but i played with one of the creators of the club, and he was FURIOUS at how you could make that course pitch and putt through hitting driver everywhere...