Golf Course Entrances or Driveways

[Anthony_Nysse]

Have a chance to play at Belfair yesterday, (36 holes-Fazio, 1995 and 1998) and I'm always amazed by the entrace driveway there. I love the old, 100 year majestic Oaks trees that are all intertwined with one another. There must be over 75 trees that lines each side of the driveway of the first 1/4 mile to the clubhouse. We all know about Magnolia Lane at Augusta Nat'l, but what are some other very uniquie, different driveway entrances to golf courses?
  By the way, Randy Dallas, (GCS and formally at Ocean Forrest) is doing a GREAT Job at Belfair and really has those two courses playing as good as they ever had....2 very good Fazio courses.

Tony Nysse
Sr. Asst. Supt.
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC

[Tom_Doak]

Anthony:

My favorite entrance drives are at Yeamans Hall and the National Golf Links of America.  Neither one is too formal or stuffy, both offer a great look at the golf course on the way in.

[Scott Witter]

Tom:

That brings up an interesting question to me and for the group.  It is important/valuable to "offer a great look at the golf course on the way in."  or doesn't it matter to you?

Would you rather not see much of the course and be pleasantly surprised once you get through a few holes, assuming you hadn't been their before?

[David Stamm]

I've always thought the entrance to CPC was surreal, especially when a heavy fog is covering the area. Just awesome ambiance!

[Tommy Williamsen]

Anthony:

My favorite entrance drives are at Yeamans Hall and the National Golf Links of America.  Neither one is too formal or stuffy, both offer a great look at the golf course on the way in.

I thought of those two immediately.  The first time I went ot Yeaman's Hall I was absolutely astonished by the dirt road and unassusming nature of the club.  I like the entrance to Shoreacres and Palmetto GC for the same reasons.  Of course they are paved.

[GDStudio]

I believe at Litchfield Cluntry Club to the south of Myrtle Beach they have a beautiful entry with very large oaks overhanging the road as well.  

It's been awhile since I have been in the area so I am not 100% sure this is the course I am thinking of.

[Don_Mahaffey]

My favorite drive is into Nuzzo's Wolf Point Club.
Two miles on a gravel road through a working cattle ranch followed by some peek-a-boo looks at the golf course until it all unfolds in front of you.
With out a doubt one of the more unique driveways and I believe it'll turn out to be a great course entrance.  (if you don't mind driving around a few cow pies and waiting for the bulls to clear out of the way)

[Matt_Cohn]

The National on the Mornington Peninsula...you know you're headed into something special because you see the land all around you, but you don't actually see the course until you're right there.

[Tom_Doak]

Scott:

I don't think the entrance experience is reason enough to change the design of the golf course ... you take what you're given on the entrance and do your best to enhance it.  

I don't mind if the golf course hits over the entrance drive one time; if it's good enough for St. Andrews and Pine Valley and Cypress Point it's good enough for me.  But I don't go out of my way to achieve that.  At a course like Ballyneal or Pacific Dunes it is much better that you never see the entrance once you get out on the links.

Our best entrance drive so far is the one at Cape Kidnappers just for the sheer scale of it.

[Scott Witter]

Tom:

I am not sure what your answer has to do with my question...but okay and I am not sure where I may have suggested changing the course for an entry drive?  Despite that, your thoughts on taking what you are given with respect to the entrance road make sense.

[David_Madison]

Caledonia is about as sweet an entrance as you'll ever see. On your left is the marsh with its tall grasses. On your right is a little par-3. You have a long row of overhanging oaks, and then the clubhouse, which overlooks the marsh and #18, is straight ahead.

[Joel_Stewart]

The drive into Pine Valley is always one of my favorites.  Crossing the 18th fairway gets the juices flowing.

I've always enjoyed the road into Shinnecock, passing the 10th tee knowing in a few hours I'll make my usual double or if I'm unlucky a triple bogey.  Great fun

Lastly, the road into Shadow Creek.  Riding in the limo with all of those wild birds lining the road, the driver slowing the car to 5mph so he doesn't run over the birds.  Finally when you get to the clubhouse the staff waiting at attention when you exit the car.  (This is how it used to be when Steve Wynn was in control).

[Sean_A]

I really like Muirfield's entrance - the car stays outside.  I would rather not see cars from the course.  Hoylake's is pretty cool too.  Pull into the lot and there is a rather imposing brick clubhouse staring back at you - plus the Conservative Club is hard next door - a classic combination.  Castletown's is lovely with the narrow road taking you to the peninsula - the sea on one side and the course the other.  It makes one gulp when you realize how narrow that fairway is on the right!  North Berwick's is wonderful because you arrive without actually arriving.  Its most off-putting to park your car near the 18th geen and just hope...

Ciao

[cary lichtenstein]

How about the Preserve? A 25 minute winding drive thru nature at its best...

Or Mayacama, another great one

Or The Honors...I only passed it 3 times before I found it

[Bob_Huntley]

Not a golf course entrance, but I have always relished the opening to the movie, 'Rebecca' where a Rolls Royce is negotiating a lane with overhanging trees and Joan Fontaine's voice says something like, "Last night I dreamed I returned to Manderly."  

The French have entrances down to a tee with their allees.

Chantilly an Fontanbleu have it down pat.

Bob

[David_Madison]

The entrance road to Tobacco Road is kinda' cool, especially as you pass the little par-3 along the pond and then that ravine that you have to drive over on #18. There's no question that you are in for something different.

While not an entrance to a golf course, the road leading to the copper-domed hotel at Pinehurst sure is special, especially because you know that you are in for some great golf after you checked in (unless you played first and then are checking in!)

[Tim Bert]

The drive from North Platte to Sand Hills is one of my favorite entrances, if I can expand the scope of the entrance.  I love watching Nebraska transform from flat land to a drive where one can't help but imagine crafting his/her own golf holes into the ready-made terrain for the last 20 - 30 minutes of the drive.  Then, the entrance road itself, with a couple peeks of the course from a distance is really cool.  Finally, the "entrance" from the clubhouse to the first tee at sunrise really gets the juices flowing.  

[Tim Gavrich]

I find the entrance to Newport CC to be interesting.  You turn into the driveway and see the clubhouse in the distance, and as you get closer, it just gets bigger and bigger.  Not to mention the real estate that you pass along Bellevue Ave. and Ocean Drive.

The driveway toward the clubhouse at Bulls Bay is neat, climbing the big hill and seeing a few holes spread out to the left (if memory serves).

[Adam_Messix]

Bob H--

I think you're close with the coolest entrance drive as it's at Morfontaine.  I don't know why but it reminded me of Yeamans Hall with a paved road.  After getting through the gate, we are riding around the periphery of the course getting our appetite whetted and we encounter a herd of 8 deer by the side of the road.  They just stand there and look at us (and don't move) as we drive by as if to say, "How dare you bother us!!!!"

[Glenn Spencer]

Yeamans and Belfair are both great, with the nod going to Yeamans for me, but there is no contest in this discussion. Huntington Country Club is the CLEAR winner in this category. You drive about 200 yards and see the excellent 5th green on the way. It is at this point that you must stop your car and wait to see that it is clear to proceed. You are stopping and waiting for players to hit their second shots on the par 5 7th. You then drive across the FAIRWAY and toward the tee of 7 and right by the 9th green. It is magical and really gets you ready to tee it up.

[cary lichtenstein]

The "17 mile drive" to Dismal River may be the worst of all time, someone is going to get killed, like in dead, on that one lane road.

[Brian Joines]

I've noticed a few in the SC/GA coastal areas and thought I'd throw another one in the mix. The drive through Spring Island to the Old Tabby Links is pretty cool. The trees and foilae are so dense that sunlight hardly gets through at all. It feels like you're driving through a jungle.

[Anthony_Nysse]

Brian,
  I'm an idiot! How could I have forgotten Old Tabby?!?! I played there Friday and was reminded about how cool of a drive that was-One kind of drives through there carefully because you're waiting for wildlife to cross the road!

Tony Nysse
Sr. Asst. Supt.
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC

[Tim Gerrish]

Scott,

The entrance to a course should not be as high priority as the routing as Tom said.  If there is enough acreage then the designer can "set the stage", give the player a teasing view and raise the excitement level.  The entry is all part of the "experience".

I always hated entering and seeing the parking lot first before getting to the clubhouse.  But then Seminole changed that.  What a reverse atmosphere after entering Seminole Road and the gate house off of 1A.  You get no view of the course and then you enter the walled car park fronting the Mediterranean styled clubhouse.

Another point to consider is where does the clubhouse sit in relation to the course and how does that effect the entry road.  This is an issue especially true with residential communities and your exposure to housing before getting to the clubhouse.  

I'll second Newport CC with the dominating clubhouse and sunken, grassed members car park.

[Scott Witter]

Tim:

Thanks for your recommendations and suggestions, I'll remember that on my next course