(25 foot deep bunkers?! Harrison Hills has them!)
I was pretty excited to see Harrison Hills. After playing Lawsonia a few years ago, I’ve been itching to see more Langford and Moreau courses. The rub with Harrison Hills is it’s only 8 holes. For seventy years, this was only a nine hole course. In fact, it was regarded as one of the best nine holers in the country, however, the pressure to expand to eighteen holes was too great. The club brought in Tim Liddy, and in order to have returning nines, Liddy had to get rid of the original third hole. So now there’s eight L/M (1-2 13-18) and ten Liddy (3-12).
(The 195/188 yard par three second is all carry over a marsh basin. Only the top of the flagstick is visible from the tee...
...playing short and letting the slope pitch the ball onto the green is the correct shot. Note how the sides fall away into the rough. Unpredictable is the best way to describe this unique par three.)
Whether or not the club needed to expand is a matter of conjecture, but the Liddy holes are a mixed bag. The ninth and twelfth are the best while the fourth through the seventh are forgettable. 3, 8, 10, and 11 are all above average. Truthfully , Liddy was in a difficult spot. Most of the new terrain he was given was never going to produce anything great. It was literally an old cornfield. (4-7)
(The 435/402 yard ninth doglegs left before playing to a green that slopes front right to back left. The pin in the pic requires a deft touch to get close. It’s Liddy’s best hole.)
(Eleven plays alongside the water opposite of ten. It’s a hundred yards shorter at 306/294 yards....
...it’s driveable from the tee and there’s enough room to give it a go. It’s a great opportunity to get a shot or two back. The author pitched in for an eagle two.)
(The 195/182 yard par three twelfth is a beautiful hole. The bunker works well with the opening on the left. It’s a Liddy design but looks very similar to L/M style.)
Tom Doak stated in his book that the original nine holes was everything golf was intended to be- wild, fun, and full of challenge. The final six holes showcase the exciting work Langford and Moreau did and they are a blast to play!
(The 523/495 yard thirteenth begins a six hole stretch of Langford Moreau holes. Note how the fairway climbs up the hill before turning left...
...the green sits atop the landform with rounded sides dropping 12-15 feet below the putting surface. The bunkers are particularly in play for long hitters going for it in two. I personally would like to see the green extend to the drop off.)
(The all-world 356/336 yard uphill par four plays to a volcano green. The putting surface sits on an isthmus bracketed by steep fall offs on both sides...
...not only is the green narrow but it’s two tiered. A par is not a guaranteed even if one reaches it in regulation. Note how the sides are rounded so balls that land on the edge kick down into the bunker. One of the best holes on the planet!)
(The 411/402 yard par four sixteenth plays over a shallow valley to a semi blind fairway that slopes left to right...
...the bunker to the left is very much in play as the line from the tee starts at it...
...the hole finishes at a very cool green complex. The chocolate drop mounds obscure the direct line to the pin while making depth perception hard to judge. The putting surface is crowned on the sides. Par is a terrific score.)
(The uphill 151/143 yard par three is all carry with a fortress green demanding you pick the correct club to attack. There is no relief if you miss the putting surface. Every recovery is challenging. Little slopes throughout the green make even two putting an accomplishment.)
(The 557/543 yard par five eighteenth rollercoasters up and down all the way to the putting surface. A speed slot on the drive and into the green begs the golfer to give it two mighty whacks.)
I recall Mohawk in Tiffin Ohio had an exceptional Donald Ross nine hole course that was expanded to eighteen but they had enough room to add a another nine without interfering with the Ross holes. That’s what crossed my mind when I was finalizing my thoughts on Harrison Hills. Tim Liddy is a pretty darn good architect, and cornfield holes aside, did a quality job integrating the new with the old. The eight original holes are excellent and will whet your appetite to see more of Langford and Moreau’s work. I give Harrison Hills a 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours to play).
(The opening hole sets the mood at Harrison Hills with a rolling fairway that climbs up the terrain. Open your shoulders and swing away!)
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