Classic Holes of Australian Golf the 3Rd Hole Par 3/141
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A skyline green at Graham Marsh’s new American course at In the Footsteps of The Old Man: Nick Flanagan’s 2003 US Amateur Triumph Casey Wittenberg came to the Sutton Bay US Amateur Championship of 2003 with a patrician background, a lifetime's grooming to become a golf star and the requisite designer golfing attire Nick Flanagan brought along five years experience in the game, rumpled khaki shorts and a cheeky grin. He was the player most unlikely, faced with a phalanx of the world's best amateurs. As the Australian gulped and gazed at the thousands of spectators lining the hallowed fairways Featherie, c.1850 Gutta percha ball Rubber cored ball Longa-Life ball from Early US size ball Slazenger B51 ball Slazenger B51 Fire Titleist Acushnet K Lynx Jumbo ball Titleist Pro V1, 2003 Published by the with moulded pattern, with mesh pattern, England, c.1935 (1.68 inch) Spalding used by Bobby Locke Ball used by Gary Player ball, 1972 1.8 inches in Society of Australian c.1900 c.1920 Tournament, c.1940 in Australia, c.1950 in Australia, 1965 diameter, c.1985 Golf Course Architects of opulent Oakmont he may have thought he was in for a beating... so did the fans... and so did Wittenberg... ABN 40 913 055 171 Golf Australia House 153-155 Cecil Street South Melbourne Victoria 3205 Australia ISSN 1446-1943 Golf’s greatest asset? The politically Meanwhile, the USGA’s incomplete Don’t they mind that they’ve had a The USGA is unable to test refined Renovation projects or new courses Yes, every golfer loves the distance That architect happens to be visiting How do we take golf back from the correct, feel-good answer is obvious - testing procedures have made the hand in changing golf’s Wrigley Fields? launch angle conditions tailored to are looking for distance and other ways boost they get. But distance fixes some of America’s greatest courses as manufacturers? Look to Softspikes. Editors Neil Crafter Twin themes run through our magazine this year. The first is Australians in America. The wonderful achievement of young the people. Without those devoted golfer’s equipment become nearly as Not only have we torn down the ivy- individual swings, which is how the to rig courses so that they produce a have not been enough, as every you read this, working with the USGA and Paul Mogford Nick Flanagan explodes hackers in their sweat-stained bucket important as his skill. covered brick walls at many of our manufacturers have circumvented the certain course rating or back tee study suggests that golf is losing to oversee design modifications to The golf course industry single- PO Box 196 Nick Flanagan in winning the US Amateur at Oakmont Country Club in 2003 came precisely 100 years after an Australian born from one of Oakmont's caps whizzing around in GPS guided classics, but now we’re buying the real USGA’s testing limits (and will continue yardage, instead of focusing on ways customers because of the excessive accommodate the distance problem handedly campaigned for and Brooklyn Park SA 5032 bunkers on his way to the golfer last won this prized trophy - when ‘The Old Man’, Walter J Travis, captured the last of his three US Amateur carts, there would be no golf. Right? Thus, many lovingly built and estate in the neighborhoods beyond to, even under the new USGA to make the design more fun. time it takes to play, the high cost he led the charge against. implemented the ban on metal spikes Australia 2003 US Amateur crown maintained courses - most serving center field to expand our playing testing guidelines). of rounds, expensive equipment to improve turf conditions. Over [email protected] Well, without golf courses, there would the sport admirably for decades - are fields. All to prevent a frivolous lawsuit Already an expensive endeavour, and the difficulty of the sport. The USGA Green Section will continue 12,000 courses now ban metal spikes, www.sagca.org.au Championships in 1903. At the time of his win, Travis was 41 years old, a remarkable feat considering he did not take up the be no place for those people to play. purportedly letting us down because from a few manufacturers. Distance increases have empowered architecture has been chosen to bear These insidious elements are all tied to on and the US Open will remain one and all because it started on (big pun game until he was 35. Travis’ first win at Garden City GC in 1900, came only 4 years after he hit his first ball - and Nick Flanagan Contributing photographers Courses are golf’s greatest asset. they can’t withstand an assault from many average golfers to think they are the expense of this ever-changing the rubber band effect on golf courses, of the four majors, but the USGA’s warning here), a grass roots level. Laurence C Lambrecht had only been playing for 5 years when he won in 2003. Travis had already dabbled in golf course design and after his retirement today’s equipment. But it’s not just Even more disturbing is the notion longer and better than they really are. game. The equipment manufacturers, where designs have stretched and once respected place in the sport has John and Jeanine Henebry And how are the governing bodies old courses that can’t keep up. that the ‘legal guardians’ of golf have Courses are then expected to ensure who believe it is their birthright to sell narrowed to combat distance. been undermined not only by its The same can happen with the golf ball. Dick Durrance from competitive golf, threw himself full-time into this new vocation and made a most successful career. We examine his life, and the golfers showing their love for bought into the marketing spin that the integrity of slope so that handicaps the latest ball and driver, contribute complacency, but largely thanks to Introducing, the Classic Course Ball. David Scaletti golf’s architecture? By suggesting that One layout hosting a PGA Tour event equipment advances have made this ‘travel well’ and so the layout remains only complaints that the industry is Only a handful of people in the golf Executive Director David Fay’s his achievements and his designs in our Great Australian Golf Course Architects series, along with those of Carnoustie immigrant, The American was the son of a touring pro and a Walker Cup player. Flanagan's Travis, known as ‘The Old Man’, won his first US Amateur in 1900, and again courses are easier to alter than the in the fall of 2003 was lengthened hard game more accessible and ‘respectable’. not bringing new customers to golf. industry see the expansion of courses arrogance in shrugging off repeated Here’s how it could work. Every time Design Jorgensen Design father was a Newcastle coal miner and his mother a supermarket checkout clerk. in 1901. He is perhaps best known for his British amateur win in 1904 at Dan Soutar, the architect of Kingston Heath. Graham Marsh is one of Australia’s favourite golfers, with a successful world-wide equipment rules. (at its own expense) to add yardage in popular for the masses. Unfortunately, The club pro, whose living they’ve as a good thing. In a survival move, pleas from folks like Jack Nicklaus. the topic of adding new bunkers or Printing Five Star Press Sandwich. It came in the form of a card from Greg Norman, who had been trying a mad race to keep up with this year’s the various economic indicators and Because better players who drive undercut by shifting pro shop business the golf magazines have avoided planting trees comes up this fall, winter playing career that now continues on the Senior Tour in the United States. But it is not just with his clubs that Marsh has made While Wittenberg's parents were mesmerising him with the golf swing as a toddler, for some time to reach the 19-year-old by phone. It read, "From one Aussie to What love. These complicated hot ball and driver. The course in surveys make it quite clear that the the ball longer and straighter are to non-green grass accounts, meaningful discussion of the issue. The PGA Tour is only interested in and spring, ask the people in favor The Society of Australian Flanagan decided more or less on a whim, after watching Tiger Woods win the another. I wish you well tomorrow. Be the first Australian to win the title in venues are the grandest and most question has not even been open desire to get a ten-yard fix isn’t giving considered golf’s voice of reason, apparently should be doing more to If this essay appeared in one of the one charity - itself. When pro golf of rigging devices to offset 350-yard Golf Course Architects is not his name in America - as a golf course architect, Graham has recently completed a widely acclaimed new course at Sutton Bay, 1997 US Masters, that maybe he should give golf a try. 100 years. Play loose and play smart. Sincerely, Greg Norman." responsible for statements unique in the world of sport. Many for a year. golf new customers or keeping many have bought into the USGA’s bring the $16 billion equipment mass-market publications, the becomes as dreadful to watch as pro drives, if they would instead play a or opinions expressed in are so beautiful and fascinating and others around. suggestion that courses are easier industry new blood.