Steve,
Gina
or Cooper seduced me? What exactly are you implying??
I have to admit that your reply is very funny and pointed. I'm enjoying this and hope that you are, as well.
Once we get past the fact that you obviously don't like Donald Trump or his organization very much (not that there's anything wrong or unique about that!), you do ask some very good questions, and questions I've wondered about as well.
It's not everyday, for instance, that a course with that number of water hazards appeals to me. And in thinking about it, I find myself feeling that it's probably the same reason that ANGC appeals to me, even if the "man made ponds" are simply the result of damming Rae's Creek.
Also, most of the water hazards in play are used in superbly creative, and diagonal ways. I'm not really keen on the pond on 4, although that one doesn't require much of a carry and the green is superb, and the one on 10 is similar to a degree to 16 at ANGC, except in reverse....the water doesn't really come into play to a back left pin, but does to a front pin...perhaps more like Baltusrol Lower #4.
The use of the water hazard on 6 & 7 is pretty masterful and on 11 & 12 it's generally pretty good if nothing particularly unique or special.
Still, none of those situations really detract from the fact that they are sound golf holes with some really fabulous greens, and in a few cases, the water hazards really enhance the intensity of the approach shot. Beyond that, the water hazards don't "look" manufactured. THere are no waterfalls, no bubbling fountains, no stone walls or boulders, just some lower lying areas with ponds that are very placid and natural looking.
You also mentioned a few drives requiring "chute cut" carries. Perhaps it was the different tees we played, but I really didn't see anything too daunting that made me feel impinged.
For instance, I thought the best damn hole on the course was # 14, which requires a drive that needs some threading, but the fairway in that area is probably 40-50 yards wide. #2 is probably the biggest offender of what you speak of, and I'd take down a few more of the big trees down there, but even from the gold tees you played, it only takes a 215 yard shot to reach the fairway downhill and probably not a hole to pull driver unless you go for the big tee ball up the left to leave the best angle into the long, angled green. The hole is 410 from the gold tees, and only 355 from where we played at the blues, so it's not like there aren't options, particularly a safe one by clubbing down.
Given that many hole offer plenty of width and spaciousness, I didn't feel unfairly impinged by a few of the shorter holes requiring more of a demand for specific accuracy, particularly if one was inclined to play a gambling shot hoping for birdie.
The only other hole I would call "tight" was probably 8, but that's a reachable par five, where a drive trying to carry the bunkers on the left gets a turbo boost downhill benefit. In fact, it only requires a 253 yard carry from the gold tees to be setup in an ideal position to try for the boomerang shaped green in two. From the blue tees, two of the players in our group had a run at it.
I did think of one other question today while mowing the lawn.
You called the 16th hole "forced on the land". Could you tell me more of what you mean by that? From my perspective, the hole starts at the top of a natural climb that took you to the hilltop 15th green, requires a drive down about 70 feet to a "cape" type fairway where you can bite off as much as you will. Granted, some of the trees and gunk on the left don't help, but the hole still only plays 438 from the golds and that ain't too bad considering the downhill drive. I played it at 405. Similar to 5 at Mid Ocean, the hole turns left once you reach the bottom, to a difficult to hit and hold green that is almost an L-shape turned in reverse, with a single bunker guarding the right side.
Could you tell me what you feel is "forced"? I played with others who are not big fans of artifice, yet to a man seemed to think the hole was one of the best ones on the course.
As far as Somerset, aren't there a number of water hazards over there, particularly on the par threes? Tillie certainly wasn't one averse to damming a creek to create ponds and he just wanted everything to look natural, even if it wasn't.
Thanks for your thoughts. I certainly enjoy discussing the details with you and even if my cerebellum has been affected adversely, I'm glad you still think I'm worth saving!