2. Hawk's Ridge in Atlanta (actually in Ball Ground about 1 1/2 hours from downtown). Bob Cupp has described it as "Augusta National with hardwoods". It's not.
Chris:
Can you elaborate? I've talked to a couple of people who have played it, and all you ever seem to hear is how immaculate it is, how you can practice your putting on the tee boxes, etc.
I find this interesting, particularly as I've enjoyed playing other Cupp courses - Settindown Creek, The Plantation Course at Reynold's and his reno of Druid Hills.
I've not played or even seen Hawk's Ridge so I'd be interested in hearing more.
Andy
OK, here it goes.
First I think to compare oneself with ANGC is silly. I've played both and I really have no clue what he meant. I can only assume he was referring to the conditioning. BTW when people come back from HR and all they talk about is the fact that there are bent grass tees that you can putt on, I think that by itself speaks volumes about the lack of any architectural interest.
#1 You walk from the massive driving range and the tee shot is the same. Uphill, bland, two distant aiming bunkers not remotely in play. The bunkers help as otherwise the tee shot is so devoid of interest it is litereally like teeing off on a driving range. The two bunkers and the fact that your ball isn't striped are the only clues you are off the range. Second shot continues uphill. Green is bland--pitched back to front, contained by some mounds. There is a lone pine behind the green. To show you where the priorities are here, around the base of the pine tree is a circular planting of pansies!
#2 Drive to immesnse bermuda grass farm. Wall of mounding on the left and the fairway falls off to the right--bermuda moguls lead to the creek on the right. Creek feeds pond by the green. Stacked stone wall.
#3 Described as "inspired by #12 at Augusta! Water, stacked stone wall fronting green that is narrow and set at a slight angle to the line of play. Other than the fact that there is no depth to the HR bunkers unlike ANGC and I don't remember any stacked stone fronting #12 at ANGC, it's a spitting image.
#4 Straight downhill par 5 with a tree in the middle of the fairway. I hit a very good drive from the back tee and had a 7 iron for my second shot. While I was in the absolute middle of the fairway (tee shot is competely blind over an "aiming bunker") the lone pine about 50 yards short of the green was in the way. Creek along the right of the green. (More stacked stone). Very pretty but I am not sure what I would have done to lay-up if I didn't feel I could hit over the tree--putt down the right edge of the fairway, maybe a lob wedge and then another lob wedge??
#5 Par 3 I think. This is where we putted on the tee box--whoooopee.
#6 Short par 4--driveable I guess. Straight downhill, maybe 60 feet or more. Creek in front and a very narow green. I hit it in the fron bunker but I guess the play is a 7 iron and then a wedge.
#7 Par 5 with a creek crossing at a 90 angle to the tee shot. 270 yard carry from the back tee!!! If you cant go over you lay up way back and then slog your way up the rest of this uphill beauty. I think this par 5 also had trees in the fairway messing with your second shot. Green was actually very cool--one of my favorites on the course. No bunkers in fron but the false fron and crowned green could leave you with a lot of really interesting chips.
#8 Good straight par 4--blind tee shot and a pretty second shot down the hill across the creek to a nice green nestled into the hillside--best par 4 on the front.
#9 With the fairways firm there is absolutely no way to keep a ball in this fairway that slopes from right to left. You could stand on the right edge of the fairway, drop a ball from shoulder height and I bwet it reaches the left rough/trees!! Second shot is blind to another cool green--a punchbowl kind of shape with the front falling away severly from the player. Balls landing on the slope will scream to the back. You must carry beyond this "reverse false front" to get the ball close--I like this green also.
#10 Nice hole--par 4
#11 Blah but OK. However, like holes 2 and 11 another hole with a diagonal carry with the creek all along the right side. For an immaculate course I remember seeing a huge ugly pipe right at the landing area (270 range). Seemed odd that with all the $$$ spent, they missed this eyesore.
#12 Good, short par 3
#13 Blindsish downhill par 5. Nice hole, enormous green--nice since you could reach the green with two good shots but most likely be left with a long/tough two putt for birdie
#14 Nice par 4 dog leg left. One nitpick--several blind tee shots but on this hole they have placed a boulder on the top of the bunker to indicate the line. Why? It looks ridiculosley out of place and isn't even needed.
#15 Maybe one of the most artificial, gawd awful looking, contrived holes in the world. There is a fake waterfall the "emerges" from back right of the green and flows into a pond fronting the green. Looks like a rich homeowner's back yard.
#16 OK downhill par 3
#17 long uphill dogleg left. Green is very wide and very severe and completely blind over a very steep bunker. I didn't mind it but some in the group hated it.
#18 Awful. No where to hit the tee shot. 2 players in the group bounced their tee shots off the pump house on the right. You can try and hit it among 8 or 10 fairway bunkers which is hard since the fairway slopes like #9 and even landing in the fairway means it could still roll into any one of the 10 or so bunkers. Beautiful second shot with lake on the left but everything still goes hard right to left and away from the player. I had a 4 iron second shot but the 12 handicap in the group layed up and then hit a (mediocre) 9 iron that easily landed on the front right third of the green and then rolled over and into the lake. A little severe.
It is a beautiful course in immaculate shape. But, it is for many GCA folks a nightmare of wall to wall mowed bermuda, raked pinestraw around the base of trees, annual plantings and flowering trees....
PS I like many holes at Settindown and have played in every Dogwood since 1994 except last years so I am familiar with Druid Hills as well. IMO, Bob really dropped the ball there. The two holes that he pretty much re-did (#6 and #15) are without a doubt the two worst holes on the course now. The rest of the course is still a joy to play--lots of fun.
PPS I haven't played the Reynolds course although I hear it's very good and I understand he helped consult with some tees at Peachtree and they are very happy with his work there as well.