In his writeup on Westhampton, Ran mentions its reputation as a second club because of its relative lack of difficulty, primarily due to lack of length. (He then dispels the notion that it is easy or boring.)
I had never much thought of the second club as a distinct architectural style but rather either a "retreat" or a place where you could get on more easily. In other words, I understood the concept of the "second club" but hadn't thought about the second club course architecture!
I would like to discuss the architectural concept known as the second club *course*, or perhaps the second course at a 36 hole club, if that second 18 was commissioned specifically for fun and not length. (Please, not the concept of a second course at a 36 hole complex that was built according to a similar design brief as the first, perhaps just slightly "less challenging" than the other 18, such as at Winged Foot, Congressional, etc.)
Got it? Okay, a few questions:
1. What are other examples of second club courses built for fun or an explicit lack of difficulty? Or just whose architecture is specific to the notion of a second club and not what would be built if it were a first club? Would Roaring Gap and Everglades Club fit the bill, or has technology pushed them unintentionally into this classification?
2. Are such second club course architectures still being commissioned these days?
3. One of the implied criticisms with this architecture in the term "second" is that you would get bored if you had to play it every day. Well, would you? I am especially keen to hear from those who play regularly any course deemed too short for modern play, eg 6,300 / 6,400 yards and par 70 / 71.
Thanks,
Mark