Six More Courses to Score in 2014
These layouts beyond the commonwealth belong on your must-play list |
NEW COURSES
to financial setbacks, the naturalistic golf
course, a la the new design ethic, is literally
rough around the edges.
“We had a stunning valley and relatively
flat riverside property to work with, which
enabled us to create a hard and fast design
that allows for all kinds of shots, particularly
around the greens,” Player says. “It is also a
walking course, which fits in nicely with my
passion for fitness.”
Unlike most mountain courses, the
elevation change at Mountain Park is
roughly 30 feet. The Cliffs at Mountain
Park is a private club, though members can
sponsor unescorted guests. (866-411-5773;
cliffscommunities.com)
THE CLIFFS AT MOUNTAIN PARK
Travelers Rest, S.C.
You wouldn’t expect to find a British
heathland-style course in the foothills of
the Blue Ridge Mountains, but designer
Gary Player went against type at this
striking newcomer, which stands in marked
contrast to the other venues in The Cliffs
Communities.
Sandy wastelands, native scrub and thick
woods characterize this rugged layout, which
skirts the banks of the North Saluda River
on 14 holes and measures 7,213 yards from
the championship tees. Eschewing the wellgroomed, parkland-style look associated with
The Cliffs, Player crafted a strategic gem
with a diverse array of grasses to provide a
range of textures. Delayed for five years due
Except for the fine long views of distant mountain
ridges, the stunning piece of land at The Cliffs
could pass for one of the famous Surrey courses
outside London.
26
The golf course at The Grove is
a perfect fit for a rural retreat
that simulates life on a peaceful,
well-kept gentleman’s farm.
THE GROVE
College Grove, Tenn.
“Live Where You Play.” That’s the motto of
this family-oriented residential community
set in middle T
ennessee’s rolling hills 20
miles south of Nashville. Situated on more
than 1,100 acres of pristine Williamson
County landscape and patterned after a
country estate, The Grove’s claim to fame
is its Greg Norman Signature Golf Course,
which debuted to acclaim in 2013.
Adhering closely to his low-profile,
minimalist style of design, Norman built
a sturdy yet playable course with five sets
of tees stretching to over 7,400 yards from
the back tee markers. The gently rolling,
strategically bunkered layout, framed
throughout by a forest of mixed hardwoods,
is beautifully woven through the hills, with
meandering brooks and native grasses
outlining the fairways. Among the featured
V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ANUARY/F EBRUARY 2014
Master_VSGA_JanFeb_2014_v20.indd 26
holes is No. 9, a long par 4 with a huge
bunker in the center of the driving zone, and
No. 11, at 636 yards from the tips one of the
longest holes in the state.
“Middle T
ennessee is magnificent country,”
Norman says. “My attitude when I came here
was the ‘least-disturbance’ approach. My goal
was to build a golf course that would fit into
the natural topography of what T
ennessee
has to offer and, obviously, the vegetation is
beautiful here.”
Outside play is restricted to guests of
members. (615-368-3044; groveliving.com)
TRUMP GOLF LINKS AT
FERRY POINT
Bronx, N.Y.
From dump to Trump. That’s a fair
description of the most expensive municipal
golf course ever conceived, a project that
dates back over 60 years and revolves around
a former landfill, a cast of strong-willed
mayors, a billionaire tycoon and the greatest
golfer in history.
Built atop a remediated brownfield
turned urban oasis on the Bronx side of the
Whitestone Bridge, Ferry Point is scheduled
for a soft opening next summer after decades
of false starts and financial turmoil. The city
originally budgeted $20 million to build
the course, but when costs ballooned to
$100 million by 2010, the initial developer
fled and Donald Trump won the right to
operate the facility for 20 years. After plating
the site with a foot of sand, Jack Nicklaus
and John Sanford, a landfill expert and golf
designer, fashioned a treeless, links-style
layout surfaced in native grasses and fescues.
Stretching to 7,365 yards, Ferry Point
was built to championship standards and
At Ferry Point, depending
on wind direction, players can use
the Empire State Building and other
Manhattan skyscrapers as aiming points.
w w w. v s g a . o r g
1/3/14 11:41 AM
BOTTOM LEFT: OLD TOWN CLUB; CENTER: PINEHURST RESORT; OLD TABBY LINKS
have slowed to a trickle, but the courses
that were built last year make sense in their
respective markets and are readily justifiable.
On the other hand, inspired restoration
work has been performed on classic courses
ranging from Pinehurst No. 2 to the Old
Tabby Links.
Everything old is new again. Among the
current trends are broader fairways, boldly
contoured greens, strategic risk-reward
options, and firm, fast conditions that
conserve water and promote a better standard
of play.
CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: THE CLIFFS/STEVEN M CBRIDE PHOTOGRAPHY; THE GROVE; TRUMP GOLF LINKS AT FERRY POINT
New course construction starts
by BRIAN MCCALLEN