Courses that cry out for remodel

[Pete_Pittock]

I played a little nine hole course named Marysville in Corvallis Oregon yesterday. Cheap golf, probably 50-70 years old and doesn't look like anything has been done to it since they put some stakes in the land and pushed up tees and green. Zero bunkers, slope below 113. Empty fields to the south. The first six holes have no redeeming features on slightly rolling terrain, and as I played them I was mentally doing a rerouting job. But the last three holes currently present very good challenges with room to add length. I heard second hand that the owner (and his sons) might rebuild greens this year, or decide to sell for real estate. Competitors within 3 miles include a private 18 hole course and college operated Trysting Tree, anything else is at least 20 minutes away. Any suggestions? How prevalent is this?

[Slag_Bandoon]

Hi Pete,  It's funny how some of the simpler layouts make our imaginations click.  How were the greens anyway?  I'd hate to see the effort and money be put into them if a higher priority could be identified that would do more for the course.  
    There's a course in Hawaii called Kahuku (Oahu) that is under constant threat of being replaced or have its sand lyposucked by a concrete company, etc.    This is one of the finest hidden gems I've ever played in America and it drives me bazoomny just thinking that this place is not venerated and supported.  It's links golf with simple yet interesting features that made my dreamer mind run, especially with the extra land that lies waiting up and down the adjacent coastlines.  
    Up the coast is the 36 hole hauli golf complex of Turtle Bay (Palmer and George Fazio courses) that brings in the tourists but is too expensive for daily play by locals (although they do get a resident deal).  Whether they compete with each other is doubtful, but Kahuku's threat is its replacement by non golf concerns.  It would be a shame to lose it.  

  

[Pete_Pittock]

  The greens are pushed up saucers about 18 inches above grade, maybe 3000 sq ft and very slow. My amateur opinion was a question of cost effectiveness.
   The soil is quite good, very fertile, with good drainage. There is a rudimentary irrigation system in the fairways, thus quite a bit of roll. Except for the last three holes there are really few redeeming qualities. Would working on the greens
bring in more revenue. It is overlooked by most.
    Skip this description if you want. The opening hole is straight, south, about 380 and the middle of the fairway is about 80 yards from the property line on the left. There is more than 100 yards of unused property beyond the green. If playing 18 holes, there is a 10th tee, using a separate fairway, leading to the same green. It is also dead straight. This is the only hole where there is a separate tee if playing 18 holes. The second heads west, is straight and is about 370. The 3rd is straight, east and about 390. Four is a 160 yarder, which with a lot of unused space which tees from a property line angling towards mid property. Five is about 510, west, again straight with OB left the whole way. The tee is against the OB and you drive towards the 6th to avoid trouble without peril. Six, straight, west, 350 some trees left makes you want to favor #5, returning the favor   from the previousl hole.
  Anything could be done to this section and make it more appealing. I like that there are no bunkers, but it totally lacks  defense other than an occasional tree, usually way off line. What would just enlarging greens do? No idea who would design or consruct them and what budget it would have. But I guess it would be in-house.
  Here is what I really liked about the course and would hate to see change into houses, or have a bland prelude. Seven doglegs right and is 330. The dogleg is guarded on both sides by trees and is naturally heavily contoured. It doglegs at 180. It would be terrific with about 40 yards added, but the 2nd green is in the way.  
  Eight is a par three about 155 across a natural bowl to a well sited green, and through a 40 yard gap in trees. There is about 50 yards of room behind the tee.
  Nine is a slight dogleg left, OB left its entire length of about 490. It hits through a chute of douglas fir about 70-90 yards from the tee. Except for the OB it becomes open right, to the point that two more parallel fairways could fit.
  The owners know it has little drawing power and seem to want to do something to make it better, but it needs to remain
cheaper than it competition.