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Noel Freeman

Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« on: May 12, 2008, 02:22:38 PM »
Last week I had the chance to visit Brian Silva's Blackrock in Hingham Mass.  Two people on this forum had recommended it to me and it is located right next door to Boston Golf Club.

I have to say, I'm really impressed by Brian's work here on a less than stellar property. He really created a fun golf course (tremendous kudos to the super here who maintains it firm and fast despite a wet/cool spring in the northeast).  There was much to like--punchbowls, alps, kickbacks/chipping areas, redan/reverse redans, awesome rock ledges perpendicular to lines of play, great angles etc.  Rather than take you thru the course, I really recommend you read Ran's terrific review in the courses by country tab.

Overall, I was extremely surprised how good this course is yet people don't seem to have a buzz about it.  It really was that impressive to me.

Also, this is the 2nd of Brian's work I've seen this year. He renovated Annandale (Bell) in Pasadena and I had the pleasure of seeing the work there too.  He did a wonderful job building Billy Bell-esque bunkering and also in changing a few holes.  The back 9 at Annandale is also thrilling golf.  The double punchbowl green he built at the 15th was quite a cool green (although I'm not sure Bell built these, either way it was quite enjoyable to play)...

If you make it to Boston, I would recommend Blackrock..
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ANTHONYPIOPPI

Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2008, 02:40:08 PM »
Noel:

I'm a fan of the course as well. I think it's another example of the Cult of Personality determining how a course is perceived or reviewed. That Black Rock is not on the Golfweek Top 100 list (I'm a rater) is ridiculous. I'm sure a number of raters from all the magazines made the effort to see Boston Golf Club and didn't bother to even drive into the Black Rock property.

Plus, Dave Silk belongs it. I'd go there just to have the chance of bumping into him.

Anthony

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Martin Del Vecchio

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2008, 03:04:15 PM »
I am also a fan of Black Rock, and of Brian Silva's work in general.

Part of the problem may be that Black Rock seems to be a private club with a big corporate membership, whereas Boston Golf Club is more a story of a man and a dream, a very small membership, etc. etc.

I haven't played Boston Golf Club, so I couldn't compare.  But I can say that Black Rock was very fun.
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Mike Sweeney

Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2008, 03:21:03 PM »
Can anyone compare it to Cape Cod National, Silva's work near Eastward Ho! ? I have only played CCN.
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Jay Flemma

Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2008, 03:45:13 PM »
Mike:

BR is much better than CCN.  CCN was a "tweener" course, built between the time he was building RTJ looking bowling alleys and the first breakout design, where "the light bulb went on" (as Brian put it), Waverly Oaks. 

BR has a great number of things modeled on template holes, including a true alps hole, number 4, a par-5 with an approach over the "green monster" bunker complex, which is a blind shot to a punchbowl green about 100 yards or so beyond the bunker.

I remember playing it with brian and, when a ranger said, "Here, I'll stand where the flag is, Brian ran up there waving his arms shouting, "No no no no don't tell me where the flag is!  It's a punchbowl!"
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ANTHONYPIOPPI

Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2008, 10:12:03 AM »
Silva built "bowling alleys?" That must have been his Blue Period.

Anthony


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Jay Flemma

Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2008, 03:30:14 PM »
Those were his words...from my interview with him.
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Matt Waterbury

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2008, 03:32:53 PM »
Quote from: Anthony Pioppi on May 12, 2008, 02:40:08 PM
Plus, Dave Silk belongs it. I'd go there just to have the chance of bumping into him.

Being a member of Black Rock, I will recuse myself from commenting on the quality of the course and why it may not be better known.

However, I will raise issue with the suggestion that Silky's membership status is a "plus".  ;) :P

Cheerio,
Matt

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Jim Nugent

Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2008, 04:03:50 PM »
Matt, don't recuse yourself.  I'm all ears.  Course looks quite cool in Ran's profile. 

Is Dave Silk still a member of this forum? 
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dsilk

Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2008, 11:21:05 AM »
1) yes he is
B) Nice to see an elitist like waterbury mingling with us serfs
also) though BRCC has plenty of "suits" as members, there isnt much of a corporate membership to speak of..
IV) I love Brian Piccolo- I mean Brian Silva....
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Martin Del Vecchio

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2008, 11:56:35 AM »
Quote from: dsilk on May 14, 2008, 11:21:05 AM
also) though BRCC has plenty of "suits" as members, there isnt much of a corporate membership to speak of..
OK, that was my mistake.  I played there as a guest in a corporate outing, and I made an incorrect assumption.

I absolutely love the course, though!
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ANTHONYPIOPPI

Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2008, 03:47:18 PM »
Silk is back! That means the new meds are working!

Or he snuck out and they don't know he's gone...


Brian loves you too, or so he whispers in his sleep.

Anthony

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Steve_ Shaffer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2008, 03:55:11 PM »
I think it suffers from having the same name of Engh's Black Rock in Idaho- GD's Best New Private in 2003. Didn't both courses open around the same time?



« Last Edit: May 14, 2008, 03:57:54 PM by Steve_ Shaffer »
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"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

Steve_ Shaffer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2008, 04:00:50 PM »
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"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

Matt Waterbury

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Blackrock- Hingham Mass (Silva)--why is it not better known?
« Reply #14 on: May 15, 2008, 08:03:07 AM »
Quote from: dsilk on May 14, 2008, 11:21:05 AM
B) Nice to see an elitist like waterbury mingling with us serfs

Silky, now that's just not getting along well with the other kids!

Dave is still a bit ruffled about my lack of US-born hockey player knowledge (but to be fair, I grew up playing hockey in Eastern Canada, and on February 22, 1980 I was in sitting in Mrs. Archibald's first grade class!)

True conversation from our first round of golf:
     - Waterbury: "So Dave, did you play hockey?"
     - Silk: "Nah, I played a bit when I was younger."

Done. I mean, come on, throw a guy a bone.

Cheerio,
Matt
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