Benjamin Malach
I think it's the best thing you can do is ask the question of why they are making a temporary investment in bunkers. When there are x other things that have a longer life span and would have a better impact.
The cost of sand is one of the cheaper ways to have an immediate visual change to the course. I agree with you that it's offensive and creates too large a contrast in the landscape for my liking. However, arguing aesthetic preference isn't a strong line. I think it's better to try to point to stronger investments that could be made with the capital. As the cost of the sand might be a quick fix, but the same money deployed reasonably could be an update to an existing system or the budget to buy an extra piece of equipment. All of these have a longer life span than sand and can create a more lasting impact on the visual quality and playability.
With bunker sand swaps its not only the cost of the sand but the cost of removal and installation of the sand as well. Those hours are already being paid by the club, as they would be most likely doing this in-house. Those hours could be directed towards other projects and things, including bunker maintenance, greens expansion, etc.
This is the strategy that I know a lot of superintendents use. If you do want to help your club and be a better voice. It's always good to get to know your superintendent and his assistants.
Hope this helps
Link to commentJames Toal
Good article, just to clarify though, Memorial wasn't a "struggling municipal course" that needed to be brought "back to life" before the renovation. It was a pretty good municipal course that was very busy and lively before the renovation. It was very difficult to get a tee time pre-renovation and still is. The course is obviously better now and people really enjoy it, but it's a bit of a stretch to say it was struggling before. Sorry to nitpick...
Link to commentBenjamin Malach
I have a few
"Pipe It Up" Migos - Michael Brennan & Christo Lamprecht
"No Juice" Boosie Badazz- J.J. Spaun & Brian Harman
"Hey Brother" Avicii -The Family Fitzpatrick
"Sound of da Police" Krs-One - Sam Burns & Scottie Scheffler
"Somebody I Used To Know" Gotye - Jordan Spieth & Jason Day
"Shut Up and Fish" Maddie & Tae - Dustin Johnson & Cam Smith
"Cool Kids" Echosmith - Justin Thomas & Rickie Fowler
"I'm Still Fine" Red Clay Strays - Adam Scott & Justin Rose
"I Never Lie" Zach Top - Zach Johnson & Patrick Reed
"The Next Episode" Dr Dre - Min Woo Lee & Sahith Theegala
Thoughts
Link to commentNathan Carr
"Hanging tuff*" for Hoffman and Watney
"Brothers in arms" - Fitz family
"We are young" - Clanton and Brown
Link to commentRandy Sierra
I'm interested if you're still bringing people in. Thanks!
Link to commentClay Mccullough
I have their Sunday bag. I really like it, and I like it better than the other Sunday bags out there because it has a stand.
Link to commentMike Ihm
Hope to retun again someday more casual, not cram as much golf in as possible and just go take a nap on 3 or 4. Lsten to the distant waves and breath it in.
Link to commentMatthew Schoolfield
I finished the podcast today. I thought it was really good.
The discussion about the Park really hit me. I remember, when they launched to much fanfare, thinking… geez, this is probably outside my budget.
Definitely like a course that gives regular a discount, but “Typical Out-of-State price range: $250-$350” is genuinely shocking.
I get that playing a new course is like buying a new car, you’re paying a ton just for the novelty, but I mean… I really understood Bruce Hepner’s exasperation.
Link to commentMatthew Schoolfield
When you can calculate the cost per bunker shot, you’ll likely have a pretty reasonable argument.
Link to commentConor Healy
Interesting, thanks. I think you rightly identify that it is a grey area that has never been, and likely will never be, satisfactorily delineated in plain English. Feels a bit of a Potter Stewart situation: "I can't define it, but I know it when I see it."
As a sidenote, is anyone aware of a heirarchy as to who gets to stay there? I'm aware in practice that they typically only spend one or two nights early in the week but where the ams in the field exceed the number of beds, I wonder who gets to pull rank.
Link to commentBen Denison
Best argument is cost/maintenence etc - how much are they willing to have dues go up to have white sand
Link to commentJoshua Bielke
And a little more background: the course was built in the 60s in MN. It's not top anything. I grew up playing here and it's home to me. I have no idea if it's a good course or not but I never tire of playing it. The owner's continue to play keeping up with the joneses rather than be trendsetters and let the course stand on its own merit.
Link to commentWill Knights
Very biased because we’re friends with the owner but I’m a huge fan. I’ve had two over the last six years. They’re so well made. And if anything breaks in transit they’ll send you a replacement part.
Link to commentTyler Rosser
Thanks all. Had a friend who works at a CC report they’d had a lot of warranty claims with Shapland. Seems like it’s worth the risk.
Link to commentCliff Mckinney
There are plenty of great designers who can and will build to a budget. A big part of the issue with these renovations, though, is that they're being done at clubs that either a) weren't originally built with modern amenities like the irrigation example in the episode or b) weren't originally built with ANY long-term, lower-cost sustainability in mind.
I live in Jacksonville where there are tons of these middle ground neighborhood golf courses. They all have miles of concrete cart paths--both on the holes themselves and most notably for miles and miles in between--plus ailing water features and too many bunkers and bad drainage and all the rest of it. The cost to maintain all of that to minimum standards demands a higher price for membership or public play than they can get away with charging with "aging infrastructure." So they pop for a reno, but then no one wants a reno that takes out most of the cart paths and reduces the size of the clubhouse, and around and around she goes...
I'm pushing 50, and what's most unfortunate I think is that the less expensive aging golf courses I grew up on were all neighborhood courses that were bunched in on maybe 150 acres maximum and all the holes ran parallel and all of that but they were MUCH more sustainable and much cheaper to maintain. The modern version of those aging courses that COULD be accessible entry points for golf are all the subdivision clubs we got in the 90s with miles and miles of non-golfing ground to maintain. They're just the opposite from an expense and sustainability perspective, and we're stuck with them because even 150 acres in a similar area would be too much money in land cost (particularly when you can sell houses instead) to justify building a golf course.
Link to commentZach Anderson
Winston-Salem, NC: Reynolds Park Golf Course (Maxwell about $25 to walk)
Winston-Salem, NC: Tanglewood Park Championship Course (a solid RTJ)
Asheboro, NC: Asheboro Muni (Ross 9 holer, $10 to walk all day)
Wilmington, NC: Wilmington Muni (18 hole Ross, $46 to walk)
I mention Reynolds Park almost as much as Ben mentions Warren. It's a wonderful Maxwell on some great land. Tanglewood is a fun one with a good short 4's that are unique to my eye (5th and 15th). Two loops around Asheboro for $10 felt like petty theft. It was a delightful surprise. Wilmington Muni is in a coastal town and the city has done a good job maintaining it and restoring it. Gets a lot of play and it's not hard to see why. There's a volcano hole! And a bell!
Link to commentBen Denison
I was lucky to win one of the bags at the event, so not entirely sure what model it is, but I really enjoy it. I mostly use a push-cast at home, but when I travel every caddie I've had said they love to carry it compared to standard stand bags so a-plus review there.
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