Rancho Santa Fe images (truly)

[Michael Dugger]

Courtesy of David Stamm....

I trust everyone is having a wonderful time w/ their families this Christmas. I thought everyone here might want to see some photo's of RSFGC, probably Max Behr's best preserved course still in existence. So much has been written by this man, and although tough to read sometimes, he nevertheless was a respected voice then and now in the GCA community. While we have much to read of his, we know very little about the courses that he designed himself, mostly because he didn't design very many courses, and also because what there is has been altered significantly. RSFGC has been altered through the years, but since so little is known of his designs, it's hard for me to tell who has done what. The most recnt changes came in 2002 and performed by David Fleming and they have not been recieved well. Some of the bunkering he did looks much different from what was there. Having said all that, I believe this is best preserved course still in existence. The course opened for play in 1929. It was originally offered to Dr. Alister Mackenzie, but he declined as we was in the middle of doing Cypress Point. He referred the members to his friend Max Behr and work began in 1927. The course for years was open to the public until I believe the 60's. This was the original home of the Crosby from 1937-1942 before it moved to the Monterey Peninsula. It has hosted the San Diego Open in 1954 and was won by local Gene Littler. It's also the home course of local amateur great, Pat Duncan. The course is not in it's best condition in the photo's, as it appears that they have overseeded and scalped the fairways, but you get a sense of it. So here it is, enjoy!

[Jason Blasberg]

Robert Deruntz will enjoy these pictures . . . Robert have you come down from the ski slopes yet . . . ?

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Michael,
RSF is probably one of Max Behr's LEAST preserved courses. Thre is plenty there still to look at though, you just have to know what your looking for in terms of width and other key features.  

This is the first I heard Fleming's name being brought into it. It's an abomination. I had heard it was a construction/irrigation company that built the bunkers which look nothing like Behr's mean, ugly and nautral hazards which once abounded the property. Hard to believe they could take the natural hazards he once expounded on, found, and then destroy them.

Still, RSF is a great place to mourn the dead. I can hardly wait for my next visit.

BTW, I find nothing wrong with dormant bermuda.....

[BCrosby]

Tommy -

The pictures show a pretty, stylized course. It looks like a woman just back from the beauty parlor. You gotta think that Behr wanted it to look like a woman just after sex.

Do we know any of the details about its architectural evolution?

Bob  

[Pete Lavallee]

Bob,

The course stuglged for many years due to lack of funds; the public could play for as little as $1.00 up until 1960 when the members bought the course course back from the Sante Fe Corp. which had bailed it out. There was a restoration started in the 80's, the membership stopped it after the first two holes were completed because it "looked too modern".

A proposed renovation by Ted Robinson was also shot down because of it's radical departure from the course's traditions.

The Dye group came in the 80's and redid the greens; they had evolved to mere circles at the time. Hard to say if the are just like Max made them, the few old pictures from the 20's and 30's I've seen show broad sloping surfaces; I would have assumed a more MacKenzie like flair.

Two years ago David Fleming was brought in for a complete $3MM renovation. The main concerns of the membership was drainage and replacing the sparce rye grasses in the roughs. Wall to wall bermuda was installed; most fairways are up to 40 yards wide with 20 yard corridors of rough on each side (that isn't wide enough for you Tommy?).

An extensive drainage system was also installed. Using curbed cart paths to direct the water in addition to quite alot of greenside catch basins. Probably the most dissapointing aspect of the project was that the rugged creek which bissects the middle of the figure 8 routing was "undergrounded". Although you can certainly say he course drains much better and is more enjoyable for the membership during our winter rainy season.

Another aspect of Fleming's project was a complete recontouring of all the green surrounds. David relied on long time pro Chuck Courney's recollection and intricate slopes and contours were reintroduced to almost every green surround. The only problem with them is that the Club maintains a second cut of bermuda at about an inch which negates any ground game options there. It does make for some unusual stances and lies however.

All in all the course is just a little too neat right now. But with a membership of over 500, most of which are over the age of 70, it does serve its purpose quite well. The only incongruous feature was the dredging of the lower end of the creek on the 13th hole into a pond fronting the green. You can see it in David's picture of with the stone bridge taken from behind the green. That was done in the 40's I believe.

[David Stamm]

Tommy, it was me who wrote the intro on the pics, so forgive me in reagrds to the ignorant statements about it being the "best preserved".

I've just corresponded w/ the super. there and he is willing to help me out in regards to looking for the original drawings for the course. He's name is Tim Barrier and has been there for 15 years. While he has never seen or heard about these drawings, he's going to see what he can find. He also recommended I look in the RSF historical society archives and see if they might have it. Since this is my first foray into doing something like this, can anyone who has experience w/ this help me out?

[David Stamm]

BTW, I find nothing wrong with dormant bermuda.....

Tommy, I don't have much experience w/ Bermuda, so again, forgive me for misinterprating the conditions. Pete's point about the Bermuda was well taken. For years I've been used to seeing the course before the Bermuda was installed, so I'm still getting used to seeing it this way. Yeah, I know, dumb So Cal. yogurt eating-tree hugging green horn!

[Garland Bayley]

...Yeah, I know, dumb So Cal. yogurt eating-tree hugging green horn!

Well, OK, as long as you don't eat quiche!  

[Patrick_Mucci]

David & Michael,

Thanks for the pictures.

I first played RSF about 30-35 years ago.

I liked the layout, the topograph and the golf course.

It seems that trees have been planted behind most greens and elsewhere, but, it was a sporty play.

It's nice to match the pictures from the "golfer's eye" with the Google Earth aerial.

Tommy Naccarato,

Years ago RSF seemed like a very low key community and an out of the way location.

How, when and why did the club decide to make the alterations that have removed Behr's work

[David Stamm]

Years ago RSF seemed like a very low key community and an out of the way location.

 

Patrick, it still is a low key community. Very well to do area. Not out of the way, however. It's about 5-10 minutes from Interstate 5. To be a member of the club, you must be an owner of a home within the "covenant", the old center of Rancho Santa Fe. Guests of the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe have access to the course.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Looks nice.