Hackensack Hole 13, Before and After

[Bill Brightly]

I think you guys will enjoy the restorations to this hole. Prior to the work, it was a fairly bland short par 4, 330 yards from white, 345 from blues and 365 from black.  The work involved restoring bunkers built by Charles Banks that were removed by William Gordon in the early 1960's, and also the addition of a bunker in right side of the fairway at 248 from the blues. This bunker was drawn on Banks' original plan but not built. (Thanks to Joe Bausch for a few of the "before" photos.)

Before, from the blue tee



Before, from behind the red tees



After, from blue tee





Before, left angle view



Current view from 11th fairway, left side angle view:

[Bill Brightly]

Here is the new bunker in the fairway. The right side is clearly the preferred angle of attack to the green, so you either challenge this or play safely left and accept a more difficult angle to the pin.

[Jud_T]

Bill,

Thanks for posting.  Who did the restoration work?

[Patrick_Mucci]

Bill,

It looks great.

What other holes were worked on ?

[Jason Walker]

Bill-

Having not played Hackensack before, was the primary restoration work centered around the bunker shaping (new center bunker excluded)?

Looks fantastic.

[Bill Brightly]

The shaping was done by our superintendent (a really talented guy) and his crew. Rees Jones & Co. is the architect.

Par fives hole 1, 10 and Biarritz #3 have been restored. We are doing all the work in house one or two holes per year, with the intent to bring back our Charles Banks look and play.

[Patrick_Mucci]

The shaping was done by our superintendent (a really talented guy) and his crew. Rees Jones & Co. is the architect.

Par fives hole 1, 10 and Biarritz #3 have been restored. We are doing all the work in house one or two holes per year, with the intent to bring back our Charles Banks look and play.

It looks great.
I'm anxious to play it this summer.

You have to get back to Mountain Ridge with your camera.

You won't believe the changes.

[Bill Brightly]

Exit 163 Pat, any time you want!

[Scott Warren]

Bill,

Thanks for posting the pics. All the renovations you've shown look magnificent and this one is no different.

Love that centreline bunker. Do you have an aerial of the completed hole?

[Donnie Beck]

Bill,

Looks really good !!!!  Kudos to the Superintendent and his crew !!!!

[Bill Brightly]

Donnie, thanks for the kind words.

Scott, the hole is still closed, we are just finishing the work, so no new google earth photos yet. Here is what the hole looked like with the back bunker removed:



The first thing we did a couple of years ago was restore the bunker behind the green and clear out a lot of junk trees. (And these photos happen to show the front bunkers of the Biarritz before and after restoration.)

[Jud_T]

Looks like we have to get serious about that Steamshovel Banks tour...

[John Mayhugh]

Wow.  What a difference.  Donnie's right - that looks like some nice in-house work.

Thanks for sharing the pics, Bill.

[Bill Brightly]

Any time Jud! You can add Forsgate to the tour and also see uncle George Bahto at the Knoll!


Reviewing that old google earth photo reminds me of some great tree removal. The hole on the right is our Redan. The group of white pines circled was was removed by the previous Grounds Chair. When I became chair, I took the whole committee out in golf carts to talk about removing the ones circled on the right, and I was so proud when they all agreed. (PS, these trees were all planted in the 70's and they are at the end of their expected life, a few break up and die every winter.) We now can work the ball left or right as we choose, and the effects of wind are much more pronounced. That helped the green firm up, along with the installation of TDI drainage. We also recovered a good portion of the kickmound and front right green.
 

[JNC Lyon]

Bill,

Tim Lane tells me I need to get down to Hackensack to see the continuing restoration work, so I may make a visit this summer.  I'm loving the new centerline bunker on 13.  11 thru 13 seems like a pretty solid stretch now.

[Bill Brightly]

Bill,

Tim Lane tells me I need to get down to Hackensack to see the continuing restoration work, so I may make a visit this summer.  I'm loving the new centerline bunker on 13.  11 thru 13 seems like a pretty solid stretch now.

Check with Tim, 11th greenside bunkers are next up

[Mike Policano]

Bill,

Are you the current Green Chair?

[Bill Brightly]

Bill,

Are you the current Green Chair?

No, I was for four years but not the last two. I am still a member of the restoration committee.