Rare Mike Strantz Interview (Tobacco Road) - One hour long

[Robin_Hiseman]

With the permission of Mark Stewart, one of the owners of Tobacco Road, I am able to share with the golfclubatlas crowd this ultra rare 60-minute interview with Mike Strantz. To my knowledge, this is the first time this interview has ever been released for public broadcast.

Mike expands upon his unique philosophy on golf course design, details his methods at Tobacco Road and talks openly about his upbringing and background. He is an engaging and chatty interviewee, with confidence in his opinions.

It is a fascinating listen for anybody with an interest or fascination with Mike's work and for many of us who never got to meet him, a wistful reminder of a lost talent.

Find yourself a quiet corner and listen to this previously unreleased and unique interview. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

https://www.eaglevideo.com/portal/tobacco_road/Mike_Strantz_Interview.mp3

[Joe Hellrung]

Thank you for sharing.  I'm really enjoying this. 

"For the golfer who is out here, he knows he is in the sand-hills.  This is a sand-hills golf course."

Love it.

[Michael Whitaker]

Robin,

If they don't already have this, you should share the video with Heidi and her daughters.

See you in a few weeks!!! 

[Robin_Hiseman]

Hi Mike


It was filmed too but Mark only had the audio available. I think it just needs converting.


See you at Cavendish or Sherwood. Not long now.

[Tim Gavrich]

Thanks for sharing, Robin. The golf world sorely misses Strantz. I think he would have found particular acclaim in recent years doing the type of renovation work he did at Monterey Peninsula. Goodness knows there are a lot of mundane golf courses out there that could have benefited from his artistic eye.

[Ronald Montesano]

Goodness knows there are a lot of mundane golf courses out there that could have benefited from his artistic eye.

That makes me think, Tim, that there must be others out there with an eye similar to his, that would be able to carry out his type of work?

[Tim_Weiman]

Robin,


Wow! What a treat. Fantastic addition to GCA - this site and the profession. We lost Mike way too soon.

[Tim Gavrich]

Goodness knows there are a lot of mundane golf courses out there that could have benefited from his artistic eye.

That makes me think, Tim, that there must be others out there with an eye similar to his, that would be able to carry out his type of work?

Ron--


At the end of the interview, Strantz vehemently credits his crew for their part in the acclaim for his courses, with Forrest Fezler chief among them. Fezler appears to still be in the golf course construction business, but with not a lot of recent projects to his name. One of them is Ricefields in Georgia, which I fear is NLE. Thread here: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,43299.0.html. You can tell from the shaping that Fezler understood the look Strantz pursued.

[A.G._Crockett]

For the first time, I'm playing in the Mike Strantz Memorial golf tournament at Tot Hill Farm on 8/15.  Great cause, which along with Mike's artwork I am happy to have a chance to contribute to.  The support of the Hollings Cancer Center and the financial support for families who have a loved undergoing treatment are causes near and dear to my heart.

Below are links to both the tournament and the artwork.  The artwork is maybe the best gift for the golfer who has everything that I can think of.  Keep it in mind.

http://www.tothillfarm.com/

http://www.mikestrantzdesign.com/golfgallery.html

[Scott Little]

A great listen...thanks for sharing.  When I was stationed in Virginia, I made many pilgrimages to Tobacco Road, Tot Hill Farm, Royal New Kent, & Stonehouse.  I can say, without hesitation, that the most fun I had while golfing was on these four courses.  The golf world lost a true talent and an incredible landscape artist.