Topping the polls Following are British and Scottish golf 'I 'Ifyou'rethink a good you have to 'Wherever we lead, course architects and the ranking of their live over here. I don't conductor of the the others designs by Golf Digest in its latest list of think you can play orchestra, it doesn't eventually follow... America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses, re- ball from the other matter your Martin /Hawtreef leased in 1997: side of the Atlantic. It would love to go 1. Pine Valley GC, Pine Valley, N.J. — nationality —you George Crump (American) and H.S. Colt, would be very difficult can still play back [to America J.' Brit (1922) to be "in the know. Carnegie Hall.' — Fred Hawtree 2. Augusta National GC, Augusta, Ga. — — Clive Clark — Donald Steel Alister Mackenzie, Brit (1933) 3. Cypress Point, Pebble Beach, Calif. — Mackenzie (1928) touch of British' might give it [the new 9. Pinehurst CC No. 2, Pinehurst, N.C. — course] an edge. In theory the aim was to Donald Ross, Scotsman (1935) The Redcoats are coming! get away from the American style." 10. Oakland Hills CC South Course, Continued from page 1 don't they? For a long time we didn't win The exclusive Carnegie Club, which Bloomfield Hills, Mich. — Ross (1918) Paul Revere, the Redcoats are, indeed, the , then it turned around hired Steel to add a nine-hole track to his 11. The Olympic Club (Lake), San Fran- cisco — Willie Watson, Scotsman (1 924) returning. and the Brits started doing OK." [with Carnegie Links at Skibo Castle in 12. Seminole GC, North Palm Beach, Fla. Traditional design was the aid of Messrs. Ballesteros and Langer Dornoch, Scotland, has hired him to de- — Ross (1929) forged in America by a small group still et al...] sign an 18-hole course as the cornerstone 13. (Clyde/Squirrel), considered the "classical architects": Brits Tom McKenzie, a lead architect for for Cherokee Plantation. Ground was bro- Brookline, Mass. —Willie Campbell, Scots- man (1895) Alister Mackenzie, H.S. Colt, Herbert Donald Steel & Co. of West Sussex, En- ken in late August on this 4,000-acre de- 16. Medinah CC No. 3 — Tom Bendelow, Fowler and Tom Simpson, and Scotsmen gland, put it this way: "There is certainly velopment along the Combahee River Scotsman <1928) Donald Ross, Willie Park Jr. and Willie a move in American golf back toward between Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, 1 8. Crystal Downs CC, Frankfort, Mich. — Watson. (Eight of today's top 15-ranked traditional methods. Whether that will S.C. "Our client is British, which makes a Mackenzie (1 93 1) courses in the country were designed be done through American or European difference," said McKenzie. 22. Oak Hill CC East Course, Rochester, N.Y. — Ross (1925) through the 1920s by their hands and architects is hard to tell. But, that style is "The whole concept with Cherokee 32. Scioto CC, Columbus, Ohio — Ross those of their countrymen.) one the Brits have advocated for centu- Plantation is for visitors to enjoy the ex- (1916) Then, Americans turned the tables. ries, so we have a head start." perience, which is like Skibo's Edwardian- 33. Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio — Ross Men like Sr. — and Steel himself said: "If you're a good type life." (1919) 34. Maidstone Club, East Hampton, N.Y. more recently Arnold Palmer, Jack Nick- conductor of the orchestra, it doesn't Jim Tullis, the developer at the Spirit — W.H. Tucker, Brit (1899) laus and others — took up the call and matter your nationality you can still play Ridge Golf Course at Blount Springs, Ala., 39. Plainfield CC, Plainfield, N.J. — Ross spread the design of golf courses around Carnegie Hall. For us, this is a new imported Steel to design a traditional- (1921) the globe. A few, like Nicklaus, Arthur challenge and an opportunity for people style golf course reminiscent of those 46. Interlachen CC, Edina, Minn. — Hills, Bob Cupp and Robert Trent Jones to see our work. Hopefully, they will early British-designed projects in the Watson (191 1) 52. Wannamoisett CC, Rumford, R.l. — Jr., even had the balderdash to design judge it favorably. If they do, one might United States. Ross (1 916) layouts in the United Kingdom. see a change of style or approach [in Tullis's wife Linda explained: "The his- 62. Olympia Fields CC North Course, But the pendulum may be swinging America]." torical tie with the United Kingdom is Olympia Fields, III. — Willie Park Jr., Scots- back yet again — this time, initially, in While Clark was "first in" in this latest hard to ignore, Birmingham, Ala., being man (1922) 63. Canterbury GC, Shaker Heights, Ohio the persons of British designers Clive incursion into the United States, with named after Birmingham in . We — Herbert Strong, Brit (1922) Clark, Donald Steel and, as a vanguard 25 his Belgrade Lakes (Maine) Golf Club had seen examples of Steel's work else- 73. Milwaukee CC, Milwaukee, Wis. — years ago, Fred and Martin Hawtree. opening its front nine in July and back where in the world and were keen to have Colt and Alison (1929) "Perhaps this is a new trend," acknowl- nine in September, the initial push was him design his first course in the United 79. Salem CC, Peabody, Mass. — Ross edged Clark, a former British Tour and made by Fred Hawtree in 1973 at Mount States." (1926) 83. Pasatiempo GC, Santa Cruz, Calif. — Ryder Cup golfer and television color ana- Mitchell in North Carolina. It is ironic that when Blount Springs Mackenzie (1929) lyst who has designed 20 courses in Eu- "The developer, Vern Floyd, went to first came to prominence as a health re- 85. The Valley Club of Montecito, Santa rope but, until this summer, had none in St. Andrews and met John Campbell, the sort, golf was heading west over the At- Barbara, Calif. — Mackenzie and Ameri- the United States. "There has been a long superintendent," said the 82-year-old lantic from the UK, and now during its can Robert Hunter (1929) gap between British designers coming to Hawtree from his Oxfordshire office. 88. Aronimink GC, Newtown Square, Pa. second birth its owners have gone back — Ross (1928) America. So, yes, I suppose these things, "John was a friend of mine and intro- to the homeland of golf for an architect. 94. East Lake GC, Atlanta — Ross (1915) like the Ryder Cup, go in movements, duced us. It was thought that a little "The course is designed to fit in with the 'New Old Town' and be distinctly different from the new golf courses in the area," McKenzie said. Learn Anytime, Old World-New World. Classic Style- Modern Style. The clash, and the com- AERA-vator® Anywhere parisons are continual fodder among golf MANUFACTURED BY FIRST PRODUCTS, INC. course architects from the two continents. "My complaint," said Steel, "is that too Penti State World Campus— many architects today, even if they got Offering an on-line professional development into the Garden of Eden, would not be program in Turfgrass Management satisfied. They'd turn it upside down and put it back together again. That may be The Penn State World Campus, using the World fine in certain parts of the world, but I Wide Web, e-mail, and other computer-based think the golfing world will get fed up technologies, provides everything you need to sooner or later. learn without leaving home. "One objection of mine," he added, "is that [the modern] style of design forces For more information, call 1-800-252-3592 (toll free the golfer to play only one style of shot — within the United States); 010-814-865-5403 (interna- all big powerful through the air. The old tional calls); fax: 814-865-3290; e-mail: [email protected] choice of shots that you could play is We have been deep-tine aerating since our growing in period about seven years ago and have seen much success. The only problem with deep tine aeration is that I am limited to the amount disappearing fast." of ground that can be covered in a day's time. Since using the Aera-vator for about a year now, Having grown up in the UK where golf we have noticed that while the success rate has remained unchanged as far as turf quality is concerned, we are able to cover more ground in a day's time; which allows me more time to work originated, Steel, Hawtree and Clark have on other things. We have also found that the Aera-vator will break up a lot of bare, compacted areas and easily prepare it for planting. those classic courses in their blood. That Thank you for introducing the product! influence is obvious in their design phi- John Barlahn losophies. Assistant Superintendent "The pre-war architects had to use their Hawaii Prince Golf Club | p^gy Ewa Beech, Hawaii 96706 wits much more and keep the thing simple," Steel said. "I'm not sure modern RODUCTS INC. architects haven't complicated things P.O. BOX 1425 / TIFTON, GA 31793 unnecessarily. Simple is best, certainly PHONE (912) 382-4768 cheapest. FAX (912) 382-0506 "I don't think golf courses are different Continued on next page CIRCLE #136 CIRCLE #137