What Might Have Been: A Golf Course Fantasy

[Tommy_Naccarato]

OK Slag, You had to go say the "Y" word after many repeated warnings of remaining mum on the subject.

But in truth, these images of Yachats have been seen from by a few of you before, and I think that with a little Tom Doak-touch to it, even he might think the land as special in some regards.

And for the rest of you who might be scurrying about te place trying to get in touch with the State of Oregon, it is in fact environmentally protected. While the land may look flat, it is in fact Old Course-type movement. Right Slag?

Yachats Linksland-Oregon Coast-Heaven

[Tommy_Naccarato]

I almost forgot to add, this is a subject that is really dangerous for me. I tend to lose all track of sight and common sense when I start thinking of every 1/4 acre lot that I happen to pass during the day-- "Hey, that would make a very interesting green complex!"

Way back yonder, many, many light years ago, a few of us orignal Golfweb Architectural Discussion Group junkies got together for a NoCal get-together at Half Moon Bay.

Redanman made the excellent choice of "The Beach House" for our accomodations, which is a very beautiful inn set right on the water in front of it's own little private enclave of dunes. We went for a walk out there, talking about golf and how we could dream up a little mashie-like course there, so rudimentary, yet taking full advantage of this very small little dune line. (This by no means was fit for anything close to resembling Rees Jones-approved Championship Length, but we did in fact have a blast figuring out a neat little layout. Getting a hold of some featheries would have made it that much more fun! I think we even had a few holes that crossed over one another!)

It is an amazing thing how much more I have learned since then, maybe fifty fold. But I still remember this one paticular complex that just sticks with me to this day. I think you can acheive GREAT golf no matter what the setting or size or even the depth. I think this is where the GREATNESS lies, in the NATURE of anything that can yield the roots of the Game.

Here in fact is that piece of neat little dunes land--so small, yet so perfect for our intrepid minds.

[Forrest Richardson]

So what are we waiting for? Perhaps we might just show up and build it?

[A_Clay_Man]

Forrest- I have also seen(in my mind) amazing holes running cliffside and now that I'm in NM. every mesa holds those wonderful scraggily lines. But the reality is I don't recall ever having seen one built (other than oceanside).  I assume this is either due to the remoteness of most of these formations and/or the inherent danger of getting the public within a few feet of such dropoffs.
My mind has lately been contemplating why noone seems to use the many mini canyons and arroyos that seem to be sliced thru the rock and meander throughout potential sites providing angular hazzards with similar lines to the mesas and cliffs.

[Forrest Richardson]

There are some good canyon courses in the Las Vegas area. One we were working on, in Henderson, has 80-foot cliffs along four holes. Unfortunately the project is on hold at the moment.

[Slag_Bandoon]

  Thanks for the pictures Tommy.  Pure dreamland.  Perhaps instead of calling it a golf course we can call it a land reclamation project?   Rid it of the invasive German Seegrass and we'd be eco heroes!