Forest Dunes (Doak)

[Jim Franklin]

Does anyone know if they started seeding the first few holes yet?

[Zack Molnar]

Matt Ginella posted some pictures of him playing the course with Mr. Doak this weekend, and it was all pretty much dirt from what was visible

[Tommy Williamsen]

 From Tom Doak post on another thread.
"I've got three courses opening in 2015, though none of them are in the U.S.  Of those, I'm most looking forward to playing the back nine at Tara Iti in April.  If it's as fun to play as the front nine, we'll have something pretty special down there.

I'm also hoping we'll have a few holes at Forest Dunes playable by October [the first holes will be planted in May], so we can try them out forwards and backwards, but it will be late summer of 2016 before the whole course is ready."

[Tom_Doak]

Since my last post, our superintendent Jim Bluck has left to take the job at Arcadia Bluffs.  His successor, Brian Moore, was the assistant at Chicago Golf Club.  His first day on the job was Monday, and we will start seeding 1-2 holes per week starting the first of June.  Just as well we didn't start earlier ... they may have had frost there last night!

I will be on site quite often from Memorial Day to the end of July for those who want to see what we are up to.  The work is going great, we've got 10 holes shaped and ready for the irrigation crew, and I expect to finish a couple more next week.

[Jim Franklin]

Since my last post, our superintendent Jim Bluck has left to take the job at Arcadia Bluffs.  His successor, Brian Moore, was the assistant at Chicago Golf Club.  His first day on the job was Monday, and we will start seeding 1-2 holes per week starting the first of June.  Just as well we didn't start earlier ... they may have had frost there last night!

I will be on site quite often from Memorial Day to the end of July for those who want to see what we are up to.  The work is going great, we've got 10 holes shaped and ready for the irrigation crew, and I expect to finish a couple more next week.

Thanks and great news. I enjoyed the original course there and will be back in '17 to play yours. Can't wait.

[Jason Topp]

Tom:

How difficult is the challenge of making the holes look good from both directions?  A local Minnesota architect (Joel Goldstrand) did a number of reversible 9 hole courses and they wound up both looking extremely awkward.  You have to spend a fair amount of time studying the scorecard to figure out where holes go and to find the next tee.

[Morgan Clawson]

Jason,

Which courses?

[Jim Franklin]

Tom:

How difficult is the challenge of making the holes look good from both directions?  A local Minnesota architect (Joel Goldstrand) did a number of reversible 9 hole courses and they wound up both looking extremely awkward.  You have to spend a fair amount of time studying the scorecard to figure out where holes go and to find the next tee.

There is a routing published in the May-June issue of DBusiness.com (must be a local Michigan publication) that a friend sent me. It really looks interesting and fun to play. Granted it is a two dimensional drawing, but I have seen the first hole and can figure out the terrain. Again, I can't wait to play it.

[Jason Topp]

Jason,

Which courses?

The 3rd nine at Fox Hollow and the new 9 at New Richmond.  There is also one out West of Alexandria that I have never played.

[Bill Brightly]

Tom:

How difficult is the challenge of making the holes look good from both directions?  A local Minnesota architect (Joel Goldstrand) did a number of reversible 9 hole courses and they wound up both looking extremely awkward.  You have to spend a fair amount of time studying the scorecard to figure out where holes go and to find the next tee.

There is a routing published in the May-June issue of DBusiness.com (must be a local Michigan publication) that a friend sent me. It really looks interesting and fun to play. Granted it is a two dimensional drawing, but I have seen the first hole and can figure out the terrain. Again, I can't wait to play it.

Jim, are you able to post the routing or a link to the article?  Never mind, I think I found it:
https://www.google.com/search?q=st.+andrews+old+course+reversible+layout&espv=2&biw=1422&bih=661&tbm=isch&imgil=4G2d0OUCnI0FMM%253A%253BGNInBFQNG7pxYM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fnews.bbc.co.uk%25252Fsport2%25252Fhi%25252Fgolf%25252F4660481.stm&source=iu&pf=m&fir=4G2d0OUCnI0FMM%253A%252CGNInBFQNG7pxYM%252C_&usg=__Phc-HjUj_-SLbph9ZHdF2o122-E%3D&ved=0CC0Qyjc&ei=OghdVbDsFIb7gwTNt4DoBw#imgrc=1RsH_YFBQKwSCM%253A%3BpadtnaogYUMCWM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fstatic.npaper-wehaa.com%252Fpub-files%252F13136110824e4c1d4ac0dfe%252Fpub%252FNorthernexpress-04-06-2015%252Flib%252F14281947035520858f56006.png%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.northernexpress.com%252Fmichigan%252Farticle-6849-the-reversible-golf-course.html%3B495%3B372

[Jim Franklin]

That's it Bill.