Arcadia Bluffs G.C. 14710 Northwood Hwy Arcadia, MI 49613 800.494.8666 www.arcadiabluffs.com Architect: Warren Henderson and Rick Smith Par – 72 (5 par-3s and 5 par-5s) Price – $175, $125 at 4PM Conditioning – Four and 1/2 stars Design and strategy – Four and 1/2 Stars Overall – Five Stars Value – Four stars More to come –...
FOREST DUNES G.C. 6376 Forest Dunes Drive Roscommon, MI 800.DUNES-MI www.forestdunesgolf.com Architect – Tom Weiskopf Par – 72 (75 if you add in the 117 yard par-3 19th hole!) Price – $125, $100 twilight Conditioning – Five and 1/2 stars (all ratings out of 7) Design and strategy Four and 1/2 stars (Front nine Three stars, Back nine six stars)...
LAKEWOOD SHORES – GAILES COURSE 7751 Cedar Lake Rd. Oscoda, MI 800.882.2493 www.lakewoodshores.com Architect – Kevin Aldridge Par – 36-36=72 Price – Seasonal Unlimited Golf Packages $68-114 including one night stay, minimum two nights required Design: Four stars (all ratings out of seven) Conditioning – Three and one half stars Natural...
by Peter Black, Jr. The New York State Bar Association CLE lecture at Fordham University Friday featured some litigation shots that may have far reaching implications in the world of golf. New York intellectual property law expert Robert Clarida of Cowan Liebowitz & Latman in Manhattan argued that golf holes are no different than sculptures and that the more...
Three bits of housekeeping today. First, Tifosi, a Georgia company sent me two pairs of sunglasses to try on the golf course. The specs are supposed to cut out not only harmful UV rays, but are designed to provide sharp clarity of vision. I hate wearing sunglasses on the golf course, no matter how bright, but I have to say after being completely skeptical, I have...
Reason number 1,000,000 why the lore of Sawgrass is every bit as storied as any major venue. Noone who saw Tom Watson chip in at the 17th at Pebble Beach to edge Jack Nicklaus and win the U.S. Open will ever forget it. The next year, in an effort to capitalize on the shot’s legend, the U.S.G.A. asked Watson to reenact the shot, but at 17 at Sawgrass. With the...
The full interview will follow, but here are some snippets of the interview I did with Jim Engh, Golf Digest’s architect of the year in 2003. JIM ENGH IN HIS OWN WORDS JF: What’s the most important goal for you in creating a successful design. Engh: For me, it’s all about options. The more ways to play a hole and get a ball close to the pin, the...
Author’s Note: While this site is primarily about public courses and golf course architecture, we will spend some time over the next month or two reviewing some courses up for this year’s Best New Private Club award. The author’s views are his own and are in not meant to be impugned to either GolfObserver.com or the monthly periodical to which I...
The view from the 16th teebox at Pradera, near castle Rock, Colorado. Randomly placed pot bunkers place a premium on strategy.
The 4th at Lakota
The 13th green at Redlands
I am writing longer pieces on both, coming soon, but in the meantime here is the skinny on two of the best courses I have ever played or seen. LAKOTA CANYON RANCH GOLF CLUB 1000 Club House Drive New Castle, CO 81647 970.984.9700 www.lakotacanyonranch.com Architect: Jim Engh Par 72 Excitement Level – 11/12 Difficulty – 8/12 Conditioning – Four and...
The fossil monument lined 12th Hole. Photo courtesy of Jim Hajek and Jim Engh.
University of Denver archaeologist Dr. martin Lockley shows the Triceratops fossils that line the 12th fairway at Fossil Trace
FOSSIL TRACE GOLF CLUB 3050 Illinois St. Golden, CO 303.277.8750 www.fossiltrace.com Architect: Jim Engh Par – 72 Excitement Level – 11/12 Diff. – 7/12 Design: five and 1/2 stars (all ratings 0ut of seven) Natural Setting: 5.5 Conditioning – Five and ½ stars Cost – $60 Value – Six stars Overall – Five and ½ stars...