[Bill Brightly]

OK, since most GCAers have probably never played Ridgewood, it might be hard to follow the discussion going on under another thread. Since the course is 5 minutes from my office, and it is unseasonably warm in the NYC area today, I took the opportunity to get some exercise and take some pictures. Enjoy, but remember that any pins you see are temporary, 20 yards short of the real green.

8 West, par 5, from the tee



Typical second shots






Approach shot to the green:




From behind the green:


5 West, a great par 4, from the tee





Approach to green  (190)



Approach to green (150)


Hope you can see all the sections to the green:



2 Center, Par 5, 3rd shot, 100 yds from green


6 Center, famous Five and Dime. You can hit a 200 yard tee shot, leaving a flip wedge uphill to one of the smallest greens you will ever play:


View from behind 6th green:


3 East, par 5. Approach shot, 100 yards from green:


Same spot, looking back at the tee:


View from behind green:





View of hole after hitting really good drive:




9 East, second shot to green. As pretty a clubhouse view as you will ever see:


9th green

[AndrewB]

Bravo.  Many thanks for taking and posting these, Bill.

A few things to note:

There are two "typical second shots" photos for 8W.  The first is from approximately the center of the fairway and the second is from the left side of the fairway.  Note the tree straight on from the center of the fairway and how if you are right of the center of the fairway at all you will need to hit a fade around the tree to get even or past the cross bunker.  The advantage of a good angle from the left side is apparent in the second photo, since you're looking straight-on at your ideal target.

Further, the line to end up in the center of the fairway in the first photo, from the tee, is approximately at the right tree of the two bigger trees (that look like goal posts) through the fairway that stand out if you look closely.  These two trees appear on the left edge of the cross bunker that's visible through the woods on another hole (2C).  The line to the center of the fairway is so close to the left edge of the fairway from the tee because of how much the fairway turns in the first few hundred yards, so even aiming for the center of the fairway in the landing area brings the trouble left into play.  To get to the left side of the fairway one needs to go just right of the trees left of the hole, perhaps with a little draw.  Playing safe from the tee amounts to the right side of the fairway and having to work your second around the tree mentioned above.

Like most photos, the one of the 5W green doesn't do the contours justice.

I think the approach photo of 6C (Five and dime) would be more intimidating if there was a flagstick on the green.  It does show that driving the green requires carrying the ball all the way there and that the miss short is no bargain.  The photo from well behind the green nicely shows how narrow the green is and how much it falls off.  It also shows how uphill the hole is from the tee: the tee isn't visible but it's level with the green from the previous hole that's shown on the left side of the photo (EDIT).  There is a rise from the tee to the fairway and another from the fairway to the green, accounting for at least 20 yards increase in my estimation.

The photos labeled as nine center are actually of nine east, but I assume Bill might modify his post to fix that.

[Bill Brightly]

Here is 7 East from the Black Tee.


The Blue Tee:


Approach from 220. a very good drive:


Approach from 200, a SUPER drive:

[Matt_Ward]

Bill:

Great shots -- even in the dead of winter RCC looks grand.

p.s. It's time to "trim" the left tree on #7E.

[Bill Brightly]

5 East, second shot. Note false front. Many a short iron has spun off this green...

[AndrewB]

5 East, second shot. Note false front. Many a short iron has spun off this green...

And many a long iron has bounced half-way up and rolled back down.

[Mike_Cirba]

Bill,

Thanks for taking the time to take/post these.   They add a lot to the recent discussion and it looks (thankfully) that Ridgewood has had both tree removal and bunker work since I was there last.

[Bill Brightly]

Bill:

Great shots -- even in the dead of winter RCC looks grand.

p.s. It's time to "trim" the left tree on #7E.

Which one? Both?

FYI, I think that suggestion cost me my invite back to their Painted Woods Member Guest...

[Matt_Ward]

Bill:

I think all of them are rather eye-opening. Many people on this board need to see what Ridgewood looks like today -- kudos to the club for seeing the wisdom / value in trimming / taking down so many unnecessary trees and in bringing back to life the form / fashion of the bunkers.

[Greg Stebbins]

Bill:

Great shots -- even in the dead of winter RCC looks grand.

p.s. It's time to "trim" the left tree on #7E.

Its time to "trim" both of the trees.  And by "trim" I mean cut them at the bottom!  

Notice how you have to have to start the ball at the right side of the far bunker if you want to hook it around the tree.  Its a 50 yard hook to get it to the 200 yard mark.

[Dan Herrmann]

Wow - what great pictures.

Laura grew up 4 miles from Ridgewood and never knew how beautiful it was till she had lunch with Johnny Miller at a Hertz-sponsored outing about 10 years ago.  (She was working at Hertz' HQ at the time).  

Back to the course - there's some wonderful movement on those green complexes.  Very special!

[Patrick_Mucci]

Matt Ward,

I think these photos emphasize the need to remove a few major trees, some of them considered stragegic.

Absent the leaves, which tend to blend the trees together, into one, the photos highlight and reveal the invasive trees, like a sore thumb.

The tree between the greenside bunkers on # 5 W,
on 7 E, etc., etc..

A complete photo exhibit taken at this time of year of every hole would certainly provide an excellent path to trim/cut on.

[Ed Oden]

Bill, terrific pictures!  The terrain looks to me a lot like Baltusrol Lower.  Not near as rolling as Upper, Plainfield or Somerset Hills.  Is that right?

Ed

[Bill Brightly]

Ed,

I think Baltusrol lower is much flatter than Ridgewood, Baltustrol Upper much more rolling.

I guess RW has about as much elevation change as Plainfield and maybe a little less than Somerset Hills.

I  don't think Ridgewood's terrain is "rolling", but there are some very nice elevation changes that Tillinghast used beautifully.

[Ed Oden]

Bill, I've played Lower and Plainfield and walked Upper and Somerset.  So the comparisons help my simplistic mind visualize your pictures a little better.  FYI, I spent a good chunk of my youth beating balls around at humble Madison Golf Club but never had an opportunity to make it up to Ridgewood.  Thanks!

Ed

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