French Creek Aerial (large file)

[Eric Pevoto]

We just got the aerial in today and I'm excited to show it.  

Unfortunately (or fortunately) the original digital photo is 1016 dpi which means the file size is a huge 250MB or so.  For web purposes, I've doctored it down to a somewhat manageable size, but regretably the amazing clarity is not the same.  Even then, it still looks darn good, IMHO.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Kick a$$.

Nice going, Eric!  Looks great, my son.  I'm proud!    

Front nine on left.

#12 at right is dead flat but full of strategy.

Don't play the back tees on #11.

You can see the par 3 15th at Stonewall "Old" at lower right.

Must have been taken fairly recently. Trees are bare and
clubhouse is further along than when I was there Oct 19.

Two fairway bunkers near green on #16 can't be seen from fairway.

[SPDB]

Is there any reason to go to the right side
on 9? Also, what is to the right of the tee?

[Scott_Burroughs]

Is there any reason to go to the right side
on 9?

It's a lot bigger carry to reach the fairway at left, especially
with any wind in your face.  Left fairway could also be
called 'upper' fairway, as it's higher, hence even harder to reach.

[Eric Pevoto]

Scott,

Thanks.  As a newly elected member of the PGA of America, I managed to make this post in between dreaming of playing the Tour, flashing gratuitous smiles, and fending off raters!

Sean,

The right off the tee is a shorter carry and there is about 5 or 6 feet of elevation change between the left (high) and right (low) sides.  The hole is 385 or so slightly uphill from the middle tee.  With a strong prevailing wind out of the bottom left of the aerial, those middle bunkers are reachable and the high side is hard to hold, unless you draw the ball into the wind.  

The green is a half-punchbowl/alps type thingy and visibility is much better from the left/high side fairway.

(This post crossed Scott's in cyberspace)

[SPDB]

But at 345, it can't be that difficult to carry the
ball to the left (especially if, as Eric says, the
middle bunker is reachable), can it?

Also, Eric what is green complex looking thing
to the right of the 9th tee?

Looks spectacular, with lots of options. congrats.

[Eric Pevoto]

That complex right of 9 tee is the short game area.

385 from mid tee; 405 from back.  The carry is about 175 from the middle tee to the right and 205 top left.  The left sits about 5 feet higher than the right.  These might help illustrate:


This is from extreme left of the green:

[SPDB]

ERic - that does help. It just seemed that the right
fairway was so much narrower that it looked the
tougher of the two to hit, which didn't square
with the tougher second shot it possesses.

Does everything slope right to left? That top fairway
looks like it would be tough to hold in F&F conditions.

[Brad Swanson]

Eric,
   This aerial makes it very clear why you are so excited about French Creek.  Congrats.
   What other course are we getting a glimpse of across the street on the bottom right of the pic?


Cheers,
Brad Swanson

[Eric Pevoto]

Sean,

With the rather wet summer, we haven't yet seen truly firm and fast.  A few days this autumn gave a hint to what we hope for.  The prevailing wind quarters out of the left/with you and the top section is a little crowned, so with just that it can be difficult to hold.  Conversely, the right is barreled out a little.  

Brad,

That's Stonewall South/Old.

Mike,

One of the things I love about Gil's work is that while it doesn't directly copy classic holes, he definitely calls up the principles found in some of our favorites.

[Dan Herrmann]

The 2nd shot on nine is one of my favorites, especially from the right side.  You pray and urge the ball to get up over the mounding/bunkers, and it's a semi-blind shot because you can't see the green surface.    

There's a great ampitheater-type surround behind the green and on top of it is the #1 teeing area.  It makes for a natural gallery area and gives the golfer on 9 a chance to impress his friends just teeing off (or make them laugh!)...

I'm thinking that the gold (back) tee on #11 should have several holes cut into it for putting practice - it's not getting much use from the members - at least not the ones I've played with!  

Hanse also did a great job with the fairway countouring.  There are several areas that we call "turbo boost" spots - usually right over large bunkers, of course.  But if you get your shot to a turbo boost spot, you'll be handsomely rewarded.  But miss in the bunker/native grasses, and you're in deep kaka.

Also check out short #5.  The front edge of the green is only a few feet from a cliff of sorts that leads to the "quarry".  Hit into the quarry, and you may not be seen from again

[GeoffreyC]

Eric

The course looks fantastic from the air and at ground level. Just another reason to wish for a short winter and the start of next year's golf season.

See you at Baltusrol in February.

Geoffrey

[Rich_M]

Eric,

Great stuff..Will photos be available for purchase?? (it would be great to have in my office for day dreaming purposes)

[coniferator]

Gentlemen

Ahem.  You'll notice from the air and at ground level what I
would consider appropriate tree management.

Thank you for your attention.

[Dan Herrmann]

If you're interested as to location,
North is up

The road at the top is PA23
The road at the very bottom (near hole 5) is I-76
The road up the right side seperating us from Stonewall is PA345
The road behind 9 tee is PA401

The high points (elevation wise) on the course are 6 green/7tee and 13 green.

[John Foley]

Eric,

WOW. looks great.

Did you contract this out? Is that a normal (and an expensive) practice?

I really wich more courses would do this.

Hope to get down next summer!

[Chris_Clouser]

Eric,

For those of us not familiar with the course, is there anyway to post a scorecard or something with the hole yardages, so we can get a better idea of perspective on the individual holes.

Also, is that a spine running into the green on 17?  

I have to think that holes 14 and 15 must look spectacular from this aerial image.

[Dan Herrmann]

Yep - that's a spine on #17..

[Big B]

Eric...

Being so close to Stonewall, will the two clubs play matches against each other?  The Elverson Cup?  Is the membership less corporate at French Creek compared to Stonewall?  How many members does French Creek have or plan to have?

Congrats!

[Eric Pevoto]

John,

We did contract a local aerial survey firm; at just under $1000, it wasn't terribly expensive.  Let me know if you get out this way.

Chris,

Yardages and info.  Probably more than you want, but the sq footage of the greens are just a rough estimate.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/espevoto/GAP_yardage.htm

Here's a closer view of the 17th.  It clearly shows the spine running through the middle of the approach and into the green-front.  The hole is about 235 from the back and usually into the wind.   Notice the obliqueness (is this a word?) of the back tee.  


Older shot of the 17th from the tee.  It doesn't give much away.  Really plays as a par 3 1/2.


The 15th from the air.  295 from back, 268 from middle



The short 5th.  Just 117 from all the way back.  Very dramatic little hole.



View from the tee



Mr. B,

Can't speak to Stonewall's membership, but we're looking to fill 10 corporate memberships with 3 golfers per.  The bulk of our membership will be single and family.

I have briefly discussed the idea of a shared event with Stonewall's professional.  How about 54 holes on a composite course?  

 

[RJ_Daley]

What a beautifully balanced and classically inspired golf course.  Congratualtions!

[Big B]

The membership sounds very attractive (I looked it up on your web-site), I'm not to far (Lansdale area).  I have played Stonewall and the land out there is perfect for a course.    

I see a green with three bunkers not included on French Creek's property, it's on the left side of the initial arial picture, left of the third green at French Creek next to a road, what course is that from?

[Matt Kardash]

Why is there a pond behind the 18th green? That just seems dumb to me

[Dan Herrmann]

Why is there a pond behind the 18th green? That just seems dumb to me

Matt,
I just looked at the aerial again, and I know why you'd think it's behind the green, but it really isn't when you see it in person.

The pond is actually to the left of the green, and a wee bit of it is to the back.  It really comes into play, as the best shot in (to me at least) is a little draw.  A cut over the water would be the hero shot, but it'd be very risky.    In fact, the pond actually extends probably 80 yards down the left side of the fairway.

There's also a closely-mown area fronting the green that accepts shots well.  A shot to the front-left will often find the center of the green.  However, too much left-to-right spin will probably seal your fate in the water.

The pond pre-dated the golf course, and I think Gil Hanse did a great job incorporating it.  Another member told me he joined quickly after walking halfway up 18 from the green and looking at the approach shot.

[Dan Herrmann]

I see a green with three bunkers not included on French Creek's property, it's on the left side of the initial arial picture, left of the third green at French Creek next to a road, what course is that from?

Big B,
That green is the newly built short-game practice area.  Other areas that may look like bunkers are actually trees (like the spot between 3 green and 9 tee).