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Ran Morrissett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Bill Coore Interview
« on: November 17, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
Bill's Feature Interview was just posted. We hope everyone enjoys it as much as John M. enjoyed working with Bill on it.Just so you know, unlike the past several interviewees, Bill is not a technical wizard and does not really know how to get on the internet    We will fax to him in three weeks  the posts that are generated here and we may get a response back. As a side note, John and I would also like to thank Geoff Shackelford for his mammoth interview, which we have split into two parts for ease of access. Geoff's detailed answers created will over 100 posts and we very much appreciate the time and effort that he spent on it.

T_MacWood

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
When you think about it, there have been very few design teams or at least acknowledged designed teams. What are the advantages and challenges of collaborating with another?From the answers of your favorites, it is obvious that you admire the work of Dr.MacKenzie. What influence has he had on your designs? Have you been involved in restoration of any of his courses? If not, is it something that would be of interest?

John Sessions

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
I am printing it out now.

Clark

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
It took me a while to read though it all, but it was time well-spent.  Great interview!  Has anyone in this DG played/seen (or even heard of) their two international courses?

Scott Kraus

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
How good does East Hamptoon look??? I assume it is in further out on Long Island past Shinnecock et al? Wonder what he means by short? Under 6,500?Also, I wonder what Mr. Coore means by saying the course in SC, which I have no hope of spelling (Chechessee?) will be a tribute to Seth Raynor? When does it open exactly because I not very far away from that one.Thanks for the interview.

Scott Kraus

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
By the way, who is Rod Whitman? That is a name I have never heard. Has he done any courses in the US? Sounds like a potential interviewee for here.Also, I am surprised that he has never made it to Dornoch, especially given that Ben Crensaw loves it so much.

Ran Morrissett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
Clark,Business takes me to Indonesia once a quarter or so, and I had simply no idea that Bill had worked overseas at all, much less in Indonesia. In fact, what suprised me the most was how little we knew about Bill. Hence, we asked questions that were simply off (the overseas question and the restoration question). Talk about embarrassing!!As for Rod Whitman, he did Wolf Creek outside of Edmonton and people universally rave about it. I don't know much else; did he work for Dye maybe?

TEPaul

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
Scott:Easthampton G.C. looks terrific and I predict it will open to rave revues.The front nine reminds one a little of Pine Valley and the back nine is out in the open and another feeling altogether. The greens are very contoured, the fairways wide and the course is designed to be hard and fast.It's right outside the town of Easthampton, about 15 miles east of Shinnecock and if you go there take particular notice of hole #12. It has a white picket fence running in a dead straight line from tee to green on the right, about an 80 yard wide fairway with some smallish bunkering right in the center. It is really great "line of charm" stuff and I hope it helps to bring back the concept to American golf.

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +3/-1
Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
I believe that's the first interview I've ever read [including my own] where the interviewee comes across exactly as I know them to be.  Then again, there aren't many people like Bill Coore -- thoughtful and absolutely without pretension.  [And I'm not sucking up here, because I know he'll never be online to read this!]As for the questions about Rod Whitman, he is a very low-key Canadian who trained under Pete Dye at Austin CC, Glenmoor CC in Denver, and Stonebridge north of Dallas, after he'd worked for Bill at Waterwood National.  I roomed with him in Denver for a couple of months when I was building Riverdale Dunes.  A great talent and a great guy, but so quiet that it's hard for him to find work.  I'd love to see his Wolf Creek [Alberta] someday.

Jeff_Mingay

  • Karma: +0/-0
Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
I'm scheduled to contribute an article profiling a few Canadian architects to a "special" architecture issue of Golfweek's Superintendent's News due out: Spring, 2000. My intention is to include Whitman... that is if he'll talk with me?!?!
jeffmingay.com

Geoff_Shackelford

  • Karma: +0/-0
Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
Question for Bill Coore:Bill, you mentioned the change to the bunker in front of ten green at Pine Valley. I'm assuming that you are referring to the grassing over of the face of the slope, not the D.A. bunker? If this is what you mean, I wholeheartedly agree that the loss of the eroded, irregular blown out bank face really detracts from the look of the hole. So my question is, as a former a superintendent, do you feel it is more maintenance to keep that irregular look, or to maintain grass on the face? Actually, this reminds me of a second question. Many of the bunkers you, Ben and "the boys" are building have "messy" looking edges and are designed to appear natural and less "kept." Do you believe this look is less maintenance as most of us novices would logically believe? Or is it much more maintenance as most superintendents contend?Thanks,Geoff

Clark

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #11 on: November 20, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
I have (finaly) digested the entire interview.  What great stuff -- he could just send that interview as his resume for any future projects.What is so interesting is that Crenshaw and Coore receive so little attention, despite what sounds like an extremely high quality of work.  Perhaps this is because I live on the east coast, where they do not yet have anything open (although 2000 will certainly change that).  The pictures I see of Sand Hills make it look world top-10; Kapalua looks like fun on television (and I know the Morrissett brothers' near unnatural feelings toward that course); and I know that a few in this group have played Cusgowilla with favorable reviews . . . but what else of theirs is out there?  What is the story on the two daily-fee courses in Phoenix?  Any reports?

Sean H.

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #12 on: November 20, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
Mr. Coore does seem an intelligent man.  I'm just disappointed that he and Mr. Crenshaw are reluctant to design any more courses outside the U.S.  If only they had gotten their hands on the New course at Ballybunion first . . .  Maybe some day my countrymen can persuade them to come over.

GeoffreyC

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #13 on: November 21, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
Great interviewQuestion for Mr. Coore   Are there any jobs out there that were recently done by other(s) that you wish you and Ben had the chance to do yourself? On a related line, are there any sites out there that you have seen that you think offer you the opportunity to create something really special?

Bob Ellington

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #14 on: November 29, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
About 2/5 into the interview, Coore talks about name-designer and the fact that having to have such a label has retarded the variety of courses being built - that is, if more talented designers were out there in the dirt, then a wider variety of courses would be produced. We would all win.I had never thought of this particular downside of the fetish of having "name architects" but I find Coore's statement quite revealing - and damning. Any comments?

Clark

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #15 on: November 29, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
Good point.  Maybe Geoff Shackelford can shed some light on whether that "designer label" albatross was as much a consideration in the 1920s.  How much did courses try to have Mackenzie, Tillie, Ross, Flynn. etc., design their new course?On a separate note, while re-reading the interview over the holidays, a thought crossed my mind: Is Bill Coore the first interviewee on this site not to bad-mouth anything (designers by name, courses, etc.)?  I will have to take a look at the archives; even though you would expect him to do so, I'm not sure that Doak did.

Ran Morrissett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #16 on: November 29, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
First, Clark, that comment about Tom shows you don't know him.Second, I have never given particular consideration to an architect's own sense of accomplishment - that is what came through in the interview for me.As an architect, I would love to be given ideal land time after time. Why not? It would be great! But Coore would get bored - he wants to be stretched - the severe topo of Kapalua to the ideal Sand Hills to the flat Talking Stick and to the more conventional wooded Notre Dame - the mix would be both stimulating and beneficial.

TEPaul

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #17 on: November 30, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
I see some good questions of Bill Coore above but I don't know how they'll be answered or when-don't think he's too interested in computers and says he can't remember turning one on-now there's a great "Golden Age" guy!I hope to see him after awhile and I'll try to ask and post some answers.

Lloyd Bickerton

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #18 on: November 30, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
I took a group of Aussies to Monterey last year about now and I can I wish Coore had done Spanish Bay. I liked the course in general but probably only to play every so often. Based on what I can gather, Coore would have made the fairways much broader (very important for a windy resort course) and more of the greens would have invited a run-up shot. With those attributes, Spanish Bay would be a must play.

John Sessions

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #19 on: November 30, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
Has anyone in architecture ever assembled a more talented team of people?

TEPaul

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #20 on: December 01, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
Not likely, with one notable exception. A hotel owner from Philadelphia named George Crump. What's the name of that course?GeoffShac:Pebble was quite a collaboration, right, but wasn't it over an extended period?

Scott Kraus

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #21 on: December 03, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
I wish you would have asked Coore and all future architects a questions like:1. what type hole (long par 3, short par 4, gambling par 5, etc.) givbes you the most satisfaction to build?2. Is any one type of hole (see above) harder/more challenging to build than the others?3. From all your courses, taken as a complete set, have you designed a better collection of 3s,4s, or 5s?Just some thoughts. How would those who have played their courses respond anyway?

T_MacWood

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #22 on: December 04, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
This is follow-up to Geoff S.'s questions.I have heard it said that bunkers built today are handicapped due to the equipment. Your bunkers are sensational.The great bunkers of yesterday were built with scoops and were very labor intensive.Is it possible to build bunkers comparible to the great bunkers of the past, today?Are they a maintenance nightmares or can there maintenance be managed or is it too early to tell?

Bob Ellington

Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #23 on: December 04, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
To Scott Kraus:Bill answered parts of your questions in the interview. He said "short par fives are perhaps the hardest hole to build for all class golfers."

Ran Morrissett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Bill Coore Interview
« Reply #24 on: December 06, 1999, 07:00:00 PM »
Has anyone ever played Coore's Rockport? I remember in 1986 or so, the USGA did a Great Golf Hole (when it still counted) from Rockport (maybe the 5th?). The overhead shot looked fantastic.