The Congo Resurrected!

[Mike Bodo]

Just saw the Instagram and website posts by the Fried Egg regarding Andrew Greens renovation of Congressional Country Club. Talk about a night and day difference, I don't even recognize the course. The photos posted on Instagram of some of the redone holes look phenomenal. Can't wait to see how the pros play this iteration of the course.


https://www.instagram.com/p/CHWeZp9hEg6/


https://thefriedegg.com/architecture-newsletter-no-1-coore-crenshaw-mcarthur-green-congressional-doak-dornick-hills/


Don't know if it's been open to play, but If anyone here's played it or even walked the grounds, I'd love to hear your impressions of the course.

[mike_malone]

 Looks like they spent a lot of money.

[Ira Fishman]

The greens look more interesting than when I last played it several years ago. The look of the bunkers doesn't do much for me, and the old ones were plenty difficult. Of course cannot really tell from the pictures if they are more strategically placed. Congressional has been a big broad shouldered course over the 30 years I have played it on occasion. It probably always will be.


Ira

[Ben Hollerbach]

Wow, I'm sadly disappointed in what I see.

This does not look like restoration on a 100 year old course, rather it has the appearance of brand new construction. It looks like someone was trying to make it look old, but missed the mark in how they built the bunkers. When you compare the look of this to other well restored Devereux Emmet courses it is hard to see the connection.

What was Congressional's reputation prior to the 1950's and 60's? I ask because I can't help feel they missed the show pony that brought them into the spotlight. Without RTJ's redesign in the late 50's, are they as well known today as they are? do they get 3 US Opens, a PGA, a Senior US Open, and a regular tour event for nearly a decade with Emmet's routing?

Even if architects like Jones may not be in vogue today, I believe they would have better off focusing their restoration on what Jones built rather than wat Emmet built?

[Ben Hollerbach]

My brother has played the course quite a bit over the last decade, including in state am competitions, I asked him his thoughts on the pictures:

"Except for the clubhouse in the background, the pictures look indistinguishable from a nicer daily fee golf course in Maryland.   I think they messed this one up chasing a trend.  Not every course should be treeless with a scraggly edge bunker look."

[Mike Bodo]

This does not look like restoration on a 100 year old course, rather it has the appearance of brand new construction. It looks like someone was trying to make it look old, but missed the mark in how they built the bunkers. When you compare the look of this to other well restored Devereux Emmet courses it is hard to see the connection.

You're correct in asserting it wasn't a restoration. It was a Devereux Emmet inspired renovation, according to the Fried Egg.

"Green decided to draw on the original Devereux Emmet design for inspiration but not strictly restore it. Because previous earthmoving had flattened the fairways, Green focused on creating contours in the hole corridors that resembled those of the natural surrounding areas. Congressional’s topography now has a muscular look, which is characteristic of the D.C. region.
The 10th green at Congressional Blue. Photo: Andy Johnson

In addition to reshaping, Green made strategic elements a priority. The Blue Course now offers advantageous angles to shots that flirt with hazards and features greens with memorable contouring and a variety of pin positions. Sometimes the restored landforms result in blind shots, and Green didn’t shy away from those. All in all, a round at the revised Congo is a game of chess rather than checkers."

[Ben Hollerbach]

Mike,


So will Green be the Architect of record on the course now? or will credit be given to Emmet? has the RTJ routing been preserved?

[Mike Bodo]

Mike,

So will Green be the Architect of record on the course now? or will credit be given to Emmet? has the RTJ routing been preserved?

I haven't drilled down far enough on the current "redo" to know how Green's version of the course stacks up to Emmets and if the routing's changed to RTJ's. It would be good to see pre-RTJ photos of Congressional to compare and contrast to what's there now. All I've seen of the new Congo are the photos posted on the Fried Egg. I suspect a more complete photo review will come in due time. To answer your first question; if what Green's done isn't considered a "restoration" can the course really be attributed to Emmet any longer? I mean, what's there of his still left on the property?

[Ben Hollerbach]

The entire back nine of the blue course was built by RTJ in the late 50's. At the time he re-used one green site from the original Emmet routing for his 15th, but approached the hole from a different angle and rebuild the green surroundings. He also changed the 7th, 8th, and 9th holes from a 5-4-3 finish to a 3-4-5 finish. He dividing the original 7th into 2 holes, extended the 8th to reach the clubhouse, and eliminated the 9th which was turned into a practice green later.


Rees Jones reversed his fathers par 3 18th and converted into the 10th, with the 17th now playing as the 18th.


If you look back at the 1949 aerial of the Emmet course, compared to the recent pictures the original bunkering looked to be much more sparse and simple than what was recently built.


I would believe that in Congressional's eyes Green's brand is not strong enough for him to take top billing on the course. If it's inspired by Emmet I think they will, falsely, contribute the design to him.

[Mike Bodo]

I would believe that in Congressional's eyes Green's brand is not strong enough for him to take top billing on the course. If it's inspired by Emmet I think they will, falsely, contribute the design to him.

Thanks for the chronology of RTJ and Reese Jones work at Congressional and the changes each made to the holes and routing. I think you nailed it on the head with your assertion regarding who the membership gives lead design credit to. If they feel Andrew Green has more street cred today than Devereux Emmet, they may ascribe course architect honors to him. If they feel the Emmet name has more cache, I suspect they'll leave him atop the marquee.


The real question is, who will the trade assign design credit to? Were Congressional to find its way back into the Top 100 U.S. courses in Golf, Golf Digest and Golf Week, do the publications attribute the course design to Andrew Green or Devereux Emmet?

[Ira Fishman]

Is it possible that a tract of land is too good? I do not have a topo map of Congressional nor could I read it if I did. But I know it is a broad expanse with lots of movement in the terrain. Yet, every iteration that I have played is very good but not great. Perhaps the new version is different, but I do wonder why great has not been forthcoming before.


Ira

[MCirba]

I will reserve judgement until I play it but I will say that the Reesified course I played at Congo 2 or 3 summers ago was not very good, despite the majestic clubhouse.


If you didnt know it had hosted US Opens you'd give it no more than a Doak Scale 5.

[Andrew Harvie]

It would be impossible to restore it to Emmet's Congressional as the holes around the pond at the base of the clubhouse were not apart of the original routing, those are RTJ additions. You could do a mix of renovation and restoration like Cal Club did, but a full restoration was never in the cards.

[Ben Hollerbach]

It would be impossible to restore it to Emmet's Congressional as the holes around the pond at the base of the clubhouse were not apart of the original routing, those are RTJ additions. You could do a mix of renovation and restoration like Cal Club did, but a full restoration was never in the cards.

Sure you could restore the Emmet routing. You'll just have to reclaim 9 holes from the Gold course. Now the question would be is the second nine of the Emmet course good enough to host a US Open?


It would actually have been interesting if they had restored the original Emmet 18, connected the RTJ Blue back nine to the Fazio holes on the Gold course and connect that course as one, and then used a composite course for major championships.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Wow, I'm sadly disappointed in what I see.

This does not look like restoration on a 100 year old course, rather it has the appearance of brand new construction. It looks like someone was trying to make it look old, but missed the mark in how they built the bunkers. When you compare the look of this to other well restored Devereux Emmet courses it is hard to see the connection.

What was Congressional's reputation prior to the 1950's and 60's? I ask because I can't help feel they missed the show pony that brought them into the spotlight. Without RTJ's redesign in the late 50's, are they as well known today as they are? do they get 3 US Opens, a PGA, a Senior US Open, and a regular tour event for nearly a decade with Emmet's routing?

Even if architects like Jones may not be in vogue today, I believe they would have better off focusing their restoration on what Jones built rather than wat Emmet built?

I got an insiders tour recently and was very impressed.  Congo is going to be well received by the various rating panels.  It's definitely got a more modern flavor but it is light years better and more interesting than it was before.


There have been so many changes over the years to The Blue that it's silly to even talk about what it once was....  How many people are aware that the original Blue starting from the current first tee and ended at the current second green..... a par 6 of 660 yards....as an opening hole!!

[MCirba]

Gentle handshake from Andre the Giant, Jonathan?

[Ben Hollerbach]

I got an insiders tour recently and was very impressed.  Congo is going to be well received by the various rating panels.  It's definitely got a more modern flavor but it is light years better and more interesting than it was before.

There have been so many changes over the years to The Blue that it's silly to even talk about what it once was....  How many people are aware that the original Blue starting from the current first tee and ended at the current second green..... a par 6 of 660 yards....as an opening hole!!

One would hope that when the membership is footing the bill, the opinion of a rating panel would be low in the decision making around a golf course's restoration / renovation / redesign. But it does indeed look like it was built to impress them. I'm not sure that will make for a great long lasting design.


With the multitude of major championships expected to be played there in the next decade or so, is the design better and more interesting to championship play? On the flip side are the changes well suited for the play of the membership? Who is the target of the renovation?

[Ira Fishman]

I got an insiders tour recently and was very impressed.  Congo is going to be well received by the various rating panels.  It's definitely got a more modern flavor but it is light years better and more interesting than it was before.

There have been so many changes over the years to The Blue that it's silly to even talk about what it once was....  How many people are aware that the original Blue starting from the current first tee and ended at the current second green..... a par 6 of 660 yards....as an opening hole!!

One would hope that when the membership is footing the bill, the opinion of a rating panel would be low in the decision making around a golf course's restoration / renovation / redesign. But it does indeed look like it was built to impress them. I'm not sure that will make for a great long lasting design.


With the multitude of major championships expected to be played there in the next decade or so, is the design better and more interesting to championship play? On the flip side are the changes well suited for the play of the membership? Who is the target of the renovation?

Congressional has a huge membership so generalizing is very difficult. But the long history of renovations evidences a strong interest in pursuing major tournaments. Tiger's event wore out its welcome as the prestige diminished. It is DC after all.


Ira

[Mike_Trenham]

I believe at one time this project was awarded to Keith Foster.  Does anyone on here have the details on how Green and Foster’s plans differed?

[Mike Bodo]

I believe at one time this project was awarded to Keith Foster.  Does anyone on here have the details on how Green and Foster’s plans differed?

I don't think it was so much an issue of competing plans, but when Keith ran into legal troubles not long ago Congressional rescinded its agreement to have him do the renovation and went with Andrew Green instead. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Tom_Doak]

I will reserve judgement until I play it but I will say that the Reesified course I played at Congo 2 or 3 summers ago was not very good, despite the majestic clubhouse.


If you didnt know it had hosted US Opens you'd give it no more than a Doak Scale 5.

I think I did, anyway!

[MCirba]

Wow Tom...


I just looked at the Confidential Guide and you gave it a 6, Ran and Masa 7, and Darius 5.


Am I being too harsh?  Most of what I recall are those gawdawful mounds encircling the 2nd green, greens as predictable as snack breaks working from home, and a pretty good par 5 ninth.  To me, the 10th alone drops it a full point.

[Carl Nichols]

I live in DC and have been lucky enough to play both courses at Congressional many times over the years--including the Gold course several times while the Blue course has been under construction.  I haven't walked the renovated Blue, but a number of holes are very visible from the clubhouse and Gold course.  A few random thoughts:

1.  The changes have substantially eliminated the mounding around many of the greens (and some fairways).  To my eye, the holes look better and will be more interesting, but the expectation is also that conditions will substantially improve, since moisture won't be channeled toward the greens and fairways.  I think they're also hoping that tree removal will improve conditions as well.

2.  There are now many more cross-property views, which are quite stunning. 

3.  It's my understanding that the PGA of America has been very involved in the work, given the future events they've agreed to hold there.

4.  Until these changes, my favorite nine holes on the property were the 9 holes of the Gold course (1-5, 15-18) on the same side of Persimmon Tree Road as the clubhouse and Blue course.  Or at least 8 of them--I find 18 Gold to be out of character.  Look forward to seeing if that changes, but from a distance, it looks like Blue will be very very good.

[Tim Gallant]

When I was in high school I worked in the bag room for a summer at Congo and was able to play the Blue on alternating Mondays. I am excited to see the changes as I don't think the course was as good as its reputation maybe indicated, and believe there is substantial room for improvement.


As Ben highlights - would they have been better off trying to go back to the course that Emmet built? Hard to say, but I'm almost positive it will be a course worth seeing after the work is done - though it's all speculation until the course reopens, so will reserve judgement until I hopefully one day get to see it!


A few more comments on the course from Brad Klein:


https://twitter.com/BradleySKlein/status/1316817433471184896


https://twitter.com/BradleySKlein/status/1316897584653438976


https://twitter.com/BradleySKlein/status/1316898127341883393

[mark chalfant]

The original front nine at Emmet's Congressional (1924) made artful use of sloping land. It was judiciously bunkered and most shaping was understated. He included a diagonal stream that enhanced strategy on a few holes. Although the course laid seamlessly on the elegant terrain. That pleasant 1924 course should never be placed in the top 20 of Emmet's 170+ golf courses. Around 1957-1960 Trent Jones Senior did a drastic renovation that reversed the direction of several holes and altered some playing corridors. I saw the course in 1976 and liked the terrain of some of long par fours on the (Open) back nine. Indeed some fairways tilted side to side and poorly placed tee shots resulted in semi blind approaches to sharply uphill greens.


From c. 1995 until 2007 a well known physician related to Trent Sr. bulldozed the character out of remaining corridors that had some terrain with movement and sporty character. Flat lies ensued and trees grew with malice. Those greens and surrounds were mundane if not an eye sore. Golden Age spirit had vanished!
[size=78%] I am certainly looking forward to seeing  [/size][size=78%]Andrew Green's version soon. I admire his work at New Canaan and at Inverness. Andy Johnson's photographs of Andrew's new 14th hole near River Road in Bethesda reveal subtle fairway movement that I am confident Emmet would be proud of.  [/size]