Wolf Point Club: A pictorial!!! (18th hole posted)

[Kyle Henderson]

The 6th is one of three par3s that plays across (or next to, depending on where you decide to peg it up) the meandering stream that influences play on 8 holes in total.


Sir Nuzzo is surrounded by unworthy hacks (Mahaffey is behind the camera, savvy enough to avoid any direct evidence of association).


It’s a long  iron or hybrid for most from near the 5th green to the 6th. On a course with no rough, that bank on the left is truly one to be avoided. Less imaginative designers might think a bunker or two would be needed, but Nuzzo rightfully recognized that the land holds enough inherent character to keep golfers engaged.


Bailing out right results in a chip from a tight lie (or a long Texas wedge) to another complex surface. What a great set of greens! This is no TPC…

[Sam Morrow]

6 Is the ultimate in, "it was here, let's mow it and play it." The naturalness of it is striking. Most architects would have probably bulk headed the left side and made it a hole with another forgettable hazard. I'm also a fan of a hole that favors a hook.

[Charlie Gallagher]

I will echo Mr Morrow, the 6th is a testament to "uncover the ground, let it sit, look at it, amend the soil with the right growing medium, presto, we have a great par 3." The stream on the left edge of the hole that the green slopes into, and the higher rumpled ground in the bailout area right offer all the challenge you'll ever need here. Just a great natural green location.
16 offers a similar delicious natural scenario, but we'll get there.

[Ronald Montesano]

nice fedora...

and not just a draw, but a hook...

[Kyle Henderson]

Tucked into a corner of the selected property, the 7th is somewhat of a finesse hole, as power players will need to shape one from left-to-right or club down significantly from the tee.


From  “the tips,” players will face one of the more constrictive driving lanes of the day, though there is ample width up ahead in the landing zone.


Failure to carry the native scrub on an aggressive line will exact a heavy cost.


Hugging the inside of the dogleg will also result in a less-than-ideal angle of approach.


The ideal approach position (for conservative players) is near (not in !!!) bunkers protecting the outside corner.


Another world class putting surface ultimately decides this chapter of the match.


This vantage point behind the green shows just how elegantly the 7th ties in with its surroundings.

[Lou_Duran]

Sir Nuzzo is surrounded by unworthy hacks (Mahaffey is behind the camera, savvy enough to avoid any direct evidence of association).

Kyle,

I envy your ability to control and present the message.  What a flattering picture.  I've never seen the senior McBride portrayed better.  But I think it's the hat on the dapper, finely chiseled guy to "Sir" Nuzzo's left that really makes it.

Given the depth of the presentation and the analysis thus far, I am curious, how many times have you played Wolf Point?

What are Behr's lines of instinct and charm on #7 for a moderately long hitter (carry of 270-285 yards)?  And for guys like me and Bill?   

[Bill_McBride]

Lou, the play for most every short to average player must be at the left side fairway bunkers.  The green opens up from there.  Not recommended is the line I took by accident, well into the gunch.  Double bogeys lurk out there.

[Kyle Henderson]

Lou, I have played the course once (with an additional warm-up play of the 8th since it was in the way to the 1st tee). I figure the designer can chime in if I mischaracterize the strategic options.

As McBride states, the line of charm is at the bunkers dead ahead from the 7th tee. The line if instinct is down the right edge.

[Mike Nuzzo]

The drive to the clubhouse passes the 7th green, I get a kick looking at the surface every time I pass.
It may be even better listening to a first time visitor oooh and ahhh as they get their first detailed look at the course.
It is also the last view of the course when leaving, I often pull over at dusk and soak it in one last time.

The 7th was the last hole we built.
Here was a blog post about the changes from the plan to what we built:
http://nuzzogolfcoursedesign.blogspot.com/2007/09/bottle-hole-no-more-7th.html

On my blog if you click the number 7 it brings up all the posts about the 7th, or any other hole.
http://nuzzogolfcoursedesign.blogspot.com/search/label/%237

Cheers

[Bill_McBride]

I was very proud of son David's kick in birdie at 7, his second of the day after a two putt bird on 3.   

If I recall correctly, he got back on his game after that and started playing more like a McBride!

[Don_Mahaffey]

I'm a big fan of the front pin on 7. This is a view from behind and what you might see as you drive into WP for the first time.
#7 is an interesting hole because it draws everyone to the right when the best play by far is to come in from the left. For the shorter hitter, a 180-220 yard shot left of the two pinching fwy bunkers is perfect and leaves one with a 125-160 yards shot. When there is a front pin like that shown, if the player bumps the ball in and uses the ridge behind the pin, then the ball feeds right down to the hole. For the longer hitter who chooses to hit driver, there is ample room right of the bunkers between the bunkers and the green on the left side. If you look at the aerial Kyle posted, you'll see plenty of room, and again from there the green is very receptive, especially this front pin. But, decide to fly it in there instead of a bump, and you better nail it because you will not get within 10 feet if you are putting from the middle or back of the green.
We use a lot of tee locations on this hole but the strategy doesn't really change, you have to pick if you are going right, or left of the fwy bunkers and you have to avoid the miss right. It really is straight forward, but for some reason the temptation to go right creeps into every group.

[Phil McDade]

Mike, Don and Kyle:

First of all, thanks for this wonderful thread, and this course, which looks like a blast to play.

Maybe I should wait to ask this, but the tour of #7 prompted a few thoughts.

Can you address what appears to be somewhat different bunker construction on various holes? Some look dug in to the contours of the course, and appear to be near-pot bunkers that one should go out of his way to avoid. But the bunkers on 7 look relatively shallow -- I usually try to avoid corner dogleg bunkers like the plague, but the one on the inside of the dogleg on #7 doesn't look terribly penal (compared to some of the bunkers shown earlier on the front nine). Not that there's anything wrong with that! I'm just interested in the strategic choices made about bunker style and shaping.

[Eric Smith]

I thought this was a par 3?

Sincerely,

Tu Wood

[Don_Mahaffey]

Hey Tu Wood,
funny course this Wolf Point, drive a par 4, but can't reach a par 3......

[Eric Smith]

Hey Tu Wood,
funny course this Wolf Point, drive a par 4, but can't reach a par 3......

Now that's just cruel. I am willing to try again..

Btw, in all seriousness, and in my fullest capacity to thread jack, does Tennessee's new football coach remind you of you? Listen to him here at SEC Media Day yesterday..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiMW1zd-Cgo I couldn't be more right about this! We're going to be a lot better football team with you in charge.

[Adam Lawrence]

Mike, Don and Kyle:

First of all, thanks for this wonderful thread, and this course, which looks like a blast to play.

Maybe I should wait to ask this, but the tour of #7 prompted a few thoughts.

Can you address what appears to be somewhat different bunker construction on various holes? Some look dug in to the contours of the course, and appear to be near-pot bunkers that one should go out of his way to avoid. But the bunkers on 7 look relatively shallow -- I usually try to avoid corner dogleg bunkers like the plague, but the one on the inside of the dogleg on #7 doesn't look terribly penal (compared to some of the bunkers shown earlier on the front nine). Not that there's anything wrong with that! I'm just interested in the strategic choices made about bunker style and shaping.

It isn't desperately penal in terms of depth, but there's a lot of it, and if you go in then your recovery, unless you're prepared to go left, is going to be all carry over sand to a green where, as Don says, putting from the back is very difficult.

A very clever hole on a course that has lots of them.

[Sam Morrow]

I usually don't care for holes that turn right (anyone who knows me knows my nasty ball flight) but I love this one. There is ample room to take it down the left (or play my snapper) but it really challenges you to bite off more than you can chew to the right. Normally I don't care for such shallow bunkers but I think the one short and right flows seamlessly into the low profile green.

I've never met anyone who doesn't smile and almost giggle as they stand behind the green and look back on the hole. The first time I was there Mahaffey took me on a tour and as we stopped behind the green he picked up his beer and said, "How fucking cool is this?" I've heard several others say the same thing ever since that day. This is another hole that blends in so perfectly and effortlessly with the surrounds.
"

McBride,

 What horse did you and white belt wussy ride to victory?

[Bill_McBride]

I usually don't care for holes that turn right (anyone who knows me knows my nasty ball flight) but I love this one. There is ample room to take it down the left (or play my snapper) but it really challenges you to bite off more than you can chew to the right. Normally I don't care for such shallow bunkers but I think the one short and right flows seamlessly into the low profile green.

I've never met anyone who doesn't smile and almost giggle as they stand behind the green and look back on the hole. The first time I was there Mahaffey took me on a tour and as we stopped behind the green he picked up his beer and said, "How fucking cool is this?" I've heard several others say the same thing ever since that day. This is another hole that blends in so perfectly and effortlessly with the surrounds.
"

McBride,

 What horse did you and white belt wussy ride to victory?

You, Pony Boy, and what was it worth?   NOTHING, NADA, ZILCH, we forgot to make a bet!

[Sam Morrow]

I usually don't care for holes that turn right (anyone who knows me knows my nasty ball flight) but I love this one. There is ample room to take it down the left (or play my snapper) but it really challenges you to bite off more than you can chew to the right. Normally I don't care for such shallow bunkers but I think the one short and right flows seamlessly into the low profile green.

I've never met anyone who doesn't smile and almost giggle as they stand behind the green and look back on the hole. The first time I was there Mahaffey took me on a tour and as we stopped behind the green he picked up his beer and said, "How fucking cool is this?" I've heard several others say the same thing ever since that day. This is another hole that blends in so perfectly and effortlessly with the surrounds.
"

McBride,

 What horse did you and white belt wussy ride to victory?

You, Pony Boy, and what was it worth?   NOTHING, NADA, ZILCH, we forgot to make a bet!

Ya know you made the clinching putt.

[Lou_Duran]

Lou, I have played the course once (with an additional warm-up play of the 8th since it was in the way to the 1st tee). I figure the designer can chime in if I mischaracterize the strategic options.

As McBride states, the line of charm is at the bunkers dead ahead from the 7th tee. The line if instinct is down the right edge.

Impressive stuff based on a single play.  Maybe taking all the pictures helps in taking in and remembering all the features, but can it be good on your game?  I know the answer, how you play doesn't matter.  BTW, putting Don behind the camera was very strategic.

As I recall, I aimed at the left half of #7 green, south wind, flushed it in the hay.  If there's a next time, gca.com golf- left, punch something sort and let it run.

Don or Mike:

I know it's not in your nature, but would you mind taking the aerial on this thread and marking the tees and pin locations for one of the "ideal"/fun set-ups, say, in 10-15 mph prevailing winds (S, SW?) with yardages on each hole?

[Kyle Henderson]

Doubling as a warm-up hole for most visitors, the 8th is a par 3 played to the starboard half of a double green shared with the 18th hole.


Tee shots may require as much as a fairway wood from the macho tees, or as little as a mid-iron from near the crossing creek.


Especially when wind is blowing against golfers here, as it often will, the bunker short of the green will be a legitimate concern for low-ball hitters.


But the slopes leading up to the mammoth green will present a far more problematic puzzle.


A look across from the 8th to the 18th flag, with an immense swale in the green’s center dipping deep enough to escape the camera’s gaze.


The green and its surrounds are markedly pitched toward the creek.


 
One more view of the green, as it is more than worthy of another look, viewing from near the 18th flag to the 8th.

[Kyle Henderson]

Maybe taking all the pictures helps in taking in and remembering all the features, but can it be good on your game?  I know the answer, how you play doesn't matter. 

The photography doesn't help my score any, but it's worth the chance to relieve what may be a once in a lifetime experience. I only play well when the timing clicks and the stakes are low, thus I always seem to take far more satisfying pictures than pleasing golf strokes. Knowing this, I feel foolish not snapping off at least a few shots whenever I play somewhere new.

[Dieter Jones]

How many work on the maintenance crew there to keep it in that good condition? I'm wondering how many more would be needed if say there was a cut of "rough" on each hole and also less of the large combined expanses of fairways and more "individual" fairways.

Are they using a gang mowers anytime?

Interested to hear how the cost saving concepts from construction are flowing on to the maintenance program. We have a lot of clubs in my area really struggling with rising costs not being matched by increased revenues.

[Sam Morrow]

This is such a unique green, the swale separating 8 and 18 is a cool feature and a pain to putt from. It's a very tough hole but there is plenty of room to play safe and to the right. While this looks like a prudent play it brings an incredibly difficult leave.

[RJ_Daley]

Maybe taking all the pictures helps in taking in and remembering all the features, but can it be good on your game?  I know the answer, how you play doesn't matter. 

The photography doesn't help my score any, but it's worth the chance to relieve what may be a once in a lifetime experience. I only play well when the timing clicks and the stakes are low, thus I always seem to take far more satisfying pictures than pleasing golf strokes. Knowing this, I feel foolish not snapping off at least a few shots whenever I play somewhere new.

Not to mention that I think it is a particularly notable act of generosity that Kyle and Mark and others take the time from just playing their game to thoughtfully find good camera photo positions that they know will show the architectural points they will then share with this group.  Also, the time it takes to download and post the photos, which can be tedious and fussy.  So, thanks Kyle, your photos are among the best I've seen of Mike's outstanding work, and the Don's maintenance meld presentation.