Mohawk Golf Club Tour-Schenectady,NY-Devereux Emmet-All Holes Posted

« **on:** June 26, 2011, 09:07:11 PM »

June 26, 2011--Played here today. Dan Byrnes was right on his thread-http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48667.0.html

This is currently a hole-by-hole, shot-by-shot thread...if you can't wait for the end, go here:

http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/buffalogolfer/Mohawk%20Golf%20Club-June%202011/

I haven't organized them yet, but if you have time to look at 420 photos (new PR for me), go nuts.

Shutterbug's Note~July 5th: I'm sorta, kinda surprised by the lack of commentary on this thread. By all means, give your opinions on the course~Let's foment some discussion!

« **Reply #1 on:** June 26, 2011, 10:08:04 PM »

Can't wait to read it. Are you still in the area? If you want to play this week let me know. I am a member here www.Normanside.com, although it went semi private this year it's still a fun place to play. Or if you would prefer to play another local club let me know and I believe I can arrange it.

Dan

Some of the other local places are? I really don't know now original they are.

Schuyler Meadows is another Devereux Emmet course in the area.

http://www.schuylermeadows.com/

Wolferts Roost is a AW Tillinghast design

http://www.wolfertsroost.com/default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=261713&ssid=125489&nonav=true&showfooter=false

Colonie Country Club is a Cornish design

http://www.coloniegcc.com/

Albany Country Club Robert Trend Jones Jr.

http://www.albanycc.cc/default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=216681&ssid=59887&vnf=1

« **Reply #2 on:** June 26, 2011, 10:15:36 PM »

The Edison Golf Club is another Devereux Emmet design.

http://www.edisonclub.com/club/scripts/section/section.asp?NS=GO

Dan

« **Reply #3 on:** June 27, 2011, 09:58:09 PM »

All right, beeches, here we go...

Hole # 1_Par 4 Dogleg Right_433/424/408...a great introduction to what Emmet will present again and again, the seductive and misleading line of charm. Go up the right side and find yourself blocked by trees and with a lesser angle into a sloped green, seated in a saddle.
From The Tee Deck

From Left Side of Fairway

Closer Look At Green from LSoF

What You Face From RSoF

Entrance to Green from Right Side

What You Get If You're Crazy Enough To Miss Short Left

From Behind Green

« **Reply #4 on:** June 28, 2011, 07:44:37 PM »

Hole # 2...Par 3...192/182/170...The initial appearance is that of a downhill pitch; one does a double-take when the scorecard or tee marker is taken in. The green is set at a right to left angle to the tee and the forward edge is lined with sunken bunkers. The sunken bunkers will reveal themselves to be a motif that Emmet employs on his par 3s at Mohawk. There is a kick plate at front right, yet one should not be to frivolous with the right side, as all shots outside that deep-right, guardian bunker are lost at sea.

From the farthest deck

From the nearest deck

From the left side of hole, where a split miss-zone is revealed

Above the deep right, guardian bunker

Pitch of the green from right side

Pitch of green from behind

From immediately below left bunkers

« **Reply #5 on:** June 29, 2011, 05:19:28 PM »

Hole # 3...Dogleg Left Par Five...620/533/460...Such a monumental difference, as you will see, 'twixt Back and Middle tees...not just the distance; the angle as well. The hole is crafted over a terrific run of terrain. There is a huge spillway of fairway halfway through the march; from the left side, a blind shot over a bunker awaits. There is much high grass in the third cut of rough these days, owing to mowing limitations. At Mohawk, you have a slightly-higher-than-fairway cut, a thicker cut and a "good riddance" cut, which is normally whispy. I'll let the photos do the talking from here out.

From 620-Yard Tee Deck (anything sliced to the right is trouble)

From 530-yard Tee Deck (see the trouble right?!?!)

From the slight, right rough, about 300 yards from the green

A better view of the spillway

Blind shot over bunker from left spillway

Green begins to appear from 250 out (flag is blue one, on the left!)

From 150 out on right

From left, about 90 yards away

Left & Short of green

Behind green

« **Reply #6 on:** June 30, 2011, 07:17:02 PM »

Hole # 4...Par 4...315/301/290...This hole is a barrel of monkeys. The tee shot carries a pond for all of 100 yards, then rises up and to the right on a fairway that slopes mildly to the left. A miss right will bring tree and sand trouble off the tee. A miss long into the green brings a tough, downhill recovery. A miss short right brings a deep sand salvation. The prudent play is from left to right off the tee, followed by the same into the green.

From Upper Tee Decks

From Pond Height

Looking Back at Upper Tee Decks From Fairway

Back Right Pin Position From Fairway

Entire Raised Green From Fairway

Green From Left Fairway 100 Yard Marker

Green From Back Left

Green From Back Right

Back of Green From Next Tee

« **Reply #7 on:** July 01, 2011, 06:18:22 AM »

Hole # 5...Par 4...426/406/342...A meekly doglegged-right hole. There is a drop-off left that obscures approach shots into the green, along with some native timber on the right that serves the same purpose for a wayward righty slice. The hole rises to a climax in the fairway, the climbs oh-so-slightly higher to the green, which is set just beyond a drop/rise preceding the putting surface. The P/S is guarded front left and back left by bunkers (and perhaps front right as well-memory fails) although there are no fairway hazards.
[[Editor's Note: just found this on the MGC website" Out a healthy distance from the tee is a vague mound of earth that serves as a reminder: this was once a short par-3. Now it is a healthy par-4, especially from the recently re-built (and beautifully landscaped) back tee." Makes you wonder what else was done to Emmet's work...nothing like a good mystery.]]

From The Tee Deck to the Raised, Blind Landing Area

From The Start of the Fairway

From Mid-Fairway, Green Coming Into View

From Left Fairway, About 150 Out, A Sense of the Framing

From Behind Green

From Back Left of Green

« **Reply #8 on:** July 02, 2011, 06:08:30 AM »

Hole # 6...Par 4...382/375/308...A straight hole with a lot of soul. You can aim a fade at the left fairway bunker or draw the ball off the right one (or vice-versa if you claim lefty status)...the middle of the fairway is safe for a straight shot. Hit it far enough and you'll catch the ridge that runs side to side and drops the ball down into a hollow.

Off The Back Tee Deck

Far Forward Deck, where the ridge becomes quite apparent

If you don't make the ridge, barely the top of the flagstick is apparent

Shot from the hollow, up toward the green

Slightly different angle in, from the right side of the fairway in the hollow

This shot offers a sense of the climb, only halfway up the ridge

Drop-Off to rear and left of green

Looking back up at green from rear

Back toward tee from back fringe of green

« **Reply #9 on:** July 03, 2011, 07:58:20 AM »

Hole # 7...Par 4...383/371/366...Dogleg left par four...The MGC website claims this hole is a respite, but anyone who knows Emmet knows that no such thing exists. I've played Leatherstocking, Mohawk and Copake and did not find one breather hole among the 54. In the end, there is always an angle, a mogul, a ridge or a ripple that complicates the hole, removing breather status from its role call. This one runs out from the tee down then up to the fairway, whose landing area is invisible from the starting gate. A sentinel tree (seen in photo # 2) appears to stand at the left corner of the fairway, to muddle the left-side/line of charm/short way home strategy. As a result you take your tee ball out to the right for safety. As you crest the hill you realize the the tree is greenside and, though you might be safe, you are a club or two farther from Mecca. And the left side? Don't worry...trees block you out, so stay center-right

From The Tee Deck

Sentinel tree from start of fairway at rise

Cresting hill, laughing tree

View from fairway

Green front

Green back

« **Reply #10 on:** July 04, 2011, 05:14:04 PM »

Hole # 8...Dogleg right par four...355/348/330...One of those holes where you just don't know how deep the fairway is up the left side (and it's deep) so you opt for the right side and get in trouble. You hit your approach into an apparently-innocuous target...and then you reach the putting surface~smile!

From the tee deck

What awaits up the right side

From fairway center, showing off false bunker and greenside bunkers

From fairway left, green opens up, but the surface starts to tilt

Thirty yards short on left, green starts to slide toward fairway!

Front right pin...yup, it was that scary

From behind green

« **Reply #11 on:** July 05, 2011, 07:54:05 AM »

Hole # 9...Par 4...380/335/310...Upon further review, this hole reminds me a bit of what #18 at Bethpage Black would be as a two-faced hole. If there were a way to hover a tee above the 17th green at the Black, you would get this hole. If you play it from the right/forward tee deck at Mohawk, you get #18 at Bethpage (disclaimer: the Mohawk hole is shorter from both tee decks.) The drop from tee to green is not as dramatic, but you get a boost from a fairway cant toward the putting surface. The fairway is wide, but does not appear to be from the tee. The green is set behind another set of the finger lakes bunkers we saw on # 2 (and will see again) and is sloped toward the tee, necessitating an uphill putt if the nerves are to be calmed.

From the back/left tee deck, forcing the dogleg

Farther up fairway from left tee

From forward/right tee deck, eliminating the dogleg

From right edge of fairway

Close-up of bunkering

Back to forward/right tee deck (tee is in center of image, under trees)

Back to rear/left tee deck (tee is behind hairy grass, right side of image)

Green from left side of fairway, 50 yards short

From behind green

« **Reply #12 on:** July 05, 2011, 08:08:58 PM »

Hole # 10...Par 4...366/360/349...Essentially a straight hole, although trees up the right side, much as with #1, make it play like a mild dogleg right. The tee ball will bound quite left, thanks to the influence of the hill. Although 10 runs parallel to 1, the hill impacts the drive much more on 10. The approach rises a wee bit to a

From the tee deck

From just beyond the reeds, at fairway commencement

Right side of fairway, 150 yards out

Center of fairway, 120 yards out

Above green, kinda, 40 yards out on right

Behind green (note fairway slope)

« **Reply #13 on:** July 06, 2011, 10:37:56 AM »

Ron,

Thanks for this excellent photo essay of this lovely Devereux Emmet course. It looks like most of the original green surfaces and surrounds are still intact. Is that true? You nicely captured Mohawk's nuanced ground features. Emmet could design great holes on rollercoaster terrain. But he was especially good at creating varied groups of subtle, yet very fun to play holes, on " quieter" land. Mohawk seems to have strategy based on angles,subtle doglegs and fabulous green complexes. I have heard that the 27 holes created by Emmet at Edison GC, 8 miles north in Rexford,NY are nice too. I look forward to seeing more of the back nine at Mohawk ! Ron, very nice photos.

Mark Chalfant
Devereux Emmet Society

« **Reply #14 on:** July 06, 2011, 03:34:46 PM »

Hole # 11...Par 4...440/407/397...Toughest par four to date and possibly the strongest one on the course. Slight dogleg right goes over not one, but two ridges. The first one makes the tee shot blind, while the second determines whether you have hybrid or mid-iron in!

From the tee deck

Second ridge, middle of fairway

Atop second ridge, view of green up right side

Atop second ridge in fairway center

View from closer in, fairway center

View from 80 yards out, right edge of rough

View from rear of green, note green contours

View from middle of green, note fairway contours

« **Reply #15 on:** July 06, 2011, 10:26:26 PM »

Hole # 12...185/168/141...The type of hole that can be played by champion golfers from all three decks...The hole plays 10-15 yards longer than posted yardage, regardless of selection. The green sits elevated, unlike the other two par threes on the course. In fact, it takes a while to realize that Mohawk has 12 par four holes (usually the type of hole I dislike.) Perhaps the threes and fives are so good and the fours as well, that one forgets the imbalance. The green on #12 is quite challenging, with a lower tier at front right and a large ridge bisecting the middle.

From tee deck, farthest

Closer...

Closerer...

Closererest...

From left of fairway, 30 yards short of green

Behind green

Left of green, looking rightward

« **Reply #16 on:** July 07, 2011, 08:21:11 PM »

Hole # 13...Par 5...515/509/499...Not a huge differential from front tee to rear...The dogleg comes early, then the hole runs another 350 yards, straight to the green. After finding the fairway with the tee ball, the challenge comes from the level or not-so-level lie for the second shot. A decent effort gets you within wedge distance for your third. Try to stay center->right in fairway, as big tree might influence third shot from left.

From tee deck

Front of tee deck

Fairway bend

About 250 away from green

150 out from green, right side of fairway

Center of fairway, 100 yards out

Right rough, 50 yards from green

Close-Up of green from right side

Rear of green

Rear of green II (note fairway roll)

« **Reply #17 on:** July 08, 2011, 11:02:28 AM »

Hole # 14...Par 4...347/343/293...Epitome of the non-layup hole. Hit your driver for all she's worth! I took 3-wood from the tee and snapped three into the crap. As I walked down the fairway, I thought "foolish child, choke up on your driver if you want to play safe." The fairway rises from the bowl to a skyline green. Two bunkers up the right protect that side, with zero greenside bunkers, if I remember correctly. The putting surface itself is nothing severe but, as with all Emmet layouts, is quite and subtly challenging.

From the back tee deck

From an abandoned forward tee deck adjoining the 13th green

From fairway left

From fairway center

Note ridge at 100 yard out mark

Looking back from green

« **Reply #18 on:** July 08, 2011, 11:35:46 AM »

Ron,

It looks like a more interesting short Par-4 from the abandoned tee. 1, the super short green-tee transition would be like the one between 8-9 at St George's, where the green surround flows right up onto the tee. Very cool. Also, it looks like the abandoned tee would make this hole reachable. or at least temptable.

« **Reply #19 on:** July 08, 2011, 12:15:02 PM »

David,
I swear on my beard that you are right! What a great, driveable hole it would be.

« **Reply #20 on:** July 08, 2011, 03:36:47 PM »

Hole # 15...Par 3...150/130/120...They call it "Punch Bowl," but I can't really see that feature on this hole. It's a great pitch over the water, usually playing about 1/2 club longer than the yardage calls. The ridge runs from side to side and divides the green principally into front/lower and back/upper sections.

From tee deck

Closer from tee deck (bisecting horizontal ridge comes into view)

Beauty shot (couldn't help myself!)

Behind green, looking back toward tee

« **Reply #21 on:** July 08, 2011, 10:51:56 PM »

Hole # 16...Par 4...405/385/365...Essentially a straight run of fairway, yet an offset tee turns it into a dogleg right. Despite its modest length, #16 places the greatest driving premium of the day on the shoulders of the golfer. Too far left and your ball is gone; too far right and you'll find yourself nicely blocked out from the green. The green slopes mightily from right to left and features a few hidden hole locations. The approach is uphill from the fairway, causing a bit of uncertainty with short or middle iron in hand.

From tee deck

From fairway center

Closer from fairway center (note hidden location of flagstick)

From fairway left

From 120 out

From 65 out, with right side of green opening up

From high right, 70 yards shy of putting surface

From left of greenside bunker

From rear of green

« **Reply #22 on:** July 08, 2011, 11:28:30 PM »

Hole # 17...Par 4...400/386/308...Slight dogleg right to a green sighted in a hollow. Missing the fairway left is not recommended; taking it up the right edge leaves a fairly blind shot to a difficult green to hit from the right. This is a wonderfully-solid penultimate hole and it sets up the finisher perfectly.

From tee deck

Zoomed in from tee deck

Left side of fairway

Right side of fairway, green blocked by ridge

Green from atop ridge, about 90 yards out

Back of green, with flag sighted at one of two "pecs" at rear of green

Full shot from rear of green

« **Reply #23 on:** July 08, 2011, 11:40:54 PM »

Hole # 18...Par 4...389/338/295...About as straight as they come. The green is in view, with no tricks, from start to finish. Amazingly, this is as honest a birdie hole as is found on the course. If you ignore the folks behind the green, you should have a run at one.

From back tee deck

Zoomed in from btd

From right side of fairway...seeing-eye bunker in center, two bunkers left, two right, make center of green the ideal target

Zoomed in, ridge in green becomes apparent

From rear of green

« **Reply #24 on:** July 09, 2011, 09:10:31 AM »

Ron,

15 is an absolute gem. The full pearl necklace of bunkers looks beautiful, and with the generous green, seems an appropriate hazard for such a short hole. The pond and fountain are a nice touch of ornament, too. Any member must think how fortunate they are to be a part of this club when they reach this hole.

The stretch 15-18 looks absolutely fantastic. I love the way the green is partially hidden by what appear to be realtively subtle features on 16-17. And 18 could be the bartender's best friend.

Thanks for the photo profile.

Dave

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