[Nick Church]

My home club, Fairvue Plantation, is opening a second course in the coming weeks.  The designer is Bill Bergin.  I held off until just this week to sneak a peek at the course.  (To me, what's the point of looking at chocolate cake if you can't taste it).  My curiosity and anxious nature got the best of me.

I walked the course on Tuesday evening during a summer storm.  Unfortunately, the sun never broke through, so my pictures don't have the light & shadow contrast to accurately depict the contours.

For now, this is the best picture I have to share with GCA.  I will post more soon.

This is the 12th hole, a Par 4 at 381 yards.  The layout gives you some perspective as to the hole's design, although it does not reflect the downhill tee shot followed by an uphill approach from the valley or upslope.

Layout:





Picture (from the extreme left rough):

[A.G._Crockett]

I think you are going to really like Bill Bergin's work.  I don't know if you have seen anything else by him, but he is a well-kept secret outside the SE who doesn't get nearly enough acclaim.  He has done a renovation of the Chattanooga CC (Ross) for which Brad Klein wrote a very favorable review, his course at Auburn Univ. is a gem, and he has done a lot of very good work elsewhere in GA, SC, and TN.  (He also happens to be a close personal friend and a really good guy. )

[Nick Church]

I agree.  I was very pleased with what I saw this week.

I had the good fortune to play 8 holes with Mr. Bergin last fall.  We played the Lakes Course at Fairvue.

Foxland is much more representative of Mr. Bergin's philosophy and style.  He was very cordial and willing to "talk shop."  He was very excited about the Foxland course.  We had discussed the good reviews associated with his work at Chattanooga CC.

Again, I hope to get better pictures soon... especially of all the greens that are semi-blind with pushed up elevations and twists & turns similar to dirt bike mogul.

[A.G._Crockett]

I agree.  I was very pleased with what I saw this week.

I had the good fortune to play 8 holes with Mr. Bergin last fall.  We played the Lakes Course at Fairvue.

He can play a little, too, can't he?

Don't know if he mentioned it or not (I expect not) but he had a pretty fair career as a player.  HS teammate of Bob Tway, youngest winner of the Georgia Open since a guy named Bobby Jones, All-American at Auburn, and played several years as a touring pro, primarily in Europe.

He "interned" with Bob Cupp when he went into the GCA business, and has been out on his own for a number of years now.  I don't know of a single thing he has done that hasn't been tremendously well-received.  Michael Whitaker will tell you that a course in the Greenville, SC area named Woodfin Ridge is an absolute hidden gem.

[Nick Church]

Yes, sir.  We also talked about his performance at the British Open (top 20, if memory serves me).

I was proud of myself for keeping up with him.  We alternated a couple birdies.  He claimed little practice and a lot of rust, but you wouldn't know it from his swing.

[Nick Church]

More photos (again, please excuse the lack of shadow & definition):



Hole 1 (Right Side FW Bunker, typical of style):




Hole 3 (Par 5 --- notice "hidden" valley penalizing approach shots):




Hole 7 (Par 5 --- greenside, again trying to show use of push up greens and valleys):




Hole 9 (Par 4)




Hole 14 (Par 4, TEE):




Hole 14 (FW):




Hole 15 (Par 3, notice the valley that divides green into 3 sections):

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