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PThomas

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Ben's lesson to Tom D.
« on: July 15, 2006, 06:59:08 PM »
in the program for the Women's Trans National Tournament, Tom writes/is quoted:

"Of all the design topics we've [he and Ben] talked about , the one that  has stuck in my memory was his advice about giving room to play.  Ben grew up on the windy plains of Texas, and believes devoutly that courses should be designed to remain playable no matter how the wind is blowing; if you do that, he said, you'll [my caps] also give the bogey golfer all the room he needs to get around without quitting the game."

that is definitely one of the smartest things I've ever read re course design
\
199 played, only Augusta National left to play!

Scott Szabo

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ben's lesson to Tom D.
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2006, 07:11:48 PM »
It is one that Ben applied at Sand Hills, which has all the room that you'll ever need.  Tom also applied this at Ballyneal, with its extra-wide fairways.

However, in each case, there is always one side of the fairway that will provide a better plan of attack, depending on the hole position and wind direction.  This gives the better golfer more of a challenge, while allowing the rest to have room to play.
"So your man hit it into a fairway bunker, hit the wrong side of the green, and couldn't hit a hybrid off a sidehill lie to take advantage of his length? We apologize for testing him so thoroughly." - Tom Doak, 6/29/10

Ryan Farrow

Re:Ben's lesson to Tom D.
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2006, 09:33:03 PM »
From what I have read and seen in pictures Mike Strantz provided extra wide fairways in particular at Tobacco Road. He just did a good job keeping them hidden from the tee box.

Forrest Richardson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ben's lesson to Tom D.
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2006, 09:46:15 PM »
Ryan,

Excellent advice from one of the great in golf architecture to me in the late 1970s...

"...I suggest you only write about what you have playerd or seen in person. To do otherwise is like talking about sex you haven't experienced. Entertaining, but hardly informative or worth hearing."

Go play Tobacco Road...then tell us what you think. (By the way, I think you will like it.)
— Forrest Richardson, Golf Course Architect/ASGCA
    www.golfgroupltd.com
    www.golframes.com

Ryan Farrow

Re:Ben's lesson to Tom D.
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2006, 10:03:15 PM »
Forrest you are hammering me tonight, I think its time to log off.

BTW, Mike Strantz is one of my favorite modern architects and Tobacco road is very, very, high on my list of places to play. If I could have gotten some time off from work this summer I would have taken a trip down the east coast to play the majority of his courses but Oakmont got in the way of that.

Forrest Richardson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ben's lesson to Tom D.
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2006, 10:18:46 PM »
Ryan...the airfare from Phoenix to Raleigh is a mere $190 if you book far enough in advance... :D
— Forrest Richardson, Golf Course Architect/ASGCA
    www.golfgroupltd.com
    www.golframes.com

Jordan Wall

Re:Ben's lesson to Tom D.
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2006, 12:05:40 AM »
Forrest you are hammering me tonight, I think its time to log off.

BTW, Mike Strantz is one of my favorite modern architects and Tobacco road is very, very, high on my list of places to play. If I could have gotten some time off from work this summer I would have taken a trip down the east coast to play the majority of his courses but Oakmont got in the way of that.


Ryan,

You are a good kid and it is cool you like Stranz.
But, since most of the year you are in Arizona, why not try MPCC?
Isnt Cali closer than NC?  
Take a long weekend eh?



George Pazin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ben's lesson to Tom D.
« Reply #7 on: July 16, 2006, 12:26:27 AM »
Ryan, Forrest just likes to pick on Pittsburghers. Must be a Cowboy fan or something.

Your description of TR isn't far off. It certainly looks a lot wider standing in the fairways than standing on the tees, and I'm a pretty wild golfer off the tee.

Paul T -

If more architects heeded Ben's advice, I'd probably enjoy the game even more. The old guys didn't need to be told that.... (sorry, Forrest).
« Last Edit: July 16, 2006, 12:28:57 AM by George Pazin »
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

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