Six Degrees of John L. Low

[BCrosby]

Tom MacW -

Thanks for posting the Garden Smith piece. I've read it a couple times and am still not clear about what he is trying to say.

Are you familiar with some of his buzz words? The "straight gate" or the "obstacle hazard"? All new to me.

Bob

[BCrosby]

Rich says -

"From your quote it seems that the Committee were trying to make the course more "penal,..."

Are you sure about that? I read it differently. Particulary in light of the paragraphs that follow in Concerning Golf. I would think that Low was trying to do the opposite, whatever Balfour's views might have been.

Bob

[Peter Pallotta]

I'm glad Bob posted that question about the 'straight gate' - I was feeling kind of dumb.  For some reason, all I could think of was "many are called, but few are chosen..."

Peter

[Thomas MacWood]

Bob
I believe the obstacle hazard are the interior bunkers. When the whins existed those bunkers refused to be disregarded, as John Low put it. Those bunkers were being igonored by the better players because the course had become too wide. As result Low, Hutchinson and others pushed to have new bunkers planted on the exterior to recreate 'the narrow way and the open, but straight gate'.

The course was also lengthened in reponse to the haskell and the fact the course played much firmer than it had previously (it was said that was due to increased play - 'the trampling of the multitudinous feet' per HGH)

[Jeff_Mingay]

Tony,

As I understand -- thanks mainly to some excellent research and writings by Mike Riste, of Vancouver -- Macan read Low's Concerning Golf, and other writings, while recovering from wounds (including loss of a leg) sustained during the Battle of Vimy Ridge, during World War I. Subsequently, he was a devotee of Low's architectural principles.

Regarding putting greens, Low wrote: "Whenever possible, putting greens should be of the low, narrow plateau type, with the plateau tilting away, not toward the player. No green should be higher at the back than it is at the front, for that gives a player confidence. Only half of the flagstick should be seen from where the approach shot is played."

Many years later, Macan was quote saying: "Today, the uninformed believe a green should be constructed with the slope from back to front, so that it will retain the ball. In brief, this suggests the shot should be a mechanical operation and the result a mathematical certainty. This is not the game of golf. Golf was not conceived as a mechanical operation but rather full of fun and adventure. Many things could happen to the ball after it pitched on the green. The ill-happenings were not regarded as ill-fortune or ill-luck, but part of the adventure, and the more skilled found methods to overcome the risks of ill-fortune."

Unfortunately, much of Macan's work has been erased -- including, I'm certain, a number of his fall-away greens. Reportedly, this type of green design was widely criticized by the PGA Tour pros during the 1966 Canadian Open at Macan's Shaughnessy course, in Vancouver.

[Scott Stambaugh]

Tony,

As I understand -- thanks mainly to some excellent research and writings by Mike Riste, of Vancouver -- Macan read Low's Concerning Golf, and other writings, while recovering from wounds (including loss of a leg) sustained during the Battle of Vimy Ridge, during World War I. Subsequently, he was a devotee of Low's architectural principles.

Regarding putting greens, Low wrote: "Whenever possible, putting greens should be of the low, narrow plateau type, with the plateau tilting away, not toward the player. No green should be higher at the back than it is at the front, for that gives a player confidence. Only half of the flagstick should be seen from where the approach shot is played."

Many years later, Macan was quote saying: "Today, the uninformed believe a green should be constructed with the slope from back to front, so that it will retain the ball. In brief, this suggests the shot should be a mechanical operation and the result a mathematical certainty. This is not the game of golf. Golf was not conceived as a mechanical operation but rather full of fun and adventure. Many things could happen to the ball after it pitched on the green. The ill-happenings were not regarded as ill-fortune or ill-luck, but part of the adventure, and the more skilled found methods to overcome the risks of ill-fortune."

Unfortunately, much of Macan's work has been erased -- including, I'm certain, a number of his fall-away greens. Reportedly, this type of green design was widely criticized by the PGA Tour pros during the 1966 Canadian Open at Macan's Shaughnessy course, in Vancouver.

I would agree that a lot of Macan's work has been altered.  But, I know there are still a lot of his original greens in tact.  Maybe a golf course with 18 originals doesn't exist, but there are still some around in Seattle/Tacoma- Fircrest, Inglewood, Broadmoor and Overlake still have some Macan greens.  I have not played Glen Acres (nine holes by Sea/Tac airport,) but I have heard their greens have some unbelievable contouring- possibly Macan originals.

We are making a trip up to Victora in a few weeks to play Royal Colwood, Gorge Vale and Victoria GC to do a bit of 'research' (i.e. play golf.)  I believe all three of those courses are in some form of remodel work- not sure how restorative based any of it is, but I'd like to see it firsthand.

I would post some pictures of a few Macan originals at Overlake if someone could tell me how to get pictures from photobucket to GCA...

Scott

[Jeff_Mingay]

Scott,

I'm anxious to see Macan's work in and around Sea/Tac. Haven't been down there to see those courses you mention, yet.

Have you been to Victoria? It's a great little city. I was there last weekend.

Colwood, as I'm sure you know, is Macan's first golf course design. It's pretty much intact, I think... especially with regard to routing. Many of the greens there seem to be originals as well.

There are quite a few really interesting holes at Colwood. It's by far the best of the three courses you have lined up. In fact, with a bit of tree work, some adjustment to mowing lines throughout the property, and a conservative bunker redo, I think Colwood could be one of Canada's very best courses.

I played Victoria last Saturday, and really enjoyed it. Like Colwood, there are some very interesting holes at Victoria. And, despite 6,100 total yards, the course can be quite challenging when the wind's up. There are a few really good greens at Victoria, too (which I suspect were created by Macan), and its setting is amazingly beautiful.

I wrote about Victoria earlier this week at my blog: www.mingaygolf.blogspot.com

Unfortunately, Gorge Vale's been completely redone since Macan. I think Les Furber and co. orchestrated this redo, and that there's no Macan left there.

[Cory Brown]

Jeff,

Thank you very much for the pictures of Victoria, it looks incredible, I can't wait to see it.  Do you have any pictures of Royal Colwood?  The pictures I saw on their website makes it look as though there is an abundance of trees.  Do the trees narrow the course and reduce the number options for the golfer?  I know that they are in the middle of a vegetation management plan, maybe it will address some of those types of issues.

As for John Low; was he considered an architect or was he just a great player who had opinions on architecture, and was influential on some of the great courses in Great Britain?

[Tags:]

Tags: