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Jason Thurman

  • Karma: +1/-0
Fuzzy Zoeller Designs
« on: July 26, 2012, 10:10:08 AM »
I caught some of the Feherty episode with Fuzzy Zoeller yesterday. In it, Fuzzy is talking about his course designs and basically says "It doesn't take any brains to build a really hard course, but it takes some brains to build one that anybody can play." Among other things, he discussed the importance of avoiding forced carries.

I've never played a Fuzzy course (which is hard to believe, since I grew up in Louisville). For those familiar with his work, what are some of its characteristics? I live in Cincinnati and I know he's done a fair amount of design in southern Indiana. Is anything worth the drive?
"There will always be haters. That’s just the way it is. Hating dudes marry hating women and have hating ass kids." - Evan Turner

Some of y'all have never been called out in bold green font and it really shows.

Chris Clouser

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fuzzy Zoeller Designs
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2012, 11:50:46 AM »
Jason,

I have played all four of the Fuzzy designs in Indiana.  On all four of them he worked with Clyde Johnston who used to post on this site.  I think Clyde is the guy that really knows his stuff about design.

Champions Pointe is the best of the bunch by a wide gap in my mind.  I think it has the best terrain of the four courses and the best hole designs.  Probably ranks among the top 15 to 20 public courses in the state, depending on your definition of public.

Covered Bridge in Sellersberg has some nice holes, the tenth in particular is very solid.  But it also has some gaps that aren't as inspired.  It is a good course, but I would only play it again if I was in the area for something else.  This is the most advertised course in the group as well and is Fuzzy's home course.  It does have a nice clubhouse.

Timbergate has some interesting design in it.  The soil is much sandier than most areas of the state and allows for some drainage.  I wish they maintained it much more like a links style course as the bunkers are in some excellent locations and could be much more of a factor is they weren't surrounded by rough.  I would say this and Covered Bridge are about equal with TG a tad better in my mind, but I could see how someone would like CB better.

The last in the group is Chestnut Hills in Fort Wayne.  The last 3 holes and the ninth are the only ones that have any real interest in my mind.  I was disappointed in my trip there as I made a special effort to see the course and was let down.  The only interesting contours were on the girl in the pro shop.   ;)

Bart Bradley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fuzzy Zoeller Designs
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2012, 11:54:58 AM »
Chris:

I have only seen Autumn Ridge and did not get to see any clubhouse contours.  I agree, a highly disappointing effort.

Bart

Nigel Islam

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fuzzy Zoeller Designs
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2012, 12:37:40 PM »
I have played three of the four in Indiana, and actually have played Covered Bridge a ton. Champions Point has some great holes, but I was not a big fan of 18. Covered Bridge is just good solid golf with a lot of mounding on the sides of the fairways ??? I think the 10th, 11th, and the double green 9th/18th are very interesting. Timbergate is similar to CB with lots of mounding, but the terrain is more severe and there is a par three that has a 30 foot tree directly on line to the green that could be a good or a bad feature depending on your ball flight. I prefer CB of the three, but in all fairness to Chris I only played Champions Point once and played fairly badly so that my skew my perspective. Not sure any would make my top 25, and I have a pretty poor resume.

Chris Clouser

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fuzzy Zoeller Designs
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2012, 01:07:48 PM »
Here is a write-up I did on Champoions Pointe a while back.  Evidently the photos have been dropped from the server they were loaded to originally.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,35330.0.html
« Last Edit: July 26, 2012, 01:16:48 PM by Chris Clouser »

Mike Nuzzo

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fuzzy Zoeller Designs
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2012, 01:28:12 PM »
Jason
I missed the interview
What do you think Fuzzy's role was on the projects?
Cheers
Thinking of Bob, Rihc, Bill, George, Neil, Dr. Childs, & Tiger.

Nigel Islam

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fuzzy Zoeller Designs
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2012, 05:16:37 PM »
Jason a lot of times Fuzzy is at Covered Bridge hanging out ala Arnie at Bay Hill.