Blackwolf Run -Original Championship Course (Photo Tour)

[PCCraig]

Pat:

I haven't played the old 18th/new 9th under the renovations/alterations you decribe. They do sound like they make the hole less strategic. I just liked ending the round, on the old 18th hole (now the 9th), with a (for me) gut-buster, ba..-squeezer of shot over water. I don't have quibbles with the new 18th per se; I just really liked the old one.

Fair enough Phil. While I agree that the course flows better when the nines are flipped from above (or played as it first opened), I'm not so sure that the current 18 is a bad hole, or even a bad finishing hole on its own.

If the 9th hole didn't feature the extra green, mounding, and rough to the left and was replaced with fairway it would be a much more strategic and better hole IMO.

[Adam Clayman]

The demands of the original closure (The Valley nine's home hole) are much greater and therefore, imo, a better finisher. Maybe because the natural River is the test? but, I feel it's both the demands to hit that perfect drive, to that narrow fairway, and then the perfect approach over the River, that makes it a better finisher. I'll add that the holes leading up to the original finish, are also, a big part of why I feel the original routing was like the Mona Lisa of GCA, for me. The weakness of the par 3, (after Under der Linden) is also a part of the ebb and flow of the original routing, which screams mid round versus finish. "Mercy" the penultimate Par 3 is also a much better hole than the original and current 4th.

I'm not saying the ninth (current River home hole)is a bad hole either. I just see the course crescendo having more impact, with the Valley nine as the closer.

[Rob Bice]

The alternate green is terrible.  Why did they add it at all?  The obvious answer is that they wanted to make an easier alternative for certain players but the course has other forced carries so why change just the 9th hole?  Especially given how much the alternate greeen impacts the play of those playing to the original green.

The only other alternate green that comes immediately to mind is the 9th at Pacific Dunes.  However I am pretty sure the green not in use on any given day does not impact play to the green in use - if that makes sense.

[Randy Thompson]

Pat
Thanks for taking the time to make such a great post for us that canīt get out to see such a great course. I love Dye, his history, his humbleness, his controviersy, his originality, his passion, his..........on and on and on! 

[Bill Seitz]

The alternate green is terrible.  Why did they add it at all?  The obvious answer is that they wanted to make an easier alternative for certain players but the course has other forced carries so why change just the 9th hole?  Especially given how much the alternate greeen impacts the play of those playing to the original green.

I didn't quite get it either.  Both tee shots on the par three holes on that nine are more difficult/intimidating than the shot over the river.  Even if a short hitter has to lay up, or drop after hitting it in the water, it's only about an 85-90 yard carry to get to the other side.

I can't really speak to how the hole used to play, but the alternate green didn't really affect the way I attacked the hole.  I hit driver, missed it right, but left it just short of the river in fairly light rough (like a foot short, fortunately).  On a day with better carry, or when my swing felt better, it might have gone in (but on a day like that, I would have taken less club and probably hit the fairway). I was left with about 165 to a back pin, so the water wasn't even really a factor on the second shot.  It's possible I would have set up further left off the tee without the alternate green.

I think the River 18th is a much more difficult hole, or at least it was on Sunday.  Valley 18th was either driver/mid-iron or 3-wood/mid to long iron.  River 18th was Diver 3-wood, and I still wasn't there.  Though we probably had a little more wind at that point of the round, making the last hole (River 18th) play even longer.  

[Adam Clayman]

How about the cart path that runs up the right side, and long, of that green on the current River finisher? It was always in play for me. With the unrecoverable hill side on the right of the path, the hole lacks in comparison, IMO.

[Mike McGuire]

Mike:

Please report back with your thoughts. The course is in great shape!

Ton of fun at BWR today. Teed off at 10:40 and didn't stop until dark (32 holes)

The greens are perfect.  A4 (not sure how old) and balls just roll and roll. They could make that place as hard as they want with high stimps and tucked pins.

I like a lot of the Valley nine but prefer would prefer playing the River 18.

The salmon were spawning and the Sheboygan River was full of fly fisherman - nice setting.

[PCCraig]

Mike:

Please report back with your thoughts. The course is in great shape!

Ton of fun at BWR today. Teed off at 10:40 and didn't stop until dark (32 holes)

The greens are perfect.  A4 (not sure how old) and balls just roll and roll. They could make that place as hard as they want with high stimps and tucked pins.

I like a lot of the Valley nine but prefer would prefer playing the River 18.

The salmon were spawning and the Sheboygan River was full of fly fisherman - nice setting.

Mike:

Thanks for the report and comments.

It's ironic, Blackwolf Run (in its low riverbed setting) played firmer and faster than I have ever seen Whistling Straits play...which is supposed to be the "links" course!

[J Sadowsky]

I wouldn't say they ruin the hole, but there has got to be a way to blend the cart paths better into the course.  In any event, and regardless of the visual distraction, concrete/cement cart paths should NEVER be in play -- at least regarding the "first bounce" for a non-awful shot hit by a semi-competent golfer; they are on several holes here. 

[John Kavanaugh]

I wouldn't say they ruin the hole, but there has got to be a way to blend the cart paths better into the course.  In any event, and regardless of the visual distraction, concrete/cement cart paths should NEVER be in play -- at least regarding the "first bounce" for a non-awful shot hit by a semi-competent golfer; they are on several holes here. 

Make this a private club instead of a resort and you can solve the problem much easier.