Bandon Dunes: Where Golf Is Exactly What It Should Be (Part 2)

After beginning my day with the nine holes that comprise Bandon Dunes' front side, I would be remiss if I didnt note that I fully expected a bit of a letdown as the day wore on. Following a relatively benign tee shot splitting the array of bunkers that dot the 10th fairway, I faced a blind short iron approach that immediately put those thoughts of disappointment to rest.

Players who opt for the longer approach from the left side of the 10th fairway are given a view of the otherwise blind putting surface

The 10th hole at Bandon Dunes is as overlooked a hole as there is at the resort. Built on some of the flatter and more inland land on the golf course, the opening stanza of the second nine has all of the design features that make this golf course so fun to play.

A set of mounds and a fairway bunker push the fairway out left near the landing area, forcing players to decide off the tee whether to test those hazards in order to gain a shorter approach or to instead opt for the left side and a lengthier second shot. Tee shots that do successfully navigate the bunkering are afforded a wedge shot into the elevated putting surface, but are left with that shot being played blindly as additional mounded obscures any look at the flagstick from the right hand side of the fairway.

The sheer diversity of options both off the tee and on the approach make the 10th hole one of the most interesting designs on the Bandon property.

After getting the second nine off to a strategically interesting start, Kidd brings players toward the sea starting with the uphill par-4 11th. Playing into the summer wind, the mid-length two-shotter requires a well struck tee shot followed by an equally deft approach to a green framed by deep bunkers on the front right and a fairly large dune on the left side. The multi-tiered green requires perfect club selection in order to obtain a good shot at three, with any shots hit to the wrong portion of the putting surface leaving three-putt a distinct possibility.

The tee shot at the par-4 11th begins the second nine's trek back to sea

As disappointing as the par-3 15th was, the back side's other seaside par-3 is both strategically and visually breathtaking. Again using the Pacific as a scenic backdrop, the hole requires a well struck long iron to a green fit perfectly between a steep dune on the right and bunker front left that attracts any shot played too close to the stark right-to-left slope that makes up a majority of the putting surface.

Essentially a one-shot version of the road hole (with a steep dropoff to a tiny collection area-the "road"- in the back just prior to reaching the ocean cliff), the 12th hole is the best par-3 at Bandon Dunes and one of the best at the resort. Best played with a hole location on the lefthand side, the hole requires a shot cut back into the slope in order to hold the green while avoiding its multitude of hazards. Par is a well earned score on this breathtaking golf hole.

With the ocean again as a backdrop, the 12th requires a deftly played long iron fit between
bunkers left, dunes right, and a sharp falloff just a few yards beyond the flagstick

 After briefly reaching the cliff on 12, Bandon Dunes returns a bit inland as players climb up to the elevated 13th tee box. Although the fairway is spread out seemingly for miles, the tee shot is deceptively tight, with mounds again serving to require a certain angle of attack to avoid a second shot that is both blind and played from an uneven lie.

Once in the massive fairway, players must decide where to place their second shots in order to attack the built up green. The course's sole wetlands comes into play on the left side, making a shot left of center riskier in return for offering a better angle to the putting surface, which is guarded on the front right by a steep shelf.

Players opting to avoid the wetland can play as far right as they wish but must then navigate that ridge, often with a delicate bump and run being the only option on a true links golf hole.

The elevated tee provides a clear view of the par-5 13th

Reachable in two shots for those with a long drive, the 13th green is guarded by a
steep shelf on the front right

The 14th again starts to bring players back toward the seaside. After navigating around a group of fairway bunkers, the approach is played from a relatively short distance to a green framed by a massive dune in back and a deep bunker in front and to the right. The wide green is generally easy to hit but swirling winds can easily blow an approach enough off line to leave a putt that is difficult to judge and fairly easy to leave well away from the hole.

Again using the ocean as a backdrop, the 15th is one of the more disappointing holes at Bandon Dunes. Though the fog admittedly took a bit of the flair out of the hole when I played it, I was expecting a lot more. While the dune left and sharp drop right certainly make the hole challenging, there is none of the strategic intrigue of the 12th or even of the 6th. 15 requires one shot and one shot only: straight at the hole. The narrow green repels any shot straying a bit off line and the recovery is a bit monotonous, with nothing but a flat green awaiting players when they finally reach the putting surface.

The tee shot on the short par-4 16th is one of the more interesting and scenic shots in golf

But for all the disappointment of 15, the 16th hole at Bandon Dunes immediately makes amends. Played with the ocean on its immediate right side, the reachable 16th features a fairway split diagonally by a sharp ridge moving from left to right. Players looking to hit the broadly sloping green surface must take on that ridge and carry across some 250 yards, risking a blind approach from an uneven and possibly impossible lie as punishment for not making that distance.

Those tee shots that instead follow the left side are faced with a straight shot to a green framed by the ocean cliff along the right and back sides, with a deep pot bunker penalizing any approach missing left of the hole location and catching the slope design specifically for players lacking the courage to take on the cliffs.

Certainly controversial, the 16th at Bandon Dunes is one of the great short par-4's in the game of golf.

Playing left of the fairway bunkers on 17 provides players with a surprisingly good angle
of approach into the green

 Strategically, I had as much fun on the 17th as I did on any hole at the resort. Framed by a ravine down the right side that cuts into the fairway near the landing area (a la 8 at Pebble Beach), the mid-length par-4 provides options galore both off the tee and on the approach.

Tee shots that take on the ravine utilize a slope that carries the ball down to an even lie and a short approach, risking a lost ball in the process. On the other hand, those who shy away from the hazard must contend with a set of deep fairway bunkers lining the left side ready to catch tee balls lacking in sufficient courage and solid execution. Even a well executed shot down the left leaves the less courageous player with a longer approach over the ravine to the two-tiered surface.

BUT, there is a third option which I was able to discover on this penultimate hole. Needing to finish +1 on the final two holes to break 80, the last thing I wanted to do was to find the ravine. With a block being my primary miss, 17 was a nightmare as it appeared to me off the tee.

Surveying what lie in front of me, I noticed that there was little rough left of the fairway bunkers to deter a shot played out toward the distant 14th fairway. Figuring I couldnt go wrong with that play, I aimed at a mechanical box out in the rough and found myself left of the left bunkers.

Reaching my tee shot, I immediately realized I had uncovered one of Kidd's hidden tricks. Left of left on the 17th left perhaps the best angle of attack into the green, the ravine no longer preventing a shot from landing short and running up onto the putting surface.

Although the rough forced a run-up shot, this option was perhaps better than even the best case alternative, with the wind behind and from the left making a run-up the prescribed means of attack. Even with a slight push of my 6 iron approach shot, I found myself just 20 feet from the middle pin location, an easy two putt finishing out one of the more satisfying pars in my life as a golfer.

Looking back down the 17th fairway toward the seaside tee box

While I reached the 18th tee very happy to have successfully navigated the ravine on 17, my battle with the deadly hazard was not yet complete. Needing to just avoid the right side on my way to the imposing lodge behind the par-5 finishing hole, I found myself gravitating toward it as I played my final tee shot. A fairway bunker and gorse bush left of the massive fairway encourage a more courageous shot down the right side, challenging death by ravine.

Fortunately, my blocked tee ball wound up one foot from the edge of the hazard. Had I been left-handed, breaking 80 might have been suddenly made a difficult task but thankfully I found myself with an open angle from which to put the ball back in position for attacking the final green.

After crossing a set of fairway bunkers right and reaching the second landing area, I was again faced with a knockdown middle iron to a green sweeping from left-to-right with the prevailing wind. One more solid approach left a benign 30 footer and two putts later, I had my 78.

The lodge provides a good aiming point for navigating the par-5 18th

In no small part thanks to that score, I was eager to get back out on the course after a round that was as enjoyable as any I have ever had. Unfortunately, I had to wait a few hours for that chance, with the next tee time not coming until later in the afternoon at Pacific Dunes. But at Bandon, even lunch overlooking the links is a pleasant experience and personally, I was in no position to complain.

Bandon Dunes: Where Golf Is Exactly What It Should Be (Part 1)

Even after spending just 30 or so hours at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, I am a full-fledged convert. Though the resort in the middle of nowhere (Eugene is the nearest "city", a full 3 hours away) has racked up just about every accolade possible in its 14 years of existence, what makes Bandon special is the feeling it seems to leave with each and every golfer fortunate enough to grace its fairways, a feeling that is hard to describe but might just make Bandon the golf equivalent of Mecca and the resort the game's Kaaba.

In my first of hopefully many pilgrimages to this holy site on the Oregon Coast, there was only time to take in the first two tracks, Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes, in addition to a late afternoon run around the recently opened 13-hole par-3 Bandon Preserve. Though a tee time gap prevented me from taking better advantage of the resort's famed "play two and the third of the day is free" deal, a costless round on the Preserve was more than worth it after a long battle against the elements on the big tracks.

I have way too much to say about this place to confine it to just a single post. Rather than cut thoughts short, I am going to start out with just the front nine on Bandon Dunes in this post.

Sunrise over the 18th green as I get in a few putts before my 7:20 tee time 

Early morning is no doubt the best time to play Bandon Dunes. Although I guess it is probably the best time to play any of the four courses at Bandon so in that case its a darn tough choice. But teeing off into the rising sun beside the Lodge was the perfect setting to begin a day out on the links at Bandon Dunes.

The 1st fairway provides plenty of room to get off to a good start

The 1st hole is a perfect introduction to what golf is all about at Bandon Dunes. Flanked to the right by the Lodge, proshop, and neighboring McKee's Pub, the fairway provides plenty of room to get the round going on a good note. Tee shots must stay left of the ridge separating the course from the "village" (not a difficult task), with the best angle coming from a tee shot played straight at the fairway bunker and utilizing the left-to-right slope.

The elevated 1st green is tough to hold and a great preview of things to come

After a relatively benign tee shot, the fun begins. The first green, many times accessible only by way of a long iron approach, is elevated above a massive swale, with collection areas ready to gobble up shots that stray too far to the right or fail to climb up to the medium sized putting surface.

But the approach shot at the first can also serve as a preview of what is to come at the 2nd. Previously played from a tee box behind the 1st green, the first par-3 at Bandon Dunes has undergone a 45 degree rotation since its opening, now leaving players with a tee shot that must cross the deep ravine to a putting surface lying atop a stark ridge and protected by a sharp falloff on the right side that collects any shot struck less than perfectly to a righthand pin location.

The long par-3 2nd hole made even more difficult by the blinding early morning sun

 The trek to the coast begins as players reach the top of the dune and the 3rd tee box. A definite scoring opportunity, the third requires a tee shot that stays left of the bunkers and gorse on the right side and at the same time close enough to those hazards to leave an open angle to the elevated green. Tee shots that stray too far from the right hand side make the hole a definite three-shotter, with the massive bunker short left ready to gobble up any ill-conceived attempts at reaching the green in two.

The elevated tee shot on the par-5 3rd must avoid the gorse to the right 

While the 3rd green is just a couple hundred yards from the sea, it is the 4th hole that truly complete the walk to the beach. After a blind tee shot that reveals no secrets, the hole opens up to the most spectacular vista on the property. Tee shots that avoid bunkers left and gorse right leave players with a mid-iron approach to a green that is bordered by mounding on both sides, a series of small bunkers on the left (with the mounding serving to feed balls toward said bunkers), and of course, a backdrop of pure Pacific Ocean unparalleled in the game of golf.

The tee shot on the par-4 4th hole is blind, leaving no hint of the challenge to come

After reaching their tee shots, players are faced with this approach to the 4th green.
Doesn't get any better 

Though the 4th takes the cake when it comes to scenery, the par-4 fifth is arguably the best two-shot hole on the entire property. With a fairway tucked between the ocean cliff and a steep sand dune serving simply as the prelude to a dune-enclosed green complex, the 5th is one of those holes that cannot help but come up in each and every 19th hole conversation back in the lodge. Natural green sites are what make Bandon the mecca that it is and the 5th at Bandon Dunes is about as natural as it gets.

Tee shots on the par-4 5th must shoot the gap between the cliff left and sand dune right

Looking back at the 4th green from the oceanside tee box on the 5th

The 5th green is perfectly set between the competing sand dunes,
with a massive bunker carved out on the right side

 The first of three oceanside par-3's at Bandon Dunes, the 6th hole is very much a love it or hate it design. With the ocean again providing backdrop, the mid-length par-3 features a green that falls off on every side, to a collection area short and right and to clifftop gorse both left and long. Shots that do manage to find the putting surface are rewarded with many a flat putt (rare at Bandon Dunes), but the great majority that miss leave no easy means of recovery.

There isnt much room to land the ball on the breathtaking par-3 6th green

Marking the northernmost spot on the course, the 6th green gives players a glimpse of the
10th and 11th holes at Pacific Dunes

 After a relatively non-descript par-4 7th, non-descript other than an elevated green fronted by one of the sharpest ridges on the course, the par-4 8th heads back off the ridge and toward the water. Starting from an elevated tee box, the shortish par-4 puts Kidd's Scottish heritage on display both in the style of bunkering and in the use of fairway for strategic means. Bunkering short of the green makes the left side of the fairway (the most accessible portion of that fairway) a difficult spot from which to approach the guarded and tiered putting surface.

A design straight out of the Scottish highlands, the 8th heads briefly toward the water as
the trek back to the clubhouse begins

 Completing the brief trek back to the lodge, the par-5 9th sweeps from left to right around a set of four bunkers that split the fairway near the landing area and another duo closer to the destination of layup shots. Players who successfully avoid those obstacles must choose their approach club wisely as the long green puts club selection at a premium and penalizes mistakes with a series of ridges that make long putts almost impossible to stop dead.

Returning to the clubhouse, the long and narrow green at the par-5 9th puts club
selection at a premium

The opening stanza of my Bandon experience was enough in itself to keep me wanting much much more. Take away the rest of the day and I'd be sold on the concept of this resort on the Oregon coast. Sold on its simplicity, its authenticity, and its devotion to keeping golf what it should always be: fun.

Lawsonia Links- A Classic Gem in the Middle of Nowhere

Green Lake, Wisconsin has long been a summer haven for the well-to-do from Chicago, Milwaukee, and even the Twin Cities. Just over an hour north of Madison, two from Milwaukee, three from Chicago, and four hours from the Twin Cities, Green Lake is not only to one of Central Wisconsin's quintessential summer resort towns but is also home to one of the most enjoyable golf courses the Midwest has to offer.

The Links Course at Lawsonia was built as a retreat for the Chicago publishing magnet Victor Lawson in 1930. Lawson commissioned the services of often overlooked designers William Langford an Theodore Moreau to design a golf course on his growing summer estate. When the course finally opened, its cost had skyrocketed to $250,000, an unheard-of sum at the time.

But while the steep cost of building the Links Course would seem to indicate a forced layout, Lawsonia is among the more natural walks in the park in American golf. After a restoration completed in 2000 by Ron Forse, the Links has returned to its orignal form, devoid of useless trees and open to the golfing imaginations of the knowing crowd who shuns the more photogenic Woodlands course in favor of a round that is about as close to true "Inland Links" golf as can be found in the United States.

From the opening tee shot, one has the keen sense that the 18 holes ahead will differ from the normal parkland track. The lack of tree protection tempts players to cut the corner of the dogleg right, a risk that seems to be rewarded with a shorter approach. However, a deep cross bunker on the right hand side cuts off the view of the elevated green, giving those who chose the safer route down the high side of the dogleg a leg up on their opponent. The green, perched a good 10-15 feet above the level of the fairway, is guarded by a steep left-to-right slope and a sharp fall-off  that leaves any player missing left of the green facing a blind pitch shot to the putting surface.

 The par-4 second is Langford at his finest. After a blind tee shot that must be guided to the fairway by a set of bunkers built into the upward slope, players face the first of several downhill approaches at Lawsonia. Tee shots placed on the right hand side will leave players with a straight shot up the slope of the green but must contend with the blinding feature that is a cross bunker lying about 50 yards short of the surface. Tee shots placed down the left side will give players an open view to the green but force contention with the slope, in this case moving from back-left to front-right in opposition of the dominant right-to-left slope of the fairway. Holding a hook into the slope of the green is the best play but as any golfer knows, that is easier said than done.

The difficult par-4 second is deceptive and thought-provoking, typical of a Langford design 

After working its way around the northwest corner of the estate, the Links course reaches the par-4 sixth. Another classic Langford two-shotter, the sixth is risk-reward in every sense of the word. Having said that, the hole is devoid of any hazards commonly faced by the modern golfer. There isnt a speck of water (in fact, the only water feature on the course is an irrigation pond in front of the 15th tee), no swath of long grass waiting to reach out and grab the errant tee shot, and no out of bounds lurking yards off the fairway.

Instead, the strategy of the sixth is dominated by the player's choice of lines off the tee. Those choosing to aim down the right side risk getting caught in the steep bank that precedes the fairway, essentially eliminating any opportunity to get home in regulation. On the other hand, those who succeed on an aggressive line are left with a far shorter and better angled approach shot to an elevated and multi-tiered green that is one of the toughest on the golf course.

The strategy of the hole, however, isnt confined simply to a question of whether or not a player can carry the right-hand swale. Those choosing to hang back to the left must club wisely as a massive bunker waits beyond the fairway on the left-hand side to catch the shots of players who may not have thought about taking less than driver off the tee. Those who do successfully lay back in the fairway are offered a much longer and less visible approach to the sixth green, again giving a leg up to the player able to successfully handle the inherent risk faced off the tee.

The par-4 sixth features plenty of options off the tee, each with the requisite set of consequences

Long said to be built atop a boxcar, the seventh green caps off a par-3 that is said to be the course's "signature hole". While I would dispute that designation, the premium on accuracy placed by a hole that stretches no further than 160 yards is a testament to Langford's design prowess. Players face just a short iron approach but must block out any thought of a miss as the right hand side features a steep swale and the left an equally disastrous bunker. The green, while legendary for its subsurface, is actually among the least interesting on the course, highlighted by a ridge across the middle that is responsible for its famous (supposed) roots.

After another quality short par-4 back up the hill and a long par-5 sweeping back to the clubhouse, the course reaches another pivotal point at the par-3 tenth. A long and demanding one-shotter, the tenth puts to bed any notion that the Links has given all it can give in the opening act. After placing a fairway wood around the surprisingly small putting surface, players are challenged to get up-and-down in order to get down in par. Of course there is the option of simply hitting the green in regulation but with the tees a good 240 yards from the flag, one has to consider reality before entertaining such thoughts.

The 11th is again a classic Langford hole. Stretching to just 510 yards, the short par-5 is reachable for all but the shortest of hitters. As with many holes on the Links course, the placement of the tee shot sets up the scoring possibilities on the 11th. Drives that successfully take on the steep slope to the right are rewarded with a big bounce down the fairway, aided by a slope that puts the successful tee shot into position for a go at the green. Guarded by a steep slope and cross bunkers on both sides, the entry way makes any attempt at the green a risky proposition.

The 11th exemplifies the notion of "high point to high point", making great use of the property's sweeping terrain

After the scoring opportunity that is the 11th, a Biarritz-style par-3 awaits at the 12th. Stretching to 183 yards and guarded by bunkers left, right, and long, the 12th is as fun a one-shotter at there is at Lawsonia and for the design enthusiast, as fun as there is in the Midwest.

The 13th heads southward toward the forest, meandering between a steep slope right and a set of bunkers left as it reaches the summit before sweeping down into a massive valley that is a collection area for lay-up shots that lack strategic thought. While this slope aids the player with yardage, those who try to get close in two are often left with an uneven lie and an uphill approach to a green that slopes steeply back down into the gully, making even the slightest of mishits a potential disaster. 

While the majority of the course is devoid of tree-lining, the 14th is an exception to this wonderful rule. Although a solid and enjoyable one-shotter on its own, the 154 yard par-3 detracts from the open nature of the layout and seems out of place every time you play it. 

Thankfully the trip back into the woods last just a single hole before the final trip around the property begins at the fifteenth tee. The first of consecutive uphill par-4's, the 15th is the beginning of a closing stretch that adds unadulterated difficulty to a course that otherwise seems to provoke thought rather than fear. Again the green at 15 is guarded by a trio of bunkers and a steep front slope, challenging players to execute not only a tee shot to the fairway but also a mid-iron approach off of a fairly uneven lie.

The 16th is just plain tough. Once again playing back up the slope toward the northern portion of the property, the 444-yard par-4 is without question the most difficult two-shotter on the Links course. A bunker short of the fairway serves simply to blind out the right hand side from the tee, making the fairway seem minuscule and forcing tee shots toward the left side of the fairway and an inset of deep rough. Tee shots that successfully navigate the long rough down the left side are rewarded with an open, albeit lengthy, approach at another elevated putting surface. Those who play over the short bunker are blocked out by another set of cross bunkers short of the green, the blind nature of their approach countered by the easier angle from the right side of the fairway toward a green that slopes generally from back left to front right. 

The hidden bunker right of the 17th adds character to an otherwise bland penultimate hole

After a relatively benign 17th, players reach the tee at the long par-5 18th. Starting at the northernmost portion of the back nine, the finale takes players back down toward the clubhouse, with the forest and Green Lake serving as backdrop to as good a finishing hole as there is in the state of Wisconsin.

The par-5 18th caps off one of the best walks in American golf

At 580 yards, the 18th is the first of the par-5's at Lawsonia that is truly unreachable, often playing into the prevailing southern wind during the summertime. The tee shot must navigate between a set of bunkers, one sand and one grass, before setting up a second shot that is far from routine. With another set of offset cross bunkers guarding the layup, the 18th requires complete focus and precision to set up a scoring opportunity with the approach. Players who successfully take on the right hand bunker are left with an open approach to a green guarded by deep bunkering on both sides and sloping from right-to-left. Approach shots played from the right side are able to avoid dealing with the false front on the left, making birdie much more attainable.

Lawsonia lacks much of what the golf industry looks for today: location, clubhouse, greenery, trees. But while it may lack the resort qualities of Kohler, it can go toe-to-toe with Pete Dye's masterpieces down State Highway 23 when it comes to quality of design. The Links Course at Lawsonia is everything golf should be: entertaining, thought-provoking, and beautiful in its simplicity. 

The First Review- Old Elm Club

Old Elm in Highland Park, Illinois is one of the most storied clubs in a Chicagoland golf scene loaded with golf clubs of great distinction. But despite having 18 holes routed by H.S. Colt and constructed under the supervision of the legendary architect Donald Ross, the club is known in the North Shore simply for its all-male membership, a dubious distinction shared by other Chicago-area greats Bob O' Link (also in Highland Park), Black Sheep, and Butler National. In fact, these four clubs represent a full one-sixth of the estimated 24 clubs nationwide that remain off limits for those of the female gender.

Politics and gender relations aside, Old Elm is a course that needs to be seen by more of the true golfing world. Its 6465 yards of pure design genius receive less play than virtually any golf course in the world. With just 40 members reportedly on the club's roster (almost all "old money" names such as the Marshall Fields family), the opportunity to find yourself a coveted guest spot is highly limited. Given that many of those members play primarily at other clubs (read "co-gender"), it is no surprise that even on a Saturday morning the course is largely empty.

Thanks to an outing at Shoreacres (the orignal plan for our Monday jaunt) and another at Onwentsia, I found myself on the doorsteps of Old Elm late on a Monday afternoon a few weeks back. The club I have caddied at for the last decade, Ravinia Green (nothing to write about), was closed for an outing so myself and a few fellow caddies decided to try working our way onto another area club for a twilight round.

After a while spent searching for someone, with or without authority (the tales of emptiness are certainly true on Monday afternoon), we finally found the Monday starter and were told to wait for a group to make the turn but that after they did, we could get going on the back nine.

From the first ball struck on the 10th tee to the final shot into the 2nd green (before a massive thunderstorm cut the period of nirvana short), Old Elm was everything I have come to expect and love from a Ross-constructed gem.

The 10th gets the backside going with a bang. Despite being listed as a par-5 on the scorecard, it plays as a long par-4 in the modern game at just under 480 yards. With the tee shot seemingly forced toward the trees on the right-hand side by a set of bunkers on the left side of the fairway, Ross immediately plays tricks on the mind and challenges players to risk a bunkery fate in order to avoid being blocked out without a angle from the right. Up at the green there is the first of several push-up surfaces, leaving no doubt whose hand was responsible for this gem of a golf course.

After making the 10-foot walk over to the 11th tee, players once again find their knowledge of the course and skill in execution put to the test. Fairway bunkers on the right side force tee shots toward the left-hand side, again preventing those afraid to test the bunkers from having a clean look over the cross bunkers and onto the relatively flat green. One of the longer two-shotters on the course, the 11th requires a well played mid-to-long iron approach into a green that runs from front to back, guarded by a fairly benign sandy patch on the right side. 

The 12th is a quintessential Ross short par-4

But it is holes such as the 12th that make Donald Ross' designs stand the test of time. Playing just under 320 yards from the medal tees, the short par-4 occupies one of the flattest spots on the course and lacks much of the natural undulation that aids the rest of the layout. Yet the placement of the bunkering (challenging players to hug the OB line down the left) and the two oaks on the right side (preventing the "bomb and recover" approach available far too often at modern courses) put a player's ability to devise and execute on a strategy to the test. 

The pushed-up nature and angle of the green prevent run-up shots played with anything less than perfect control, sending misplayed shots off to the right and back down the front side with unexpected speed. One of the favorite mantras of Ross was that a course should be made to allow for "an easy bogey but a tough par". I cannot think of a better example of this than the 12th at Old Elm.

Fast forward to the 15th and you find yet another brilliant short two-shotter. Again under the 330 yard mark, the 15th tests strategy and execution on both drive and approach. With the left-hand bunker eliminating any hope of a successful tee shot played with the driver (something I found out the hard way), placement is at a premium. An oak tree guarding the right side of the putting surface makes any shot played from the right side of the fairway difficult to get close, forcing tee shots to challenge the fairway bunker in order to open up the totality of the green for an approach. 

The 15th is yet another par-4 that thoroughly tests strategy

 

After a solid par-5 back up the hill toward the clubhouse, players are faced with one of the best one-shotters in the Chicago area. The recently-restored 17th is more a product of Colt than Ross, designed in the "redan" style with a series of mounds creating a cascade down from the high side on the right of the green to a swale on the lower left than separates the putting surface from that of the adjacent 6th. 

Balls left short of the green leave the player with a nearly impossible pitch to the back left pin location, with balls seemingly unwilling to stop dead on their way down the massive slope toward the backside swale.

The 18th makes great use of the natural undulations and in quintessential Ross style, employs 2 unique cross bunkers to impede the view of players on both tee shot on approach at the long par-4. Once the drive and long iron approach have been navigated, the green is one of the more tame surfaces on the course, allowing players to give it a go for a closing birdie or par save. 

The 1st gets players out in a smooth fashion. The short three-shotter features a wide landing area and offers one of the best opportunities to put up a red number on the scorecard, something Ross tended to like to offer early in a player's round. 

As for the rest of the front nine, mother nature apparently had other plans. As much as I was disappointed not to see the rest of Old Elm, I just hope it gives me reason enough to make my way back sometime in the near future. Given that I dont even know the name of a single member, that ambition is pretty daring. Then again, Mondays are indeed there for a reason. 

Municipal Burdens to Junior Development

Taking a break from course reviews, Id like to talk about what I have noticed as one of the primary obstacles to junior development in the game of golf, men's leagues. For years, many of our municipal courses have relied upon men's leagues, most of which are scheduled on weekday afternoons, for a significant portion of their annual play. While these 9-hole afternoon leagues may get people out on the course, they keep an equal amount off the course, essentially acting as a weekly outing that requires closure of a public facility. While weekday afternoons are when working men are able to play, it is the only time (outside of summer) when juniors have the opportunity to pick up the game. The weekend is the domain of the middle-aged man, thus the weekday has to be the domain of the junior taking up the game.

That said, there is nothing wrong with a league here and there. However, when courses (I have one in mind) book leagues five days a week, they essentially become semi-private courses funded by taxpayers. How can courses that have a mission to spread the game of golf to those in the communities in which they reside justify closing to company leagues every afternoon? Add in the fact that 95% of league participants are non-residents and you have a system which threatens to completely discount the public mission of a municipal golf facility.

As a junior, I expect to face opposition when I try to book a tee time on a Saturday morning. I have been conditioned to accept the fact that my weekend doesnt start until Saturday at noon and that every Friday afternoons are not really mine to use. However, I have also been conditioned into believing that I should be able to play on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday afternoon without much wait and certainly without having to confine myself to the back nine (or to be forced into, unknowingly until I already paid, playing the front or back twice). This is the general understanding and is vital to protecting the ability for juniors to participate in the growth of golf as an international and intergenerational game.

Some facilities, although many of them privately-owned, understand the value of growing the game and understand that junior access is a key aspect in fostering this growth. The Jemsek facilities have long taken the stance that the junior customer, due in no small part to their potential in the long-term, is the most important customer, and have formed their tee time and rate policies in accordance with this belief. While many courses (though again, few municipal ones) have adopted the "juniors play free with parent" twilight program, Pine Meadow, St. Andrews, and Cog Hill were for years the only places to offer such a deal. As a result, I have become more than willing to pay them back and pay full fare now that I am an adult and now for a fact that others feel the same way. Municipal courses are now jumping on the bandwagon,but the fact is that they should have been driving junior programs forward, not simply hoping on for the ride. The layouts at municipal facilities are generally far more junior friendly than the privately-owned daily fee layouts, and their public funding usually allows them to have a rate structure much more conducive to juniors than the $50+ almost always charged at places like Pine Meadow, White Deer Run, and Thunderhawk (publicly-owned, but operated like a high end daily fee). These municipal courses are in the neighborhoods that are filled with golfers of the future, while the high end facilities tend to be out in areas where the land is more undulating and thus the population centers are far less dense (and usually less affluent).

But while I can go on and on about the problems with municipal rate structures, the denial of access that results from daily afternoon leagues is a much more urgent issue. The driving range is only a catalyst for getting juniors into the game. Without providing them adequate access to the courses themselves, we risk bringing this Tiger-induced decade of tremendous growth to a screeching halt. Municipal facilities have a mission that involves much more than maximizing annual rounds and squeezing every last drop of revenue out of the course. They have a responsibility to act as a catalyst for growing the game of golf in the communities that have chosen to support them with public dollars. Unfortunately, many are failing to succeed in this part of their mission.

The Bridges

Nothing annoys me more than the American concept of blind hazards. Nowhere is this outrageous development in golf course design more prevalent than at the Bridges Golf Course in Madison. While the overall layout is solid for a course currently giving out a special at $30 with a cart on weekends, the constant presence of hazards blinded from view by tall reeds sours the experience. I havent been playing great, and I certainly didnt have my best day of ball striking, but eight lost balls goes beyond the spectrum of challenge and into the realm of the unfair.
In addition to the abundance of hazards and awkward lines, the conditions were below what I would consider to be acceptable even for a course at that price level. Despite having greens that certainly out performed my expectations, the fairways were bordering on unplayable, with bare lies all over the place and very little definition between fairway, intermediate, and primary rough.
Although $30 with a cart on a weekend remains a fairly good value for what you get in the Bridges, I would not want to go through the pain of constantly dropping balls in the fairway, something even better players will not be able to avoid their first time around the course.

University Ridge

If college decisions were based upon the campus course, the University of Wisconsin-Madison would be overflowing with applicants. Simply put, University Ridge in Verona, WI is not only one of the finest, if not the finest layouts one will ever find as part of a college campus, but rivals the greats in the now golf rich state of Wisconsin.

While Uni Ridge may not possess the lakefront locale of Whistling Straits or the acres of flowing natural terrain the comprises the newcomer to the Wisconsin major championship golf scene, Erin Hills, the course seamlessly flows from typical midwestern prairie golf into a wooded final 9 that feels much more like northern Michigan than south central Wisconsin. For those of you familiar with another RTJ II design just north of Chicago, ThunderHawk, University Ridge is essentially ThunderHawk on steroids. While the layouts share that signature prairie-style RTJ look in their green complexes, the undulations on both sides of University Ridge far surpass anything found at THawk.

With many courses that, like University Ridge, have a split-9 layout of prairie to wooded, marsh to dunes, sea to sky, whatever you call it, the contrast never really works, seeming much more like a club with two separate 9-hole courses than a solid 18. This is far from the case with the Ridge. Although trees are really nonexistent on the first 9, the similarity of the green complexes and the seamless flow of the layout overcomes the contrast in lateral hazards.

As I said before, the front nine is what the course staff refers to as the prairie side of the course. From the opening tee shot on the downhill par 4 first, the prairie grass that is typical of RTJ II's midwest designs is an in-your-face part of the golf course and a worthy challenge to every shot. After the picturesque tee shot on number 1, an otherwise benign par 4 sets the stage for a course that is far from it. Number 2 is where the Ridge really begins, a par 5 that double doglegs around a rockbed (not water-filled but nonetheless considered a lateral hazard) as well as a 3-bunker complex that must be carried in order to have a shot at the green. For us short hitters just worried about hitting the par 5 in regulation, a tee shot that either carrys the rockbed left of the bunkers or is laid up short of the hazard sets up a layup that truly is the key shot on the hole. Although the green is framed by a split fairway, the left portion is guarded by a tall oak that leaves that side of the fairway out of the question in terms of setting up a clear approach. After a relatively benign par 3 (the par 3's are a bit disappointing- although I like the elevation changes on the 2 back 9 par 3s, I had 6-iron on all 3 front 9 1-shoters and hybrids in on the back. Perhaps alterations in the tee marker setup could create a bit more variety), the fourth stares you straight in the face. An uphill, dogleg right par 4, the fourth generally leaves you with a long iron or fairway wood into an elevated green guarded by a collection area on the left and three bunkers short right. Add in one of the most undulating greens on the course and you have yourself a solid par 4. The fifth is another one of the benign par 3s, a downhiller that ends at a green surrounded by a bunker short right and 2 more far left. A solid par 5 sixth is followed by a benign short par 4 seventh and yet another downhill 6-iron at the eighth. The final par 5 on the front, nine is one of the more challenging holes on the front side and certainly is not the birdie opportunity one usually finds on a mid-length par 5. After a tee shot through the shoot that must favor the left side (although it doesnt appear that way from the tee box), another precise layup is require to clear yet another oak and leave a manageable approach to the most elevated green complex on the course. Stray left off the tee or right on the second and you have no shot on the double dogleg front nine closer.

While I said that I enjoyed the blend of prairie and woods that University Ridge provides, I would be remiss not to mention the simple fact that the wooded back 9 is what makes the course so special. After a beautiful tree-lined par 4 to open the inward side, the par 5 11th presents a tee shot that must favor the left side so as to avoid bunkers and overhanging limbs that leave any rightward-straying tee shot nearly impossible to recover from. After a well-placed layup, players are usually faced with a short iron to a surprisingly difficult green guarded by a bunker to the left that is a fairly guaranteed bogey. Following that, 12 is a nice downhill par 3 again played to a steeply sloped green that carries any approach straight to the back of the green. Although not the most difficult par 4, 13 is a well-designed short hole that presents options off the tee. While only 316 yards from the blues, any tee shot that doesnt carry 220 will leave an approach to be played off a steep upslope to a green that is guarded by a deep bunker in the front and another on the left. 14 is another par 4, playing a bit longer than 13 and requiring a well-placed tee shot to avoid fairway bunkers on the left and right sides of the landing area. Although the green doesnt have much defense in the way of bunkering or elevation, the back-to-front slope forces players to keep the ball below the hole in order to truly have a look a birdie.

Much like 13, 15 is a truly well-designed short par 4. Framed by a bank short of the fairway on the dogleg right and two bunkers long, the green is only accessible from the right side, as yet another tree blocks the angle to the green from anywhere right of center. Although driver brings the bunkers into play, layups on 15 have to be played far enough left so as to leave a clear approach to another steeply-sloped green. 16 is perhaps the best hole on the course. Although a bit confusing the first time around, the 16th is a classic risk-reward par 5 from start to finish. From the option to go left off the tee and gain an angle to hit the green in two to the second fairway that begins up by the green a la 18 at Valhalla, 16 is a par 5 that can make or break a round. Perfectly designed and perfectly placed toward the end of the round. While 16 can make or break a 17, 17 still stares you in the face as a potential round killer. The longest of the par 3's, 17 requires a downhill approach of over 200 to a small green protected by a pond short left and a bunker right. If anything, 17 is too tight for the length of approach required. 18 caps off a round at University Ridge perfectly. No, it doesnt have a waterfall next to the green or a vista across the state. Instead, it requires a well-placed draw hit over two fairway bunkers on the left and then a well hit mid to long-iron into a green that is the deepest on the course. Pin placement is key and three putts are surely a possibility.

Just like its closing hole, University Ridge is a simple and yet well-designed layout that is among the most enjoyable I have had the privilege to have played. It deserves its sterling reputation and is a sturdy foundation for the growing golf destination that is Madison, Wisconsin. At $30 walking for students, I look forward to playing the Ridge on a regular basis for the next three years and beyond.