LINKS mag's Top 10 Renovations of 2011

[David_Tepper]

http://www.linksmagazine.com/golf_courses/pinehurst-no-2-2011-renovations

[PCCraig]

I didn't know Tom Doak was building 5 new holes as part of his work at Medinah...interesting.

Thanks for posting!

[Michael George]

You know it is a bad market when they have to comment on 5 renovations coming in 2012 in their 2011 best renovations article.

[PCCraig]

You know it is a bad market when they have to comment on 5 renovations coming in 2012 in their 2011 best renovations article.

I agree, there has to be other examples of current renovations/restorations.

[Mark Saltzman]

Where is Country Club of Detroit? I've heard nothing but good things.

[Matt Vandelac]

At the risk of hijacking a thread (I couldn't figure out how to start a new one), there was another article within the Links newsletter inspired from John Solheim woth reading:
http://www.linksmagazine.com/best_of_golf/little-pine-valley
This is some of the best rationale I've heard for developing a new ball.  I don't hit it forever, but I'm tired of not seeing it land, walking forever to get to it, and I really miss the shaky knees that a 440 yarder evolked because you knew the long iron was coming out.  I also don't like playing from the same tees socially or with my amateur teams in pro-ams.  Playing the same tees with them or with my kids would be much more fun.  Speeding up play and less real estate are also huge.     

[Gary Slatter]

thanks, always of interest

[Keith OHalloran]

To be a total homer, Southampton should have been considered.
And how old is Chambers Bay? Isn't it a little early to be on a best renovation let? Seems to still be in the "tweaking" stages!

[Ronald Montesano]

Reef Hole at Paramount...As I recall, it was about 180-190 yards...that seems a bit cramped for lower fairway, diagonal bunkers, upper fairway, greenside bunkers and green.

This dude thinks that the Reef is a downhill hole:  http://theothersideofgolf.blogspot.com/2010/11/reef-hole.html


This article doesn't show the correct hole, if it intended to... http://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/Article/%E2%80%98Reef-Hole%E2%80%99-nears-completion/2277/Default.aspx

The 12th at the Yellow course is a 313 yard par four, so it differs in terms of par from the original template. No other par 3 on the Yellow bears the trace of a Reef hole.

[Tom MacWood]

I'm no expert on Waverly, but I'm pretty sure Egan did not design the course or significantly redesign it.

[JNC Lyon]

Fazio's renovation of Oak Hill didn't make the list?!  Come on, the new 15th hole looks exactly like every par three at Atlanta Athletic Club.  That fits in perfectly on (former) Ross course, right? 

Sorry to get bitter so early in the morning.  The renovations on this list look phenomenal.  Pinehurst No. 2 seems like an obvious number one, but I'm intrigued by the work at La Costa.  That course seemed very average on television, and I'm always impressed by renovations that transform mediocre courses into good ones.

[Mike_Trenham]

Yes things are slow but they are not dead.  Here in Philadelphia stronger clubs are still working on improvements as the members deem needed.

Waynesboro did a bunch of work on bunkers and trees with Tom Fazio as the consulting architect
Philly Cricket has approved Keith Fosters master plan for the Wissahickon course
Kennett Square with Brad Klein's guidance reworked #14
St Davids is moving forward with Ron Prichard on #12 and #13 restoration
Lancaster has rebuilt its greens

[Garland Bayley]

I'm no expert on Waverly, but I'm pretty sure Egan did not design the course or significantly redesign it.

According to the Macan biography, Just Call me Mac, Egan was the architect, and Macan was the consulting architect there from 1922 into the 1950s, he did some renovation work in the 1950s there. Even though Macan was the consulting architect Egan redid several greens in 1924.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Would be interesting to see a list of renovated courses in 2011, similar to Mike's post.  We saw a lot of muni's renovated in Texas, and more for next year.  Philly seems to be the same.  Seems like courses wear out on the same percent basis every year whether or not owners want to spend money, they may have to.

[Emile Bonfiglio]

I'm no expert on Waverly, but I'm pretty sure Egan did not design the course or significantly redesign it.

According to the Macan biography, Just Call me Mac, Egan was the architect, and Macan was the consulting architect there from 1922 into the 1950s, he did some renovation work in the 1950s there. Even though Macan was the consulting architect Egan redid several greens in 1924.

The public version of Waverley is just up the street "Eastmoreland". Egan did that one as well, I look forward to see what Gil does there.

[Tom MacWood]

Emile
What exactly did Egan do at Waverly, and when?

[hhuffines]

Anyone been out to Bald head Island and played since the renovation?  The Bald Head website has some great before, during and after photos and the course appears to be much improved...

[Greg Clark]

Although I haven't seen it yet, John Colligan's renovation of Stevens Park - a downtown Dallas muni - has been favorably received locally.

[Emile Bonfiglio]

Emile
What exactly did Egan do at Waverly, and when?

Its all right here http://www.oga.org/docs/championships/Waverley_Restoration.pdf  Nice comments from Gil too about Egan as well.

[Garland Bayley]

Emile
What exactly did Egan do at Waverly, and when?

Its all right here http://www.oga.org/docs/championships/Waverley_Restoration.pdf  Nice comments from Gil too about Egan as well.

Now if Jones were to redo it like he did at Eugene, he would probably reverse the routing so that OB and river would be on lefty slice side instead of righty slice side.

[Tom MacWood]

Emile
That information is not accurate. The present course was designed by HH Barker in 1909 and opened in 1910. Egan did not move to Oregon until 1912, and he lived at Medford (which is about 250 miles from Portland). His first documented association with Waverly, I have found, is 1914. His first design activity in the Pacific NW, that I have found, is 1916, when he designed Eastmoreland.

[Pete_Pittock]

Emile
That information is not accurate. The present course was designed by HH Barker in 1909 and opened in 1910. Egan did not move to Oregon until 1912, and he lived at Medford (which is about 250 miles from Portland). His first documented association with Waverly, I have found, is 1914. His first design activity in the Pacific NW, that I have found, is 1916, when he designed Eastmoreland.

    As my source I have the Waverley Country Club history by C Edwin Francis, which is about 25 years old. The name HH Barker, or any Barker does not appear in the seven page index. Prior to 1909 there was an established course on the riverside site with a clubhouse located near the current 12th and 15th greens. An original nine hole couse (1895-1898 no attribution) was expanded by nine more holes before 1900, most likely by Wille Moffett, their Scottish professional. The site of the current clubhouse and much land was purchased at a later date and multiple routing ensued from 1909-1912 when the new clubhouse has competed. "There is no record of a golf architect being emplyed when these courses [1909-1912] were built" said Francis, but he said that many were involved to include the board, members, greenskeeper William Junor, and professionals  Alec Duthie and George Turnbull. The course finally approximated it's current layout in 1914.
     H Chandler Egan was familiar with Waverley prior to 1914. He participated in matched organized by Chick Evans and shot a course record 67 in 1912. In 1913 he played in a match against Vardon and Ray held at Waverley, and later that year received an honorary membership to Waverley.
But Egan is not mentioned as an architect practicing at Waverley until his bunkering proposal was presented in 1916, but he obvioulsy was appraoched earlier.  

[Tom MacWood]

Peter
Egan did play golf at Waverly in 1913 with Evans, and a group of elite Chicago golfers touring that season (not 1912), and later that year with Ray & Vardon. He was playing out of Medford at the time. He was the former amateur champ, and undoubtedly the best golfer in the PacNW (and a beloved Chicago golfer), so involvement was a natural. He did not begin playing out of Waverly in big regional events until 1914.  

Early in 1909 it was reported in the Portland Oregonian that the club had purchased new land and was planning a new course. A month later it was reported in the Oregonian Barker was in town. Later in the year it was reported in Golf magazine Barker was designing the new Waverly. American Golfer reported Barker was designing a new course in Portland, and that report was repeated the British magazine the The Golfer. Around that time a Spokane paper reported Barker was designing the new Spokane CC course, and he came well recommended after designing the new Portland CC. There was only one CC in Portland at the time, Waverly. In 1910 the new course at Waverly was formally opened for play. The new clubhouse was built in 1913.

George Turnball, the pro at Waverly starting in 1911, and came from Columbia CC in DC, another Barker design. Turnbull would go on to design the first nine at Portland GC in 1914.

Egan moved to Oregon in 1912.

[Emile Bonfiglio]

An original nine hole couse (1895-1898 no attribution) was expanded by nine more holes before 1900, moat likely by Wille Moffett, their Scottish professional.


Waverley's website shows the course designer as Jack Moffat (1896), so now I really have no idea what to say.

http://www.waverley.cc/club/scripts/golf/view_course.asp?GRP=13612&NS=PG&APP=32

[Pete_Pittock]

Tom,
As is usually the case you have done more research than I have. The author I quoted is speculating because he couldn't find any specific information on the golf course changes. You are in fact correct that the new clubhouse opened in 1913, June. I missed a paragraph while reviewing. I'll try to leave this thread back to the original intent of the Links article.