St. George’s Golf and Country Club (East Setauket, NY): A Pictorial!!!

« **Reply #25 on:** November 17, 2010, 11:30:11 PM »

See my two-page rave review of St. George's in this coming issue (Nov. 19, 2010) of Golfweek. If/when it's posted on the Website I'll post the link here.
BSK

« **Reply #26 on:** November 18, 2010, 06:52:46 AM »

Nice pictures - St. George's is a very interesting course. StG is a short distance from Devereux Emmet's estate on Stony Brook Harbor so I reckon this was his home club.

« **Reply #27 on:** November 18, 2010, 07:36:28 AM »

Gil Hanse has been a GMGC in the last two weeks doing a small project and he said he is back again doing some work at St George's. I haven't been there in about three years but super Adam Jessie does a wonderful job with that course.

I can't remember at the moment the maiden name of Emmet's wife but I sort of recall her father pretty much owned that town. And I think her sister was married to someone who was significant in golf and architecture of that time.

« **Reply #28 on:** November 18, 2010, 08:22:03 AM »

That would be Stanford White.

« **Reply #29 on:** November 18, 2010, 08:29:45 AM »

...and she was a Smith. The Smith family owned a large chunk of Long Island going back to the 1600s.

« **Reply #30 on:** November 19, 2010, 09:48:01 PM »

From what I have been told Emmet was married to a Smith. I did not know the information about 1600's, but the town of Smithtown was in relation to her family. Does anyone know if Emmet weathly on his own or did his wealth come from marrage?

« **Reply #31 on:** November 19, 2010, 10:47:05 PM »

Kyle,

Looks like a very interesting and fun golf course, definitely worth a look whenever I get to Long Island.

Adam,

Looking at the aerial, how does the proximity of the tees on #17 & #18 play out day-to-day? It sure looks like the type of situation architects avoid, but often these "rule breakers" work fine on older tracks.

TK

« **Reply #32 on:** November 20, 2010, 12:12:57 PM »

Quote from: Tyler Kearns on November 19, 2010, 10:47:05 PM

Kyle,

Looks like a very interesting and fun golf course, definitely worth a look whenever I get to Long Island.

Adam,

Looking at the aerial, how does the proximity of the tees on #17 & #18 play out day-to-day? It sure looks like the type of situation architects avoid, but often these "rule breakers" work fine on older tracks.

TK

Unfortunately, the 17th tees must be protected by an unsightly "batting cage" fence to repel badly pulled drives from the 18th tee.

I'm sure Adam can go into greater detail...

« **Reply #33 on:** November 21, 2010, 10:40:51 AM »

I just read Brad's write-up in Golf Week and did a double take, then remembered where I'd heard of this track. If you receive golf week, check it out. If not, wait for the write-up to appear on line and take a peek. It is as impassioned a piece as I've read from the Professor.

« **Reply #34 on:** November 23, 2010, 10:16:12 PM »

The fence which guards the 17th tee comes into play more than you would think. The fence has a lot damage from doing its job. I don't think that it should be there by any stretch but in this day of legal action there is not much talk of taking it down. There are several places on the course that could be considered as dangerous as this area but as Tyler Kerns said this is typical as most courses of this age. Gil and I have been trying several years to find a solution and there does not really seem to be a anything that is going to be accepted by the club. We have just finished a large bunker / fairway project on #16 this week and have a lot of projects planned for this winter that should continue to help improve the overall presentation of the course.

AJ

« **Reply #35 on:** November 24, 2010, 07:57:12 AM »

Congratulations, Adam. Keep up the great work.

« **Reply #36 on:** November 24, 2010, 08:04:38 AM »

Adam, I've figured it out -- how to get rid of that fence n 17 and still keep it safe. Gil agrees with me it might work. I'll even give you Plan "A" and Plan "B." Will also let folks know when the article is posted on Golfweek.com.

« **Reply #37 on:** November 24, 2010, 08:43:03 AM »

"Does anyone know if Emmet weathly on his own or did his wealth come from marrage?"

Both

« **Reply #38 on:** November 24, 2010, 08:53:10 AM »

Brad

I would love to hear that idea. mine is two-fold 1) drop the tee box a few ft, and establish a local rule, no teeing off on 18 when a group is on 17th tee; 2) for outings there are portable nets that are used by schools around shot put areas it could be taken up and down when necessary

« **Reply #39 on:** November 24, 2010, 09:28:40 AM »

Mr. Faulkner,

The tee was raised roughly 4 feet in the 80's on the reccomendation of the USGA to help with a perpetually wet tee surface. There is not even a need for a local rule since it does not concern scoring. I agree with you it could be as simple as having a local courtesy that would require members to allow people on 18 to tee off before approaching the tee. then during outtings we could have one of the 6 rangers stationed on the tee box making people adhere to the courtesy.

AJ

« **Reply #40 on:** November 24, 2010, 09:38:49 AM »

MarkC:

I believe one of the best ways to put Devereux Emmet into the proper perspective of his time and place is to very carefully consider what exactly was going on with him and his golf architecture from app. 1899 to about 1909 and very much his developing relationship with Charles Blair Macdonald (and NGLA) and both how and why that happened as it did. I very much feel the same could and should be said in this same time-frame for Walter Travis. And also to some degree in this same vein and time-frame with H.J. Whigam.

It occurs to me that many of us today just assume that in the early years of the first decade of the 20th century C.B. Macdonald was the strong and direct mentor to all three of them in and with golf architecture. I think the actual facts are somewhat different and a close examination of those years 1899 to about 1908 or so can and will show why.

« **Reply #41 on:** November 24, 2010, 11:18:47 AM »

Quote from: TEPaul on November 24, 2010, 09:38:49 AM

MarkC:

I believe one of the best ways to put Devereux Emmet into the proper perspective of his time and place is to very carefully consider what exactly was going on with him and his golf architecture from app. 1899 to about 1909 and very much his developing relationship with Charles Blair Macdonald (and NGLA) and both how and why that happened as it did. I very much feel the same could and should be said in this same time-frame for Walter Travis. And also to some degree in this same vein and time-frame with H.J. Whigam.

It occurs to me that many of us today just assume that in the early years of the first decade of the 20th century C.B. Macdonald was the strong and direct mentor to all three of them in and with golf architecture. I think the actual facts are somewhat different and a close examination of those years 1899 to about 1908 or so can and will show why.

What was going on with him and his architecture from 1899 to 1909?

« **Reply #42 on:** November 24, 2010, 08:47:51 PM »

Nice seeing these photos of a wonderful golf course. I wish I could have seen the course before all of Adam's work, just so I could fully appreciate it. I'm really inspired to try to see more of Emmet's work.

The section of fence protecting the 17th tee is unfortunate, but I forgot about it rather quickly. Everything else looks so good, you don't focus on it for very long.

« **Reply #43 on:** November 24, 2010, 09:26:58 PM »

Mr Jessie

Mr Falkner is my father. Do you think the raising of the tee was really necessary? Although that area is one of the high areas on the course I would think it would drain rather well, what kind of trees were in that area? Are the cedars on the right side of 3 long for this world?

« **Reply #44 on:** November 28, 2010, 04:12:27 PM »

I took this shot of the 16th and 17th greens

these are two holes where birdie or double are always in play

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41262673@N08/5214036749/in/photostream/

« **Reply #45 on:** November 29, 2010, 10:52:01 PM »

Quote from: John Mayhugh on November 24, 2010, 08:47:51 PM

Nice seeing these photos of a wonderful golf course. I wish I could have seen the course before all of Adam's work, just so I could fully appreciate it.

John, visiting Historicaerials.com might be a good start.

I'm really inspired to try to see more of Emmet's work.

The section of fence protecting the 17th tee is unfortunate, but I forgot about it rather quickly. Everything else looks so good, you don't focus on it for very long.

« **Reply #46 on:** November 29, 2010, 10:53:48 PM »

Dave,

Thanks for the photo.

St George's is a wonderful course, the kind of course this group would love, quirky and fun.

Who knows, maybe I'll venture to LI for a GCA.com get together

« **Reply #47 on:** November 30, 2010, 08:29:41 AM »

Im working on getting a bunch of before shots

I would love to host a few guys anytime

« **Reply #48 on:** November 30, 2010, 08:00:08 PM »

My latest Raters Notebook, on St. George's G&CC, is now posted on the Golfweek Web site:

http://www.golfweek.com/news/golf-travel/raters-notebook/

« **Reply #49 on:** November 30, 2010, 11:32:44 PM »

Quote from: Brad Klein on November 30, 2010, 08:00:08 PM

My latest Raters Notebook, on St. George's G&CC, is now posted on the Golfweek Web site:

http://www.golfweek.com/news/golf-travel/raters-notebook/

A great review, Brad. I take it the overall score is not an average of the other marks given...

Hopefully, the positive attention will bolster the continued efforts of Mr. Jessie and Mr. Hanse.

News:

Brad Klein

Tom MacWood

TEPaul

hick

Tom MacWood

Adam Jessie

Tyler Kearns

Kyle Henderson

Ronald Montesano

Adam Jessie

Jeff_Mingay

Brad Klein

TEPaul

Dave Falkner

Adam Jessie

TEPaul

Tom MacWood

John Mayhugh

Dave Falkner

Dave Falkner

Patrick_Mucci

Patrick_Mucci

Dave Falkner

Brad Klein

Kyle Henderson