Golf Club Atlas

How the ball interacts with the ground is at the soul of good golf. The natural, random land conformations found on links are ideal but skilled artifice is needed for an inland course to enjoy the same playing attributes. In all the world, some of the most graceful man-made contours of the sort that are perfect for golf are found at Wolf Point, a Mike Nuzzo design in Texas. Appreciate the scope of contour in the photograph against the silhouette of Green Keeper Don Mahaffey.

Ran Morrissett, the author of the above quote, started Golf Club Atlas ~12 years ago as a place to share pictures and golf stories with his friends.  It has grown into much more.  He came to visit recently. Wolf Point is currently the welcome picture to his website.  I'll be sharing more in the future about our round and his thoughts on the course.  Cheers

Last week The Eden Green at The Old Course was one of the best in the world.

The Old Course at St. Andrews was established in 1552, and has enjoyed the recreational golfer since the early 1400's.  It is a public and publically owned golf course.  On Sundays it becomes a park for anyone to stroll the grounds - pets are welcome too!

Today a fellow player, Colin Donaldson, tweeted the above picture - he shot a 72 amongst the rubble.

The picture is of The Eden green (#11) and is roughly 10,000 square feet – not counting the adjoined 7^th green.

I’ve heard, and remember, the slope of the green is more than 4%, or it rises 1 foot for every 25 feet.

To get the slope down to "their" desired pinable level, or more fair?!?, it would have to be reduced to ~2%.

That means if the change in elevation from the front of the green to the back is 4 feet, the back would have to drop 2 feet.

To drop the back 2 feet, it would require almost the entire side to be disturbed.

That is what is happening in the above picture.

They chose a starting point for where the green would need to be cut to achieve the 2 ft drop in the back without looking like a shelf.

The area is large, it appears as if they are disturbing 2,500 sft.

The sod has been cut and removed and placed so it can be replaced and replanted when complete.

They are using a laser to help measure and ensure that the desired slopes are achieved.

It is a usually slow process.

I assume they would also need to adjust the irrigation line and lower the surrounding irrigation sprinklers.

Why does this matter?

Last week this was one of the coolest holes in the World, now it is a little less unique.

You can follow us on twitter for now and we’ll be posting more about this greatest of holes.

It is too late, but still informative: #Savetheoldcourse.

Happy Birthday Moji!

Last night Eddie Vedder and Glen Hansard played Jones Hall, the Houston Symphony Orchestra's home venue.  I thought it was a great show filled with variety, I like variety - here is a review of the previous night's show.  

Throughout the evening Eddie would tell stories before each segment of songs.  {Don't let his most recent album's name fool you, "Ukulele Songs" has some powerful music live.  His 2nd Ukulele (from the 1950s) of the night was so strong and vibrant, he was only able to set the volume to 2?}  

When Eddie got to the early Pearl Jam set, he described how long it has been - 20 years - that we have all lived with these songs.  When he wrote them he was in a much different, angrier, place.  He shared and acknowledged his experiences with the audience as if we lived them together, because we did.  Although it was some of those anger filled songs that brought everyone together, and now that life is much clearer, hopefully for everyone, we can still share the songs in a meaningful way. (Here is the Setlist.)

The things that we share can help make us closer.  Especially common interests over an extended period of time.  Even if we weren't together, they are a form of shared experiences.  Playing the game of golf would certainly fit this long term shared experience.  Many of the people I know that appreciate the game have done so for a long time.  This is obvious when playing.  

I wish the goal of reconnecting those that share a similar passion was higher up the priority list in the business world of golf.  It seems more and more that the business of golf's goal is to provide pristine conditions and an unparalled experience?  When in truth they can't compete with the joy of sharing and playing the game as a youngster with our super-extended family.  And that doesn't cost a thing, it comes free with every round.

So who is Moji?  I had forgotten about her too.  Three years ago I saw Glen Hansard perform during his Once tour.  It was brilliant.  And that night while coaching and coaxing the audience to sing with him, someone standing directly next to me, Moji, belted out a few notes.  Moji was so awesome Glen had to bring her up on stage: check out this youtube video from that night and a review of the magical night.

Fast forward to last night.  It turns out that Glen did not forget Moji.  She was back and even better.  She sang duets with both Glen and Eddie!  And was part of the "Hard Sun" trio during the final encore! Setlist

Moji can sure show us that greatness can come from almost anywhere if we stay open minded.

Texas Golfer Fall Issue Essay

Texas Golfer Magazine published my essay in its current fall issue.  I describe how the game should be more fun for everyone, especially women.  The short version is that I tee off from the most interesting location, and don't worry about my handicap.  Click the image to read or this link to the entire digitial issue.  Cheers and go vote!

Last Call for Affordable Golf Symposium

I've been asked to speak and share my experiences at the Symposium on Affordable Golf this fall.  Specifically I'll be describing how we built so much great golf at Wolf Point for an incredibly low price.  The symposium location is very cool: Pinehurst.  This is the third year that Richard Mandell has hosted this grass roots event.  Here is the website:  http://www.symposiumonaffordablegolf.com/.  
Please fill out their survey: http://bit.ly/golfsymposium.

Some highlights from the Agenda:

2012 Symposium On Affordable Golf Agenda Complete 
The third annual Symposium On Affordable Golf will once again be held at the Southern Pines Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina on Monday and Tuesday, October 29th and 30th. This year, the Symposium will be one and a half days, followed by a golf outing on the Donald Ross-designed Southern Pines Golf Club Tuesday afternoon.

The Symposium On Affordable Golf raises awareness and understanding of the challenges of the golf industry through open discussion, exchange of ideas and highlighting successes that promote the health and sustainability of the game of golf. As in previous years, there is no fee for attendance. Also, as in past years, members of the PGA, the LPGA and the GCSAA will be eligible to receive continuing education credits. 

There will be three case studies detailing successful and affordable golf operations, each from different regions of the world. Other topics include "The Curious Case of the Taj-Mahalics," "Let's Start Romancing the Game Again Instead of Selling the Business," and "Where Sustainability and GolfSpeak Intersect."

The picture below is the last time Rich and I spoke together.  That is Pete Dye's son, Perry, to our left.

Wolf Point with PGA Championship fairways

Earlier this week we shared how Wolf Point Club has three times as much fairway as this week's PGA Championship course, The Ocean Course at Kiawah.  One would have to hit a bad shot to miss that much fairway at Wolf Point.  Often the average player may hit every fairway from the tee.  What they don't know is that one can hit the fairway, and it still may be a bad shot. When their location in the fairway doesn't allow a chance to aim at the day's hole location, or if one does try from the wrong angle it will wind up even worse if not perfect. 

The picture below is what Wolf Point would look like if the USGA or PGA got their hands on the setup of the course.  They both like narrow fairways that challenge the driving accuracy of the pros.  The striped areas are the fairways as designed and maintained.  The dark green fairways are how the course would look with 28 acres of fairway - the same as this week's PGA.  It may not be obvious, but the average player certainly wouldn't hit 1/2 as many fairways.

What we don't like about the USGA & PGA's methodology is that they have to change the existing golf course to suit their needs, even though big fairways do challenge the best players, as long as the greens are well designed.

Three times as much fairway as the PGA Championship

This week the PGA Championship is being contested at The Ocean Course at Kiawah.  It is a very good golf course and certainly challenging, especially with so many angled fairways.  The course has 28 acres of fairway, not always easy to hit, and in my opinion way too tight for the average player.

When I tell people about Wolf Point, I describe the course as fairway everywhere.  When I say we have over 84 acres of fairway, the average player has no idea what that means.  It means we have three times as much fairway as a "Championship" golf course.

How does that effect a game a Wolf Point?  It means you can keep playing, instead of fighting off alligators, in stead of looking for your ball.  It certainly doesn't mean it is easy.

I would like to know if any golf course in the world has more fairway than Wolf Point?  I doubt it.  

*Later this week I have an illustration of what our course would look like with 28 acres of fairway.

From the space race to a cattle ranch.

From the space race to a cattle ranch. The amazing story of a designer who is reshaping the rules. 

The title of this blog is the introduction to a published profile about my past and our current work.  One never knows what a reporter is writing when talking over the phone, but Shaun got pretty close.

"Wolf Point is a fast-running teaser that brings to mind the best that the great old links can conjure up."  

"But the silver lining in this raincloud is that Mike Nuzzo has been unearthed.  A designer who brings a progressive practicality to the table and does so with great success."  

Click this link to read it in its entirety.