National Golf Links of America (NGLA) - A Photo Tour

[Josh Bills]

Jon, the pictures are amazing.  While your pictures do a great job of capturing the movement in the land, holes like the Sahara, Alps and Bottle seemed so much more uphill and the Peconic so much more down hill then even your photos can capture.  That land has such great movement.  What a wonderful spot, wonderful course and one I wish I could play every day.   I would never tire of what can be learned and enjoyed there, thank you.  Keep up the fantastic work.

Josh

[Thomas Dai]

Splendid photo tour Jon. Well done.

Interesting to see collars of rough both around and inside some of the bunkers. Has this always been the case? Do balls get held up on the faces/edges or will they trickle down the faces into the sand? Not saying they should or shouldn't, just asking.

atb

[Paul Nash]

Thanks Jon - an amazing article that takes golf course reviews to a new level - not playing golf at the moment due to injury, this is vicarious pornography!

[Andrew Buck]

Jon,

Wonderful pictures and commentary.  I only had time to get partially through on my first look, but can't wait to revisit later.

Should I never have the chance to visit in person, I have no doubt these posts do as good of job of relaying the experience as fully as possible without physically experiencing it.

Cheers 

[Greg Smith]

This is simply the finest post I have ever seen on GolfClubAtlas.  As a student of Macdonald's work and history I am obviously biased, but there is no doubt that NGLA is a treasure in the world of golf and you, sir, are one of the finest golf photographers around.  Can;t thank you enough for your work, I feel I should be paying you.

[Phil McDade]

This is the first photo tour of yours that I have seen clouds. Sorry you didn't get your typical weather for your round.

Jon encountered clouds on this day on what looked to be another miserable day for golf by the Atlantic Ocean.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,60605.0.html

[MCirba]

Terrific post, illuminating photos, almost indescribable course you've somehow managed to accurately capture in words.

Bravo, and thanks!

[David Davis]

Amazing photos Jon! Thanks for all the hard work of putting this together to share with us. It reminds me of my day there in October almost exactly.

The windmill I found interesting living in The Netherlands as it's a very Dutch windmill. I was also quite interested to see the original Dutch Delf's Blue tiles in the clubhouse. Those were the blue and white tiles they had on the wall in the main room where all the books are. What I didn't quite understand was what the link between The Netherlands/Dutch and the club are. I'm not certain if it only stems back to all the Dutch that immigrated to the US and perhaps some original members were of Dutch ancestry or perhaps even there is a tie in with the windmill and the gentleman that suggested it needed to be built.

Anyone know this by chance? Might sound silly to ask but you gentlemen are so full of historical and interesting trivial information that I wouldn't put it past perhaps many of you to know the answers to the above.

Thanks

[Michael Graham]

Jon, to echo what has already been said, a simply stunning photo tour.

The photo of the sunrise over Bullhead Bay is one of the most beautiful photographs, not just golf related, that I've seen for quite some time.

Michael

[SteveOgulukian]

Jon,

Great job once again. When I posted some pics from my day at NGLA a few years ago I received plenty of praise but it doesn't compare to this! Well done! When I played it was a late October day and the native fescue was fully grown in. I would love to see what pictures you could've come up with on that day.

How did you play?  Dare to say if you had a single favorite hole?

[Jeff Spittel]

You've outdone yourself with this one, Jon. You have a gift for photography and your reviews always exhibit a wonderful appreciation for architectural nuance. Much appreciated for another great contribution.

[Michael Moore]

The caption on the . . . ah . . . let's see here . . . hold on . . . 120th photo should say "the fourteenth" instead of "the thirteenth".

[Sven Nilsen]

The windmill I found interesting living in The Netherlands as it's a very Dutch windmill. I was also quite interested to see the original Dutch Delf's Blue tiles in the clubhouse. Those were the blue and white tiles they had on the wall in the main room where all the books are. What I didn't quite understand was what the link between The Netherlands/Dutch and the club are. I'm not certain if it only stems back to all the Dutch that immigrated to the US and perhaps some original members were of Dutch ancestry or perhaps even there is a tie in with the windmill and the gentleman that suggested it needed to be built.

Anyone know this by chance? Might sound silly to ask but you gentlemen are so full of historical and interesting trivial information that I wouldn't put it past perhaps many of you to know the answers to the above.

Thanks

David:

My guess is the windmill at NGLA was based on the other working windmills that dotted the landscape on the eastern end of Long Island. 

If you want a bit of the back story, there was a 1912 piece in Southampton Magazine that covered their history (found here - http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433062536051;view=1up;seq=60).

Sven                                 

[Jon Cavalier]

All:  Thanks for your comments.  I'm glad you are enjoying the tour.  As several of you have correctly noted, it is virtually impossible to capture the magic of a place like National in photographs and a few words.  But if nothing else, I hope that those of you who haven't been to National get at least a small sense of the place, and that those who have are reminded of why its so special.  

Tom Doak: Thanks for the comment.  That shot back up the hill from the 17th green is one of my favorites as well.  And I am glad you liked the aerial -- it really is quite revealing to see how Macdonald laid the course out from above.

Keith: Sorry, no sense of when the real estate component fell away.  But seeing as the other thread is 35 pages deep, I am sure a consensus will be reached soon.

Ron: The first photo was taken from the public beach at dawn.  Since I was so early, I walked the beach as the sun was coming up and was presented with that amazing view.  Watching the sun come up over the bay and seeing the first light of day paint the windmill and the clubhouse was surreal.

Nigel: Kind of you to fall on that grenade, but the ball in the Strath bunker is all mine.  Seem to recall you making two on that hole.  Seem to recall me making like Davie Strath himself.

Jeff: Completely agree.  Clearing the rise on Sahara and seeing the Alps and Redan come into view is a life-altering experience for an GCA junkie.  That hill is massive and steep, and its hard to believe that someone built a golf hole that way a century ago.  And I can certainly see how shooting 69 at National in wind would rank as a top-5 golfing experience -- I'd love to hear about the other 4.

Thomas: I believe the collars of rough in some of the pot bunkers were a little longer than usual, but they still won't hold a ball - anything that reaches the edge is going all the way in.

David: I am not sure about the Windmill being Dutch, but I do remember reading that Macdonald took the logo from the Dutch tiles simply because he liked the look.  I may be wrong about that, however.  

Steve:  Thanks.  I would love to see the course with the fescue up and brown.  Favorite hole is virtually impossible to pick, but it would probably be one of Alps, Redan or Peconic.

[BHoover]

Thanks for a nice photo tour of a course that most of us would like to play. But this seems to be laying it on rather thick with the religious undertones, no? It's a great golf course, but it is just a golf course at the end of the day.

[Jeff Fortson]

Thanks for a nice photo tour of a course that most of us would like to play. But this seems to be laying it on rather thick with the religious undertones, no? It's a great golf course, but it is just a golf course at the end of the day.

It is a "religious" place to me! 

[Jon Cavalier]

Brian:

If I've offended you, I apologize. But I meant every word of my post. After 17 years of catholic/Jesuit education, a place like NGLA is about as close to church as I get these days.

Jon

[Terry Lavin]

Brian:

If I've offended you, I apologize. But I meant every word of my post. After 17 years of catholic/Jesuit education, a place like NGLA is about as close to church as I get these days.

Jon

I'm a Jesuit trained typist and I agree with JCav and rather doubt BHoove is all that offended. Once again, great job, Jon.

Let me know when you're headed to Chicago.

[Bill_McBride]

The Eden hole disappointed me because the Strath bunker was well to the right of the St Andrews location where it is a nightmare waiting to happen.  At NGLA there is a good sized opening between Hill and Strath, removing some of the terror. 

Of course this in no way detracts from the joy of a day at NGLA.  I can think of no finer sight in golf that the view from the tee at 17!

[BHoover]

Brian:

If I've offended you, I apologize. But I meant every word of my post. After 17 years of catholic/Jesuit education, a place like NGLA is about as close to church as I get these days.

Jon

I'm in no way offended, so please don't think I meant that (I'm not one who is easily offended). I only meant that I found some of the descriptions a bit cliched and over-the-top syrupy--almost a tad corny in my opinion. I get that it's a great golf course. But to gush about this place is almost, I don't know, strange (I feel the same way when golf fans go misty-eyes and speak in hushed tones about ANGC). But no, I'm definitely not offended...and I conceded that it's a nice photo tour.

[Steve Lang]

The windmill I found interesting living in The Netherlands as it's a very Dutch windmill. I was also quite interested to see the original Dutch Delf's Blue tiles in the clubhouse. Those were the blue and white tiles they had on the wall in the main room where all the books are. What I didn't quite understand was what the link between The Netherlands/Dutch and the club are. I'm not certain if it only stems back to all the Dutch that immigrated to the US and perhaps some original members were of Dutch ancestry or perhaps even there is a tie in with the windmill and the gentleman that suggested it needed to be built.

Anyone know this by chance? Might sound silly to ask but you gentlemen are so full of historical and interesting trivial information that I wouldn't put it past perhaps many of you to know the answers to the above.

Thanks

David,

the water tower was apparently not very pretty, as shown in print from a Whigam article from Scribner's.  I think it was a good suggestion.  There were also quite a few windmills in the area at turn of the century.



i wonder if they used some dutch blend of milk paint originally?

[Matthew Mollica]

Jon, thanks for a wonderful thread and all the effort that went into your course tour. One of CGA's finest reviews ever.

[Jeff Evagues]

The Eden hole disappointed me because the Strath bunker was well to the right of the St Andrews location where it is a nightmare waiting to happen.  At NGLA there is a good sized opening between Hill and Strath, removing some of the terror. 

Of course this in no way detracts from the joy of a day at NGLA.  I can think of no finer sight in golf that the view from the tee at 17!

I won't compare the courses but as far as views go I'll take the 18th tee at Kapalua.

[Adam_Messix]

The Eden hole disappointed me because the Strath bunker was well to the right of the St Andrews location where it is a nightmare waiting to happen.  At NGLA there is a good sized opening between Hill and Strath, removing some of the terror.  

Of course this in no way detracts from the joy of a day at NGLA.  I can think of no finer sight in golf that the view from the tee at 17!

Bill--

You need to play the Eden from the tee adjacent to the 12th green and you'll find the bunker placement not only perfect, but frightening with a couple more clubs in your hand.  

[Bill_McBride]

The Eden hole disappointed me because the Strath bunker was well to the right of the St Andrews location where it is a nightmare waiting to happen.  At NGLA there is a good sized opening between Hill and Strath, removing some of the terror.  

Of course this in no way detracts from the joy of a day at NGLA.  I can think of no finer sight in golf that the view from the tee at 17!

Bill--

You need to play the Eden from the tee adjacent to the 12th green and you'll find the bunker placement not only perfect, but frightening with a couple more clubs in your hand.  

I think Pat Mucci has long advocated that tee as well.  We played the normal tee twice the day I played there with Tiger Bernhardt.   Does anyone have a photo of the hole from that tee?