A few years ago I played a round at Yale with a guy who was a Winged Foot member. He hated the work Hanse did at his home course, and claimed he wasn’t alone among the members. He was particularly critical of all the falloff’s around the greens Hanse added. Hanse is a bit of a sacred cow (maybe less so after the LPGA debacle at Frisco), but I guess not everyone loves his work.

Thanks for chiming in here, Lukas. We need to chat again sometime soon! I still have my reservations about the reno, which I'll probably detail in a future article. I really wish they had found a way to keep the original green builds, perhaps using a version of the RM process you describe here. In general, though, the shaping work that Urbina and his crew did is solid. The one exception, imo, is the 11th green, which was reconceived based on a (rather distant) photo. I don't think that one turned out very well—the contours are busy in a way you don't really see elsewhere on the course. Anyway, I'm already getting into stuff I should probably save for an article. Pasatiempo = still great. Just wish they had used a lighter touch in this recent round of work.

Nice write up Garrett. I recall some (warranted) skepticism from you and Andy about the “restoration” of the greens, but it seems like they’ve done a great job with that part. The whole process has made me wonder if there is anything that could be described as an ‘untouched’ or ‘original’ green complex after the architect has left the site. Maintenance practices will lead to evolution from day one. Possibly the best process to retain the original design was Crockford’s at Royal Melbourne. Every ~10 years he would mechanically remove all thatch/sand buildup on the greens - back to their original grades. This process went away for a couple decades but was thankfully reintroduced in the 2000s and Royal Melbourne likely has the most original greens of any golden age golf course in the world.

Slap Shot by a hair over Caddyshack.

After Slap Shot the best hockey movie.

Hi Shawn—To each his own! If you find Pasatiempo overrated, that's your prerogative. The front nine has its weaknesses. As I mention in this piece, 1, 6, 7, and 9 have all been compromised by non-course structures (driving range and housing). In their original forms, I think all of those holes were terrific, and they still have their strong points. The sixth and seventh greens are among my favorites on the course. I absolutely love 2-5 and 8. All bangers, imo. I think 2 is one of the most underrated holes on the course—just a great strategic par 4. And I'm surprised you didn't single out 4 for praise. That's surely one of the most ingenious greens MacKenzie ever designed. The back nine is certainly better, mostly because it hasn't been crowded by a driving range and houses in the way that the upper paddocks of the front nine have. But I still love the front, and if the original design were completely intact, the two nines would be very close in quality.

Chambers Bay is a worthy venue, especially if its agronomic heritage is respected, providing a strong test of skill in prime time. I wonder what television producers think of its visual patina through that medium, but The Open Championship doesn't seem to suffer from loss of viewership despite its hues. It sounds like Rodeo Dunes is going to be a worthy test, and a showcase at it checks the almost prime time box. Final thought, PGA Frisco appears to be a big miss because of its North of Dallas locale and dull look in a cookie cutter housing development, despite its strategic attributes. The tour has plenty of money and somewhere out west is a sandy patch not subject to 110° heat. Build a world class championship venue and call it the western home for the Tour Championship rotating into it every fourth year, or so. There are an abundant class of superior architects to chose from, and one of the firms could design and build something truly special and challenging.

I feel as if Black has some relatively easy greens relative to most championship tests. Many quadrants have very flat putts with very little to no break. This could lead to some real fireworks with a lot of putts dropping - which could be great for match play!

Am I the only one who thinks Pasatiempo is a bit overrated? Don’t get me wrong, the back nine is fantastic! It might be one of the best nines I’ve played, however, the front nine is average at best. Besides three, and possibly five, what other hole on the front stands out? The 6-8 stretch is crammed into a small parcel of land, and the ninth is nothing special. I guess I can buy into the hype if history and accessibility onto a MacKenzie course is the overwhelming reason. Just my two cents. Please point out if I’m missing something.

If I had to play one golf course for the rest of my days, it would be Pasatiempo. 5 Eggs.