Saturday, October 6, 2018

113. More Work Needed in Midwest…and Return to Essex County

113.  More Work Needed in Midwest…and Return to Essex County

In the summer of 2017 I looked at my “to-do” list for completing my Bucket Lists…and it was very clear that I would need to spend a fair amount of time in the Midwest, especially Michigan.  Post #112 describing a trip of 204 holes (11 1/3 rounds) in the Midwest, including 8 1/3 rounds in Michigan, is an example.  In early July 2018 I did a quick 2-day trip to Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

Broadmoor Country Club, July 5, 2018:  I caught a very early flight to Indianapolis this morning and immediately drove to Broadmoor CC north of downtown Indianapolis.  Founded in 1922, the course was designed by Donald Ross, and from 1988-1993 hosted the Senior/Champions Tour.  During the first three years of GW’s ratings (1997-1999) it was included in GW’s USA Top 100 Classic list…but never close to my GW Merged USA Top 100.

I teed off just before 9am and after being asked by a foursome to play through on #3 (much appreciated…and a very common practice in this part of the country), had an open course in front of me.  The course is set on very flat land (typical of this part of the Midwest).  This is a good course but is in need to refurbishment.  Conditioning was not much better than OK and the bunkers were worse. The front nine is unexciting…back nine is better (par 3 15this very good) but certainly not close to Top 100 standards. 

Had good round…37-41 = 78.  After the round I thanked the head pro and his staff and headed southwest to CC of Indianapolis.

Country Club of Indianapolis, July 5, 2018:  I arrived at CC of Indianapolis around 11:30.  I was here because the club had hosted the US Women’s Open Championship in 1978 won by Hollis Stacey.  

My round was delayed by threatening weather.  There was lightening nearby but somehow the storm initially missed the course, and after about 30 minutes the course opened up for play…I started on #10.  With more threats in the forecast, I played as quickly as possible, and at times, hopped to open holes when I ran into groups in front.  Playing quickly worked…I had a 38-38 = 76, best round in quite a while!  

As I came up the par 5 8th(my next to last hole), dark clouds were gathering, but I was able to putt out on #9 and get into the proshop just before the heavens opened up.

This course was originally designed by Tom Bendelow in 1914 and then renovated by Pete Dye in 1992.  It is a very very good design.  The land had nice movement to it, and the greens are tough.  My two criticisms of the courses is overwatering…and overtreed.  But no question it is superior to Broadmoor.

After the round I drove about 135 miles to my hotel in Mason, Ohio, northeast of Cincinnati.  

Golf Center at Kings Island—Grizzly Course, July 6, 2018:  The storms of yesterday afternoon had passed through the Midwest leaving us with a beautiful day.  I was back in Cincinnati to play this course because it has hosted the Women’s PGA Championship from 1978-1989 and winners included Nancy Lopez (3x), Donna Caponi (2x), Patti Turner (2x), and Pat Bradley.  It also hosted regular events on both the PGA Tour and Senior PGA Tour. 

Grizzly has never appeared on a USA Top 100 list and frankly, that is not surprising to me.  I played well (38-39 = 77) but did not think this was worthy of a Top 100 rating.

Kenwood Country Club-Kenview, July 6, 2018:  In May 2017 I played Kenwood CC’s Kendale course.  Kenwood had two courses, Kendale and Kenview.  It hosted the 1933 US Amateur and the 1963 US Women’s Open.   In the 1960’s Kenwood lost land to the building of Interstate Highway 71(I-71) which resulted in a major reconfiguration of both courses.  I was able to contact the club’s historian, Jack S., and concluded that the only way I could satisfy my own criteria for playing a venue would be to play all 36 existing holes at Kenwood.  Having played the 18 at Kendale in 2017, I played the 18 at Kenview with Jack S. this day, which was deeply appreciated.  It is a very very good course.  The first few holes are on very very hilly land…land that the club owned before the building of I-71 but had been unused.  After I-71, the club was forced to utilize this land for part of Kenview’s front nine.  In any case, I can safely say that all holes from the US Amateur and US Women’s Open contested at Kenwood CC have been fully played by yours truly, or no longer exist.

Then it was time to get to the airport (in northern KY) and get back home…and I had a game at Essex Country Club the next morning!

Essex County Club (MA), July 7, 2018:  While I chronicled the virtues of Essex County Golf (NJ) earlier in this Blog (post #60), this is my first set of Blog remarks regarding its namesake, Essex County Club (MA).  The club was founded in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA in 1893 and started with a nine-hole course.  Essex apparently missed out on being the 6th charter member of the USGA due to a delay in the US mails…but was the 6thmember club (or first non-charter member!). Donald Ross was the club’s first Professional, designed the 18 hole course still used today, and lived right behind the 16thgreen (the old Ross house is still there).  Readers of this Blog by now must be wondering about all the courses I have played that Ross designed.  Truth is that he is credited with designing almost 400 courses. Clearly, given available transportation during his professional years, he could not have spend a great amount of time at all of these courses…and many have concluded that at many of these sites, he walked the property for a day or two, and produced simple layout drawing for his construction crews to use in building the course.  However, it is known that two of the courses where he lavished attention were courses that sat in the backyards of his homes…Pinehurst #2 and Essex County Club.

I have had the opportunity to play Essex probably ten times…first time in 2007.  It is a wonderful course…but in the last year or two it got much better with the removal of some 1,000 trees, especially along the left side of #1 and both sides of #18.  As a result of these efforts, the turf on #1, 2, 10, and other holes where trees were cleared is much improved.

Essex lies just a few miles from Myopia Hunt Club…and there is a constant debate amongst golfers in Massachusetts as to which is the better course.  Myopia did some heavy tree clearing about 5-6 years ago (after losing several greens in consecutive years) with a very positive impact.  IMHO after its tree clearing, Essex is the better course of the two (but Myopia is the more interesting experience as a club)…if you get the chance, play both.

Essex has been a constant on Planet Golf’s World Top 100 listings…most recently at #48 and starting at a high of #42 in 2009.  It is also #68 on GolfClubAtlas.com’s recently published list of “147 Custodians”.  It also has generally beaten Myopia on World Top 100 listings. On USA Top 100 listings its highest rating is #27 (on “147 Custodians”) and #53 among the big 3 US magazines (GD/GW/GM) and Top100golfcourses.com.

Hope to see more tree removal at Essex in the coming years!

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