Lost Canyons...Estates and Country Club?

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Thanks to reader Scott for the heads up on this Ventura County Star story on Lost Canyons potentially going private and developing the "Shadow Course" into high-end housing. This has been rumored for quite some time.

"I think there is a demand in the town for that kind of land use," said John McClure, a senior vice president with Hillwood Capital, the group that owns the club. "I think it would attract a different kind of client given the number of courses built in the area. We are trying to do something different for ourselves and the city."

As of now, the plan calls for 314 custom-built homes on what is now the Shadow Course, which sits toward the back of the 1,750-acre club. 

And this...

Councilman Steve Sojka sees the good and bad of the proposal and wants the input of residents.

Having the type of exclusive housing that attracts chief executive officers is a boon to the city, Sojka said, but "taking away a public amenity now and making it private for the rich" bothers him.

"My concern is with the community and not the developer's bottom line," he said.

 

Sherwood Shallow

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TargetWorldLogo05.gifStrolling around Sherwood on a cloudy, cool (gosh it never hit 70!) day, I took in some of the Target World Challenge. This is the first time in six years I've seen tournament play at Sherwood after never missing the 11 Shark Shootouts played there.

The late 80s Nicklaus-designed greens, while generally reflective of the dreadfully overdone stuff he built in that era, feature some interesting backslopes, tiers and other banked features that allow the player to play away from the flag to funnel a shot down to corner hole locations.

While not exactly a stellar example of architecture (and certainly not conditioned like it used to be), Sherwood has always been a fun spectator course thanks to the greens. Players have traditionally used the supporting features to work balls down to the hole, allowing the crowd to root balls down a slope and to see players occasionally show flashes of creativity.

Several hole locations today provided fine opportunities for the creative shotmaker to throw a ball to a safe spot away from the hole, and then let it find it's way toward the cup. And every time a player had the opportunity to use these features, they passed.

The most painful example came when Padraig Harrington missed it right of the par-5 fifth green in two, and then he attempted to lob it next to the hole. He ran his third shot right past the hole and off the green. If he had played ten yards right of the hole, a backstop would have slowed his ball down and then sent it toward the hole, leaving him a 10-footer for birdie.

Afterwords, I asked a veteran writer if the players just weren't as creative as they used to be, or if it's a lack of local knowledge. He believes the players are just used to playing shots straight at holes and having them hold. They don't know any other way of playing anymore.

So there you go architects. Are you hoping to separate shotmakers from the rest?  Then create wing and peninsula hole locations that require the placement of a shot landing in a certain spot away from the hole.

Brian Silva suggested that he'd love to see more of this concept on TPC for a Links story, and his observation is looking wiser by the day.

 

"New Look" Remodel of Another Best New

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Just in case you were on the fence about booking a trip to Doral, this press release might help:

DORAL GOLF RESORT & SPA & GREG NORMAN TEAM-UP TO
UNVEIL “NEW LOOK” GREAT WHITE GOLF COURSE
Norman’s Use of Coquina As Primary Design Element Makes Great White Only Course Of Its Kind In The Southeast; One of Five Championship Golf Courses On-Site At Famed Doral Resort
Miami, Fl. – December 6, 2005 – Doral Golf Resort & Spa, A Marriott Resort, home of the famed Blue Monster Golf Course and the PGA TOUR’s Ford Championship at Doral, today unveiled the “New Look” Great White Golf Course, one of five championship golf courses on property at the luxury resort.   A Greg Norman design, the refined Great White Golf Course was officially re-opened on December 6, as Norman, Marriott executives, VIPs and media all participated in an inaugural round in South Florida.

Didn't they just redo this course a few years ago, say 2000?  Sorry, I interrupted before the best part.

The 7,171-yard, par-72 Great White, a Greg Norman Signature Course, is the only golf course of its kind in the Southeastern United States that utilizes coquina -- crushed shells -- as the primary design element on every hole.  In creating the Great White, Norman blended strategically demanding fairways with hundreds of palm trees and sporadic Scottish-style bunkers.  He then laid out the course in a manner where water comes into play on 14 of the 18 holes, which makes for a challenging, but picturesque Great White Golf Course.

Coquina? Sounds like Tony Montana's little friend.

On the heels of Marriott International assuming management of the property in August 2004, the Great White has undergone a series of refinements designed to further enhance the course, which was rated as The Best New Golf Course when it opened in 2000, according to the National Golf Foundation. 

The National Golf Foundation has a ranking? There's a news flash from the city. Oh, and another Best New goes under the knife. What is it with these Best New's lately?

“With increased areas of turfgrass and the liberal use of crushed coquina shells, we have enhanced both the challenge and the playability of this golf course,” Norman said. “It’s a departure that complements the other four courses at Doral very well.”

Oh, this must have been the one that was too hard. Well maybe they got it right this time.

Barona Had Just One Obstacle...

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Five-year-old Barona Creek (No. 78 in Golfweek's Top 100 Modern) has overcome its dated back tee yardage to earn the right to host two Nationwide Tour Championships. Tod Leonard writes:

With a hotel/casino on site and plenty of room for corporate hospitality and the expected 5,000 spectators, Barona's only obstacle to getting a top-level event was its length. At 7,088 yards from the championship tees, it was deemed short for today's big hitters with high-tech clubs. In October's Collegiate Cup, for example, Denver's James Love shot a 10-under-par 62 in the first round and went on to card 15-under in three rounds.

But the club has made extensive renovations this fall, adding 12 new tees to lengthen the course to about 7,500 yards. Several jagged-edged bunkers – among the course's standout design traits – were added. 

Ward Interview

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Check out Ran Morrissett's interview with Alfie Ward, creator of the Arbory Brae course and world class traditionalist. I suppose this could be viewed as good news for those going to Scotland hoping to play lesser known gems without seeing Americans, but otherwise, it's pretty sad:

13. As technology goes unchecked, what is the future of the numerous sub-6000 yard courses around Scotland (and the UK & Ireland for that matter)? Is their appeal in any way lessened?

Excellent question, and one which gives the greatest concern of all (IMO). You know, history does repeat itself – maybe because life itself is a cycle of fashion and trends ? It can be argued that these fashions and trends were the death knell for numerous courses and their respective clubs circa 1930 – 50’s in Scotland, and most probably, elsewhere in the UK ? At this time, golfers became more selective in the courses they played because they had the advantage of travelling far greater distances than they could have previously! Support for the smaller courses dwindled as visitors travelled further afield and in pursuit of superior challenges at the longer courses. So too, and still do, are those seeking membership to a club. Who’s to say that the same scenario isn’t about to be repeated in the next few years ? I reckon it’s happening already, and so too, I think, does the Scottish Golf Union ! Of Scotland’s 500 plus courses, there’s probably about 300 (minimum) that don’t meet the 'must play' expectations of the modern tourism golfer ! Why ? Because they’re instantly deemed much too short from the yardage stats in the first instance of course selection. So the appeal factor is diminished from the outset, and so long as technology in golf goes unchecked – then life isn’t going to get any better for the vast majority of courses (worldwide) that are lagging in this mad distance race !

In response to reports of serious concerns over the state of Scottish golf and falling club membership numbers (Nov 2004) I undertook a little research on Scotland’s golf courses. Of 503 registered in the 2003 Golf Guide I found that 155 (31%) were sub 5500 yard layouts ; 113 (22%) 5501 – 6000 yards ; 185 (37%) 6001 – 6500 yards ; and 50 (10%) 6501 yards and over. In direct relation to the question you ask Ran, and if my personal concerns are justified – then that puts over 50% of Scottish courses under the 'at risk' umbrella ? That is, if fashion and trends and unchecked technology has anything to do with it ? I believe it has !

An Eco-Signature Design

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Remember, I merely copy and paste this stuff:

Jumeirah Golf Estates is set to become one of the world’s most prestigious golfing and residential communities. Located in the Jebel Ali district on the south side of Emirates Highway, opposite Jumeirah Village, it lies approximately 22km south west of Dubai city centre.

Jumeirah Golf Estates will boast four environmentally themed 18-hole courses - Fire, Earth, Water and Wind - that mirror the elements of nature and integrate with distinct gated communities, featuring a variety of investment opportunities, world class amenities and premier services. Jumeirah Golf Estates draws on the remarkable talents of some of the game’s most famous names – among them, Greg Norman, the legendary ‘Great White Shark’, and the 2004 world number one, Vijay Singh.

As part of Phase A of the project, Greg Norman will personally be involved in the creation of two Eco-Signature courses, which focus on eco-friendly principles and practices and feature flora and fauna that are indigenous to the region. These two courses, Fire and Earth, will be the first two Eco-Signature courses ever designed by Greg Norman Golf Course Design exclusively for Nakheel.