New Golf Courses to Open in 2006

[Andrew Thomson]

I wouldn't call Pacific Harbour 'architecturally significant' but having played it twice now I'd say its among the best efforts I've ever seen on a terribly ordinary plot of land.

So I'd suggest the course at Magenta Shores has plenty of potential with the same archirect and a decent site with which to work.

[Tom_Doak]

From what I saw of it last fall, the second 18 holes at Pronghorn, by Tom Fazio, will be noteworthy when it opens which I assume will be late this year.

As Craig mentioned above, we've still got a lot of rock removal to do at Rock Creek, so it won't be ready until summer/fall of 2007.  Short seasons up there in Montana.  From our own list, Stone Eagle and Tumble Creek were both played by the members last year (though Tumble Creek won't have its "grand opening" until June).  That leaves only two courses of ours opening in 2006 -- Ballyneal and Sebonack.

I believe that all four of those mentioned above may be eligible for the GOLF DIGEST "Best New Private" award at the end of 2006, unless Ballyneal or Sebonack is held back because they open in May or June and not enough panelists get to see them.

Someone told me a month or so ago that Jim Engh's project in Napa failed to get permitting approvals -- has that changed or is the other information dated?

[Jim Franklin]

As of today, Sebonack was not on Golf Digest's Best New list. Ballyneal is.

[Scott_Burroughs]

The new 9 and the re-opening of the original 9 at The GC at Devil's Tower, Kevin Atkinson/Rick Phelps, Hulett, WY.

Pics of new 9:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=22690;start=msg413807#msg413807

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

The Mines in Grand Rapids..  Designed by our own Mike DeVries.

I consider this a must-see for 2006.

If any GCA'ers wanna try the Angels Crossing/Mines 36 hole day, we should set something up.  I think Pilgrim's Run is also another possibility.

Does this course have a tie in with an old mine or something?  Would like to hear a little more background.  

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

How about everyone make sure you put the city and state on any names you throwout, would be very helpful.  Most posts have, but some were just the name.

Down here you have the aforementioned Brights Creek opening.  Also Champions Retreat in Augusta (9 Palmer, 9 Nicklaus, 9 Player) and Bartram Trail (public) Augusta.

Also there is something new opening up in Triangle area of NC isnt there Scott (Fazio private maybe)?

Normans Redo of Savannah Quarters in Savannah should all be open now.  

Canyon Ridge up near Lookout Mountain / Chattanooga (actually a Rising Fawn, GA address) is open.

The new RTJ Trail course at Ross Bridge in Birmingham.   Also the second course at RTJ Trail at the Shoals (Schoolmaster Course) is open as well and being considered I think for Best New status this year.

I wont even delve into all the new ones opeing (or soon to be) in Atlanta as they are too numerous to keep on top of.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

The Mines may have opened last summer.

From devriesdesign.com:

MINES GOLF CLUB
Grand Rapids, Michigan
The Mines is a new public golf course being built over part of the old gypsum mines on the west side of Grand Rapids, only five minutes from the heart of the downtown business sector. Although the mine tunnels are 140 feet below the surface, the site is gently rolling, forested terrain, with sandy soils and great variety in the green and tee settings.

[Paul Jones]

The Manor Golf and Country Club
Alpharetta, GA
Tom Watson
http://www.themanorgolfandcountryclub.com/

[David Ownby]

Tennessee National. A Greg Norman design just west of Knoxville, TN on Watts Bar Lake. Last I heard they were planning to open in June or July.

I toured the site last fall. Beautiful rolling property. I liked what I saw of the layout, but the sod-walled bunkers seemed a little out of place in the mountain setting.

There are a few pictures at the website.

www.tennesseenational.com

[John Kirk]

From what I saw of it last fall, the second 18 holes at Pronghorn, by Tom Fazio, will be noteworthy when it opens which I assume will be late this year.

Someone told me a month or so ago that Jim Engh's project in Napa failed to get permitting approvals -- has that changed or is the other information dated?

I pulled the information off of Jim Engh's website, so it might be dated.  These were the three courses listed as "opening soon", as opposed to "opening 2007".

Hopefully I can get an invite to see and play both Pronghorn courses.  My guess is they are exceptional.  As far as I can tell, Tom Fazio does not keep a business website, so it's hard to find out what he is doing in one place.

Thanks for starting this thread; I had thought of starting one a couple weeks back.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Also there is something new opening up in Triangle area of NC isnt there Scott (Fazio private maybe)?

Yes, Hasentree, who has been advertising in Links for a few months now with those annoying 'cardboard'/stiff filler pages.  Supposely opens this fall or next spring, I forget.

http://www.hasentree.com/

Don't let the web site fool you with Raleigh, NC.  It's address is Wake Forest.


Not that it is 'significant', but a semi-private Fred Couples/Bob Moore (of JMP) course opened earlier this month south of Chapel Hill (Pittsboro), called Chapel Ridge.

http://www.chapelridgegolf.com/

Daryl, if this one makes your list of Best New candidates, let me know when you come by to play it, and we'll tee it up again.  Same with Hasentree, although I might end up playing it sooner.

[Craig Van Egmond]

As far as I can tell there are no 2006 openings here in Oklahoma.

However, our neighbor to the north has at least 1 opening sometime in th next month or so...

             Cottonwood Hills
             Hutchinson, KS
             Nick Faldo
             Daily Fee

              www.cottonwoodhills.net

[Eric Franzen]

The most interesting project here in Sweden would be The PGA of Sweden National - which contains 45 holes designed by Kyle Phillips. Right now it looks tentaviley scheduled for 2007.

[Garland Bayley]

Centennial in Medford OR opens in May. By John Fought in the classic Donald Ross style?. So classic it may have room for some houses.
http://www.centennialgolfclub.com/view.asp?id=335&page=8480

This course is definitely insignificant! With those sets of parallel holes with all OB  on the southpaws slice side, it is not to be taken seriously!

[Mike_Cirba]

LedgeRock near Reading, PA by Rees Jones.

www.ledgerockgolf.com

To show that God has the ultimate sense of humor and irony, they built this 10 minutes from my house.  

[Mike_Young]

Can we put together a list of architectually significant courses to open this year?

I know of:

Erin Hills
Dismal River
Ballyneal

What the hell is meant by "architectually significant"?  Does that mean those that will fight in the ratings game or those that meet the expected criteria of this site?  IMO every course is architectually significant in some way.

[Scott_Burroughs]

LedgeRock near Reading, PA by Rees Jones.

www.ledgerockgolf.com

To show that God has the ultimate sense of humor and irony, they built this 10 minutes from my house.  

Yeah, you poor thing, if you're 10 minutes from this course, you're not from from Stonewall and French Creek (the 'reasonably' priced one of the two).  And then there's the rest of those crappy Philly courses.....  

But I know about the irony with which you speak.... , ye who worships all that is Rees.  Next thing you know, they'll be selling the land where your house is and building a Faz signature course.....

[Mike_Cirba]

But I know about the irony with which you speak.... , ye who worships all that is Rees.  Next thing you know, they'll be selling the land where your house is and building a Faz signature course.....

Yes, Scott,

I'm actually thinking of having Fazio in to do a restoration of my house to the 1930 timeframe.

I've been able to secure a bunch of authentic historical pictures of the house from that time period in the local archives but he keeps telling me that I need to dig a deeper foundation, paint the walls a blinding bright white, plant thick bluegrass on the lawn and then shore the slopes up with Bunker Wol, and extend the back deck about 60 yards.  

[Scott_Burroughs]

But I know about the irony with which you speak.... , ye who worships all that is Rees.  Next thing you know, they'll be selling the land where your house is and building a Faz signature course.....

Yes, Scott,

I'm actually thinking of having Fazio in to do a restoration of my house to the 1930 timeframe.

I've been able to secure a bunch of authentic historical pictures of the house from that time period in the local archives but he keeps telling me that I need to dig a deeper foundation, paint the walls a blinding bright white, plant thick bluegrass on the lawn and then shore the slopes up with Bunker Wol, and extend the back deck about 60 yards.  

And then declare it a Top 20 house.  They've built over a hundred Top 20 houses.  So pretty, too.  Part of the Stepford Collection.

[Mike_Cirba]

Scott,

Maybe he can build me one of those really cool PC ramps that he built on the 8th at Riviera to get me to the first floor landing.

Or better yet, an alternate way to get into the house that makes no sense to ever use.  

[Scott_Burroughs]

Reminds me of an old Steven Wright joke:  "I was born by C-Section.  The only way you can tell is that whenever I leave my house, I go out through the window."

Sorry for the threadjack....

[wsmorrison]

My good friend Colin Sheehan reminded me that he's taking me to Bayonne GC sometime after it opens on Memorial Day.  Below is a link to a presentation Colin did for the golf course.  It is an excellent piece that shows the developmental process with a little humor thrown in.  There are some pictures by Larry Lambrecht and music chosen by Colin from The Meters.  Click on the photo that pops up to start the media session.  

I am looking forward to seeing the golf course later this year.

http://monet.cs.columbia.edu/people/blaine/bayonneGC/bayonneGC.html

[Bill Gayne]

The Nicklaus Course at Bay Creek in Cape Charles, Virginia opened over the winter.

[Mike_Cirba]

I’m not sure all of these will be architecturally significant, but my list of 2006 course openings I’d like to visit in the mid-Atlantic region this year includes;

PA

Lederach – Kelly Blake Moran
LedgeRock – Rees Jones
Jack Frost National – Terry LaGree/Mark Brown
DE

Peninsula – Jack Nicklaus
Saint Anne’s – Allen Liddicoat/Ron Coruzzi/Jim Furyk

NJ

Liberty National - Bob Cupp/Tom Kite
Bayonne - Eric Bergstol

MD

Riddle Farms (Man Of War – public) – Joel Weiman
Riddle Farms (War Admiral – private) – Joel Weiman/Jim Furyk

[Kirk Gill]

Isn't Dismal River scheduled to open in 2006?

Has anyone been out to see it?