LINKS Premier Clubs 2011 by LINKS Magazine

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LINKS PREMIER CLUBS

PREMIER CLUBS CLUBS

the best of american golf

the best of

AMERICAN GOLF 2 0 1 1

2011

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HATS OFF

to the numerous tour players who have won wearing FJ ICON golf shoes – the crowning achievement in FootJoy’s iconic legacy.

These shoes represent the best in style and tour inspired innovation that players have come to expect from the industry leader. Select from 22 different FJ ICON styles at a retailer near you or visit www.FJICON.com

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HATS OFF

to the numerous tour players who have won wearing FJ ICON golf shoes – the crowning achievement in FootJoy’s iconic legacy.

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PREMIER CLUBS 2 0 1 1

PUBLISHER’S LETTER P A G E

THE IDEAL CLUB BY GEOFF SHACKELFORD

No golf club gets it all right, but here are the elements that make for a perfect day of golf P A G E

CAVES VALLEY GOLF CLUB

HUNTSVILLE GOLF CLUB

OLD CHATHAM GOLF CLUB

OWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND

L E H M A N , P E N N S Y L VA N I A

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA

P A G E

4 4

7 2

THE CONCESSION GOLF CLUB

THE KINGSLEY CLUB

OLD PALM GOLF CLUB

S A R A S O TA , F L O R I D A

K I N G S L E Y, M I C H I G A N

PA L M B E A C H G A R D E N S , F L O R I D A

P A G E

1 6

P A G E

4 8

P A G E

7 6

DISMAL RIVER GOLF CLUB

MAYACAMA GOLF CLUB

PIKEWOOD NATIONAL GOLF CLUB

MULLEN, NEBRASKA

S A N TA R O S A , C A L I F O R N I A

MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA

P A G E

2 4

P A G E

5 6

P A G E

8 4

DORMIE CLUB

McARTHUR GOLF CLUB

SAUCON VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB

WEST END, NORTH CAROLINA

HOBE SOUND, FLORIDA

B E T H L E H E M , P E N N S Y L VA N I A

P A G E

2 8

P A G E

6 4

THE GOLF CLUB OF CAPE COD E A S T FA L M O U T H , M A S S A C H U S E T T S

P A G E

3 6

2011 EDITION

P A G E

9 2

TRUMP NATIONAL GOLF CLUB

ABOVE: Caves Valley Golf Club, 16th hole, 430 yards PHOTO BY L.C. LAMBRECHT

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P A G E

BEDMINSTER, NEW JERSEY

P A G E

1 0 0

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LINKSPREMIERCLUBS ®

The Best Of Golf

PRESIDENT / PUBLISHER

Your Ideal Club

ELCOME to the second edition of Premier Clubs, our annual celebration of some of the best private golf clubs in the country. This year, we profile 14 special

enclaves that offer fun, engaging golf, memorable scenery and a tranquil, inviting atmosphere.

That is true whether these clubs are sanctuaries within bustling metropolises like Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, located 40 miles from midtown Manhattan, or far-flung destinations like Dismal River Golf Club in the middle of the Nebraska Sand Hills. No matter how far you have traveled or how long you are staying, the appeal of these premier clubs is the way they lift the stresses of daily life when you enter their grounds. Many find peace in the natural surroundings of lay-of-the-land courses—the 40-mile views offered at Pikewood National Golf Club, the rugged landscape at the Kingsley Club, the native sandy scrub at Dormie Club. Others appreciate a stern test of golf, like the course designed by Tom Fazio at Caves Valley Golf Club, which hosted the dramatic 2002 U.S. Senior Open won by Don Pooley in a five-hole playoff; by Herbert Strong at Saucon Valley Country Club, home to six U.S. Golf Association championships; and by the team of Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin at The Concession Golf Club to celebrate the spirit of the Ryder Cup. If anyone knows how to prepare courses for tournaments, it is Rees Jones, who has renovated numerous layouts for the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. He also knows how to design challenging but enjoyable layouts for everyday play, evidenced by his original works at two other premier clubs: Old Chatham Golf Club and Golf Club of Cape Cod. No matter your handicap, the clubhouse is a place to celebrate a great round or to find refuge after a forgettable one. For a great club, the clubhouse is as much a part of the experience as the golf. At Huntsville Golf Club, the modern clubhouse designed by a renowned architect is a conversation starter, while the Mediterraneanstyle structure at Old Palm Golf Club is filled with touches provided by Ray Floyd, the club’s founder, and his wife, Maria. Located in Sonoma County, California, Mayacama Golf Club serves some of the best wines in the world in its clubhouse. Another kind of drink—milk—has played a role in the history of McArthur Golf Club. We also have added an essay by Geoff Shackelford outlining his requirements for an ideal club experience. His prose describes the enduring appeal of a private-golf experience, and I hope you’ll be inspired to learn more about our featured clubs. No matter your preferences, one of them is sure to be an ideal club for you.

John R. Purcell

Nancy S. Purcell Hunki Yun ART DIRECTOR Larry Hasak SENIOR EDITOR Tom Cunneff EDITOR AT LARGE George Peper CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ernie Els COPY EDITOR David Barrett PHOTO / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Lynne Snow DeNagel DIR. OF INTERACTIVE DEVELOPMENT Jessica Clanton RESEARCH ASSISTANT Tom Ierubino EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Seth Bidwell EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Tom Dellner, Randy Guyton, Geoff Shackelford, Dunlop White III CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Art Cicconi, Cliff Compton, Kohjiro Kinno, Russell Kirk, L.C. Lambrecht, Jim Mandeville, Brian D. Morgan David Kefford Janet Uings DIRECTOR OF CONSUMER MARKETING Lori Masaoay ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE MANAGER Beulah DuPont ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Peggy Hurley VP / GENERAL MANAGER

VP CONTROLLER / OPERATIONS

ADVERTISING VP / EASTERN ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

John Swain 203-304-1927 86 Boggs Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470 VP / SOUTHEASTERN / MID-ATLANTIC SALES DIRECTOR

Howard Derkay 770-420-9355 1703 Brookgreen Way, Acworth, GA 30101 VP / SOUTHEASTERN SALES MANAGER

Fred Warren 843-842-6200 P.O. Box 7628, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938 VP / SOUTHEASTERN SALES MANAGER

Terri Hession 706-467-0877 1630 Dogwood Drive, Greensboro, GA 30642 VP NATIONAL INTEGRATED SALES / WESTERN ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Cris Hayes 310-798-4320 Redondo Beach, CA 90277 DETROIT/OHIO

Thomas A. Reiss 248-987-8484 3140 Lahser Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 PACIFIC NORTHWEST/ARIZONA

Tracy Herbst 602-738-5739 4247 N. 45th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85018 CANADA

Josef Beranek 450-538-2468

JACK PURCELL President and Publisher jpurcell@linksmagazine.com

180 Mudgett Road, Sutton, Québec, Canada J0E 2K0 MEXICO

Raul Ruiz 998-112-1580 Cancun, Mexico

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2011 EDITION

HE GREATNESS of a golf club is measured by more than its course. After all, you don’t join a club just for the golf. You’re looking for a respite from everyday life, a sense of camaraderie and a pitch-perfect atmosphere—as well as a great course. A visit to the club is an experience to be savored. Here are the aspects of club life that help provide that perfect day.

CLUBHOUSE

The layout is simple. At larger clubs, there is a long hallway and The clubhouse should be comfortable, functional and convenient the rows of lockers feed off a main greeting area. At smaller clubs, as only a well-planned residence can be, since the club is a home there is a central area with chairs and couches, as well as a table away from home for members. Stanford White’s clubhouse at where, if we’re lucky, fresh gingersnaps are placed. While the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club accomplishes this sense of comfort. Unroom may be small, the ceiling is high. Ceiling fans ensure that cluttered by landscaped pathways and view-obstructing trees, our locker room never becomes stuffy; good lighting gives us no the building sits above the course yet never feels detached from excuse for our attire while supporting impromptu card games. William Flynn’s relentless links. Preferably, the lockers are carved out of wood with distinctive Our ideal clubhouse quietly rises out of the ground. It is not numbering. In fact, everything about the ideal locker room points artificially propped up so high that to Seminole Golf Club’s comfortable the driveway requires an uphill space, which promotes the laughs, climb to reach the front door. friendly conversation and levity that LINKSPREMIERCLUBS On the non-golf course side, the are essential to the ideal club. architect has created a simple turnaround for dropping off clubs near GOLF PRO the locker room and pro shop. FacWith his kind demeanor and deep ing the course is an ample terrace love for the game, the ideal pro sets allowing diners to enjoy the outthe tone for our club. He has a clear doors while watching golfers finish. understanding of what works best Next to the grill is the kitchen for our club—and very rarely does a serving the terrace and on the othsingle element go awry. er side, a formal dining room where That’s because he empowers his a jacket (but not a tie) is required. loyal staff to carry out his vision. Our Opposite is a smaller reading room pro is a friendly, attentive and pathat doubles as a meeting space, tient old soul who can take in the NO GOLF CLUB GETS IT stocked liberally with golf volumes most lame of jokes and most tedious ALL JUST RIGHT. and other classics. of golf horror stories—shot by excru(ALTHOUGH SOME COME PRETTY CLOSE.) At this point it may occur that ciating shot. But our pro, who never THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES THE this ideal clubhouse sounds familshies away from a conversation, alELEMENTS OF AN UNFORGETTABLE iar. Especially if you’ve been to ways listens as if he is hearing these GOLF EXPERIENCE. Winged Foot Golf Club. Clifford same old tales for the first time. Wendehack’s building is designed The ideal pro is so linked to the BY GEOFF SHACKELFORD to near perfection by a man who declub experience that it is unimaginvoted his life to studying, writing able to think of visiting without introducing your guests to him, if he hasn’t already stepped out of about and designing the ideal private-club building. his office to say hello. The number of archetypal pros is too long to list, but has there ever been a more kind, gentle, and patient LOCKER ROOM pro than Cypress Point Club’s recently retired Jim Langley? While the course provides sanctuary from everyday life, the locker room offers a safe haven from the travails of the links. Basic SCORECARD function with a splash of comfort marks our ideal locker room. The look, feel and even the coating of its scorecard say so much Jacuzzis and saunas are not necessary if the showers work like about the self-esteem of a facility. The ideal clubs generally have those at Merion Golf Club. The showers feature private areas for pocket-size, two-color cards with the name, logo and perhaps disrobing and toweling off. The counter areas should be stocked founding date on the cover. Key Local Rules and a line about with various products, especially mouthwash and sunscreen. An playing by the Rules of Golf are posted on the back. That’s it. attendant is present to shine shoes, listen to war stories and greet We don’t need the club’s history or book-jacket style blurbs golfers in a friendly but never excessively effusive way. He’s well about the layout’s greatness. And all the varnish in the world versed in nearby dining establishments, current events and sports, won’t make the paper impervious to the elements, which is why and can offer guests simple directions to the airport. Oh, and he the exemplary card is uncoated, allowing pencils to mark with ease. can pour a drink out of the small but well-stocked bar that only This is, after all, a card on which to keep score. serves the locker room.

the ideal

CLUB

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2011 EDITION

FIRST TEE Most of the revered first tees are small and elevated, close to the clubhouse. While that may make them functional and dramatic, such intimacy proves a bit too quaint due to the noise and pressure that add to an already stressful event: the opening tee shot. We’ve all heard stories of golfers overcoming stage fright to strike opening tee shots against the backdrop of clanking dishes and lunchtime chatter at Merion. Or consider the highly visible, stage-like settings at Southern Hills Country Club, Riviera Country Club or Bethpage State Park’s Black course. But crowds detract. That’s why the model starting box is set away from the commotion. Preferred is the subdued beginning at the least subdued of courses, Pine Valley Golf Club. As at Winged Foot, there is a simple tee resting low to the surrounding ground, away from the clubhouse activity. But never so far to rule out a quick run back to the locker room for a forgotten sweater.

HALFWAY HOUSE What more do we need than a simple menu with an emphasis on food that can be quickly prepared and eaten just as rapidly? The ideal halfway can be encountered twice in a round and features a small seating area, which many clubs discourage in the name of pace of play. No, provide the option to enjoy a leisurely lunch and let those in a hurry play through. Our halfway house has a distinctive touch. Perhaps it’s the sweeping view at Sand Hills Golf Club or the water-tower mystique at Pine Valley. But the best of all is Hot Dog Bill’s linear-shaped cheeseburgers at the Olympic Club, where a whiff of the grill encourages even the most downtrodden to persevere as the Lake course takes its inevitable toll on your scorecard.

FINISHING HOLE Like school exams that merely assess memory skills, pure shotmaking tests often omit strategy and fun. An ideal course tests thinking throughout, but never more so than with the outcome of the match in the balance. A good finshier should reward the ability to think clearly and make good decisions. Room must be left open for heroic, imaginative play, allowing for the type of wild swings that define the most exciting finishes to matches and majors. For reasons unknown, lengthy two-shotters have become the preferred 18th hole, especially at most modern layouts, even when short par 4s and reachable par 5s offer far more drama. So our ideal finish is not a long par 4; but it finishes close to the clubhouse so an audience can assemble to witness the conclusion of the round, which is far more pleasing to spectate than the

scene of tortured, tense souls preparing to tee off. Our concluding hole should be defined by one key design trait. Perhaps it’s a deep swale that swallows balls like quicksand yet somehow still allows for the occasional recovery. Dramatic for all is a short second shot to a small, tightly bunkered green. Two such finishers come to mind: the 347-yarder at Olympic and the 354-yarder at Donald Ross’ Inverness Club. Both play out in front of the clubhouse and feature sloped putting surfaces where both majors and friendly wagers have been settled. At Inverness, whether it is Bob Tway holing out from a greenside bunkerto beat Greg Norman in the 1986 PGA Championship, George Von Elm twice making birdie in his 72-hole playoff against winner Billy Burke in the 1931 U.S. Open, or members watching fellow golfers wrapping up a tightly contested match, there is nothing more we could ask of a finishing hole.

GRILLROOM The defining room of any club should have an airy, high-ceiling setting where bets are settled and arguments debated below the names of club champions or invitational winners memorialized on wood siding. At least one HD television is tuned to the Golf Channel or sporting event. Please, no news or financial programs—nobody should have to watch successful men sitting at a crumb-covered table watching a stock ticker. It tempts one to ask in full Judge Smails condescension: “Don’t you people have homes?” A bar without stools guards one side of our ideal grill, allowing golfers to stand and chat with the bartender without having to squeeze between hunched bar dwellers. Ultimately, the model grill is only as memorable as the golfers who gather there. The décor does not have to attain perfection, but something about the scale and tone must invite complete comfort. While Winged Foot’s grill obtains architectural nirvana, it’s the wonderful community regaling nightly in an upstairs bar that adds to those halcyon days spent in the Nebraska countryside playing at Sand Hills.

PARKING LOT The parking area sets the tone for the day. It helps if you’ve seemingly arrived at someone’s home, maked by an informality that immediately puts you at ease. While San Francisco Golf Club and Cypress Point offer the homiest of places to leave your car, Newport Country Club offers the most idyllic lot—a simple grass area outside the clubhouse, with the rows defined by ankle-high boards that delineate spaces by members’ initials. If such informality works for the billionaires here, it will do for the ideal club.

2011 EDITION |

CLUBHOUSE

the ideal

CLUB

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2011 EDITION

2011 EDITION |

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17th hole, 480 yards Opposite: 1st hole, 426 yards

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LINKSPREMIERCLUBS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY L.C. LAMBRECHT

Caves Valley Golf Club

The Tom Fazio-designed course is good enough to have hosted multiple national championships, but it is the people at this national club who provide the memorable experience that leaves members and guests longing for a return visit

2011 EDITION |

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CAVESVALLEY

T THE GRAND OPENING of Caves Valley Golf Club in 1991, Tom Fazio was rightfully the star of the day. After all, he had

just designed a beautiful layout in the rolling hills outside Baltimore, and the course would go on to host several national championships, including the 1995 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2002 U.S. Senior Open and both the men’s and women’s NCAA championships.

He presented his thoughts about the layout, which now measures 7,226 yards, and opened the floor to questions. Somebody asked what would make Caves Valley a great club one day. “That’s easy,” Fazio responded. “It’s the people. Without the people, it’s just a pretty place.” Since Day One, the founding members have set down a road map of service and hospitality that form the crux of the Caves Valley experience, which has given the club a deserved reputation as one of the best golf retreats in the country. Extremely popular among the regional business community—Baltimore, the Washington Beltway, Philadelphia—and beyond, the club possesses an entertaining-friendly infrastructure that rivals that of any club in the nation. Located in the horse country north of Baltimore, the club occupies 962 acres emanating from the clubhouse, a converted farmhouse that sits on a ridge overlooking the valley and dates to the 1930s. Instead of expanding the house into a monolithic structure, the club wisely added smaller buildings—all built to com-

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plement the clubhouse design—to house the locker rooms, pro shop, meeting spaces and administrative offices. This compound evokes the tranquil warmth of a small village and encourages interaction between visitors as they traverse the park-like complex. The true sense of belonging begins as visitors drive up to the bag drop, where members of Director of Golf Dennis Satyshur’s staff greet them as if they were checking into a resort. The comparison is apt, as the club’s hospitality is the keystone of the Caves Valley experience. Just steps away are the club’s five cottages, arrayed along the left side of the opening hole. While many national clubs hide their overnight accommodations from the course for maximum privacy, Caves Valley’s approach does have an inspirational effect. The sight and smell of the freshly mown fairway dissolve the aches from the previous day’s 36 holes and stir up enthusiasm for another day of golf. Truth be told, players need little external influence to find the first tee. Much of the front nine sits in the sparsely treed valley marked by subtle slopes, while the holes on the back

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Designed by Tom Fazio, Caves Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 7,226-yard layout is a proven tournament test that has hosted the U.S. Mid-Amateur, U.S. Senior Open and NCAA Championships.

8th hole, 215 yards

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CAVESVALLEY

2nd hole, 385 yards

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‘Our nationol members are our best ambassadors,’ says Tony Deering, the club’s chairman. ‘They are extremely proud of the club.’

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LINKSPREMIERCLUBS

9th hole, 435 yards

nine are bordered by forests and have dramatic elevation changes. There is a good mix, from the 385-yard 2nd, the first of the open-land holes, to the 435-yard 9th, where a stream meandering down the right side encourages players to hew closer than they feel comfortable to the fairway bunker left of the fairway. Following a well-paced back-nine stretch, the three finishing holes form a stern 1,370-yard gauntlet of long par 4s that test driving skills, iron and hybrid play, recovery shots and putting nerves. As matches reach their denouement, winners certainly enjoy their spoils after playing these holes well. Word of the Caves Valley experience has spread quickly among the highest levels of golf’s pyramid of influence, both by word of mouth and through the club’s efforts. “Our national members are our best ambassadors,” says Tony Deering, who succeeded founding chairman Les Disharoon. “They are proud of the club and they bring many future members as guests.” Of course, it helps when the membership rolls include connectors like Buddy Marucci, captain of the past two U.S. Walker Cup teams. The week prior to the 2009 event, he bivouacked the squad at the club for several days before heading to Merion Golf Club, where they won. Promoting top-tier amateur golf is an important plank of the Caves Valley platform, and the club has hosted the Chesapeake Cup, a better-ball amateur event. In 1991 the inaugural Chesapeake Cup marked the club’s official opening with a four-ball match between two teams of top amateurs: Vinny Giles and Danny Yates against Jay Sigel and Fred Ridley. Another important emissary is Satyshur, a longtime golf insider who was assistant captain of Tom Kite’s 1997 U.S. Ryder Cup team. Satyshur has arranged special events like the nine-hole match a couple of years ago featuring Ryder Cup and Walker Cup captains: Kite and Marucci vs. 2004 European Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer and ’07 and

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’09 Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup captain (and Caves Valley member) Colin Dalgleish. The match raised money for the club’s foundation, which provides financial aid to area students. Many of the scholars work at the walking-only club as caddies, forming part of the Caves Valley experience to which everyone contributes. The members bring enjoyment and appreciation of the game, a quality that permeates through every corner of the club. General Manager Nancy Palmer and her gracious staff provide great food, comfortable accommodations, warm service and attention to detail. Superintendent Steve Glossinger oversees one of the best-conditioned courses in the country, a layout ever at the ready to challenge and delight whoever happens to stop by, whether it is a tour pro, business titan or political heavyweight. As Caves Valley’s de facto social director, Satyshur greets and treats both longtime members and guests as if they were the same. “I don’t have to worry about whether my guests are having a good time,” says Mac Brawn, who brings a group of clients once a month from the Boston area. “Dennis takes care of that. I just turn the whole program over to him.” Brawn, who sells casualty insurance, entertains at Beantown’s biggest tickets—Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots games. But the invitation his customers covet most is an overnight trip to Caves Valley. “It’s the single best thing we do,” says Brawn. That is certainly high praise, topped only by that of Brad Burris, a three-time club champion and University of North Carolina graduate, who offers the ultimate compliment while talking about the club and Duke University alumnus Satyshur. “I can’t find fault with any part of the club,” says Burris, a member since 1995. “I fell in love with the place and people. And that’s really saying something, because it takes a lot for me to love a Dukie.” ■

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Director of Golf Dennis Satyshur treats every guest as if he or she were a member, a key to the Caves Valley experience.

LOCATION

Owings Mills, Maryland PAR 71 YARDAGE 7,226 YEAR FOUNDED 1991 ARCHITECT

Tom Fazio

Caves Valley Golf Club 12th hole, 192 yards

CONTACT

cavesvalley.net 410-356-1313

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13th hole, 545 yards Opposite: 5th hole, 478 yards

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSSELL KIRK/GOLFLINKS

The Concession Golf Club

Whether playing a tightly contested match or enjoying the solitude provided by the challenging, natural course, members of this Florida club enjoy the warm, inclusive spirit exemplified by the Ryder Cup

2011 EDITION |

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THECONCESSION

HE 2010 RYDER CUP PROVED ONCE AGAIN that the biennial match-play team competition between the United States and Europe is the most exciting event in golf, full of drama, camaraderie and great shots. While the world has to wait every two years to enjoy the Ryder Cup, its spirit thrives every day at The Concession Golf Club, a special

enclave near Sarasota on the west coast of Florida.

This spirit begins with the club’s name, honoring one of the most noble acts of sportsmanship in golf history. In the 1969 Ryder Cup at England’s Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Jack Nicklaus conceded a two-foot putt on the 18th green to Tony Jacklin that halved their singles match and resulted in the first tie in Ryder Cup history. More than three decades later, Nicklaus and Jacklin joined together to design a 7,470-yard layout at a club that truly embodies the Ryder Cup’s ideals. “We’ve really decided to embrace that,” says new owner Bruce Cassidy, who has been a member since the club opened in 2006. “It’s all about camaraderie and being able to have a club that’s not stuffy, not so formal. The Ryder Cup is very competitive but it’s one of those events where the guys let their hair down a little, families get involved and the fans are a little more active. That’s the kind of club we want to have.”

A key part of the spirit is reaching out to other clubs, and The Concession hosted four Ryder Cup-style matches in 2010. Two were against overseas clubs, including Lindrick Golf Club in Yorkshire, England. Lindrick was the site of the 1957 Ryder Cup, the only loss for the U.S. side between 1933 and 1985. But in a payback of sorts, Lindrick members fell to the group from The Concession following a series of friendly but fierce matches. “We all came out winners because of the friends we made,” says Jimmy Wright, The Concession’s tournament director and acclaimed club professional, who played in the matches. “It was all about the fun and kibitzing we had with each other, the cocktail parties and getting to know people from other clubs. Now we consider ourselves like a sister club.” Afterward, both sides gathered around the outdoor fire pit overlooking the 18th green, and the team from Lindrick presented its counterpart with a personalized signed painting of its most famous member, Lee Westwood. While the participants recalled shots and moments from the matches, they no doubt marveled at the challenges of the layout, routed over 520 acres of lakes, pines and oaks. The Concession members are proud of its status as one of the most difficult courses in Florida—the Course and Slope ratings are 77.6 and 155. There are few let-up shots, as the course is replete with riskreward choices. Even seemingly straightforward holes like the 374-yard 8th are rife with peril. A well-placed drive down the left side leaves a clear approach into the narrow, angled green with water right and a bunker left. The second shot may seem easy, but players quickly find that it’s not. “Even today after I’ve played it all these times,” says

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The fraternal spirit of the Ryder Cup thrives every day at The Concession, from the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name to the course designed by Jack Nicklaus in association with Tony Jacklin.

10th hole, 410 yards

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THECONCESSION

12th hole, 349 yards

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The club is proud of the layout, one of the most difficult in Florida. ‘It was meant to be a strong course,’ says Nicklaus. ‘But we also want members and guests to have fun.’

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LINKSPREMIERCLUBS

14th hole, 222 yards

Wright, who has nearly 120 professional victories, “my knees start knocking because even though you have a wedge in your hand it doesn’t mean the hole is over at that point. It’s just starting.” Another memorable hole is the 545-yard double-dogleg 13th, where a lake set at an angle dares strong players to embrace an aggressive line off the tee. Only after reaching their drives do they realize that the second shot offers an equally daunting proposition of holding the elevated green with a fairway wood. Shots missing the green usually end up in a surrounding collection area, a common feature on the course. (Members can practice these tricky shots on the 23-acre practice facility equipped with Titleist Pro V1 range balls.) The proximity of the greens to the tee boxes, which makes the course very walkable, allows the club to run a strong caddie program that provides for memorable, unique golf experiences. The tightly mown areas are firm and fast, affording many

3rd hole, 577 yards

opportunities to use the ground game and play different types of fun recovery shots. Superintendent Terry Kennelly achieves these conditions with the help of a subterranean climate-control computer system—in use at only about 20 courses in the country—that manages irrigation, drainage and pH balance beneath the greens. Cassidy, with the blessing of Nicklaus and Jacklin, has taken steps to add several user-friendly features to the course since its opening. In addition to widening some fairways and shrinking some bunkers, the club removed ball-eating palmetto bushes and native grasses flanking many holes while adding additional tees for increased flexibility. “It was meant to be a strong course,” says Nicklaus. “But we also want members and guests to have fun.” Whether golfers are playing from the front tees or the tips, a couple of the shared qualities of The Concession Golf Club experience are the natural beauty and the serenity it provides. “You just feel like you’re out there alone with your group,” says Cassidy. “The course provides that traditional walk-in-the-park experience and the pure enjoyment of 18 signature holes.” Those looking for interaction can find it at the 33,000square-foot Palladian-style clubhouse, decorated with blackand-white photos of past Ryder Cups. There is no better way to bond than over signature dishes like Bistro Blue Tomato Soup and Floribbean Grouper prepared by Sean Murphy. In addition to being culinary director of Bistro at The Concession, Murphy owns nearby Anna Maria Island’s Beach Bistro, which boasts the highest ratings for food and service in Florida according to the Zagat Survey. Similarly, the course is quickly earning accolades as one of the best in the country. Although members and guests are drawn by the prospect of playing a course good enough to challenge the best players in the world, their everyday enjoyment of The Concession will be marked by the spirits of competition and fraternity exhibited during the Ryder Cup, golf’s premier team event. ■

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The 7,470-yard layout has few let-up shots, and a round is replete with risk-reward choices that will test every club in the bag.

LOCATION

Sarasota, Florida PAR 72 YARDAGE 7,470 ARCHITECTS

Jack Nicklaus in association with Tony Jacklin CONTACT

theconcession.com

8th hole, 374 yards

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18th hole, 520 yards Opposite page: 14th hole, 519 yards

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM MANDEVILLE/NICKLAUS DESIGN

Dismal River Golf Club

Amid Nebraskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fabled Sand Hills, Jack Nicklaus designed an epic course at a remote destination club that delivers a pure-golf experience

2011 EDITION |

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DISMALRIVER

4th hole, 596 yards

HE GOLDEN BEAR has become an endangered species in his native habitat: the golf course. It has become increasingly rare to see Jack Nicklaus play, whether in tournaments or at course openings. Now 71, Nicklaus tees it up primarily for pleasure, and one of the courses that he looks forward to visiting regularly is his masterpiece in the heart of the

Nebraska Sand Hills, the Dismal River Golf Club.

In addition to being the course designer, Nicklaus is a close friend of former LPGA commissioner Charlie Mechem, who is part of an ownership group headed by the father-son team of Richard and Chris Johnston. As the majority owner, the younger Johnston runs the club’s operations with Director of Golf Greg Dennis. Johnston and Dennis—along with the “Dismal Dogs,” a pair of Bernese Mountain dogs named Dizzy and General Hooker—enthusiastically greet visitors, no matter how many majors they have won. “We treat everyone as if they were guests of our home,” says Johnston. Prospective members are always welcome, and visitors especially appreciate the hospitality considering Dismal River’s remote location—a little more than an hour from North Platte and at the end of a one-lane road that winds for 17 miles from mile marker 64 on Route 97. (In his directions, Dennis implores: “Don’t give up!”) Waiting at the clubhouse are drinks, a hearty meal and a fire pit, followed by a night in one of four comfortable cabins or 36 spacious rooms overlooking the namesake river. In the morning, guests are ready to tackle the epic course that Nicklaus routed over and between massive dunes. Dismal River sits on 3,000 acres, and the immense size of the property is evident during the ride from the clubhouse to the first tee, a mile away. Driving through the dunes, some of which are more than 100 feet tall, whets the appetite for a unique experience: golf in the Sand Hills. This area’s wild, pure golf is just 15 years old, and Dismal River certainly owes much to Sand Hills Golf Club, just six miles away. But despite their proximity, Dismal River and

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Sand Hills represent complementary, rather than comparable, golf experiences. On a site with much larger landforms, Dismal River offers a course that is less tamed and more rugged than its predecessor. Big, well-designed holes like the 480-yard 7th and the 587yard 12th are in ideal proportion with the grand landscape. In addition to possessing visually appealing features like blowout bunkers, ragged edges and plenty of elevation changes, the holes offer a chance to play the kind of imaginative golf that attracts golf purists. Players must factor in the wind as well as the ground game, making the course a suitable substitute for a links-golf experience. For many, Dismal’s location is not a liability but a major asset. For a surprisingly modest investment, new members have the opportunity to get away from it all while being with friends and family and teeing it up with like-minded souls who love and respect the game. Nicklaus has returned to make several tweaks, and his latest change has made the finishing hole even stronger. A new green has shortened the hole from 591 to 520 yards, allowing every player to hit from an elevated tee atop a large dune down to the fairway, which sits 100 feet below. The tee offers a great perspective of the huge scale of the Nebraska dunescape, upon which the club is considering the building of a second course. On another hill overlooking the new 18th green, Jack’s Shack offers post-round refreshments, as well as panoramic reminders of both the seemingly endless Sand Hills and the pure, rewarding golf available in the heartland of America. ■

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Blowout bunkers, ragged edges and elevation changes offer a chance to play the kind of imaginative golf that appeals to purists.

LOCATION

Mullen, Nebraska PAR 72 YARDAGE 7,513 YEAR FOUNDED 2006 ARCHITECT

Jack Nicklaus CONTACT

dismalriver.com

15th hole, 184 yards

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1st hole, 431 yards Opposite: 17th hole, 506 yards

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Dormie Club

PHOTOGRAPHY BY L.C. LAMBRECHT

In the shadow of Donald Rossâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home at Pinehurst, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw delivered on their promise of a natural, strategic course that offers a sense of sanctuary in the Carolina Sandhills

2011 EDITION |

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DORMIECLUB

EW PEOPLE appreciate golf’s history and traditions the way Ben Crenshaw does, as both designer and player. He was at one of the game’s most hallowed

venues, Augusta National Golf Club, during the 2003 Masters, when he learned of a unique project near another special address for golf: Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Tears welled in Crenshaw’s eyes as he heard about the proposed golf-only club, to be known as Dormie Club, and envisioned working in the North Carolina Sandhills, an area on which he always had wanted to leave his mark. This sentiment matched that of his longtime design partner, Bill Coore, who had grown up in the area. But first, Coore and Crenshaw needed to visit the site to determine whether it would yield the kind of minimalist, classic layout that has become their trademark. So for hours, the duo walked the former quail-hunting retreat outside Pinehurst, the way they had trekked across the Nebraska countryside before designing Sand Hills Golf Club and the Long Island dunes before building Friar’s Head. Coore and Crenshaw “found” 14 potential holes that day, recognizing the value of the 1,100-acre property the way the club’s founders had when they set out to build the course. An integral component of their plan was the hiring of Coore and Crenshaw, and had the pair declined the assignment, Dormie Club might never have been built. Years later, Dormie Club is finally open, fulfilling the owners’ vision of a natural-looking course that moves up and down 110 feet of elevation changes while wending through

7th hole, 243 yards

6th hole, 532 yards and around pines, mature hardwoods and a pair of lakes. The 6,988-yard layout blends seamlessly with the native Sandhills landscape of wiregrass and sandy scrub areas, without manicured edges or defined rough. Fittingly, the course is based upon the timeless design principles espoused by Donald Ross, who lived in Pinehurst. The transplanted Scot believed a course should be designed with width, which provides several options for players. Holes would reward tee shots to a specific portion of the fairway, while a strayed drive affords an opportunity for a recovery, albeit with some difficulty. Much of modern course architecture has been missing this key strategic element, but the throwback Dormie Club has restored this Golden Age philosophy with generous hole corridors providing multiple angles to the green, as well as large chipping areas that demand thoughtful shot selection and precise execution, whether the player chooses to hit a flop, a Texas wedge or anything in between. The designers and founders make this old-school approach

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Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw walked the site for hours, the way they trekked over the Nebraska landscape before designing Sand Hills Golf Club.

3rd hole, 316 yards

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DORMIECLUB

15th hole, 384 yards

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The Dormie Club has restored the Golden Age philosophy of wide corridors and multiple angles to the green.

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apparent from the opening hole, which has a wide fairway guarded by two cross bunkers. No hole in golf offers more options than a short par 4, and Coore and Crenshaw showcase their genius on the 316-yard 3rd hole. Meandering downhill from the elevated tee before climbing to a green tucked into the hillside, the hole looks as though it has been there for centuries, waiting to be uncovered. The green looks like the moon’s surface and yet looks so natural, with an array of bumps and knolls guarded by several wild bunkers that erode into the surrounding woods. The 440-yard 4th drops roughly 55 feet from tee to green, while the 435-yard 5th features a tee shot over the corner of

yard 14th, the Cape-style 384-yard 15th and the 506-yard 17th. This remarkable hole rises slowly from the tee to a fairway guarded by two bunkers left and one right before climbing sharply, over a bunker that pays homage to “Hell Bunker” on the 14th hole at the Old Course at St. Andrews. As a final testament to the routing conceived by Crenshaw and Coore, there are no par values on the scorecard, simply yardages. “Par is really an arbitrary number,” says Director of Golf Paul Oglesby. “So many of the holes here play differently each day, depending on conditions and time of year, that it doesn’t make sense to put down a set par for each hole. In the end, your score will be your score, regardless.

12th hole, 118 yards

a lake. The 532-yard 6th has 15 bunkers, although most are only visible if you are near them, and it plays uphill to a hog’s-back fairway toward the heavily bunkered green. The 477-yard 8th is another gem, with the elevated fairway following the curvature of the lake to a large green that is 50 yards deep. Another archetype missing from today’s courses is the short, fun one-shotter, and Dormie Club has two enviable examples. The first is the 173-yard 9th, which often measures shorter than the printed yardage and plays over wetlands to a tiny green, perched on a hill and guarded by a pair of rugged bunkers. According to a founder, the 9th is one of the clearest examples on the course where it looks as if green carpet were simply laid over the land. The next is the 118-yard 12th, which is destined to be, yard for yard, one of the most memorable holes in golf. Sitting perfectly in its surroundings, the hole plays slightly uphill over a sandy waste area to a green that runs away from the tee. Guarding the right side of the green are two bunkers of varying heights that provide visual discomfort. Despite having a wedge in their hands, golfers will be glad to make par. More options await at the drivable-yet-treacherous 307-

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That’s the way golf is supposed to be played.” In fact, everything about the club pays homage to the greatness of the game, starting with the name. According to a founder, the term “dormie” originally meant having reached a point in one’s life at which nothing could go wrong. So the goal of the club is to provide a sanctuary where members could get away, play golf and enjoy the camaraderie— a place where nothing could go wrong. Despite opening during a tumultuous economic climate, the founders have planned for a long-term future. The course is open for select non-member play for the next two years (with flexible membership options), after which the club will remain private. Future plans include a modest clubhouse, fitness center, par-3 course and guest accommodations. The club is also planning an amenity for history buffs. Members will be able to use the original Donald Ross house for special events and functions. To be sure, all these developments will take place with the same attention to golf’s traditions found throughout the masterpiece of a course that fits perfectly within the landscape of Pinehurst, one of the most historic, most revered, most visited golf destinations in America. ■

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Lacking manicured edges or defined rough, the Dormie Club layout blends seamlessly with the native landscapes of wiregrass and sandy scrub areas.

LOCATION

West End, North Carolina YARDAGE 6,988 YEAR FOUNDED 2010 ARCHITECTS

Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw CONTACT

Dormie Club 18th hole, 428 yards

dormieclub.com 910-947-3240

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4th hole, 175 yards Opposite: 18th hole, 580 yards

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The Golf Club of Cape Cod

PHOTOGRAPHY BY L.C. LAMBRECHT

Boasting a Rees Jones-designed course in a natural setting, a relative newcomer is establishing new standards for a pure golf experience on Cape Cod, drawing members from New England, the nation and the world

2011 EDITION |

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CAPECOD

ESPITE HAVING a famous name, Rees Jones didn’t become well known until 1988, when the U.S. Golf Association took its national championship to The Country Club, one of the five clubs that had founded the organization nearly a century before. Prior to the 1988 Open, Jones restored the historic course the way his father, Robert Trent

Jones Sr., had renovated many U.S. Open venues.

The younger Jones’ work at The Country Club, located in Brookline, Massachusetts, received critical acclaim. Jones made numerous changes to make the layout as challenging for modern players as it had been for Harry Vardon, Ted Ray and winner Francis Ouimet in the 1913 U.S. Open. At the same time, those changes melded so seamlessly with the rest of the layout and were so in keeping with the course’s mature landscape that Jones’ hand was barely perceptible. “The greatest compliment I got,” recalls Jones, “was, ‘What did you do?’” Nearly 20 years later, Jones applied a similar touch of artistry to a new Massachusetts club featuring pure golf. At the Golf Club of Cape Cod, Jones laid out a 7,047-yard course

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that, despite opening in 2007, looks as though it has been there for decades. “That’s the impression I was hoping to leave,” says Jones. “The site is wonderful and there are a lot of elevation changes with sandy soil. It’s one of the best routings we’ve ever done. All 18 holes fit the land like a glove.” Using a deft hand, Jones draped the holes on terrain shaped by glaciers from the Ice Age. The course offers a sense of refuge that is apparent upon entering the 152-acre property, which looks much bigger thanks to the rugged setting. In fact, local conservation restrictions preserve the tract in perpetuity. Cape Cod has been a bustling vacation destination and second-home haven for generations, so finding an unspoiled piece of land was a rare feat. Tall fescues, which turn from green to

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‘The site is wonderful,’ says Rees Jones, Cape Cod’s designer. ‘This is one of the best routings we’ve ever done. All 18 holes fit the land like a glove.’

11th hole, 547 yards

golden yellow in season, line the fairways. There is no residential development to interfere with the pure golf experience. “It’ll probably be the last private club built on the Cape,” says Martin Shaevel, the club’s principal owner. As a longtime Boston-area resident with a second home on Cape Cod, Shaevel understands the region’s sensibilities. He made sure this private golf club has a comfortable, understated appeal. That comfort begins in the classic New England-style clubhouse, which sits on the highest point of the property. The outdoor dining area, which overlooks the 18th green, is a great place for members and guests to relax and bask in the afterglow of a satisfying round and fabulous sunsets, attended to by a world-class staff. “Since the club’s opening, high-end service and continuity of key management have been a priority,” says Ken Shaevel, Martin’s son and a principal of the club. “We’re proud of our golf course, our team and the experience they bring to the club.” The golf experience is supported by Director of Golf Douglas Errhalt and Director of Golf Course Management Gregory Hollick, both of whom honed their professional skills

within the TPC network. Executive Chef Jon Philips is emerging as a local celebrity of sorts, preparing meals that have drawn comparisons to the best-ranked restaurants in Boston. “They’re the best club team in the region,” says Martin Shaevel. “This is a people business and we’ve been very, very lucky. There’s nobody that works at the club that I wouldn’t bring home to dinner.” On top of fostering a sense of camaraderie among the members, club management and the staff—led by Chief Operating Officer Charles Passios—have made efforts to reach out to the local community. “We’re a golf-only club, dedicated to the longstanding traditions of the game, including strong caddie and junior golf programs, and charitable works. It is our duty to give back to the game and the community in which we live,” says Passios. In addition to hosting charity outings, the club’s membership has opened its doors to events like the Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship and the American Junior Golf Association’s Deutsche Bank Partners for Charity Junior Shoot Out. Also, the club established the Golf Club of Cape

2011 EDITION |

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CAPECOD

17th hole, 461 yards

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The holes create a sense of refuge that is apparent upon entering the property, which looks larger than its 152 acres thanks to the rugged setting.

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Cod Fund to assist the region’s veterans. “We want to help fill the gap that the veterans’ services can’t handle,” says Passios, whose son is currently serving in the military. “The goal is to make a difference for those who have given us the safety and life we all enjoy.” The club’s caddie program is the largest on the Cape, with 70 loopers in peak season. The club is a supporter of the Francis Ouimet Society, which has given out millions in scholarships for college students in Massachusetts. Of course, all these programs are not possible without the enthusiastic participation of an active membership. “We have great members who are very supportive of the club,” says Shaevel. “Our members realize that in a fragile economy, a new golf club like ours could go in a lot of different directions. They have poured their hearts into this club.” This enthusiasm is contagious, as the membership is already 50-percent subscribed, attracting members from across the country and beyond. They are drawn to events like the member-guest that have become can’t-miss, camaraderie-building traditions at the club. “Building traditions takes time,” says Passios. “The golf course speaks for itself and this year, three years in, the club feels like home.” As the club continues to grow, more members and guests will be able to bond on Jones’ layout, which features an enjoyable mix of holes. There are tantalizing holes like the 304-yard 2nd, where long hitters can try driving the elevated green, pro-

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tected by an angled slope that repels all but the most precisely executed shots, whether they are hit with a driver or a wedge. There are demanding holes like the 464-yard 6th, which requires two solid shots for a birdie chance. There are heroic holes like the 190-yard 16th, all carry over water. Put together, the result is a classic woodland course based on timeless design principles, conducive for bringing people together for fun and lasting memories, the way Cape Cod itself has done for centuries. “My favorite part about visiting the club,” offers Shaevel, “is looking out over the 18th hole and watching players coming in with smiles on their faces. I look forward to the day when future generations of our present members and guests are playing the course, enjoying the TGC experience.” ■

2nd hole, 304 yards

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‘We decided early on that we will do charitable support,’ says the club’s COO, Charles Passios, ‘and we will give back to the game.’

LOCATION

East Falmouth, Massachusetts PAR 72 YARDAGE 7,047 YEAR FOUNDED 2007 ARCHITECT

The Golf Club of Cape Cod

Rees Jones CONTACT

tgccc.com

3rd hole, 533 yards

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14th hole, 552 yards Opposite page: 11th hole, 448 yards

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Huntsville Golf Club

PHOTOGRAPHY BY L.C. LAMBRECHT

After using a very discerning eye to select a site in northeast Pennsylvania, Rees Jones designed a natural, rolling layout that is one of the best courses in the state

2011 EDITION |

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HUNTSVILLE

12th hole, 532 yards

N 1988 REES JONES began searching the countryside around Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, for a site worthy of a strong golf course that would meet the lofty expectations of his client, local businessman Dick Maslow, who wanted to build a high-quality private club. Four years later, Jones found what seemed to be an ideal tract, a 310-acre farm north of town.

After mapping out a few unsatisfactory routings, Jones looked enviously at the property across the street. “I can build a very good golf course with what you’ve given me,” Jones told Maslow. “But if you purchase the property across the road, I can build you a great golf course.” So Maslow bought 120 acres on the other side of Old Route 115, giving Jones an expansive canvas. Since opening in 1995,

2nd hole, 391 yards

Huntsville Golf Club quickly has become one of the state’s best golf courses—a real achievement considering Pennsylvania is home to legends like Merion and Oakmont. The site, which features plenty of golf-friendly features like wooded areas, rolling prairie and nearly 150 feet of elevation changes, allowed Jones to craft a fun, demanding layout that engages players from the 1st tee to the 18th green. Although the course looks completely of a piece with the land, Jones had to dynamite nearly 100,000 cubic yards of rock to achieve a natural look for the holes, like the stretch from the 2nd through the 6th, which weaves through a forest of hardwoods. The 7th begins a series of holes that sit on open land, and the meat of the course is the four holes on the parcel across the street, starting with the 11th, which features a split fairway. Most members go right, which leaves a longer approach but a better angle into the green. The next hole, which measures 532 yards, is a favorite of founding member and golf chairman Richard Caputo. Behind the green is an old barn, one of several landmarks, including the stone walls that crisscross the property, that give the course a rustic look and feel. The 552-yard 14th offers the course’s strongest risk-reward

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proposition. A tee shot down the right side can allow longer players to reach the green in two, but a large bunker and ravine will punish any drive that overreaches in either planning or execution. There are simply no let-up holes on the back nine, and the challenge reaches a crescendo at the 456-yard finisher. Grad-

ually climbing from tee to green, the 18th is one of the most difficult par 4s on the course. Jones’ strategic layout has attracted a membership made up of golfers of all levels, who appreciate not only the flexibility of the course, but also the practice facilities, caddie program and the distinctive clubhouse. The airy single-story building was the first golf clubhouse designed by award-winning architect Peter Bohlin, who is from the Wilkes-Barre area. His firm, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, has produced many iconic structures, including Seattle City Hall, the California headquarters of Pixar Studios and the glass-cube entrance of Apple’s flagship store on New York City’s Fifth Avenue. The modern style of the striking clubhouse may sit in contrast with the property’s agrarian surroundings, but it offers guests a unique experience, like the course itself. When put together, the course and clubhouse make up the core of a private club that has exceeded the vision of its founder. ■

LOCATION

Lehman, Pennsylvania PAR 72 YARDAGE 7,204 YEAR FOUNDED 1995 ARCHITECT

Rees Jones CONTACT

golf-huntsville.com

9th hole, 571 yards

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1st hole, 602 yards Opposite: 9th hole, 171 yards

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The Kingsley Club

PHOTOGRAPHY BY L.C. LAMBRECHT

After discovering a rugged site for a great course, co-founders Ed Walker and Art Preston turned to an untested architect to build one of golfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great private retreats

2011 EDITION |

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KINGSLEYCLUB

EVELOPERS GO TO GREAT LENGTHS to realize the courses of their dreams. Steve Wynn spent $47 million to build the lush oasis of Shadow Creek in the Mojave Desert outside Las Vegas. Dick Youngscap lost himself in the heart of America to found

Sand Hills in Nebraska. Mike Keiser had to go to a remote town along the coast of Oregon to establish the resort mecca of Bandon Dunes.

Ed Walker and Art Preston had been to those places. In fact, they had played pretty much all of golf’s great courses, and their favorites were the classic lay-of-the-land designs that have only grown in stature over the decades. So when the pair wanted to start a club with a similarly timeless layout, they set out to find a natural, secluded setting and rolling topography that would make for a first-class golf retreat. They didn’t think they would find one so close to Walker’s Traverse City home, much less in the classified section of the Traverse City Record-Eagle, where he saw an ad for a 320-acre parcel located 10 miles south of town. The land was thick with hardwoods and pines surrounding an internal area that had been clear-cut more than 10 years previously, exposing elevation changes—some dramatic, others subtle—made up of ridges, valleys and bowls that had been left behind by glacial deposits. Despite being just minutes from a major tourist town that is the hub of Northern Michigan, an area known for its large number of golf courses, the site looked as though it were as remote as Sand Hills. (Even now, the unpaved road to the club makes guests wonder if they took a wrong turn until they stumble upon the modest sign, made from barnwood.) In short, it was the perfect canvas for their vision of the Kingsley Club. When it came to building a layout on this rugged site, Walker and Preston sought the advice of Fred Muller, the

4th hole, 405 yards

head pro at nearby Crystal Downs Country Club, where Preston is a member. Muller’s recommendation for an architect was an unlikely one—but one that ultimately made sense. Kingsley was the first solo design for Mike DeVries, who had worked for both Tom Fazio and Tom Doak. But more importantly, DeVries had grown up working at Crystal Downs, so he was intimately familiar with Dr. Alister MacKenzie’s design, a textbook of great golf architecture. Muller was confident that DeVries could evoke the same kind of Golden Age design and feel at Kingsley. “Ed and Art took a big chance by hiring Mike,” says Muller. “There was no doubt that someone like Tom Doak would have done a great job, but I had great faith in Mike.” Although skeptical at first, Walker and Preston eventually came to realize the advantages of hiring a young architect.

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The site for the Kingsley Club had been clear-cut a decade previously, exposing ridges, valleys and bowls left behind by glacial deposits.

6th hole, 396 yards

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KINGSLEYCLUB

18th hole, 422 yards

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The course is big and bold, with oversize features in proportion with the epic scale of the property. To play well here, throw out distances and use both feel and the ground game to feed shots to the target.

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2nd hole, 161 yards

“Mike was easy to work with,” says Walker. “We were part of the design and building process, and our philosophy was part of the finished project.” Another advantage brought by DeVries was his proximity. “I was on site nearly every day,” he says. “I literally built the course with Dan [Lucas, the course superintendent].” The familiarity helped DeVries overcome the site’s biggest challenge. Although the terrain allowed for dramatic holes, the real trick was establishing a walkable routing of the 18 best holes. “It was pretty severe land,” says Muller. “I thought it would be very difficult to build a playable course that you could walk, which Mike felt very strongly about. But he did it.” The course is big and bold, with features in proportion with the property’s epic scale. If many great courses unfurl slowly, a la The Godfather, the 1st hole at Kingsley is like the suspenseful, action-packed first scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark. On the 1st hole, the two-tier fairway, divided by four fairway bunkers, immediately grabs your attention. From the elevated tee, the hole falls, rises to the landing area and falls again to the lay-up zone before rising again to the green. All the while, the ever-narrowing fairway is infused with natural humps and bumps. The thrills never let up after this exhilarating opener, as Kingsley throws at the golfer a succession of visually arresting, strategic holes that dance atop ridges; play up, down, over and around landforms; and weave between blowout bunkers that meld seamlessly with the native areas that frame the holes. At Kingsley, throw out exact distances and comfortable club selections. Instead, play by feel and use the contours to feed shots along the fescue turf to the hole. Some of the literal high points of the 6,945-yard layout are the 7th tee, from which the 8th hole is also visible, making it look like the world’s longest par 5; the 12th tee, which looks down on a 455-yard hole that tumbles down into a natural valley; and the 522-yard 17th, where the fairway has one of the steepest slopes in golf.

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From the landforms, DeVries crafted gems like the 171yard 9th, where a plateau green is surrounded by bunkers and brush. As at the infamous “2 or 20” at Engineers Country Club, missing the tiny target can lead to high numbers. One of the flattest holes is the 465-yard 15th. But even here, subtle elevation changes dictate strategy. The left side of the fairway is the best angle for reaching a raised green that evokes the putting surfaces of Pinehurst No. 2, but a knoll in the landing area slows down drives, leaving a long approach. Just as there are no absolutes for playing the holes, the club has few rigid rules. It is a place to have fun instead of having to worry about making an advance tee time. “We want our members and guests to enjoy the spirit of the game,” says Walker. “Just about the only rule we have is ‘Take your hat off inside.’” This rule is usually not a problem, since members spend most of their time outdoors, whether on the course or at River Camp, a hunting and fishing retreat along a private stretch of the Boardman River, one of Northern Michigan’s best trout-fishing venues. At night, members and guests can retire to the River Camp cottage or the golf cabins located on a hill overlooking the 17th fairway. Featuring Irish-style architecture, the cabins are perfect bases for the club’s national members, who hail from nearly 30 different states. Visitors can arrange for a meal in their cabin or sample one of the restaurants of Traverse City, just 15 minutes away. The proximity of the city is one of the Kingsley Club’s biggest advantages: It is convenient to get to, yet once on the grounds, members feel like they are truly away from it all. Northern Michigan has it all: Golden Age gems (Crystal Downs), resorts (Treetops) and public courses (Arcadia Bluffs). As a private golf retreat with an experience and atmosphere matching the quality of the course, Kingsley ranks not just among the best in the state, but with the best in the world. “Kingsley is a special place and a monument to the game,” says Walker. “I hope that 150 years from now, people are still enjoying the course the way they do now.” ■

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‘I hope that 150 years from now, people are still enjoying the course the way they do now,’ says Kingsley co-founder Ed Walker.

LOCATION

Kingsley, Michigan PAR 71 YARDAGE 6,945 YEAR FOUNDED 2001 ARCHITECT

Mike DeVries CONTACT

kingsleyclub.com

7th hole, 569 yards

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5th hole, 188 yards Opposite page: 18th hole, 559 yards

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JIM MANDEVILLE/NICKLAUS DESIGN; RUSSELL KIRK/GOLFLINKS

Mayacama Golf Club

A Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and an unmatched wine program begin the tale of this Northern California retreat, but the acclaimed clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true story cannot be told without the warmth and camaraderie of its members

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MAYACAMA

located about 60 miles north of San Francisco in the rolling, oak-studded hills of Sonoma County. It is a true player’s club, featuring a walking-only Jack Nicklaus-designed layout that tests all the shots and boasts arguably the purest greens on the West Coast.

Mayacama is also a wine connoisseur’s fantasy. In addition to counting more than 30 of America’s leading vintners among its members, the club regularly hosts tasting events that showcase some of the continent’s finest wines. Finally, the club’s seclusion provides its members a world-class retreat, replete with Mediterranean-style architecture and an array of amenities. Unfortunately, it is impossible to experience the true sense of Mayacama without a visit. Because it is the club’s spirit, rather than its facilities, that gives the club its lofty status as one of the most coveted memberships in golf. This spirit stems from Mayacama’s enthusiastic members

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and is now as much a part of the club’s identity as its idyllic setting, 675 acres in the heart of California’s legendary wine country. The spirit gives the club a sense of warmth and camaraderie that enhances every visit, whether it is the first or the hundredth. Built on land formerly belonging to Peanuts creator and avid golfer Charles M. Schulz, Mayacama’s layout, which opened in 2001, takes full advantage of the site’s natural elevation changes, which add to the challenges of Nicklaus’ strategic propositions. Despite its modest length—about 6,800 yards—the course has a stern 153 Slope rating. Although the fairways are generous, part of the course’s

L.C. LAMBRECHT

T IS EASY ENOUGH to describe the features of Mayacama Golf Club. For one, the club is

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The spirit of Mayacama gives a sense of warmth and camaraderie that enhances every visit, from the first to the hundredth.

15th hole, 537 yards

difficulty stems from the majestic oaks, which frequently come into play. They dictate shot placement off the tee and on second shots on par 5s; trying to overpower the holes is a losing tactic at Mayacama. In addition, due to the cleverly tiered and contoured greens, there are few routine two-putt pars after hitting a green in regulationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itself no easy feat, thanks to the dramatic greenside bunkering and elusive putting surfaces that Nicklaus seamlessly integrated into the hillsides. The variety of the landscape also heightens the golf experience. The front nine meanders through valleys, while many of the holes on the back nine are more wooded. All the holes, though, have one quality in common: pristine conditioning. Thanks to the collective appreciation of the membership and the efforts of the staff, most notably that of Head Golf Professional Ted Antonopoulos, Mayacama possesses an atmosphere of pure golf that complements the quality of the course. The club has a strong caddie program, so members and guests can uphold one of golfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest-held traditions: walking.

2011 EDITION |

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MAYACAMA

13th hole, 404 yards

RUSSELL KIRK/GOLFLINKS

The variety of the landscape, made up of Sonomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rolling, oak-studded hills, heightens the pure, walking-only golf experience on the Nicklaus layout.

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There are no tee times, either; just show up and find a game—a great way to enjoy the club’s strong sense of community. The club also engenders fraternity through events like the club championship, member-guests and the “North and South,” a Ryder Cup-style match pitting a team from Northern California against a squad comprised of Southern California and national members. Antonopoulos has set up interclub matches for both men and women against some of the most prestigious clubs both in the United States and abroad, and he also organizes annual pilgrimages to Great Britain and Ireland. While members take golf seriously, they are just as passionate about Mayacama’s other raison d’être: wine. The club boasts 31 of the area’s renowned winemakers as Vintner Members, including Harlan Estate, Helen Turley, Kistler and Hundred Acre, and each contributes 25 cases of wine to the club every year. The club’s 600 wine lockers—there are 240 golf lockers— in the large wine grotto under the 40,000-square-foot clubhouse illustrate the emphasis on wine. In addition to preferred access to (and large discounts on) some of the country’s most sought-after wines, members enjoy private-barrel tastings, vintner-hosted dinners and the annual Vintners’ Pour. As with the golf, the best part of Mayacama’s wine program is the interaction it fosters. The stakes for golf matches often involve bottles of wine instead of cash, and members find that the sting of losing a nassau three ways is soothed when the victor shares a glass of his winnings, all the while sitting by the patio’s fire pit, which provides views of the surrounding Mayacama Mountains. In addition to a very small number of traditional homes and homesites that are available for members to purchase, Mayacama offers a convenient, affordable Residence Club program. There are 31 casitas and villas for lodging members, who are entitled to 35 nights a year. Singles or couples can choose a casita, which range in size up to 840 square feet, while larger groups will find comfort in a villa, which measures 2,700 square feet, with three bedrooms. The luxurious casitas and villas are built into the hillsides

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in tiers, giving the look and feel of a small Tuscan village. The accommodations are within walking distance of the clubhouse, which shares the Mediterranean-style architecture. Once at the club’s hub, members can enjoy amenities like the spa, fitness center, swimming pool, tennis courts and a two-mile hiking trail, on which sightings of deer and wild turkeys are common. A camp program provides year-round activities for kids of all ages. While many of Napa and Sonoma’s legendary restaurants are within a short drive, there is no need to leave the club for a delightful meal. Executive Chef Scott Pikey describes his cooking style as American, rooted in the traditions of France, Italy and Spain, using classic cooking techniques. His menu features wine-country fare made from the best locally grown seasonal produce, artisanal cheeses, organic meats and sustainably harvested fish. But not all the meals at Mayacama are formal affairs. The membership gathers regularly for “crab feeds” and other festive repasts, served family style. Friends and families join together over great food and great wine. These convivial events and activities reflect the spirit of Mayacama. There’s no pretension here, just friendly, welcoming people enjoying the very best that the twin lifestyles of golf and wine have to offer. And the only way to learn about it is to experience it for yourself. ■

RUSSELL KIRK/GOLFLINKS

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Members are just as passionate about wine as they are about golf, and the stakes for golf matches often involve bottles of wine instead of cash.

LOCATION

Santa Rosa, California PAR 72 YARDAGE 6,785 YEAR FOUNDED 2001 ARCHITECT

Jack Nicklaus CONTACT

mayacama.com 707-569-2900

2nd hole, 525 yards

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2nd hole, 447 yards Opposite page: 18th hole, 474 yards

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McArthur Golf Club

L.C. LAMBRECHT; GETTY IMAGES

Three-time major winner Nick Price tapped his considerable knowledge earned while playing the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best courses to co-design a hidden gem on an enviably sandy Florida landscape

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McARTHUR

OUTH FLORIDA is loaded with exclusive golf clubs that are high on any serious golfer’s to-do list, from all-time greats like Seminole Golf Club to demanding tests like Jupiter Hills Club to modern classics like the Bear’s Club. While playing any of these checklist courses, the local caddies inevitably will mention another purist’s delight,

So it is that golf aficionados find their way to an entrance off Route 1 marked by a nondescript wrought-iron gate and enter the grounds of McArthur Golf Club in Hobe Sound. During the mile-long drive to the clubhouse, suburban sprawl gives way to tranquil old Florida, and glimpses of fairways bordered by sugary dunes raise expectations for the promise of a memorable round. Designed by Nick Price and Tom Fazio, the 7,205-yard

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layout doesn’t disappoint. Sitting at the northern edge of a sand ridge that runs for 20 miles parallel to the Atlantic Ocean (Seminole lies at the opposite end), the McArthur course presents a visually stunning landscape, with emerald carpets laid quietly over the white sand. There are only 90 acres of grass on the 480-acre property, and the effect brings to mind New Jersey’s Pine Valley Golf Club, with sandy areas replacing pine scrub. As it turns out,

L.C. LAMBRECHT; ART CICCONI

the area’s ultimate hidden gem.

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Local resident Nick Price spent a lot of time on site during construction, giving plenty of thought to the green complexes.

13th hole, 188 yards

the similarity is not incidental. “We tried to create something that we’ve seen in the Pine Valleys and other wonderful courses,” says Price, who can often be found playing and practicing at the club. “It’s all about the golf.” The goal of the club’s original investors, a group that included Price and former Miami Dolphins great Dan Marino, was to build a golf sanctuary celebrating the game’s timeless appeal. They met this vision with a walkable course that sits unobtrusively on native terrain and is free of the man-made frills like concrete paths and houses that intrude on many modern golf clubs. At McArthur, the emphasis is on pure golf and on the camaraderie fostered among those who play the course. The club gets its name from McArthur Dairy Farms, which owns the property and is also the majority shareholder in the club. In the late 1990s the company hired Price, who in turn approached Fazio as a collaborator. Although the design team created landforms that seem completely natural, they achieved the look by moving a

million cubic yards of sand—partly to dig ponds for irrigation, partly to create the dunes that give the course much of its character. Price and Fazio were successful in carving engaging holes that continue to reveal different ways to play them well, even after scores of rounds. The character and visual theme of the course is apparent from the elevated tee of the 413-yard opening hole, which introduces players to the sandy scrub, native grasses and live oaks that surround most holes. The fairways are generous enough that even off-line shots find the short grass, but there are advantages to favoring a specific side and placing the tee ball properly—not surprising considering that in his prime, Price was the best ballstriker in golf. “My simple philosophy is that golf is about position,” says Price. “I’m not a big risk-reward proponent. I believe that the golf course is about angles. If you have the ability to hit the ball to a particular side of the fairway or to shape your tee shot, you will be rewarded. You don’t just stand on the tee and whale on it.”

2011 EDITION |

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17th hole, 198 yards

L.C. LAMBRECHT

McARTHUR

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‘We tried to create something we saw at Pine Valley and other wonderful courses,’ says Price. ‘McArthur is all about the golf.’

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Challenging the sand down the right side of the 447-yard 2nd, for instance, leaves a shorter approach into the elevated green, while trying to position the tee ball as close as possible to the vast bunker on the left side of the 384-yard 14th opens up the tiny 4,800square-foot green. Many tees are elevated, giving players clear views of the options, as on the 397-yard 7th, which bends left along a lake, and the 546yard 10th, where a long strip of sand separates a pair of water hazards along the right. Position is equally important on McArthur’s quartet of par 3s. The 8th is the longest at 214 yards, but it’s possible to sweep a long iron, hybrid or fairway wood and feed the ball to the back-left hole location. The 188-yard 13th, guarded by a bunker and lake on the right, has a long, narrow green that can make the hole play longer. Since he lives nearby, Price was able to spend a lot of time on site during construction, giving plenty of thought to the green complexes. For example, the holes that face southwest travel with the grain of the grass, so the design allows for more roll. During the winter, these holes play particularly firm and fast—“slippery” in Price-speak. Price loves to tantalize golfers, and he offered an irresistible temptation that shortens the route to the green on the difficult 474-yard finishing hole, which he likes to call a “par 4 7⁄8.” There is a lot of fairway to the right, but the left side, which brings into play a lake and bunker, will yield a shorter approach.

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“It’s a generous fairway, but I always try to dangle the carrot,” says Price. “If you tug it into the water, you’re really upset because you’ve got so much room right, but if you go down the left, you’ll have less club on your second shot.” Even golfers who walk off the 18th green with the lingering bitterness of a splashed drive will soon find their moods turning lighter in the clubhouse, where the friendly staff awaits with a kind word and freshly baked chocolate-chunk cookies. The treats taste even sweeter in the comfort of the Old Florida-style architecture, a motif that ties together the club’s two four-bedroom cottages with the clubhouse. Nothing goes better with cookies than a glass of milk, forming a fitting snack at the club with a dairy history. Whether it’s an early-morning bottle of milk or a unique golf experience, McArthur delivers. ■

L.C. LAMBRECHT (2); GETTY IMAGES

16th hole, 426 yards

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Driving into the club, glimpses of emerald fairways framed by sandy dunes raise expectations for the promise of a memorable round of pure golf.

LOCATION

Hobe Sound, Florida PAR 72 YARDAGE 7,205 YEAR FOUNDED 2002 ARCHITECTS

A RT H U R

Nick Price and Tom Fazio CONTACT

mcarthurgolf.com

3rd hole, 150 yards

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3rd hole, 365 yards Opposite page: 13th hole, 455 yards

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Old Chatham Golf Club

PHOTOGRAPHY BY L.C. LAMBRECHT

Inspired by the classics, this golf oasis in North Carolina’s Research Triangle attracts golf purists looking for the virtues and charms found in the game’s timeless refinements

2011 EDITION |

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OLDCHATHAM

UCKED AWAY in a corner of Chatham County is one of the best-kept golf secrets in North Carolina. Despite its location in the middle of the bust-

ling metropolis formed by Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, Old Chatham Golf Club is a private retreat with a low profile.

Nestled back away from O’Kelly Chapel Road, Old Chatham’s entrance is easy to miss from either direction. Reminiscent of another Carolina classic—Yeamans Hall in Charleston comes to mind—there are no signs to indicate the driveway into the club, which is full of rewards, starting with the Rees Jones-designed golf course in a pine forest neighboring Jordan Lake. Less than a decade old, Old Chatham looks like and has the ambiance of a classic club and course steeped in the game’s finest traditions. This throwback experience was the very idea the club’s founders, business leaders in the area, had in mind when establishing Old Chatham in 2001. “We envisioned a private club with the timeless allure of the elite golf institutions up north,” says founding member Rex Teaney II, who cites icons like Winged Foot Golf Club, Baltusrol Golf Club and Merion Golf Club as models.

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Part of the club’s vision was the hiring of Jones, who has renovated numerous Golden Age layouts, many of them in preparation for tournaments like the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. On a 403-acre site, Jones designed a 7,210-yard layout that consists of holes framed by towering curtains of loblolly pines that provide a sense of seclusion, free from modern-golf intrusions like real estate. Despite looking like a throwback, Old Chatham is a worthy test for today’s game. Each nine forms a loop that returns to the clubhouse, and Jones “turned the compass”—an old-school design tenet in which consecutive holes never follow the same direction— throughout the routing, making for ever-changing playing conditions during the round.

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The holes are generous in scale, yet devoid of the overdone, heavy-handed contours so common in modern golf course architecture. Rather, the features, especially those around the greens, tie in seamlessly with their surroundings, as if they had evolved over generations. The contours are integral to the course design, as Old Chatham’s top-dressing program and precise irrigation controls promote firm, fast turf conditions, allowing the strategic elements of the ground game to flourish.

Old Chatham’s dedication to the game’s traditions also can be found in the quality of the club’s professional services, which include a first-class caddie program and an extensive practice facility featuring an expansive short-game area. As well as the grounds, golfers appreciate the comfortable clubhouse, where neither the design nor the furnishings burn the eye. The locker room boasts distinctive hand-carved wooden lockers, evocative of those at Seminole, while tacked leather benches, upholstered club chairs and a stone fireplace join together to form a cozy spot to wind down after play. High above the trophy table hang walnut championship boards where annual winners of the club championship and Chatham Cup are enshrined in gilt. As the final, pitch-perfect touch, Hogan, the club’s convivial black Labrador retriever, bestows the room with a relaxed down-home sensibility. Among those in the know, Old Chatham Golf Club has taken its rightful place among the top golf clubs in the region. In 2009 Old Chatham hosted the North Carolina Amateur in celebration of the Carolinas Golf Association’s 100th anniversary—quite an honor considering the number of quality classic layouts in the Tar Heel State. While outside recognition may be nice, make no mistake: Old Chatham’s primary focus is all about its members, their guests and the simple grandeurs of the game. ■

LOCATION

Durham, North Carolina PAR 72 YARDAGE 7,210 YEAR FOUNDED 2001 ARCHITECT

14th hole, 510 yards Above: 17th hole, 214 yards

Rees Jones CONTACT

oldchathamgolf.org

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2nd hole, 201 yards Opposite: 11th hole, 191 yards

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Old Palm Golf Club

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSSELL KIRK/GOLFLINKS

A new ownership group promises to bring fresh energy to this luxurious South Florida enclave founded by the legendary Ray Floyd

2011 EDITION |

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OLDPALM

LORIDA ALWAYS HAS BEEN popular among golfers looking for a warm-weather base, whether they are snowbirds, retirees or tour pros. Those looking for high-end golf homes, a challenging golf course and the unmatched ambiance of an exclusive private club can find it all at one address, Old Palm Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens.

The club has numerous real-estate opportunities (there are 302 properties in the community), a 7,401-yard course that has earned rave reviews from tour pros, a prime South Florida location and a 33-acre practice facility consisting of a twosided range, three regulation holes and an instruction studio. The club and course were developed under the watchful, discerning eye of its accomplished founder, Ray Floyd, the winner of four major championships. Also a talented course architect, Floyd designed the formidable yet flexible Old Palm layout not only for his tour-pro friends, but also for golf enthusiasts of all abilities. Planted entirely in salt-tolerant, eco-friendly paspalum, the immaculately maintained course encourages players to take a rip with the driver whenever possible, making for a

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fun round. The challenge comes on the approaches to the large, undulating green complexes. “My goal for the course was to have something playable, that people enjoyed and would want to come back to,” says Floyd. “I accomplished that with the wide fairways, waste areas and six sets of tees. If you play the right set of tees, you should be challenged yet enjoy your game.” Old Palm will test all aspects of a player’s game: power on holes like the 598-yard 4th, where Floyd dug a large lake both to create elevation and to help irrigation, and the 537-yard 9th; accuracy and precision on the 418-yard 7th and 396-yard 8th, where players need to avoid wellplaced trees and water hazards; the short game on the 433yard 3rd, where a large bunker protects the left side of the

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Old Palm Golf Club offers opportunities in real estate, a challenging course, first-class practice facilities and prime location.

6th hole, 172 yards

green, while big humps and swales guard the right side, making for varied shot selection. While the front nine sits on open land, the back nine moves through the trees. “There’s a total change of landscape from the front to the back,” says Floyd. “That was the hardest thing, to make people feel they weren’t changing locations from one nine to the other. I’ve tried to make it where there’s continuity throughout.” One of the hallmarks of the back nine is its elevated greens that call to mind Donald Ross, most notably on the 452-yard 16th, which has a putting surface that falls off on all sides, leaving those who miss the green with plenty of recovery options, from putter to lob wedge. The back nine also has a number of strong par 4s—the 470-yard 10th, 478-yard 14th and 486-yard 18th—that test driving skills. Members making double bogeys on these holes can blame Floyd’s sons, Robert and Ray Jr.; the original layout was 300 yards shorter than the current yardage, but Floyd added distance after seeing how far they were hitting drives. Mercifully, all it takes is a wedge to play the 99-yard 19th 9th hole, 537 yards

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OLDPALM

5th hole, 423 yards (foreground); 6th hole, 172 yards (background)

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‘My goal was to have a playable course that people enjoyed and would want to come back to,’ says Floyd of the layout, which will test all aspects of the game.

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hole, which has an island green. Members then settle their bets in the 43,000-square-foot clubhouse, to which another family member, Ray’s wife, Maria, contributed her design sensibilities, developed over her decades of worldwide travel. Possessing an Old World charm, the Mediterranean-style structure features Portuguese-tile murals, wood-beam ceilings and British-colonial furnishings. “Maria didn’t want a cavernous clubhouse that felt like a warehouse,” says Floyd. “It turned out very special. I like its warmth.” No doubt, Floyd also likes the living room, which has a glass display that holds replicas of his major-championship trophies. On the opposite wall, a portrait of Floyd, painted by LeRoy Neiman, hangs over the fireplace. Members enjoy the clubhouse’s numerous indoor and outdoor spaces, including the grill, lounges, board room, wine room, fitness center, courtyards, event lawn and pool. Non-resident members can stay in the four guest casitas near the clubhouse. No matter where they live, all members and guests will want to make themselves at home in the locker rooms. Due to Maria’s influence, Old Palm is one club where the women’s lounge is a highlight instead of an afterthought. While both locker rooms offer food-and-beverage service, the women’s space also has a spa. “Every day is ladies’ day at Old Palm,” she jokes.

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An international consortium led by ING Clarion Development Ventures III (CDV III) recently purchased Old Palm and will improve upon the already impressive foundation with plans for a higher level of service from the new management team, Buena Vista Hospitality Group. “This unique residential community combines a worldclass golf facility with unparalleled amenities,” says Doug Bowen, CDV III’s portfolio manager. “We are proud to add Old Palm Golf Club to our portfolio.” With consumer confidence slowly returning to the marketplace, the new owners have already seen a spike in realestate sales at the 651-acre community, where prospective buyers will find value in Old Palm’s offering of homesites, golf cottages and custom estates. But the core of the club is not its physical attributes but its people and their interaction with each other. Those looking for a game can just show up by 9 a.m. on the four days a week when up to six foursomes throw balls in the air to form teams, and play amid the good-natured bantering and laughs that form bonds between members. Off the course, they also get to know each other during “Pub Nights,” when the club sets up a hitting mat on the event lawn and participants take their turns in a closest-tothe-pin contest to the 19th green. “Members love to fire balls at the green at night after a couple of beers,” says Floyd, a sometime participant in the Wednesday-evening ritual. “People sure do know how to have a good time at Old Palm.” ■

JOHN R. JOHNSON/GOLFPHOTOS.COM

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Four days a week, up to 24 members show up at 9 a.m., throw balls to determine teams and form bonds over laughs and good-natured bantering.

LOCATION

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida PAR 72 YARDAGE 7,401 YEAR FOUNDED 2004 ARCHITECT

Raymond Floyd CONTACT

oldpalmgc.com

15th hole, 166 yards

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3rd hole, 253 yards (foreground); 4th hole, 492 yards (background) Opposite: 5th hole, 164 yards

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Pikewood National Golf Club

COURTESY OF PIKEWOOD NATIONAL GOLF CLUB

On a West Virginia mountaintop, a pair of first-time, part-time architects patiently crafted a muscular course where the stunning views match the excellence of the golf experience

2011 EDITION |

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PIKEWOODNATIONAL

Finsterwald Cottage

OHN RAESE AND BOB GWYNNE are in the earth business. As executives at Greer Industries, West Virginia’s largest limestone producer, they understand that shifting land takes time, and they approached the transformation of Pikewood National Golf Club from a dense forest to one of

the best new courses in the country with plenty of patience.

Shaping Pikewood National didn’t span the millions of years it took to form the sedimentary rock upon which the course sits. But construction did proceed slowly, for more than 10 years until the 7,588-yard course opened in 2008. Instead of hiring an architect, Raese and Gwynne designed the layout, which sits on 720 acres occupying a plateau at an elevation of 2,300 feet. The development of Pikewood was a side project from their primary responsibilities at Greer Industries, of which Raese is CEO and Gwynne is executive vice president. It was the first design effort for the duo, the latest amateur architects to create masterpieces, joining the likes of Jerry Rich (Rich Harvest Links) and Henry Fownes (Oakmont Country Club). “We did the best we could,” says Gwynne. “We wanted to feature the natural terrain and the rock formations on the property. After all, we are in the rock business. We wanted to make the most natural course we could.” Although neither had designed a course previously, Raese and Gwynne drew on their considerable golf backgrounds and love of Golden Age architecture for their vision. Raese is a member of Laurel Valley Golf Club, Gwynne belongs to

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Oakmont, and both have played the best courses in the world. In fact, both represent the type of pure, serious golfer who would most appreciate Pikewood’s lay-of-the-land design. The duo tried many routings, their efforts stymied by the dense forest, which made the movement of the land—its subtle elevation changes and slopes—difficult to see. A seasoned architect might have relied solely on topography maps, but Raese and Gwynne waited for snow. Like children anticipating a school cancellation, the pair eagerly looked forward to wintry forecasts. “When there’s snow on the ground,” explains Gwynne, “you can really see the contours of the land.” Raese and Gwynne designed nine holes at a time, completing the back nine in 2004 and letting it mature before embarking on the front nine. Whereas the back side sits entirely on the plateau, the front dips 100 feet into a valley. The difficulty was connecting the holes while maintaining a walking-only layout.

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Instead of building bunkers (there are just 23 on the course), John Raese and Bob Gwynne cleverly routed the holes to bring natural rock formations into play. 6th hole, 394 yards

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PIKEWOODNATIONAL

11th hole, 466 yards

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Extending to the horizon beyond the opening holes, the West Virginia mountains gently rise and fall like waves on the sea.

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17th hole, 528 yards

Fortunately, the upside of the less tractable nine was the creation of the layout’s most visually arresting holes, a stretch that begins on the tee of the par-4 2nd hole, where Director of Golf Bob Friend, a former PGA Tour member, gestures toward the mountains beyond the skyline green, perched 515 yards away at the plateau’s edge. The unseasonably warm October day is made more brilliant by the fall foliage, which adds bursts of color to the gently rising and falling peaks that extend to the horizon like waves on a choppy sea. Friend points to a water tower on a distant peak. “It’s 37 miles from here,” he says. Few holes in the world can match that kind of breadth. Oriented in the same direction, the 253yard 3rd hole has the same view, while the 492-yard 4th descends from the elevated tee to the fairway, in the valley. The 164-yard 5th features a green at the base of a sandstone wall with a natural waterfall. The designers found this hole when they heard the falling water, and they dammed the creek to create the pond that guards the putting surface. The course finishes its climb back to the mesa with the 561-yard 8th, which forms a right-arcing boomerang along its edge. The view and setting so define the hole that it takes a while—if at all—to notice it has just one bunker. In fact, there are 23 bunkers on the whole course, part of the designers’ plan to keep the layout as unspoiled as possible. Instead, they cleverly routed holes to bring natural features like rock outcroppings and dramatic topography into play. Soon after the course opened, a critic mentioned that only amateur architects would have the audacity to build a hole like the 8th. Instead of taking offense, the club embraced the notion and renamed the hole, now known as “Audacity.” Other holes pay tribute to people who have influenced the club and show Pikewood’s respect for the game’s history and traditions: The 3rd is “Finster” for Dow Finsterwald, the club’s pro emeritus, and the 4th is “Pott Hole” for Johnny Pott, both of whom provided valuable feedback during

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the club’s development. The 18th is called “Dyke” in honor of Raese’s father, to whom the club is dedicated. Other names show the club’s well-honed sense of humor. The 171-yard 14th is “Cypress Pint” and the 420-yard 16th is “Dino,” for Dean Martin, who personified the club’s character—he was a passionate golfer who had plenty of fun. Similarly, the modest clubhouse—consisting of a pro shop, lunch counter and locker rooms—evinces the club’s casual atmosphere. The clubhouse has expanded gradually over time, but it never will be a grandiose structure. Instead, the club plans a pavilion where large groups can hold events. In addition to classic black-and-white photos of golf greats like Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Lloyd Mangrum, popularculture references adorn the clubhouse: a tribute to Martin, a poster of Kramer from Seinfeld, and menu items like the “Royale with cheese,” an homage to Pulp Fiction. Just outside the clubhouse is the driving range, which leads to the short-game area (allowing for shots of up to 100 yards), which in turn flows into the putting green that abuts the first tee. The well-planned facilities and well-prepared staff promote a seamless flow to a day at Pikewood National, from a lesson provided by Golf Professional Chris McGinnis to the warm-up session to the round that is a nature walk to the post-round meals prepared by Hospitality Manager Roslyn Clark, who also oversees the club’s three guest cottages. As she cooks, Clark chats amiably with Friend and a foursome from Pittsburgh—an hour and a half away—sitting at the counter. Full of quips and laughs, the scene exemplifies the easygoing, friendly spirit that is as much a hallmark of Pikewood as the course. “When you design a golf course and build a club,” says Gwynne, “the end result is through the contribution of many people. Thanks to them, we have created a warm, friendly environment where you can see friends, play golf and enjoy yourself. It’s the ultimate golf experience.” ■

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Few golf courses in the world can match the breadth of the views at Pikewood National, which sits on a plateau 2,300 feet above sea level.

LOCATION

Morgantown, West Virginia PAR 72 YARDAGE 7,588 YEAR FOUNDED 2004 ARCHITECTS

John Raese and Bob Gwynne CONTACT

pikewoodnational.com

8th hole, 561 yards

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10th hole (Old), 387 yards Opposite: 17th hole (Weyhill), 363 yards

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Saucon Valley Country Club

PHOTOGRAPHY BY L.C. LAMBRECHT

With three great courses, a history of national championships and a strong membership, this eastern Pennsylvania club forged by Bethlehem Steel continues to thrive as it marches toward its 10th decade

2011 EDITION |

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SAUCONVALLEY

2nd hole (Weyhill), 183 yards

HEN A CLUB HAS HOSTED six U.S. Golf Association championships, chances are it really doesn’t need an introduction, but some people might not realize the breadth and history of Saucon Valley Country Club, one of the largest and most distinguished private golf clubs in North America.

Nestled in the Lehigh Valley, Saucon Valley lies an hour north of Philadelphia and 90 minutes west of New York City. Since its founding in 1920 by a group that included a number of Bethlehem Steel executives, the club has grown to encompass more than 800 acres that include three 18-hole championship golf courses, a six-hole course, nine indoor and outdoor dining venues, tennis, squash, platform tennis, swimming pools, a trout stream and an 18th-century guest house. More importantly, the club has been a gathering place for generations of members, for whom the friendships and memories forged at Saucon Valley are as strong as the steel once produced by Bethlehem Steel. There are now about 1,000 members who enjoy the club’s facilities, many of which have undergone improvements as part of a recent $8 million renovation program. The combination of the golf and warm atmosphere has made Saucon Valley one of the most prestigious private golf clubs in the country. “Of course, I love playing these great golf courses,” says longtime member Barry Treadwell, a former Bethlehem Steel executive who now heads the golf and green committee. “But what I enjoy the most is entertaining new guests when they realize that all three of our courses are of championship caliber, but each with its own special character. When I’m asked which course is my favorite, my answer is, ‘The one I am playing that day.’” For all the activities, the golf remains the centerpiece of the club, not only for everyday play but also during special events, includ-

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ing interclub matches against regional heavyweights like Merion, Aronimink, Winged Foot and Baltusrol—all clubs to which Saucon Valley stands shoulder to shoulder. The members of those august clubs always enjoy coming to Saucon Valley to play its layouts, especially the original, the Old course. Herbert Strong routed the first 18 holes over an old farm, while a team from Bethlehem Steel constructed the arched bridges that cross meandering Saucon Creek, which runs through the course and gives the layout much of its character. The grounds look much as they did at the club’s inception, a record of responsible environmental stewardship that has gained Saucon recognition from several conservation groups, most notably Audubon International. The Old has undergone a number of changes over the

Weyhill Guest House

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Saucon Valley has been a gathering place for generations of members, for whom the bonds forged here are as strong as the alloys produced by Bethlehem Steel.

8th hole (Grace), 398 yards

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SAUCONVALLEY

18th hole (Old), 345 yards

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During its history, Saucon Valley has hosted six USGA championships on the Old course, most recently the 2009 U.S. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Open.

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years, including the redesign of three holes by Perry Maxwell in 1941. The most recent renovation was in 2008, when Tom Fazio and his design associate, Tom Marzolf, reconstructed some greens and all the bunkers while adding 325 yards. (It now measures 7,126 yards.) In addition, tree work greatly improved turf conditions and improved sight lines, giving the layout a spacious look and feel. The course opens with a straightforward, elegant par 5 of 558 yards before Saucon Creek first comes into play in front of the sloping two-tiered green of the 368-yard 3rd. When the hole location is on the front of the green, it is easy to either come up short or spin the ball back into the water, as players did during the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open. The creek also comes into play on the 480-yard 5th, 215-yard 9th and the three finishing holes. The club’s championships influenced one of the most significant course changes, on the 435-yard 12th. During the 2000 U.S. Senior Open, players routinely hooked 3-woods over the dogleg, leaving wedges into the green. So Fazio and Marzolf shifted the fairway right and added bunkers to guard the dogleg. The strategy worked, as the hole, which was the 18th for the Women’s Open, had a scoring average of 3.986. Due to the club’s long tournament history, there is precedent for these types of alterations. During a practice round for the 1951 U.S. Amateur, the club’s first USGA championship, Bobby Nichols told Eugene Grace, the former president of Bethlehem Steel and the club’s chairman at the time, that the 13th hole was a “breather” on a demanding layout, citing all the room down the left side of the fairway. When the championship commenced the following morning, there were five new fairway bunkers on the hole, thanks to a call to arms by Grace to a hastily conscripted crew of Bethlehem Steel employees, who worked overnight under floodlights to dig the hazards. In the 1950s Grace oversaw the building of Saucon Valley’s

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second course, designed by the father-son team of William and David Gordon. The Grace course has fewer elevation changes than the Old does, and the most notable design element is its massive bunkers like “Little Sahara,” which stretches for more than 60 yards in front of the green on the 429-yard 6th hole. Ron Forse renovated the Grace course in 2000, and the club is planning a renovation of all the bunkers over the next few years to improve both design and drainage. The Gordons also designed the Weyhill course, arguably the club’s most scenic layout thanks to dramatic elevation changes that provide sweeping views. Opened in 1968 and traversing Saucon Creek, limekilns and an old quarry, the 7,071-yard course takes its name from the former dairy farm upon which the layout, acquired by the club in 1995, sits. Marzolf just completed a sympathetic restoration of the course, rebuilding all the greens to reduce back-to-front pitches and recapture lost hole locations. He also revamped every bunker and repositioned them to make them true hazards for today’s long hitters. Finally, there are 12 new chipping areas that offer players numerous options for getting up and down after missing the putting surface. “Our ‘new’ Weyhill is a true hidden gem,” says Club President Andrew Warner. “The Fazio group did a tremendous job on the Old, but they exceeded expectations on Weyhill.” Overlooking Weyhill’s 8th hole is a prized asset of the club, one that predates the Industrial Revolution. Originally built in 1790, the Weyhill Guest House has 13 unique guest rooms, each tastefully decorated. Extremely popular among members and their guests, the charming lodging house offers one of American golf’s singular experiences: waking up and having breakfast in an 18th-century house before enjoying a round of golf on one of three classic courses that have remained a great test for the 21st-century game. ■

COURTESY OF SAUCON VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB

Old course: 12th hole (top), 435 yards; 15th hole (bottom), 615 yards

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The popular Weyhill Guest House offers one of golfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique experiences: waking up in an 18th-century house before enjoying a 21st-century game.

Saucon Valley Country Club LOCATION

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania YEAR FOUNDED 1920 OLD COURSE PAR

7,126 Herbert Strong

YARDAGE

ARCHITECT

GRACE COURSE

7,091 William Gordon and David Gordon

PAR

YARDAGE

ARCHITECTS

WEYHILL COURSE

7,071 William Gordon and David Gordon

PAR

YARDAGE

ARCHITECTS

CONTACT

sauconvalleycc.org

15th hole (Old), 615 yards

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16th hole (Old), 216 yards Opposite: 15th hole (Old), 511 yards

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Trump National Golf Club

BRIAN D. MORGAN

With two majestic, powerful courses in the rolling hills of the New Jersey countryside, an abundance of amenities and engaging family programs, Donald Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature club is a haven for golfers of all ages

2011 EDITION |

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TRUMPNATIONAL

Bedminster, sits Trump National Golf Club. This bastion of sophistication and luxury, marked by touches like a grand clubhouse and ornate fountains, is a magnificent venue for golf and all that golf represents.

But every summer, hundreds of members gather for an overnight activity that has become one of the exclusive club’s most popular events. Families enjoy fishing, a scavenger hunt, a cookout, sing-alongs and a bonfire before spending the night in tents, as if they were at a remote campground instead of on a former private estate 40 miles west of Manhattan. When members aren’t making s’mores at Trump National, they are enjoying its intended use as a top private golf club with 36 tournament-tested holes in warm, casual surroundings. “With the name Trump there’s a perception of a formal club,” says General Manager David Schutzenhofer. “It’s elegant but in a fun and relaxed environment.” Trump National places an emphasis on interaction among members and their families. “Despite a challenging economy, Bedminster’s youthful membership—the average age is 42— is thriving,” says Membership Director Dana Garner. This inviting atmosphere influenced new member Jim Polley, who considered 10 other clubs before selecting Trump National. “It’s so much more than just a golf club,” says Polley, who has two sons. “There’s so much to do that the family wants to be there the entire day. We get there early and leave late.” Polley and his family can enjoy a large swim complex with a 25-meter pool, tennis, fitness center and equestrian facili-

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ties. And there are numerous junior programs, including summer camps, golf clinics and swim team, leaving Polley with plenty of time to play Trump National’s two courses, the Old and New, which have split the loyalties of the golfsavvy membership. For many, the most difficult choice of the day takes place before the opening tee shot. “The hardest part is deciding which course to play,” says new member Jim DeBlasio. Two generations of Fazios have left their design marks on the rolling 525-acre property that used to be carmaker John DeLorean’s private estate. In 2004 Tom Fazio built the 7,590yard Old course, which features sweeping views that match the grandeur of the landscape. Five years later his nephew Tom Fazio II completed the 7,534-yard New course. “I’ve never seen two courses at the same club look, feel and play so differently,” says Director of Golf Mickie Gallagher. What they have in common is an epic look and sense that are rare for courses in the crowded metropolitan New York area. “You’re surrounded by 30 million people, but it feels like the Midwest or the upper Northeast,” says the elder Fazio. “The first time I saw the property I just knew that it had the potential to be a great course. There’s big wide scale to the property. I wanted to utilize that and fill it up.”

BRIAN D. MORGAN

MID THE HILLS OF CENTRAL NEW JERSEY, in the wealthy community of

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‘With the name Trump there’s a perception of a formal club,’ says G.M. David Schutzenhofer. ‘It’s elegant but in a fun and relaxed environment.’

18th hole (Old), 662 yards

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New course: 11th hole, 584 yards (left) and 14th hole, 161 yards

CLIFF COMPTON

TRUMPNATIONAL

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Trump National Bedminster has an epic scale that is rare for courses in the crowded landscape of greater New York.

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Occupying the core of the property, the Old course comes at players with a succession of strong holes—the par 4s on the front nine average 470 yards—that have expansive fairways, big bunker complexes and large greens. Perhaps the most difficult hole is the 488-yard 5th, which plays uphill to a well-guarded putting surface. Fazio rewards those who make the climb with the scenic 438-yard 6th, descending to a peninsula green that is large at 15,000 square feet but plays much smaller because the edges slope toward the pond. Water also comes into play on several other holes on the front and back nines, including the trio that forms the finishing stretch after the holes were resequenced in 2009 at the suggestion of the PGA Tour, which is considering the club as a potential Presidents Cup site. Prior to the change, the three holes had begun the back nine. The most tantalizing hole is the 332yard 17th, on which the second shot— to a diagonal green protected by water—is difficult even after a perfect drive. “You’re sitting there with a little sand wedge in your hand,” says Gallagher, “but I’ve seen some of our best players make big numbers.” Hazards are also an important characteristic of the New course. Water comes into play on seven holes, most prominently at the 161-yard 14th, which has an island green. But first-time visitors shouldn’t expect gimmicky golf when they tee it up on the New. Rather, the layout, which plays around the perimeter of the club’s original course, offers a

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top-of-the-line heathland-style experience. The area between the holes is occupied not by trees but by tall fescue. “There are some holes that have the feel of Shinnecock Hills where you see six, seven holes at a time with all the fescue waving,” says Gallagher. “It’s just gorgeous, especially with the movement of the land.” The finishing stretch is demanding, building to a crescendo at the 512-yard 18th. This long par 4 runs parallel to the 517-yard 9th, with which it shares a pond that comes into play on the right of the 9th and to the left of the finishing hole; making pars on these complementary challenges is a rewarding feat. The courses are so evenly matched that when the U.S. Golf Association, located down the street, played the 2009 U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior championships concurrently at the club, the committee alternated the courses for the match-play rounds. While allegiances may be divided when it comes to the two golf courses, the club’s other facilities have garnered unanimous approbation from the membership. The elegant clubhouse occupies a 1939 Georgian Revival-style mansion, while DeLorean’s garage is now the golf professional shop. The property’s former horse barn has been converted into accommodations: five cottages, ranging from two to four bedrooms, and 11 one-bedroom suites. While many members may enjoy spending the night in tents, there is no better way to experience Trump hospitality at its best! ■

CLIFF COMPTON

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‘I’ve never seen two courses at the same club look, feel and play so differently,’ says Director of Golf Mickie Gallagher.

LOCATION

Bedminster, New Jersey YEAR FOUNDED 2004 NEW COURSE PAR

7,534 Tom Fazio II

YARDAGE

ARCHITECT

OLD COURSE PAR

7,590 Tom Fazio

YARDAGE

ARCHITECT

CONTACT

trumpnationalbedminster.com

8th hole (Old), 565 yards

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You Should Be Here 1

Caves Valley Golf Club Owings Mills, Maryland

The Concession Golf Club Sarasota, Florida

Dismal River Golf Club Mullen, Nebraska

Dormie Club West End, North Carolina

The Golf Club of Cape Cod East Falmouth, Massachusetts

Huntsville Golf Club Lehman, Pennsylvania

The Kingsley Club Kingsley, Michigan

PC11_MAP_Layout 1 4/6/12 11:04 AM Page Cov3

Where to find the clubs featured in the 2011 edition of LINKS Premier Clubs

Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, New Jersey

Saucon Valley Country Club Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Pikewood National Golf Club Morgantown, West Virginia

Old Palm Golf Club Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Old Chatham Golf Club Durham, North Carolina

7 5 6 13 14 1

10 4

Mayacama Golf Club Santa Rosa, California

9 11

McArthur Golf Club Hobe Sound, Florida

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