[Jerry Lemons]

Here is some pictures of the new (1 year old) TN National in East TN.
I will be interested to hear the comments on the bunkering style.
The deep sod faced bunkers are very bold. The combination of those and modern bunkering is well you tell me...


Jerry

[Craig Van Egmond]

Yikes!  That's a lot of bunkers.  I'm not a huge fan of mixing bunker styles and the blazing white sand with the sod faced bunkers looks odd.   Is it another brutally hard GN course?

For some aerial views of these holes:

http://www.tngolfclub.com/tennessee-national-golf-club.html

[John Kavanaugh]

Reminds me of the Wolf Run bunkering.  Looks like a great place to play golf with good players with something on the line.  I wish the homes didn't look so cheap.

[Kirk Gill]

Sometimes mixing bunker styles seems to work ok, but in this case, I'm just not feeling it. I like the look of the sod-faced bunkers. They do look brutal to get out of, but I'm less moved by those holes where the sod-faced and the "modern" are sitting next to each other. From a functional, or strategic standpoint, is the architect trying to say "miss it here, on the easy bunker side?"

[BVince]

Jerry, thanks for taking the time to share the pictures.  Great shot on 17...looks like you hit that one tighter than Dwight Yoakum's jeans.

When was the course finished?

I am surprised to see the contrasting bunker styles, especially on the same holes.  I really enjoyed seeing the sod-faced bunkers...its different for American style golf and I respect the decision to go with it.  I would like to see it more.  

Looking at the aerial photos, it appears that #11 and #13 would be the most fun on the course.  13 offers the player a variety of options.  11 looks long and hard, but I like the bunkering lines they used.  Visually appealing and looks like it made for a great long par 5.  How did you feel about those holes?  How did you feel about the course?  I bet the bunkers were intimidating but it still looked like it was a fun experience.

[Jerry Lemons]

Sometimes mixing bunker styles seems to work ok, but in this case, I'm just not feeling it. I like the look of the sod-faced bunkers. They do look brutal to get out of, but I'm less moved by those holes where the sod-faced and the "modern" are sitting next to each other. From a functional, or strategic standpoint, is the architect trying to say "miss it here, on the easy bunker side?"

I can only say that of the 3 of us playing one 2 shots were in the sod faced bunkers all day  scores 83 , 83 , 87.
Greens were the purest (A1) and quickest I had played in a while.
 

[Jerry Lemons]

Jerry, thanks for taking the time to share the pictures.  Great shot on 17...looks like you hit that one tighter than Dwight Yoakum's jeans.

When was the course finished?

I am surprised to see the contrasting bunker styles, especially on the same holes.  I really enjoyed seeing the sod-faced bunkers...its different for American style golf and I respect the decision to go with it.  I would like to see it more.  

Looking at the aerial photos, it appears that #11 and #13 would be the most fun on the course.  13 offers the player a variety of options.  11 looks long and hard, but I like the bunkering lines they used.  Visually appealing and looks like it made for a great long par 5.  How did you feel about those holes?  How did you feel about the course?  I bet the bunkers were intimidating but it still looked like it was a fun experience.

Course was finished 13 months ago.
11 and 13 were the best holes.IMO
Not being a Doak expert, I gave it a 7 of 10.
The bunkers although intimidating, did not created the fear as there were bailouts everywhere.
16 was bunkerless and boring with a green that if missed could be lost.

Yea I did about ace 17.

[Chris Munoz]

Norman should have spent some time trying to hide the cart paths....And less time playing with the bunkers...

[wsmorrison]

I wouldn't be surprised if, from purely a golf architecture perspective, they could have done a lot better for a lot less money.  Given there is a housing component, they probably needed a name architect.  I cannot speak of the routing or the strategy of the holes, but what can be determined from the photos, I think the combination of bunker styles looks pretty bad.  It looks like a contrived effort to me.  Who knows how much effort and cost will be needed to maintain the sod (or is it just dirt) bunker walls?  

[Tim Gavrich]

I really like the look of the pot bunkers, but as I went through the pictures, the couple I saw with only "modern" bunkering were a little jarring.  The Norman people did a better job integrating bunker styles at the Norman Course at Barefoot Landing down in Myrtle Beach, I think.

[Brad Swanson]

[C. Squier]

Reminds me of the Wolf Run bunkering.

Really?  I don't see that at all  

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