Brackenridge Park Golf Course (San Antonio, TX)

Brackenridge Park is the most historical municipal golf course in the USA. It was designed by famed architect A. W. Tillinghast in 1916, and has hosted several Texas Opens. Inside the quaint clubhouse is the Texas Golf Hall of Fame. I spent an hour just perusing the old photos of Hogan, Nelson, Palmer... It's a fantastic experience for any avid golfer who loves history. 

(The beautiful Brackenridge clubhouse.)

The city of San Antonio had the good sense to restore Brackenridge, and even tho eminent domain robbed the back nine of some really great holes, the front was a grand success. Using old photographs, the geometric shaped bunkers, tees, and greens were brought back to life. 

The most interesting feature are the square greens. There are seven of them and the linear edge emphasizes the need to hit a quality shot. Typically, there is no catching a piece of the green. 

(The seventh hole has a rectangular green. The rear portion has a mound that intrudes from the left, making back pin placements difficult to attack.) 

(The par three eighth has three bunkers set into the base of the ridge several yards short of the green.) 

The front nine starts off with a short par four. Then the second is a long par three with double bunkers guarding the front, forcing players to carry the ball all the way to the putting surface. The third is a a good par five.  Cross bunkers put pressure on the layup, and the green is surrounded by sands, placing pressure on all three shots. A couple well placed ridges makes birdie a tough proposition. 

(The bunkers have flat bottoms and grass faces. Can you imagine your ball nestling on the slope?) 

The fourth has a bunker thirty yards short of the green. It completely hides the putting surface and the player has to gauge his shot by trusting the yardage. I like how the sixth green is directly behind, making this one of the more intimate spots on the course. Players have a view of the action of several other holes too. The sixth has a square green divided by a ridge, the high point being the center of the green. The seventh green is rectangular but the rear portion is near a mound which influences putts or chips hit from front to back. 

The eighth is a strong par three, then nine is a reachable par five, one of the true birdie opportunities on the course. The front nine is a wonderful example of old architecture. It's super fun to play! 

The back nine lost the most when they put in the freeway, but the restoration cleaned up the creek, and made it a good water hazard once again for the holes where it guards the green. 

(The water shouldn't be in play on the par three tenth, but it adds significantly to the ambiance.)

(Twelve is a par five that uses the creek. It is reachable in two, but poor drives will have to layup to the water.) 

(The short par three fifteenth begins an unremarkable finish to Brackenridge. These four holes took the brunt of the eminent domain.)

The twelfth and fourteenth are the two holes the creek fronts. Twelve is a par five so it's only in play if you're trying to reach it in two, but fourteen is a long two shotter so the tee shot is very important. 

The last four holes fizzle out with a short (yawn) uphill par three, a very weird driving hole par four, a driveable par four (for the longest hitter), and a good ending par three over water. 

(The final hole is a good par three over water. The green is square shaped with a sand trap front right and water fronting. The live oaks and clubhouse make for a beautiful setting.) 

For golf purists, Brackenridge is a great place to play. I didn't get that feeling in my stomach like I did at Pasatiempo, but I was pretty excited to see my first Tillinghast course! The back nine hurts it's rating but I still give it a 5 (good). It's a definitive must play if you find yourself in San Antonio. Or at least a must visit to the Texas Hall of Fame. 

NavyMarine Golf Course (Honolulu, HI)

NavyMarine is one of the top military golf courses in the world. I had the honor of playing it a few years ago when I was visiting my daughter stationed at Fort Shafter. (Arguably one of my best vacations ever!) 

(A common sight at NavyMarine are the seven palm trees backdropping the greens, a reference to Pearl Harbor a few miles away.) 

NavyMarine was designed in 1948 by William Bell on a rectangular piece of property. H1, Valkenburgh Ave,and Radford St all border the course in urban Honolulu. 

(The fence is a boundary line that speaks for itself. No one will be confused about the OB.)

NavyMarine looks like a typical parkland course, except instead of hardwoods, it has palm trees. Bell did a nice job routing it over some decent terrain. The long par fours are the main challenge. (#3 440, #4 420, #6 456, #14 436, & #17 475) These are all very difficult pars, especially seventeen where the approach is all uphill. 

My three favorite holes are all on the back. Twelve is a par three that two has personalities. The first day I played it, the pin was in the rear, resulting in a simple par. The second day a front right pin just over the water saw me make a quick double bogey. I like holes that can change dramatically based on pin location. 

I loved fifteen. 

The water is not in play, but both days I played here saw me dump my tee shot into the front bunker. Two different pin locations, yet both times in the sand. It's a good looking hole too. 

The sixteenth is a great par five that plays downhill between the trees before going slightly uphill. The putting surface is small and circular, and reminded me a bit of Torrey Pines in San Diego. 

NavyMarine is a solid course kept in excellent shape, but what really makes it special is the history of the land it's built on. This is where the wounded and dead were taken when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. This is where the men were taken to tent city before they left to fight in the pacific. This is why NavyMarine is the premiere military course in the world. And why it's loved by so many. There's no ocean view, and the architecture is typical Bell, but it's a course that deserves playing. I give a 5 (good). 

(The par three eighth is just a short iron, but when the wind blows, the right side is a safe play.) 

Fort Sill Golf Course (Lawton, OK)

If you ever find yourself in Lawton Oklahoma, then you're probably in boot camp at Fort Sill Army Base. I was here for commencement. Oklahoma in August is very hot, and days regularly reach up into triple digit temps. I had a few hours to kill late one afternoon and so I played nine holes at Fort Sill. 

Fort Sill is a "Lefty" Mace design built back in the forties. It takes good advantage of Medicine Creek, and the last few holes are defended by it. I looked to me that the greens were redone, they had a different a shape to them compared to the fairways and tee boxes. It must be remembered that Fort Sill is a facility that caters to beginners, civilians such as myself, and officers.  (Basically the course was designed so the officers had a place to play.) 

Fort Sill isn't going to turn any heads or make any rankings list, but it is going to give many men (and women) a great deal of enjoyment, especially the military personnel who might otherwise be bored to death trying to find an activity to kill the boredom in the middle of nowhere. I have vague memories of the holes, but I do recall enjoying myself. (And making birdie on the eighteenth hole!) Fort Sill is a 3 (average). 

Links at Firestone Farms (Columbiana, OH)

Firestone Farms is one of my favorite Brian Huntley courses. 

(The par three fifteenth illustrates the wonderful views and natural features at Firestone Farms.)

I feel that the holes along the marsh and by the lake connects the player to nature. I personally think this is most important quality a golf course can have. Obviously golf shots are important too, but when the architect can combine both, then it becomes very special. 

The property by state route 14 is the least interesting, and unfortunately, the first four holes play in this space. Homes occupy this portion of the property, and so the golf is ordinary. 

(The short par four opener. I've always felt Huntley did a poor job designing holes in this type of landscape. It's bland.)

Things change at the driveable par four fifth. The hole plays downhill towards the marsh, and the player is given the option to play aggressively as he wants. 

(What a grand view! In the spring and summer, the wildflowers frame the green in a multitude of color.)

The marsh makes the hole. The player must think twice about firing at a back pin, and with sand guarding the front, what looks like an easy birdie on the scorecard is anything but. 

The sixth follows with an excellent par four. The intimidating drive over the marsh can be avoided by bailing out right, but it leaves an approach that is over 200 yards to the green. 

(Two excellent shots are required to make a four on six.) 

(The seventh continues the demanding shots required to make par.) 

The seventh is a par five. The marsh again demands a well struck drive. It becomes a birdie hole once that challenge is met. The eighth is a good par three notable for the silo one drives thru to get to the tee. It's an original structure that was used by Harvey Firestone. The ninth finishes the front with a hole that Pete Dye himself would have been proud of!

(How much of the water do you want to carry? That is the question, and the approach is wildly dependent on how aggressive the drive was off the tee. The green is next to the water with sand short  fronting. Par is a very good score.)

The back nine starts out by the road, and once again the golf becomes bland. Of the first four holes, only the twelfth is notable. The green is backdropped by the lake. 

(Typically a short pitch, the third shot is to a green that slopes away.) 

The fourteenth starts the home stretch, and like the front, some very good holes ensue. 

(The fourteenth green is at a diagonal angle with water fronting.) 

The fifteenth follows with an excellent par three over a corner of the lake. Then sixteen demands two long accurate shots to make par. The green has an unusual slope as the right half tilts away towards the hazard on the right. Maybe this was suppose to be a par five. My favorite hole, seventeen, is a wonderful par three played across the marsh. I love the look of the green contrasted to the surroundings. 

(Great penultimate par threes really stand out since par picks up a stroke.) 

The last hole is a long par five even the big hitters will be hard pressed to reach in two. Most will lay back short of the water hazard and hit a mid to short iron up the hill. 

(The last shot of the day. It takes two long pokes just to reach the flat sixty yards short of the green. Most folks won't have this view for their third, instead hitting a blind uphill shot.) 

Firestone Farms is blessed with some great natural features. Unfortunately, the eight holes near the road bring the course down. Ironically, this is the only Brian Huntley course to be in Golf Digest's Best New Public category. (This is my eighth Huntley course, and I feel The Quarry, Sanctuary, and Deer Ridge are better.) While Firestone Farms is off the radar for most northeast Ohioans, it's widely accepted as one of the best for folks from Pittsburgh. I give it a 5 (good). It's closer to Pittsburgh anyway, so it's perfect for them. 

The Preserve at Jordan Lake (Chapel Hill, NC)

Davis Love is a North Carolina fan thru and thru, so what a great opportunity to be able to design a course in the heart of Tar Heel country, Chapel Hill.  The Preserve at Jordan Lake is a high end, upscale residential golf course. 

(Short par four seventh shows off the hilly and dramatic topography at Jordan Lake. Here the green is wide but shallow with traps guarding the front and rear. It's imperative to be in the fairway to spin it enough to stop.) 

The topography at Jordan Lake is quite hilly, with wetlands, creeks, and streams throughout. The routing takes all these natural features into account, and holes play over the hazards, up the hills, and across the slopes. 

Love's biggest obstacle was the wetlands, and the environmental restrictions. He used them as hazards for the second shots on the two par fives on the back. Coincidentally, these two holes get the most criticism from the short hitters who have trouble crossing the wetlands. However, it's the long hitter who is consistently being asked to reign in his power, and not just here but on several other holes as well. I counted nine holes where this is the play. Some are hazards that cross the fairway, and others are short par fours where laying up (like #7) is the design. 

(The par three fifth is a dramatic shot over scrub and rock outcroppings. There's plenty of room between the rocks and the green.)

The best holes in my opinion are the long par fours. I specifically speaking bout eight and ten. Eight is a great par four that falls from the tee, twists to the right, and flows into the green. It's a natural looking hole. Ten is super cool because the green is across the valley from the fairway, and hitting that long iron/hybrid shot really makes your heart race. 

The par threes lack the bite that most long golf course possess. Two of them are short/mid iron shots. Three is probably the toughest one. The green is so difficult, sloping front right to back left, that you have to be able to work it both ways. Five is a visually intimidating hole, but plenty of room to get it close. Eleven has some length. And seventeen is the easiest one of them all. If you need a birdie, there's an opportunity here!

All in all, Jordan Lake is a well designed course. It's a management type place. Know the distances, where to layup, when to take chances. I give it a 5 (good). 

Twisted Dune Golf Club (Egg Harbor Township, NJ)

Outside Atlantic City lies Twisted Dunes, a course many feel is one of the best in New Jersey. Archie Struthers designed it out of a flat sand quarry, and according to him, they dug into the ground, basically lowering the course, and sold the fill to the Borgata for their new casino. This extra money helped propel the building of the course, and gave Archie a blank slate to build a "links" golf course. 

(The beautiful par three sixteenth plays over the vegetation to a green propped up in the dunes.)

Twisted Dunes has many good holes, but my critique hits on what I believe is the weakness.  The holes run between the dunes, so one never hits over them. (In fact, my recollection is the dunes are not in play. I also felt that the fairways were too wide.) Struthers had a blank slate, so he could design anything he wanted, and he missed on an opportunity to something very very special. 

(This pic illustrates my point pertaining to the width of the fairway.)

(Wonderful picture!! I love how the dune backdrops the green. The approach however never fights it. The bunker is in play, but not the dune.) 

(The long par three thirteenth over water.)

Archie did a great job with the greens. I think they fit in well with the surroundings, they're the appropriate size, and they have good contours.

Twisted Dunes is one of the few reasons I would ever consider going back to Atlantic City. 

In my notes, I wrote how impressed I was with Twisted Dunes. I couldn't figure how a course this good not be as well known. However, I only remember a few individual holes, while I remember 90% of Ballyowen. It's an easy 6 (very good) but I'd have to play it again to see if it's worthy of a seven. 

(6-worth driving two hours to play. 

 7-worth a day trip to play.) 

 

Ballyowen Golf Club (Hamburg, NJ)

Ballyowen is the #1 rated public course in NJ. Roger Rulewich designed it atop a plateau overlooking the Wallkill River. The Irish motif of the course and clubhouse is suppose to transport members and guests to the highlands of Ireland, and it even has a kilt cladded man to play the bagpipes at sunset. 

(The penisula tee par three sixth. Never has a bunker looked so inviting!) 

Rulewich was the senior associate of RTJ Sr, and his design philosophy is that of his mentor. The biggest influence is at the greens where the putting surface is broken up into "mini greens" by mounds, tiers, and ridges. They may look large from the fairway, but the pin is always in a specific spot that requires a precise approach. 

(The beautiful first hole is backdropped by the valley below. It's not too difficult a start, but should one miss left, a big number awaits.) 

(The butterfly green at the driveable second is sectioned into quarters, making the pitch a testy shot. Golfers have plenty of options from the tee to setup their preferred yardage.)

(The fifth begins a terrific three hole stretch of golf. I would say it's the easiest of the three except water is in play on both the drive and second shot.  Par is well earned.) 

The front nine does a good job of showing off the property, and taking advantage of the views and natural terrain. While the first three holes all offer birdie opportunities, four thru seven can produce a big number at a moments notice. 

(The ninth is a strong par four with an elevated green. A good approach shot is on the same side as the flag, otherwise it's a difficult two putt over the ridge.) 

The back nine struggles to match the front nines energy. Both ten and seventeen are short downhill par fives, and while they're good birdie chances, they're too similar. Same thing with eleven and fifteen. Both par threes play over the same lake. It just lacks the movement and continuity of the front. 

(The rock outcroppings add to the visual beauty of the thirteenth.) 

(Eighteen green is divided into three sections. It's a wonderful approach, uphill to well bunkered green. Club selection is critical.) 

Ballyowen is on a beautiful piece of property, and while I think it's a very good golf course, it could've been a great or even excellent one. Still, it's a must play  for anyone living in NYC, and looking for a road trip. I give it a 6 (very good). 

Apple Valley Golf Club (Howard, OH)

Apple Valley is a no frills golf course that simply challenges players to hit the fairway, and then the green. Pencil and scorecard type players (typically single handicaps) are drawn here because it's all about getting the ball in the hole in the fewest amount of strokes. There's a couple great holes, but overall, Apple Valley is just a rigid test of golf. 

(The fifth is one of the few holes that stands out. The shot across the water to the green benched in the hill is very exciting, especially since it's a short iron that players can hit aggressively.) 

William Newcomb designed it in 1971, I believe the same year he did Seven Hills, however, Apple Vally is more open and has several long par fours plus a couple par threes over 230 yards. It's not the type of course that elicits the word fun! 

(The above pic is a good representation of what golf looks like at Apple Valley.)

(The par five tenth is reachable in two shots, however, sprayed balls will have trouble getting on in regulation.) 

(The best hole at Apple Valley is the eleventh. It's a short par four where a good layup leaves a testy approach to a green banked against the water.)

If Apple Valley was a course I played a couple times a year, I wonder if I would like it as much as I do Seven Hills, another William Newcomb course. The answer is probably no. It's a nice course, it's in good shape, but besides five and eleven, it's a pretty ordinary. It's get a lot of accolades for this part of Ohio, but not worth a trip from any significant distance. I give it a 4 (above average).