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Brad Swanson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Greywalls in mid-season form
« on: June 02, 2008, 02:47:42 PM »
A quick note to the group to recap my recent long weekend to Greywalls.  Despite an extremely harsh winter, the course is in fantastic shape already (it really can't get any better).  Kudos to the maintenance crew.   The more I play Greywalls, the more I am convinced the greens and surrounds are quite possibly the most fun and varied of any course I have played.  The greens on 1 and 13 in particular are perfect examples on how to defend birdie on par 5s.    With the opening of a new higher profile course at a casino near Escanaba, the trip to Greywalls can be combined with a trip to the casino course and the popular Timberstone GC at Iron Mountain for you hit and runners that can't stand to spend more than one day at a course. 

Cheers,
Brad   

PThomas

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Greywalls in mid-season form
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2008, 03:12:14 PM »
whats the new higher profile course Brad?  thanks
199 played, only Augusta National left to play!

Brad Swanson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Greywalls in mid-season form
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2008, 03:29:07 PM »
Paul,
  The new course is Sweetgrass GC.  Its a casino course in Harris MI, slated to open sometime this summer.

Cheers,
Brad

John Kavanaugh

Re: Greywalls in mid-season form
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2008, 04:00:54 PM »
How far away is the true mid-season up there?  I'm glad to hear you are getting a Cornel guy course up in those parts to magnet the raters who only drive for two fors.  Personally I would play a Devries twice before I would go out of my way to see another Cornel Casino course.

Brad Swanson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Greywalls in mid-season form
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2008, 04:12:51 PM »
John,
   I cannot gauge the seasons up there.  You'll be safest waiting a month for the true mid-season I'd guess. 
   Personally, I'll never hit-and-run with Greywalls (I prefer to belly-up to the buffet instead of pub-crawl), but I figured I might entice others to make the trip if there was more to sample on the way.  Greywalls alone is worth a trip up and the stay and play packages that are available make it fairly reasonable.

Cheers,
Brad   

Mike McGuire

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Greywalls in mid-season form
« Reply #5 on: June 02, 2008, 06:29:11 PM »
Brad -

Did you play or look at the Langford nine up there?

Brad Swanson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Greywalls in mid-season form
« Reply #6 on: June 02, 2008, 06:53:35 PM »
HI Mike,
   I've only played the back 9 of the Heritage, of which about 4 holes are Langford.  The best word to describe it would be Frankenstinian.  THere are long term plans to restore the Heritage course and implement Langford's full 18 hole desgin, I believe.  I think Langford designed a 9 hole course in Iron River Michigan in the mid '30s as well.

Cheers,
Brad

Jeff_Mingay

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Greywalls in mid-season form
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2008, 07:11:25 PM »
Brad,

Restoring Langford's original design is impossible. There are homes over some of the property he originally worked with, at Marquette. However, restoring the Langford holes which do exist and reworking the other holes to match is very possible.

Marquette will be a great place to visit if this ever happens, with Langford and DeVries courses to play. 
jeffmingay.com

Brad Swanson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Greywalls in mid-season form
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2008, 07:18:13 PM »
Jeff,
   Thanks for the clarification.  As it is, Greywalls is an absolute treasure in my book.  Anything they could do the restore the Heritage would just be icing on the cake.

Cheers,
Brad 

Brian_Sleeman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Greywalls in mid-season form
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2008, 08:43:37 PM »
The restoration of the Langford holes is already slowly underway.  With Craig Moore in as the superintendent, they've already done some minor tree removal (most notably at the par three fifth).  The plan is to continue along slowly with the less expensive works before getting to the idea of green expansion, which would also require some nifty work with the irrigation system as several sprinkler heads are located on green fringes.

For anyone headed up there, you can definitely tell the Langford holes from those done by Gill, although a couple Gill holes (such as #16) are fairly interesting on their own.  The original nine holes are currently numbered (in the original sequence) 10, 11, 7, 8, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13. 

Jeff is right about the homes occupying an area that Langford had earlier designated for two holes.  Despite that loss, over a period of time the original Langfords can be restored and the Gill holes tweaked in a way that could dramatically improve what is already a pretty cool golf course.  A few years back, Marquette acquired a copy of Langford's original plans (I believe from Ron Whitten), and it was extremely interesting to see what he'd planned.  If you're familiar with the place or stop by, ask to see a copy if you can.

As far as Greywalls goes, I had heard it came through the winter in remarkably good shape and that things are looking better than they ever have.  I can't wait to get up there and give it another go myself.

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