What were they thinking??

[Louie_T07]

Have you guys ever played a course, that just didn't make sense?? Today I played at a local course, I will keep it nameless, but it's a pretty well known club. Had heard some really good things about the place, so to say the least, I was kinda expecting a lot more.

The back story on this club is; a wealthy fellow and his family purchased the original 18 several years back. He made his fortune in construction, had access to all the heavy equipment, essentially the perfect recipe for a venture into golf course architecture. Right??

OHHHH... So wrong!! The new 18 is a total shit show!! Stepping on to the first tee and looking around, you could just tell this guy had not the first clue about building a course, or the game in general!! Blind shot after blind shot, with no real even hint of direction of the hole. I'm talking standing on a tee looking out and seeing NOTHING, no bunkers, no water, no fairway... I think he got a good deal on limestone screenings and crushed gravel, because that was bunker sand! "Waste bunkers" were everywhere, cart paths were included as waste bunkers!! The second hole was by far the worst hole we played. The fairway ran out at 215 yards into a pond, that surprise, you couldn't see. Forcing us both to lay up. Second shots were forced carries of 175 yards over the pond, to nothing. There was nowhere to miss... We both couldn't figure out what women or seniors would do? Straight to the drop area???

I've never been one to complain or really dislike a golf course, but I have to say I wanted to today. Paid $80 to play and really didn't feel I got my money out of it. I'd give the original 18 a try some day, but I won't be playing the new one again!

 

[subsonic]

Come on man...Name Names...

 

[Wi-Golfer]

Have one near me that has quite a few blind tee shots as well, kinda fukked up when you need to run ahead to the top of the hill or wherever to get a judgement on where you are hitting to.

The thing that really gets me though is the courses that have a postage stamps for greens. The Portage Country club is a nice course thats pretty scenic and has some decent holes but holy hell trying to land on those tiny assed greens is a lesson in futility and patience.

 

[Fairwaysplitter3320]

Come on man...Name Names...

I'm curious as well.

 

[PaPaD]

I play a number of courses that have MANY blind shots. The first time I played them it was tough, but once I learn the course, I find them interesting and challenging. My home course has many holes that a newbee would have to drive out and take a look first time out on quite a few holes. I find this to be normal in my travels.

 

[Fairwaysplitter3320]

I play a number of courses that have MANY blind shots. The first time I played them it was tough, but once I learn the course, I find them interesting and challenging. My home course has many holes that a newbee would have to drive out and take a look first time out on quite a few holes. I find this to be normal in my travels.

I enjoy a challenge as well but sometimes target golf can get tough.

 

[PaPaD]

I enjoy a challenge as well but sometimes target golf can get tough.

Golf was never supposed to be easy.

 

[Fairwaysplitter3320]

Golf was never supposed to be easy.

Agreed

 

[Louie_T07]

I agree with everyone's comments so far, but sorry, I just can't name them. We actually do work for them. Hence as a golfer, I really wanted to play this place. I guess that's also part of the reason I didn't go in and say anything...

I guess my overall complaint in general with this place, being a wannabe architect myself, was with how it was done... I understand the difficulty of the game and the reasons for it. I do love playing holes that have blind shots. But just piling a huge mound of dirt in front of the tees to make it blind, defeats the purpose and just makes the hole look "Mickey Mouse," to me at least. I also just hated the mounding of the place. Everyone know what a load of sand looks like dumped from a dump truck?? Just kind of a hump, with a flattened top, because the gate of the truck... That's what the mounding was!! It literally looked like he just had dump trucks back up everywhere and just dump. Didn't shape any, make them different sizes, nothing! Again just kinda gimmicky...

 

[Splunge]

I enjoy a challenge as well but sometimes target golf can get tough.

I've played a course in NH that is exactly as Louie described. No indication AT ALL of where the hole goes. I don't mind blind or difficult shots, as long as I can see something, anything that might tell me what direction it heads, even just generally. But there are some courses that just leave you there with a wide open blind shot, and you have no fricken clue what to do. It's not difficult, it's not challenging, it's just stupid. If you want to make a proper tough blind shot, show me the start of the fairway, and maybe even the back edge of the green, but over the crest, where you can't see, make a vicious slope to the left or right, that will fool most anyone that hasn't played there before, but it will also set up to reward good shots. I've hit balls at this Scottish highlands, that were exactly where I wanted them, within 5 yards. Perfect shots. I walk up to where I hit my ball, just over a crest, in front of the tee box, so you can see none of the fairway, and you see that the fairway was 30yds offset right of the fairway, and that my ball is somewhere in 4' tall heather grass. That is just annoying, frustrating, and downright stupid design.

 

[PaPaD]

I've played a course in NH that is exactly as Louie described. No indication AT ALL of where the hole goes. I don't mind blind or difficult shots, as long as I can see something, anything that might tell me what direction it heads, even just generally. But there are some courses that just leave you there with a wide open blind shot, and you have no fricken clue what to do. It's not difficult, it's not challenging, it's just stupid. If you want to make a proper tough blind shot, show me the start of the fairway, and maybe even the back edge of the green, but over the crest, where you can't see, make a vicious slope to the left or right, that will fool most anyone that hasn't played there before, but it will also set up to reward good shots. I've hit balls at this Scottish highlands, that were exactly where I wanted them, within 5 yards. Perfect shots. I walk up to where I hit my ball, just over a crest, in front of the tee box, so you can see none of the fairway, and you see that the fairway was 30yds offset right of the fairway, and that my ball is somewhere in 4' tall heather grass. That is just annoying, frustrating, and downright stupid design.

I find that between my garmin gps and the little pictures on the scorecard of each hole, I can navigate most anywhere new. I just lower my scoring expectations on the maiden round. I find the challenge fun.

 

[twogreen]

Just count your blessings that you have a course to play. The course in my subdivision closed down for "refurbishment" nine months ago. I have yet to see any sign of work on the course. They continue to mow the fairways that border the public streets; because the developer is still trying to attract buyers to the subdivision. However, the green directly behind my house now has weeds growing almost knee high.

 

[Louie_T07]

I don't mind blind or difficult shots, as long as I can see something, anything that might tell me what direction it heads, even just generally. But there are some courses that just leave you there with a wide open blind shot, and you have no fricken clue what to do. It's not difficult, it's not challenging, it's just stupid. If you want to make a proper tough blind shot, show me the start of the fairway, and maybe even the back edge of the green, but over the crest, where you can't see, make a vicious slope to the left or right, that will fool most anyone that hasn't played there before, but it will also set up to reward good shots. I've hit balls at this Scottish highlands, that were exactly where I wanted them, within 5 yards. Perfect shots. I walk up to where I hit my ball, just over a crest, in front of the tee box, so you can see none of the fairway, and you see that the fairway was 30yds offset right of the fairway, and that my ball is somewhere in 4' tall heather grass. That is just annoying, frustrating, and downright stupid design.

That's just it, if this place had at least given me something, I doubt I would have even started this thread. On the third or fourth hole, we stood on the tee and my playing partner asked "So... Where do we go?" I looked at my Garmin and told him there were two bunker on the right that we both could carry and would get us in the fairway. He said, "what bunkers??" I looked up and couldn't believe it. You couldn't see anything!! Like come on!! Give me at least some flashing of sand, so I know they are out there. That is the artistry of course design, this place was clearly lacking!!

I find that between my garmin gps and the little pictures on the scorecard of each hole, I can navigate most anywhere new. I just lower my scoring expectations on the maiden round. I find the challenge fun.

Thankfully I had my Garmin PaPaD, or we both would have been royally screwed!! The drawings on the card resembled something my toddler nephew would draw me. But again on this hole, the Garmin showed the bunkers, but there was nothing to see for picking a target line. I had no real expectations for my round and really I'm quite happy with the 80. But I dunno, this place just really bothered me... Thought I'd share and get us all talking

 

[PaPaD]

That's just it, if this place had at least given me something, I doubt I would have even started this thread. On the third or fourth hole, we stood on the tee and my playing partner asked "So... Where do we go?" I looked at my Garmin and told him there were two bunker on the right that we both could carry and would get us in the fairway. He said, "what bunkers??" I looked up and couldn't believe it. You couldn't see anything!! Like come on!! Give me at least some flashing of sand, so I know they are out there. That is the artistry of course design, this place was clearly lacking!!



Thankfully I had my Garmin PaPaD, or we both would have been royally screwed!! The drawings on the card resembled something my toddler nephew would draw me. But again on this hole, the Garmin showed the bunkers, but there was nothing to see for picking a target line. I had no real expectations for my round and really I'm quite happy with the 80. But I dunno, this place just really bothered me... Thought I'd share and get us all talking

I get ya Splunge. My nemesis designs are the courses where it looks like they ran out of real estate and just crammed a few holes in the space remaining. We have one called Rapidan that has a few holes that just make you say "WTF?".

 

[Louie_T07]

I get ya Splunge. My nemesis designs are the courses where it looks like they ran out of real estate and just crammed a few holes in the space remaining. We have one called Rapidan that has a few holes that just make you say "WTF?".

That's exactly what this course was, step onto the tee and look out... WTF??? Consult the Garmin and do our best. That being said, there is also a lot to be said for local knowledge. If I were to play the course again, I would know a lot more about the place.