Wolf Point Club, TX

[Wyatt Halliday]

Most of you know that the creation of Wolf Point Club is a remarkable story. Equally remarkable is what Mike, Don and their team were able to create on land I've been familiar with all of my life. I've seen this strech of land for the last twenty-five years of my life while en route to a family retreat nestled in a small fishing village on the Texas Gulf Coast. I never imagined a course this bold could be built on such land. One visit shows what attention to detail, courage (on the part of the designers and the owner) and sheer grit can produce. It should be the de facto model of course design, construction, and maintenance. I'm still struggling trying to find something to compare it to. The important strategic elements are present, there is equal challenge and interest for all levels of golfer, and the design principles intended for its audience are fully captured. Let's face it, there is an added bit of pressure when your client says "build something I will want play every day for the rest of my life". Nuzzo Golf Design absolutely nailed it! Simply put, Wolf Point is next level work.

I could go on but additional words will not do it justice. A few photos from a memorable day:

#5 Tee - This shot is played into a quartering wind from the left. As evident, there is plenty of width and tons of room left of the Infierno bunker. This is truly a "lull" play. The best tee shot will flirt with the Infierno to provide the best angle into a devilish green. 


#5 Approach - As viewed from the left side of the fairway from about 175yds. This is obviously not the best angle to this hole location, but more importantly it proves that sometimes the most intimidating approaches require no hazard other than short grass.


#5 Green - It is worth noting the contours seen here are natural folds leading into the creek which meanders throughout the property.


#5 Green - The hole is cut on the front left, about five paces on. The internal contours are not limited to this photo.

[Wyatt Halliday]

#6 Tee - From this flat area (there are multiple teeing areas on every hole) the yardage is about 195, and it plays dead into the prevailing wind. The green sits comfortably atop the edge of the creek. The use of restraint here is the key feature. Everything was as they found it, save for a small mound on the front right of the green placed perfectly for those who bail out in that direction.


Again, the natural folds to the creek are used.

[Wyatt Halliday]

#7 Green - A look from behind shows a shortish par four that bends right. There is an oak grove and thick native grasses along the right side of the hole that appear daunting from the tee. Again, the theme of width applies whether it is discernible or not. The main reason for this photo is to capture the internal contour of the green. As Don Mahaffey has pointed out on GolfClubAtlas before, par is defended at the green.


Another photo of seven green that tries to capture the contours.


#13 Tee - Many of you will recognize this handsome guy as Ben Sims. Many of you may also notice that Ben is set to uncork a face melting power fade. What you should be concentrating on is that Ben's right foot is a mere five inches from the edge of #12 green. For anyone wondering about walkability, I ask: How freaking cool is that?!?!


Another shot of 13 Tee sans our favorite Air Force Pilot.
The preferred line is right, setting up an approach to a green sloping severely away from the angle of play. From the right it presents quite a challenge..


From the left, it becomes nearly an impossible shot to hit and hold.

[Ben Sims]

What makes a guy drive 320 miles in June, in south Texas, without air conditioning, to Port Lavaca, Texas?

What makes a guy post a new thread, at 1a.m., about a course that few have played?

What makes a flat piece of land with almost no contour save for a single creek turn into one of the best modern golf courses I've seen?

PASSION for golf architecture!

Even 24 hours removed from the golf course, it is undoubtedly the best course that I've played in Texas.  It should be discussed among the best first efforts by an architect, ever.   The 18 greens are on par with Crystal Downs and Ballyneal as the most unique and diverse I've been fortunate enough to see.  

Mike and Don have broken new ground here.  I'm struggling to compare it to anything I've seen.  Which is it's greatest strength in my eyes.    

[Wyatt Halliday]

#14 Fairway - Here you can see two of the three centerline bunkers on this crosswind ---> par five hole. It further confirmed my crazy notion that this type of bunkering works best on crosswind holes (a thread for another time). All of the bunkers at Wolf Point were constructed by Don's crew, none of whom had ever played the game of golf or built a bunker....You may lift your jaw from the floor now.


The best angle for the third shot is left of the beautiful oak in the previous photo. The green speaks for itself.


From the left side of #14 Green - The green is running diagonal from front left. The bunker in the foreground is just behind the surface and the bunker edge you see back is fronting the right side of the green. Everything you see flowing left is green surface.


A cool picture of the fourteenth green from nine fairway:

[Wyatt Halliday]

#15 Tee - From the tee, this little par three looks absolutely benign, but you should know better. The architect has put the player on the defensive all day and playing this hole is like watching a horror movie and not knowing when the monster is going to strike. You know for a fact something is waiting for you at the green, you just aren't quite sure how demonic it will turn out to be. There are no bunkers, no water, no anything, and it's absolutely terrifying because of what has come before it.


The fear is realized


Yet more natural folds are present at the fifteenth. This side of the property drains into the creek behind and to the left of where the photo was taken.

[Wyatt Halliday]

#16 Green - This is probably my favorite green on the entire course, which by the way is like trying to pick out your favorite Victoria's Secret model. We played this hole from about 365yds and the fairway slopes gently to the left the entire way to the green. A proper shot  should land in the swale just short and funnel to the back left hole location. It is both thrilling and exacting, everything a short par four should be. It is yet another daunting task from the fairway, even with a wedge in hand. This is a throwback green. The tilt and internal contour here is reminiscent of Crystal Downs.


#16 Green - From across the creek looking back you can see a small bunker which guards the right side of the green. The back side of this green flushes balls down the slope into the creek.


#17 - A look down the fairway of this half-par hole. We played it from across the creek short of sixteen green which means that technically you could hit your tee shot on this hole prior to putting out on the previous one. The left side is heavily guarded as it should be due to the preferred angle of approach into the green.


This ball is roughly 200yds out. The flag is just left of the bunker seen in the distance (which is on the eighteenth hole).


A closer look...


...and yet another

[Wyatt Halliday]

Two lucky guys and The Infierno!


What Mike and Don have created here is beyond simple explanation. This team is working on the cutting edge, and this place is what it's all about. I simply can't wait to see what Nuzzo Design does next.

[Eric Smith]

The picture of the two of you says it all, well done boys.  Looks like you caught a gorgeous day to boot.

The golf course looks sexy wild.  The greens, ohh baby.  What man with gca passion wouldn't want to whip out his blade putter and start trying to drain eighty footers left and right??

 I was anticipating seeing some pictures on here and you've no doubt delivered both a smile and a tear to my face this Sunday morning.

What was the cactus sauce like?

[Mike Cirba]

Wolf Point looks a blast to play.   Thanks for posting the pics, Wyatt.

[Don_Mahaffey]

Wyatt and Ben,
Glad you guys had a good time. I enjoyed watching Wyatt walking the course with an ear to ear grin.
I was hoping you could play the course in a faster mode but 3 inches of rain early in the week combined with searing temps has the grass moving almost faster than we can keep up. We need to do it again in the fall when the water is off and the grass has slowed down.

As good as the golf was the food may have been better. I wish Wyatt could have stuck around for the late afternoon round and feast.
Hope to see you both out here in the near future.

[Ben Sims]

Wyatt and Ben,
Glad you guys had a good time. I enjoyed watching Wyatt walking the course with an ear to ear grin.
I was hoping you could play the course in a faster mode but 3 inches of rain early in the week combined with searing temps has the grass moving almost faster than we can keep up. We need to do it again in the fall when the water is off and the grass has slowed down.

As good as the golf was the food may have been better. I wish Wyatt could have stuck around for the late afternoon round and feast.
Hope to see you both out here in the near future.

Don,the pleasure was ours I can assure you.  From watching you cut pin locations, to Wyatt's unerring game, to "axle grease" on the 12th tee, and Ryan's insane appetite for lamb tacos; it was a wonderful adventure.   Mike was also very patient with all of our questions and my often over-complicated analogies about golf holes.  

I hope--through guys like Wyatt and I--that it becomes easier and easier for you guys to accept just how good the golf course is.  It was nearly impossible for the course to match the expectations I had unwittingly set in my mind.  That it exceeded those expectations by orders of magnitude is--again--indicative of what has been accomplished.

Happy birthday to Jake, by the way.

[Michael Blake]

I knew both you guys would absolutely love it.

Pretty amazing what a passionate architect, dedicated super & project manager, and and owner who fully trusts his team, can do--on a flat piece of property.

[John Mayhugh]

What makes a guy drive 320 miles in June, in south Texas, without air conditioning, to Port Lavaca, Texas?

From the looks of the photos, it wasn't a huge sacrifice - they look great.  I suspect people would drive a whole lot further if the opportunity presented itself.  But no air conditioning in Texas??

How easily can you use the ground game?  I love all the short grass around the greens, but sometimes bermuda isn't real conducive to running the ball.

[Ben Sims]

What makes a guy drive 320 miles in June, in south Texas, without air conditioning, to Port Lavaca, Texas?

From the looks of the photos, it wasn't a huge sacrifice - they look great.  I suspect people would drive a whole lot further if the opportunity presented itself.  But no air conditioning in Texas??

How easily can you use the ground game?  I love all the short grass around the greens, but sometimes bermuda isn't real conducive to running the ball.

John,

What's the antonym for sacrifice?   

I thought that the ability to run up on the 'muda--even lush as it was from all the rain--was palpable.  I can only remember three or four times out of 36 holes where I needed more thrust on the shot to get it to roll over the grass.  But I'd give my eye teeth to play it again sometime between October and March to see how the rock hard, brown bermuda, bounces like a rubber basketball court.

[Adam Lawrence]

Ben - damn right. It was February last year when I was there, and I've never seen a course outside the UK that was more attuned to the ground game. It's a long way from Oxford to Port Lavaca, but I have got to figure out a way to get back there. Next time, maybe Don won't hole a five iron from an impossible spot....!

[John Mayhugh]

Ben,
Just 36 holes? 

Would have to be an awesome fall/winter spot when things are dry.

[Sam Morrow]

Looks awesome, I am glad to see there is now more in Port Lavaca than just the Whataburger.

[Ben Sims]

Ben - damn right. It was February last year when I was there, and I've never seen a course outside the UK that was more attuned to the ground game. It's a long way from Oxford to Port Lavaca, but I have got to figure out a way to get back there. Next time, maybe Don won't hole a five iron from an impossible spot....!

Adam,
  
I had been aware of your article in a recess of my brain, but I read the full article in between rounds.  Mike was so nice not to bust my bubble, but apparently you had put in print all the stuff I kept yelling about the entire round!  At least I felt creative and eloquent for about an hour before I saw your article framed in the clubhouse.

After really trying to separate excitement and objectivity, I still feel the same about the golf course.  The course is in the pantheon of the best 5 or so I've ever played.  That list includes places Pac Dunes, Oakmont, Crystal Downs, Riviera, etc.  But the accomplishment itself supersedes any ranking quite frankly.

John,

Yes, just 36.  I watched holes being cut in the morning, and we had some amazing tacos after the second round.  

As for fall/winter.  I don't know if it ever gets misty and rainy down there, but if it was dormant in those conditions in the wintertime, I bet many folks wouldn't know what continent they were on.

[Steve Lang]

  offshore breeze in morning, onshore in afternoon?

[Bill_McBride]

My thought after one round last year?

St Andrews in South Texas!

Wyatt, I also loved the par 3 #15. Standing on the tee with no guidance from Sr Nuzzo, I somehow noticed the shadows of the two swales in the green that will take shots to the left side into disaster by or maybe into the creek.  Great use of natural contours. The course is full of elements like that.

[Ben Sims]

My thought after one round last year?

St Andrews in South Texas!

Wyatt, I also loved the par 3 #15. Standing on the tee with no guidance from Sr Nuzzo, I somehow noticed the shadows of the two swales in the green that will take shots to the left side into disaster by or maybe into the creek.  Great use of natural contours. The course is full of elements like that.

Bill,

If Scotland is like that, I want to go.

At the time you get to 15--like Wyatt says--you're way past thinking that the relatively mundane visual will be realized.  Standing on the 4th tee, how can one ever know how foolish it is to play out to the left?  Or what about the fools error of aiming for the pin on 12?  Or of bailing out left on 10?  Whatever the antithesis of target golf is, this is it. 

[Rob Rigg]

Flat piece of property on a 10 ft topo but not on a 2 ft or 5 ft topo right?

Love the undulations - talk about a great piece of land for golf (at least when done the right way eh!?!?!?).

Great work guys - always thoroughly enjoy photos from WP.

Looks like the type of place you could walk from dawn to dusk and not get bored or tired - a high complement to a design.

[Wyatt Halliday]

I was hoping you could play the course in a faster mode but 3 inches of rain early in the week combined with searing temps has the grass moving almost faster than we can keep up. We need to do it again in the fall when the water is off and the grass has slowed down.

Don,

Given what mother nature threw at you, the course still played firm with plenty of roll and the ability to use the ground was available on every hole. I recall only needing to repair one ball mark the entire day. I'm sorry for missing the feast. As I'm sure you could tell, it was tough for me to drive away. Thanks to you and Mike both for your time, patience, and good stories throughout the round.

Wyatt

[Adam_Messix]

I have been reluctant to post about Wolf Point because I respect the privacy of the owner, but being as there are some pictures on here I figured I'd chime in.  

The place is fabulous!!!  

The St. Andrews analogy is dead on as the fairways roll and rollick quite randomly and level lies are rare at Wolf Point despite the relative flatness of Southeast Texas.  

There is a seeming random nature to the placement of bunkers throughout the course, but every single one of them serves a purpose.  The proper play of a hole changes from round to round based on hole location and we're not even factoring in the ever present Texas winds.  We played some tees that were further back from the marked tees (orange lines) on Mike's routing plan and we played some from up where the blue lines were.  The course has incredible flexibility where you can have a great mix of fun holes and real killers.  As an example, we played 7 as a drivable (but really tough unless the tee shot is placed correctly) par 4, and followed it with an almost unreachable par 3 8th.  

The par 5s are phenomenal.  All 3 are world class stuff although the 14th is the cream of the crop with multiple options of how to attack the hole, but the more I look at it, it's the one hole where you really don't want to be on the edge of the fairway to attack the green, you really want to be shooting up the length of the green as it's surprisingly shallow if you play to it from a wide angle.  

I loved the fifth hole and how the green presented itself from the fairway.  It allows you to play the shot you want but begs for the run up shot.  I can see that Don likes that front left hole location because that was where it was for us.  BTW, it's the best hole location on the green.  

I love the green on #4, the shaping makes it appear like an "E"  and creates some interesting putts for those who hit it in the wrong spot.  


Wolf Point is quite a course and a real testament to Mike Nuzzo's talents and maintained the way a golf course should be by Don Mahaffey.  It's firm and fast and they do things that keep costs under control which is ahead of it's time.

Wyatt--

Do I dare ask where the hole was cut on 11?  There's an incredible back left hole location there.  Also, where the hole cut on 13?  That's a hole that I would play much differently having seen the green even though I parred it.