Least Played Courses

[Matt_Ward]

I'm just concluding a west visit to various locations and I had the opportunity play the unique Tom Weiskopf layout called Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, MT.

First rate members layout and the combo of golf / mountain scenery is hard to define by words alone. The view from the 1st tee (520 yards par-4) is breathtaking indeed.

What struck me as interesting is the fact that the course will likely just go beyond 500 rounds this season. No doubt the location dictates that because of the short season and the initial emphasis at Yellowstone Club has been the skiing side of things -- the facility has its own mountain for skiing and the entire property is roughly 22 square miles - no misprint.

I just have to wonder how many courses in the USA do 1,000 rounds or less. Likely it's courses in situations similar to Yellowstone or for some other reason.

I'll opine on the layout itself under a different thread in regards to the quality of golf that is within the reach of Yellowstone from the three states of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.

[Mark_Fine]

Matt,
I haven't played this one and suspect I won't have time.  If it only gets 500 rounds a year, it probably won't be a golf course much longer.  Soon it will be grazing pasture for the wildlife.
Mark

[james soper]

matt, i have been waiting for some info on yellowstone. from what i've read before, initiation is 1 cool mill. the limited photograhps in executive golfer looked like vintage weiskopf. does it have any similarities to any of his other fine courses(driveable par 4). i'll check your response on the seperate thread.
as for least played courses, cherokee plantation may be high on the list. rich harvest could be up there as well.

[Mike_Cirba]

Why Shivas,

OF COURSE that would be the renowned Reverse-Jans course, would it not?  

[Mike_Cirba]

Shiv,

It's tough to forget a watershed event like that.  

I can still remember where I was when I heard about it.  

[BCrosby]

500 rounds a year is insane.

You figure a 5 month season in Montana. That's an average of no more than 3 to 4 rounds a day.

I hope the poor drink cart girls get paid by the hour.

Bob

[Craig Sweet]

bob...the Yellowstone Club sits at 7000ft....the golf season there might run from June until Labor Day...anything after Labor Day is gravy.

[Buck Wolter]

Mark-
I don't think you have to worry the course won't make it -- saw an article on the developer recently, he's a billionaire timber baron who is marketing to ultra-rich ultra-private people who don't want tee times or lift lines. The have a private ski area there as well.

I worked a season on the greens crew at CC of the Rockies 15 years ago when there weren't many members. We called it a 'Turf Museum' because it got so little play, I played more rounds that summer than any member. Nothing better than having a golf course to yourself.

Buck

[Mark_Fine]

Buck,
Maybe I will get to play it after all    

[HamiltonBHearst]

During the summer season I prefer to play all rounds at clubs that are within a two hour flight of the Westhampton jetport.  Not likely I will see the place even though my brother Livingston is a member and plays 5% of the yearly rounds there if the number is to be believed.

I am sure the readers of NJ Golfer will benefit from a review of a course they can't possibly have the connections to play, maybe another review of Architects Club would have worked better.  

[Donnie Beck]

If you look at any maintenance budget you will quickly see the reason why.

[Greg Tallman]

Matt,
I haven't played this one and suspect I won't have time.  If it only gets 500 rounds a year, it probably won't be a golf course much longer.  Soon it will be grazing pasture for the wildlife.
Mark

No hurry - the club will be around for a while. Part of a developing world-wide network of clubs. Likely a sister club here in Baja a couple of hours north of Cabo sometime relatively soon.  

Not sure howmany rounds it gets now but The Floridian used to average less than 5 players per day for less than 6 months a year it was open, whatever the yearly total was it was less than 1000 in the late 90's.

The billionaire timber baron is Tim Blickseth. Also just purchased a posh boutique hotel on the west coast of Mexico's mainland next to a pretty good golf course... El Tamarindo.

[Matt_Ward]

Hamilton:

Thanks for the directive on what courses I should opine about. To be blunt -- I am in the process in writing a round-up piece for Luxury Golf & Travel on various key new facilities that inhabit the area that is near to Yellowstone Park. The article will be out in early spring '07.

The total # of rounds may top 1,000 this year if the weather holds but the focus initially was the marketing of the ski side of the aisle. The golf component is more of a secondary consideration but will elevate itself very shortly.

If you are so interested in reviews of Jersey courses try our Website at Jerseygolfermag.com and you can see the latest updated top 25 public in the Garden State.

Gents:

The Yellowstone Club does have a fine members course and I salute Weiskopf in providing a layout that has plenty of character but won't beat up on folks who don't play that much golf.

No doubt the likelihood of people playing the course is extremely limited and I was most fortunate to have played it during the height of the season.

James:

There are a couple of driveable holes at Yellowstone --
heck -- the first two par-4's at 519 and 476  yards respectively play so much downhill they can be possibly driven by the strongest of players -- I can within 75 yards of the 1st and 50 yards at the 2nd. I'll post more details when time permits as I am still traveling. Suffice to say -- it's not top tier Weiskopf but it's far from being simply a lite weight golf alternative.

[Mike Benham]

I just have to wonder how many courses in the USA do 1,000 rounds or less. Likely it's courses in situations similar to Yellowstone or for some other reason.

Well yes Matt, I would agree with you that courses doing less than 1,000 rounds are in situations similar to Yellowstone or some other reason.  There would be no other explanation ...

The Institute in Morgan Hill ...

Ps:  I heard the rumor once again this past weekend the John Fry's ultimate goal is to host a PGA event at The Institute ...

[Doug Ralston]

It is my understanding that the stunning private 'Double Eagle' in Ohio has only like 30 members, so it must not get much traffic. Anyone here know? Played it?

Doug

[Matt_Ward]

Doug:

There have plenty of posts here on Double Eagle in Ohio. No doubt the course there doesn't get thaaat much play either.

However, the ones I am speaking about are in places where a major snow event can happen in just about any event -- save for the peak summer months -- even then there's no guarantee it can't happen.

Gents:

One other course in the same area of Yellowstone that's worth watching is the new Moonlight Basin Club that Jack Nicklaus is designing -- also in Big Sky and likely to open in '08.

The course is now only being shaped but it's actual location at the base of two high mountain ranges is indeed quite attractive.

[Brad Tufts]

Myopia may fall under this category..among "somewhat normal private courses."  They report 7-8000 rds./yr, but if you counted actual 18-hole rounds, there may be 3-4000 in reality.  Just a small membership that likes that the course is always "available."

The least-played course i've heard about is that Ellerton (Ellerston?) course in Australia.  Owned by one man, perhaps a foursome a day on avg....and they used some type of grass that thrives as long as it doesn't get trampled by many players.

[Chris Kane]

Ellerston was built by Bob Harrison for the late Kerry Packer - very long and very difficult from what I've heard.

[Andrew Summerell]

The least-played course i've heard about is that Ellerton (Ellerston?) course in Australia.  Owned by one man, perhaps a foursome a day on avg....and they used some type of grass that thrives as long as it doesn't get trampled by many players.

I was actually led to believe it averaged 3 rounds per week.

I know a guy who was asked to be his personal pro & declined the offer.

[Andrew Summerell]

Actually, it will be interesting to see what happens to Ellerston now that Kerry has passed away. I don't believe any of his family are as interested in golf as he was.

[Ryan Farrow]

Matt did you have a chance to check out Spanish Peaks? Its also a recent Weiskof in Big Sky. I have also heard its kind of the same situation as the other course with very little play.

[Tim Gavrich]

Morefar in Brewster, NY probably gets a similarly low amount of play.

Isn't the Vineyard GC on Martha's Vineyard a club of only 50 or so members?

Isn't that Due Process course pretty lightly-played?

[Joel_Stewart]

Golf Digest did an article a while back on private (one member) courses.

http://www.golfdigest.com/magazines/index.ssf?/features/ultimate_2ue2cddc.html

I personally have driven by Walter Annenbergs course in Palm Springs and would love to play the Rees Jones private course in the Hamptons which is for sale for something like $40 million.

[Tommy Williamsen]

How much play does Rich Harvest get?  When I played there a few years ago, I only saw one foursome on the course.

[Dan Herrmann]

Two come to mind...
Waverly in Portland, OR got very little play back when I used to live there.  Pretty cool course too - Tiger won one of his USGA Jr Ams there.

And I don't think Stonewall "Udder" gets a ton of play.  Actually, Stonewall itself doesn't get a lot of play either.  It's a second club for many and there are days when you will only see one or two groups on the course.

Shame too, because all three are wonderful golf courses, that any smart member would play at every opportunity.

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