Autumn at Somerset Hills CC - Photo Tour

[Steve Lapper]

A tree observation - fabulous trees and colours, but apart perhaps from a couple of holes on the back-9 no apparent tree-lined avenue style holes (or any sense of tree-overcrowding). Would it be fair to say that this course is an example of where trees enhance rather than diminish an inland course?

atb

Thomas,

   It wasn't always this way. Up until about 3-4yrs ago, a few of the holes and their innate lines of charm were encroached by trees (where none of it had ever been..according to the historic photos). It looks and plays significantly wider than ever before and the variety of trees are unique, even for this part of NJ. They are certainly considered enhancing rather than not, especially at this time of the year.

Jon & Brian,

  Was your caddy's name Mike Sheridan? If so, he's a terrific young man and knows every inch of the place.

    Lastly, Hurricane Sandy may have done even more work than RGD and the club's energetic and thoughtful president. Along with a good number of smaller ones, the majestic tree on the right of the 17th downslope came down, no longer giving the tee shot a set of field-goal posts. Rigorous thought and placement now dictate the tee ball.

  

[Sean_A]

Jon

Very fine.  It seems like Somerset has a little bit of everything.  Is the variety in 3D as it looks in 2D?

Ciao

[Jeff Spittel]

Jon,

Thank you for the stunning photos of one of the world's most charming courses. There is so much variety on offer at SHCC and it is presented so beautifully. I was lucky enough to attend high school in the area and I miss it this time of year. 

[Chris DeToro]

Wow, great pictures!

[Brian Finn]

Jon & Brian,

  Was your caddy's name Mike Sheridan? If so, he's a terrific young man and knows every inch of the place.

We had another great young guy, Henry Borda.  He knew the course extremely well and was pretty knowledgeable and enthusiastic about golf course architecture. I'm hoping to help him see some of the other classics in his neighborhood next year.

[D_Malley]

Love the fairway width of the green approaches!!!!!!

[Jon Cavalier]

Thanks for the questions, guys. I'll try to answer them as best I can.

Thomas:
The trees at Somerset absolutely enhance, rather than detract from, the experience. The course is not clostrophobic at all, even on the back side. When the trees do come into play, they do so sparingly - I was out of position left on 13 and needed to hit a draw around the trees (and failed miserably). So they can have an effect, but to be in them, you really need to be pretty far offline. And as Steve points out, the combined efforts of the club and Hurricane Sandy to remove trees has really made a positive difference. I was told that the trees behind the 14th green were removed by Sandy, and in my opinion, this greatly improved both the approach into the green and the views from the green down to the area of the 11th and 12th holes.

Brian S:
Thanks for your comment and questions. I use Flickr to host the photos that I share, and I use the code for 800 pixel width, as I find that this looks best on these pages and prevents having to scroll right to left. I also typically crop photos to whatever size is most appropriate, which is why some of the photos above are "shorter" than the others.

Sean A:
The variety and appeal is very much present in 3D at Somerset.  I think the photos above are an accurate and realistic representation of the golf course on the day we played. It's really quite a fun spot to play golf.

D_Malley:
I couldn't agree with you more - the fairway width of the green approaches was one of my favorite things about Somerset. As best I can recall, holes 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 and 12 were more or less wide open in front.

Glad you are enjoying the tour. I appreciate all the comments.

[Dunlop_White]

Jon -- Very Nice! It looks outstanding.Thanks for sharing your great photos

[Jim Nugent]

In what looks like a well-deserved love-fest, let me ask a wrinkling question about the course.  Looks like the following holes have pretty similar drives, i.e. tee shots that hit over a rise or ridge in front of the tee, to blind landing spots: 

7, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, and maybe 1.  Is that true, and if so do around half of the drives lack variety?     

[BShannon]

Jon,

Fantastic photos! Thanks for sharing.

[Steve Lapper]

In what looks like a well-deserved love-fest, let me ask a wrinkling question about the course.  Looks like the following holes have pretty similar drives, i.e. tee shots that hit over a rise or ridge in front of the tee, to blind landing spots:  

7, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, and maybe 1.  Is that true, and if so do around half of the drives lack variety?    

Jim,

 There are plenty of semi-blind LZs for drives, however the preferred routes and ultimate results would argue for a wide variety of driving skill. Distinct draws and fades are continually demanded in order to work with the terrain features found over the horizon of all those fairways you cite.

[Bill Crane]

SHCC - just charming in every way.

Our pro at Springdale G C - Princeton ( 45 mins away ) - found notes from the 1920s indicating our members were doing home and away matches at Somerset and P V !!

During my last round there a year ago I looked at the Redan from behind the green, and it seems to me the safe shot is slightly long, with the ability to chip back up the severly sloping green to the pin.  Long right is MORTE - death! Trying to get back over the buckboard slope and near the pin is impossible.

Also - the front slope on #13 in front of the Biarritz style green is really steep,  with the intimidating Biarritz style green behind it.  Could be a round wrecker.

I have played about six Tillinghast courses and don't recall template hole features in his designs elsewhere.  Is  SHCC unique in this respect ?


Wm Flynnfan

[Patrick_Mucci]

In what looks like a well-deserved love-fest, let me ask a wrinkling question about the course. 

Looks like the following holes have pretty similar drives, i.e. tee shots that hit over a rise or ridge in front of the tee, to blind landing spots: 

7, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, and maybe 1.  Is that true,


NO

and if so do around half of the drives lack variety?   

NO

The course plays different than it looks in selective photos  

[Jon Cavalier]

In what looks like a well-deserved love-fest, let me ask a wrinkling question about the course. 

Looks like the following holes have pretty similar drives, i.e. tee shots that hit over a rise or ridge in front of the tee, to blind landing spots: 

7, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, and maybe 1.  Is that true,


NO

and if so do around half of the drives lack variety?   

NO

The course plays different than it looks in selective photos  

It's interesting - I went back and looked at the photos and was surprised at how many tee shots have at least part of the landing area obscured. I didn't remember feeling like I was hitting a bunch of blind tee shots, and Pat's right - it doesn't play that way. There are few tee shots where the landing area is truly blind: 17, over the ridge and down the hill, is certainly one. 15, with a reachable downslope, is another (although the preferred shots on 15 and 17 are entirely different - 15 asks for a cut, 17 a draw to avoid running off the fairway. The rest are not your typical blind tee shots - often, the rise is small enough that you can see most of the landing area but may not actually be able to see your ball: 1, 7, and for long hitters, 13 are examples of this.

But most importantly, you most definitely do not feel any sense of repetition or boredom from the tee (or elsewhere) at Somerset. In fact, the difference in shots and the level of interest the course generates off the tee is actually quite striking and very noticeable

[Aaron McMaster]

Jon,

Great tour, I'll have to put SH on the must play list next time I'm out east.  The little bluesteam gives some awesome fall color to the natives. 

[Jon Cavalier]

Found a couple other decent shots that didn't make the tour:

Rainbow over the 3rd Green:


11th and 12 Greens as viewed from the 18th fairway:

[Howard Riefs]

Nice photo tour.

What model Leica and lens are you using for these photos?

[Pete Blaisdell]

Jon

  A truly magnificent tour !!

  Photos are just beautiful and your hole descriptions tell me that you missed your calling.

  Well done, one of the best Tours I,ve seen on GCA.

[Greg Taylor]

I keep coming back to this thread... can't help but walk through the tour.

The course and ambience feels like a proper club... and the width around the greens and the greens themselves are very inviting in terms of how playable and fun it would be. Thanks to the OP and this website for sharing these pics.

I would be curious to hear the forum's opinion on the mounds however... I can't dquare in my own mind whether I think they should be there at all... as in, would a series of bunkers or other hazard given the same level of challenge without it looking so man made?!

All the same, what a great course and tour... thanks again!

[Tim_Weiman]

Jon,

Wow! Beautiful set of pictures. Thanks for the tour.

Somerset Hills is a gap in my study of golf architecture. Your thread is a reminder I need to change that.

[Steve Lapper]

I keep coming back to this thread... can't help but walk through the tour.

The course and ambience feels like a proper club... and the width around the greens and the greens themselves are very inviting in terms of how playable and fun it would be. Thanks to the OP and this website for sharing these pics.

I would be curious to hear the forum's opinion on the mounds however... I can't dquare in my own mind whether I think they should be there at all... as in, would a series of bunkers or other hazard given the same level of challenge without it looking so man made?!

All the same, what a great course and tour... thanks again!

  The mounding you wonder about are the infamous "chocolate drops/Dolomite mounds" that AWT deliberately built to provide another hazard with a different recovery shot. Tilly put them in the most interesting place....on a semi-arc, running from down the left side of #4 running back to behind 4's green and alongside the right of #6's approach...both areas found easily on slightly wayward long irons (or woods) shots.

  Had he used bunkers, the aesthetic would have been vastly different and the recovery shot possibility entirely different. Deadly and awkward, lies found in these fescue-trimmed mounds allow for either brilliant or pathetic recoveries. Given Tilly's liberal borrowing of classic Scottish features found uniquely at SHCC, this feature is almost elegant in presentation and playability. To the eye, they really don't feel any more man-made than the drainage ditches scattered around Oakmont or the heather hilly patches at Myopia. They are better appreciated and absorbed in person than by photo. Hope that helps!

[Jon Cavalier]

I agree with everything Steve said above. In truth, the Dolomites were one of my favorite features at Somerset Hills. They're visually striking, frame the 4th hole beautifully, they're a relatively unique feature, and perhaps most importantly, they fit in well. They certainly wouldn't work at every course, and if overused, could be gimmicky. But I thought Tillinghast used them in a great spot and in a perfect amount. I'm a fan.

And they do present interesting recovery opportunities. I was in them after an overly aggressive (and very poor) second shot on 6. I thought it was a fun challenge to have to attempt a recovery shot from a hairy lie to a tough green with the ball at knee level.

[Greg Taylor]

^ thanks...!

Looking at the pics again the greens look awesome. The course as a whole like The Addington and Tobacco Road - must sees I fancy.

Curious to see how it ranks in the American Conf Guide when it comes out!

[Bill Brightly]

I had the great pleasure to play SH about a week after Jon. I missed some of the colors but the course is magnificant. It is one of those places that I wish every restoration committee could see before they hire an architect and start making changes to their course. The fairway width on many of the holes is striking, yet those holes provide the real challenge at the greensite. This course is just FUN. Talk about passing the 18th green test, I wanted to RUN to the first tee.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Bill,

I agree on both points, SH is exhibit "A" in restoration work and it is fun, passing my back to the first tee test with flying colors.

Who would have thought that AWT would copy some of the templates ?