3rd Annual Chicago/Southern Wisconsin Fall Outing - Spring Valley

[Andrew Lewis]

Regarding the second green on #7:

I'm really curious to walk back and see the green the next time I play SV.  Did the owner try to fit it with the other greens by employing bold contours and slopes?  Or is it a flat pancake that, as he noted, really just serves the purpose of stretching #7 to a par 4 and $8 to a par 5 in order to card the course at a par 72?

I'd note that the only reason we saw the extra tee on #8 and thus struck this particular conversation with the owner was that we saw echelon-style mounded bunkers in the flat ground leading back to the second green on #7.  If the current owner built the second green, presumably he also built the bunkers in front of it.  And if he also built those bunkers in the style of the original course, perhaps he also took liberties with the green?

In any case, it's a question that is most certainly worth the $15 required to find the answer...

[Peter Flory]

Just played a round at this course today.  Firm and fast!  I used hickories and was easily getting 40 yards of roll on my tee shots.  They seemed to elect to only water the greens.  So, the fairways were baked out and the greens were really, really soft.  That dynamic wasn't the worst, however- as it allowed either a run up shot or a shot that would hold.  I guess they need to make sure they keep the green alive.  For such soft greens, I was truly amazed at the lack of pitch marks.  Either their clientele really respects the course, or they don't hit many greens in reg. 

The shrunken greens definitely caught my eye.  Based on the shapes of the green complexes, it appears fairly obvious where the original green boundaries are.  The course would be much improved if they could restore those. 

Overall, it was really enjoyable.  The place was hopping on a Wednesday afternoon, but luckily we played the back first to avoid the "outing", which consisted of three 6-somes in a row. The pond on #4 is definitely an unfortunate addition to the course.  I found out that it existed the hard way. 


It is easy to daydream about giving this course the Lawsonia makeover. 

[RJ_Daley]

Thank you Peter for an update since this thread was about 5 years old.  Spring Valley was wonderful when the GCA.COM L&M tour played there.  It sounds like the greens sq ft was shrunk for cost savings.  Yet. an added pond must have been a needed irrigation water supply factor... at least one hopes that was the motive as oposed to just sticking a new hazard to the design.  Hickories must have been a blast on the F&F. 😎

[Peter Flory]

I'm considering setting up a 1 day hickory tournament/ outing this Spring with a possible date of May 11 (ave temp is 60 deg) at Spring Valley CC.  I would do it in conjunction with the WI hickory golfers and some of the IL guys. 


Would any of you be interested in participating if we lined up clubs for you?  Most of the guys that play have collections of clubs and enjoy sharing with new players. 

[Brendan Dolan]

Peter,


I'd be interested in participating in a hickory event at Spring Valley.  Unfortunately I have a busy spring ahead of me and can't commit.  Good luck getting something set up.


Brendan

[Peter Flory]

Played SV today and had the course all to myself, thanks to the heat and humidity.  I'm still amazed that this track is $18.


Here are some pics.  The storms grazed by, but thankfully missed.  Even with all the rain last month, the ball is bouncing and chasing like crazy on these fairways.  A 265 drive becomes 310 if stays in the fairway. 


#1 green



#4 (par 5- green perched up to the right)



#6 approach



#7 from 170



#7 from bottom of valley



#8 approach



#9 approach



#10 approach



#15

 
#17



#18

[RJ_Daley]

The B&W photos really give it a classic look, like stepping back to the 50s.  There is a lot to like about Spring Valley. 

[Phil McDade]

Peter:


Great photos of one of my favorite courses; not surprised the ball was bouncing, as that place gets maintenance meld (on purpose or by default - unclear ) better than places that spend 10 x as much taking care of their courses. You can see both the great features and untapped potential of the course -- too many trees in places, green pads that beg to be filled out. The course that still may rate as the best sub-$25 course in the country. (If you told me to pick an all-18 hole course of Wisconsin's best with a traditional lineup of 12 par 4s, 4 par 5s and 4 par 3s, two of the par 3s would come from this course.)


(R.J. -- Hope all is well with you, and have fun at the Minnesota outing at Northland; previous plans prevent my presence)

[Peter Flory]

Here is a very crude shop job (sorry about the bright white) to show what it might look like with sand.  Squint to get the best effect...


#2



#16