[PThomas]

I had the great pleasure of taking part in an outing at MR a few weeks ago and thought some of you might be interested in seeing some pictures........its 7066 from the tips, 6683 (blue), 6441 and 5877...Patrick, of course feel free to add in your thoughts

MR is a terrific golf course, esp. the greens..I can certainly see it being in GW's Top 100 Classic Courses

the beautiful downhiil 1st, 441 tips, 409 blue



1st green



the 2nd , 470 tips, 437 blue..a blind drive, downhill 2nd




the third, 361 /330 ..green is elevated

[Jaeger Kovich]

Good timing, this can be the pre-renovation photo tour.. construction started middle of last week.

[PThomas]

the stern 229/212 yd. par 3 4th



4th green...my pictures do not give justice to the complexity and difficulty of MR's greens



cross bunkers on the par 5 6th, 507/491



bowl green on the par 3 7th, 173/155

[PThomas]

downhill par 4 8th, 486/466, #1 handicap hole



the uphill 9th par 5 9th, 501/484



the downhill dogleg left 10th, 440/418

[PThomas]

uphill 14th, 184/168



over one of MR's greens



par 3 16 181/153



from the right side of the difficult 18th:  dogleg right...an uphill 2nd...a palying partner missed the green short side on the right...his pitch looked pretty good...and wound up 30 yards back down the fairway

[Brian Finn]

from the right side of the difficult 18th:  dogleg right...an uphill 2nd...a palying partner missed the green short side on the right...his pitch looked pretty good...and wound up 30 yards back down the fairway

Paul - nice photos.  Looking forward to seeing more.  

I admit, I was that un-named playing partner that suffered as a result of short-siding myself on 18!  Unfortunately, I found myself on the wrong side of the hole several times that day - difficult any time at Mountain Ridge I am sure, but especially tough due to the day's setup.

In any event, I enjoyed Mountain Ridge a great deal, which in my view speaks to the tremendous quality and variety the course offers.  To like a course so much after playing as poorly as I did says a lot.  While I would love to think I am able to separate my opinion of a course from my play, it is not always easy for me to do so.  

[David Cronheim]

I was fortunate enough to play Mountain Ridge last summer for the first time and was very, very impressed. I would agree that it merits consideration for any list, not just Golfweek's top 100 Classic. I think it's as good a classic course as you'll find in NJ. It may not be quite the championship test that a Baltusrol is, but for interest and variety, I give it high marks.

[PThomas]

from the right side of the difficult 18th:  dogleg right...an uphill 2nd...a palying partner missed the green short side on the right...his pitch looked pretty good...and wound up 30 yards back down the fairway

Paul - nice photos.  Looking forward to seeing more.  

I admit, I was that un-named playing partner that suffered as a result of short-siding myself on 18!  Unfortunately, I found myself on the wrong side of the hole several times that day - difficult any time at Mountain Ridge I am sure, but especially tough due to the day's setup.

In any event, I enjoyed Mountain Ridge a great deal, which in my view speaks to the tremendous quality and variety the course offers.  To like a course so much after playing as poorly as I did says a lot.  While I would love to think I am able to separate my opinion of a course from my play, it is not always easy for me to do so.  

Brian - it was great meeting you and sharing our day at MR...your unfortunate experience at 18 - sure looked like you played a fine shot there - was the poster child for the difficulty of the greens there...and dont think I have any more pictures, sorry

[Steve Scott]

I would have to add that Mountain Ridge is in my top courses in New Jersey.  Having played at least 3 PGA Section events there it is always in perfect shape.  Great mix of holes and scoreable if you hit quality shots.  A beautiful setting and some of the best greens you will ever putt.  A "must play" for sure....

[Dan Herrmann]

Wow. 

[Patrick_Mucci]

Paul,

The photos are great, although, the camera tends to flatten out putting surfaces, depriving the viewer of the nature and extent of the contours and slopes.

I'll make some picture by picture comments about the holes and greens.

[Patrick_Mucci]

MR is a terrific golf course, esp. the greens..I can certainly see it being in GW's Top 100 Classic Courses

the beautiful downhiil 1st, 441 tips, 409 blue

Great starting hole that plays into a direct or crossing (left to right) prevailing wind/s
The key, when the hole is cut on the upper left tier, is to flirt with the right side bunker, giving you the ideal angle into that green.
With a fairway that slopes high left to low right, producing a fade/slice, hole locations in the upper left tier become almost impossible to attack from the left side of the fairway.



1st green

The raised tier in the back of the green, extends to the left, such that the bunker flanking the left side of the green presents an enormous challenge for golfers who have hit their drives in the left center of the FW. 

That tier is pronounced, raised about 3 feet above the front of the green.
Balls hit long face a very difficult recovery



the 2nd , 470 tips, 437 blue..a blind drive, downhill 2nd

Big green, although the Fairway cants high left to low right, promoting a fade/slice into a prevailing wind.
The green has plenty of movement in many directions


the third, 361 /330 ..green is elevated
Nice, and rare, short par 4, the other being # 12.

With a creek running down the right side of the fairway and bunkers left, you must be in the FW.
The green is large, and fairly flat.  The back right wing makes for a dicey approach shot, not for the faint at heart.

[Patrick_Mucci]

the stern 229/212 yd. par 3 4th

One of the great par 3's anywhere.
It's uphill to a most unusual green.
The green has two sets of horizontal spines emanating from the front 1/3 and back 1/3 of the green, and one vertical spine starting at the back center, which create sectors for hole locations.  The configuration of the green mandates that approach putts must traverse one of the spines unless the golfer has hit an exceptional approach.  It's an intimidating hole.  Who put the flag back left ?




4th green...my pictures do not give justice to the complexity and difficulty of MR's greens



cross bunkers on the par 5 6th, 507/491

You forgot the 5th, Another wonderful hole with a fairway that cants from high right to low left, to a green uphill, with a pronounced false front, with plenty of slope and a little contour to boot.  Not overly long, but challenging nonetheless.

The 6th is a terrific short par 5, where a good drive is necessary in order to fly the cross bunkers which are about 80-100 yards short of the green.
The green, like the 4th green is fantastic, with a number of horizontal and vertical spines, slope and contour.

The hole location in the photo makes the hole a 1/2 shot to 1 shot more difficult as theres a large, steeply sloped spine that fronts and protects that hole location.   The movement in the fairway makes second shots and especially third shots fairly dicey.  Second shots played short of the cross bunkers can be left with a blind approach if you get to close to the bunkers.  Lay back further, and you have a downhill lie from a greater distance.
It's a wonderful, really wonderful member's par 5.


bowl green on the par 3 7th, 173/155

The uphill nature of the hole makes it play longer, but, the punchbowl green is forgiving, unless you're past the hole, then, downhill putts are dicey.

[Patrick_Mucci]

downhill par 4 8th, 486/466, #1 handicap hole

This hole also plays into a prevailing wind.
The green has plenty of contour and great hole locations.
Front left is protected by the front left bunker, back left by the fall-off and back right by the flanking bunker on the right.
The back half of the green is a raised tier and getting on the same tier as the hole is a challenge.
A par on this hole can make your day.



the uphill 9th par 5 9th, 501/484

Short, downwind most of the time, this uphill par 5 can be tricky.
I have two (2) rules on the tee.
Rule # 1, don't hit it in the left FW bunker.
Rule # 2, go back and reread rule # 1.

The second shot requires a decision, try to fly it on the upper plateau or stay short of the semi cross bunker.

The green is sloped, with contour, with an upper tier that's not as pronounced as # 1 and # 8.
Don't go above the hole.



the downhill dogleg left 10th, 440/418

Good hole that plays into a prevailing wind.
Flat green that's sloped.
Go long and you're dead.
You can run your ball up from 80 yards out since the landform falls from the FW down to the green.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Paul, where are # 11, 12 and 13, three terrific holes ?

uphill 14th, 184/168

Almost a skyline green
Perhaps that's a future possibility.
Slightly uphill to a mild punchbowl green.
More difficult than it looks.


over one of MR's greens



par 3 16 181/153

How could you skip # 15 ?

# 16 is the breather before the task of playing # 17 and # 18, two very challenging finishing holes.
Nice par 3 over water with a green with plenty of slope and some good contour.



from the right side of the difficult 18th:  dogleg right...an uphill 2nd...a palying partner missed the green short side on the right...his pitch looked pretty good...and wound up 30 yards back down the fairway

# 18 is a difficult finishing hole.
Long, uphill, dogleg right to a well protected, angled, sloped green with a moderate back tier.
Better to be short and chipping for your par.

Many of those trees will be gone due to the Emerald Ash Beetle, the FAA, Hurricane Irene and harsh winters.

[Dean Stokes]

It is a great looking course. The one thing that stands out on the photos for me though is the amount of rough around the bunkers and greens. It would seem to me that the course would look and play better with those areas around the bunkers being mowed at fairway height. Not knocking the course but some many places have thick rough round the bunkers and it seems to defeat the object of having hazards there.

[PThomas]

a few more Patrick....andbtw, I think I know the bastard who set the pins the day i played!

the 5th, 418 tips/399 blue



15, 411/392



and 17 551/531 par 5

[Patrick_Mucci]

It is a great looking course. The one thing that stands out on the photos for me though is the amount of rough around the bunkers and greens. It would seem to me that the course would look and play better with those areas around the bunkers being mowed at fairway height. Not knocking the course but some many places have thick rough round the bunkers and it seems to defeat the object of having hazards there.

Dean,

Brad Klein and I made the same observations.

My guess is that the heavy rough surrounding some bunkers may have a limited shelf life.

[Patrick_Mucci]

a few more Patrick....andbtw, I think I know the bastard who set the pins the day i played!

I did want you to see those areas of the greens that had been recaptured and the effect on hole locations as a result of recapturing those areas.

the 5th, 418 tips/399 blue

Terrific hole.

The cross bunkers that had been removed many years ago will be restored.
This hole has bunkers protecting the right and left DZ at different distances.
The fairway cants from high right to low left.

The approach to the green is uphill with a wonderful green with a large false front

The sloping fairway causes many approaches to end up in the left side bunker.



15, 411/392

Terrific doglet left.

A good drive is necessary to carry the leftside fairway bunker.

After that, the approach is across a creek to a green with good slope and contour.

The hole usually plays into a prevailing wind, making it more demanding.



and 17 551/531 par 5

Really great par 5 doglegging to the right, requiring a well positioned drive so that the second shot can get into the best LZ possible.
When playing # 10 you can ascertain the hole location and plan your attack accordingly.

The third shot is uphill adding 10-15 yards and the green is well sloped, often resulting in balls with too much spin ending up down the fairway.

The hole location picture is extremely well protected.
Let it be known that I birdied it that day

Local knowledge is helpful, thinking is even more helpful

A friend of mine needed to finish bogey, bogey on # 17 and 18 to qualify for the USGA Senior Open.
Actually, he could have gone double bogey, double bogey 7, 6
Unfortunately, he went triple, quadruple, 8, 8 and missed by a shot.

But, after you've played those two holes, you can see how errant drives left can result in those scores.

[Adam Clayman]

It is a great looking course. The one thing that stands out on the photos for me though is the amount of rough around the bunkers and greens. It would seem to me that the course would look and play better with those areas around the bunkers being mowed at fairway height. Not knocking the course but some many places have thick rough round the bunkers and it seems to defeat the object of having hazards there.

Dean,

Brad Klein and I made the same observations.

My guess is that the heavy rough surrounding some bunkers may have a limited shelf life.

Patrick, a trip to the newly restored Deuce at Pinehurst, should illuminate to anyone resisting removing the ridiculous rough, just how poor a presentation this is.  Heck, I'd bet even a visit to holes that Gil has altered at Winged Foot, might yield the same desired result. 

[Dean Stokes]

The photo above is a prime example of the 'rough surrounding bunker' issue.......both the bunkers in the foreground should be mowed to fairway height.......they are in position to collect balls that are played badly. I am not fully aware of cost/time associated with the 'mowed' look and maybe someone will explain that is a reason for the 'rough' look.

[PThomas]

deleted

[Travis Dewire]

Architect?

[PThomas]

Architect?

Mr. Ross !

[Pete Garvey]

Paul,

Thanks for the tour.  Mountain Ridge looks very good.  Kudos to the superintendent!

PG

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