Tag: Donald Ross

Architect Andrew Green offers fresh challenge at restored East Lake for Tour Championship

The recently restored home of the Tour Championship will challenge PGA Tour players in new ways.

ATLANTA – Defending FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland arrived at East Lake Golf Club on Tuesday, the same course he torched in 9-under 61 to win the Tour Championship a year ago, and expressed shock at the restoration project that was completed in less than one year.

“It looked completely different than it used to,” Hovland said. “It’s almost like you can’t imagine it.”

Xander Schauffele has never shot over par in 28 Tour Championship rounds, including the low 72-hole score at East Lake three times, but he has never won the FedEx Cup. East Lake has become a personal ATM, which is why when he was asked if there was a part of him that wanted to throw himself in front of a bulldozer and stop the construction, he smiled and said, “100 percent. My caddie as well. He probably would have gone first.”

He added: “To me, it’s got the same name; it’s East Lake Golf Club. It’s in the same property, similar square footage. But that’s about it. I think the only thing that’s the same are the directions of the hole.”

Hours after Hovland’s final putt dropped last August to secure the title, Andrew Green, who led renovations at Oak Hill, Inverness and Congressional, spearheaded the course restoration at East Lake, the oldest golf course in the city of Atlanta and where legendary golfers Bobby Jones and Alex Stirling learned the game.

Tom Bendelow laid out the original course at East Lake, back when it was known as Atlanta Athletic Club. Donald Ross built a new course on the same spot in 1915, which remained untouched until changes were made by George Cobb before the club hosted the 1963 Ryder Cup. Thirty years later, Rees Jones completed a renovation in advance of the course becoming the permanent home of the Tour Championship, the culminating event of the playoffs for the FedEx Cup, since 2005.

Green discovered a previously unknown aerial photograph of East Lake in digital archives from 1949 as his restoration inspiration. This photograph showed the original Donald Ross design in surprising detail and provided guidance on green shapes, bunker shapes and overall topography of the original design.

“We paired that with a set of photos we had right before George Cobb did his work, before the Ryder Cup, and now we’ve painted a complete picture of how things sat on the ground,” Green said. “At the heart of everything we’re doing, it’s finding ways to respect that past and legacy.”

Green – who also worked on Wannamoisett, a beloved Ross design in Rhode Island – took the East Lake team on a trip to the club in the summer of 2023 to look at its greens. They dropped a cell phone down as a hole location and rolled balls on every green, the beginning of a collaborative effort in which Green was given the final say.

“Decisions were made in the field with tape measures,” said Chad Parker, general manager and CEO at East Lake Golf Club. “If the ball lands here, it’s going to do this and the player is going to get rewarded and if it doesn’t it may go in the rough.”

The greens are more undulating with the size, shape, contouring and surrounding runoff areas of each green complex enhanced to create a distinct style and variability to the course. The putting surface at the uphill par-3 second, for instance, is over 9,000 square feet, nearly 3,000 square feet larger than previously with a sinister back-left pin placement perched over a swale.

Fairways have been converted to Meyer Zoysia, which plays firmer and will lead to increased roll, allowing the topography to play a greater role in the strategy of each hole. All greens have been converted to TifEagle Bermuda, which is expected to provide putting surfaces that have improved speed, consistency and overall playability. Many of the bunker shapes were inspired by the original Donald Ross design from 1913, with the most notable being the trench bunker on No. 17.

Water was also a particular focus of the restoration. Green’s team reclaimed a stream between the sixth and seventh holes, and the 14th hole, which included tee expansion, fairway recontouring and bunker positioning and led to the hole being converted from a par 4 to a par 5 for the tournament. Overall, the course was lengthened by less than 100 yards for the Tour Championship, which will play as a par 71 at 7,490 yards.

“It’s basically a new golf course from what it was before,” said world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.

With the last piece of sod finally laid down on June 15, time wasn’t necessarily on Green’s sign, so the greens may be a touch firm. But one of golf’s grand dames is new again, and ready or not the top 30 in the FedEx Cup will attempt to pick her apart as they chase a record bonus pool of $100 million.

“Oh, there’s absolutely anxiety, for sure. But I think it just comes with the territory,” Green said. “For me, it’s about providing a canvas and letting the Tour and the guys who do this week in and week out for these players find the best way to find a test but then also allow them to find success.”

2024 U.S. Open: Three holes we can’t wait to watch at Pinehurst No. 2

Three of the most interesting holes at Pinehurst No. 2 offer a great variability in scoring.

There are several shots to be played at Pinehurst No. 2 that stand out as a challenge for even the best players in the game, mentally as well as physically. How hard do they want to push to make a birdie? How much risk to take on? How much will they gamble?

It’s not just about difficulty – it’s about managing expectations on the layout created by Donald Ross and most recently restored by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. These decisions can make or a break a contender’s chances in this week’s U.S. Open at what likely will be a fast, firm and bouncy U.S. Open where wiregrass plants and sandy waste areas straddle so many of No. 2’s fairways.

We’re not talking “Can they hit No. 18 green under pressure?” types of questions here. Following are three key holes that, at first glance and because of their placement in a round, might not seem that important. All the same, we can’t wait to see how the pros tackle these holes that offer a great variation in possible outcomes.

No. 3: 387 yards, par 4 (playing 316 yards for Round 3)

Pinehurst No. 2
Hole No. 3 at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina (Copyright USGA/John Mummert)

There are many ways to play one of the shortest par 4s at Pinehurst No. 2. An iron off the tee for placement, a fairway wood to set up a shorter wedge approach, maybe a bold driver at the green? Players expect a reasonable birdie opportunity – No. 3 was one of only three holes on the course to average under par in the 2014 Open – but there are myriad ways to suffer here.

The dogleg-right hole features multiple fairway bunkers, the most predominant of them jutting out of the sandy waste on the right, perfectly placed to interfere with a safe shot off the tee. The sandy scrub on either side is nasty.

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Many competitors will play short of that bunker, setting up a likely wedge into the green. That’s simple enough. Some players might try to sneak it a past that bunker with a fairway wood, leaving an even shorter approach but inviting trouble as the fairway turns to the right just beyond the trap.

The boldest and longest players might swing away with driver, especially as the likely firm conditions will allow a perfectly struck ball to possibly go the distance and bounce onto the green. There are greenside bunkers flanking the approach, but they aren’t the worst places to be off the tee, offering a still-reasonable chance for birdie, especially when the hole is cut toward the front of the green. But a wayward miss with driver brings in all kinds of awkward trouble.

Expect the USGA to move the tees up at least for at least one round to invite even more players to take a swing at the green from the tee. On these days in particular, temptation will be greatest.

The green tilts steeply from back to front. Any pin toward the back of the green invites a bold approach that can easily hop off the back of the putting surface, leaving a delicate chip or greenside putt that must crest a challenging rise at the rear of the putting surface.

The hole gave up 114 birdies and one eagle in 2014, against 54 bogeys, 10 doubles and two “others” for a 3.922 scoring average. It’s the type of hole where a player in contention should be able to make a straightforward par if they choose to play cautiously, but the allure of a bold birdie can invite all kinds of interesting situations. No other par 4 on the course evokes this much temptation.

Hole No. 5: 588 yards, par 5

Pinehurst No. 2
Hole No. 5 at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina (Copyright USGA/John Mummert)

No. 5 was the easiest hole in relation to par in 2014, giving up 17 eagles and 144 birdies en route to a 4.80 scoring average. It also claimed 56 bogeys, 11 double bogeys and three “others.”

Players this week certainly will be eager to swing away with high expectations. This is one of only two par 5s on the course, and players will want to capitalize. Length won’t be the problem for the pros, almost all of whom can reach the green in two good shots with ease, especially if the USGA opts to move the tees up a smidge.

It’s the severe slope of the slight dogleg-left and blind fairway that makes this tee shot most interesting – the landing area is tilted hard from high right to lower left. Even straight tee shots that land in the center of the fairway can bounce left and down into a vast sandy waste area packed with wiregrass, where luck becomes a factor in being able to reach the green in two shots or possibly having to pitch out sideways. In effect, this plays as one of the skinniest fairways at No. 2 because of the slope.

Many right-handed players will try to hit a cut tee shot into the center or right side to better hold the fairway. Pull off such a shot, and the green is there for the taking. Miss left and it’s down into the scrub. Miss right and there’s more scrub plus trees and even out of bounds for a dramatically wayward tee shot.

Some players will opt for a 3-wood to increase their chances at hitting No. 5 fairway, and some contestants might have the firepower to still reach the green after teeing off with a 3-wood that finds the firm fairway.

The approach shot doesn’t make any of this any easier. The hole features pinching bunkers in the approach to a narrow green, and there is a severe runoff to the left side of the putting surface – overly bold approach shots that land near the center of the green are prone to running through, down and into trouble. That’s especially true for players attacking the green from 240-plus yards away. If they temper expectations and play short of the green, perhaps bouncing a ball several times onto the front of the putting surface, players have a very reasonable chance at birdie.

Winner Martin Kaymer played this hole in 4 under par in 2014, including a third-round eagle set up by a 202-yard 7-iron from the sandy waste, where the German was lucky to find a lie from which he could advance the ball. Players can’t count on always being that lucky.

Any score from a 3 to a 7 is in play here, and that’s what makes it such an exciting hole.

No. 13: 381 yards, par 4

Pinehurst No. 2 hole 13 lusk
Hole No. 13 at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)

Like No. 3, this shortest of the par 4s will test players’ commitment to hitting the fairway. Expect to see players hit everything from a long-iron to a driver off the tee on this dogleg-right uphiller with bunkers pinching the right and sandy waste areas on both sides.

A safe play off the tee with an iron or short fairway wood can help find the fairway but leaves an approach of some 150 yards up the hill. A 3-wood for much of the field is a good bet, leaving an approach of 100-120 yards, but that choice off the tee brings the bunkers directly into play on one of the skinniest fairways on the course.

A driver is a possible choice, with longer players able to clear the bunkers on the right to leave just a pitch up the hill onto the green. But the slant of the fairway in the landing area makes for a tough target, and it would be easy on firm fairways to drive through the short grass and into the sandy waste area. Don’t be surprised to see a bold competitor try this play in the final round in an effort to make up ground.

The urge to play a longer club off the tee is exacerbated by the elevated green, which features a dramatic false front. Any approach shot that lands on the front third of the green can be slammed into reverse and roll as much as 20 to 40 yards back down the fairway. The ensuing pitch back up the hill is anything but easy.

In 2014 this hole gave up two eagles and 74 birdies against 68 bogeys and six “others” for a 4.004 scoring average. Like at each of the most interesting holes at Pinehurst No. 2, expect a wide variation in scoring with multiple ways to tackle the demands, starting at the tee and reaching all the way to the green. That’s especially true if the USGA opts to move the tees forward for one round, as it did in 2014, making the green drivable for many in the field.

2024 U.S. Open: Pinehurst No. 2 serves up classic humility as a big star in this week’s show

You want fair? Fairways are meant to be fair, but don’t stray too far at Pinehurst.

PINEHURST, N.C. – The humble Texas Wedge gets no love.

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Reaching for the putter from off the putting surface is often considered an effort of last resort for weekend hackers who can’t muster much muscle control to hit a proper chip or pitch. Just surrender to your inadequacies and grab that flat stick, so the stigma goes.

That all changes at this week’s U.S. Open.

The Donald Ross-designed Pinehurst No. 2 is no ordinary Open test, and many of the shots and decisions required will be entirely different than those typically employed by tour professionals. The layout is ranked by Golfweek’s Best as the No. 1 public-access course in North Carolina, the No. 3 resort course in the U.S. and the No. 18 Classic course in the U.S.

It’s not just the chipping –  or putting – onto No. 2’s notoriously domed greens. Open contestants will be met with acres of sandy scrub, where luck holds great influence on outcome. Additional wiregrass was planted in the sandscapes just off the fairways for this U.S. Open, adding even more intrigue as any ball bounds off the firm but ample fairways.

Max Homa putts up and onto the first green from the fringe during a practice round before the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. (Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports)

Wayward pros might find their next shot sitting pretty atop a clear patch of sand. Or in a footprint. Or plugged at the base of an ill-willed plant. Is it fair? That’s not the point, and this week’s winner will be one of the few to withstand that kind of fair-not-fair mindset. Players need not worry about the randomness of bad lies and wiregrass that lurk away from the fairways if they keep their shots on short grass, of which there is plenty.

This will be an Open of survival. Of finding a way, regardless of convention. Of swallowing pride to ensure no worse than a bogey. An Open at Pinehurst is frequently less about great shots and more about minimizing the impact of bad swings and poor decisions, even more so since a 2011 restoration by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw took No. 2 back to its raw, sandy, bouncy roots.

In an era of big swings dominating golf, Pinehurst No. 2 puts a premium on small-ball sensibilities. Of knowing when to pitch out sideways, when to play to the front of a green, when to leave the 60-degree wedge in the bag. Martin Kaymer proved as much in winning the 2014 U.S. Open by eight shots, deftly relying on his putter from off the greens.

The resort caddies at No. 2 don’t talk much about greens hit in regulation. Instead, they laugh about “greens visited in regulation,” so common it is for balls to scatter away from the crowned putting surfaces. Great shots will find favor, as they always should. Mediocre and even seemingly good shots, however, are subject to No. 2’s audacious greenside roll-offs.

Those slopes running off the putting surfaces frequently grow steeper and the bunkers more threatening the deeper a shot is played into a green. Ross, who lived for years off No. 2’s third fairway, mentioned the smart option of playing to the front of any of these greens, then putting uphill to the hole. It’s a sound strategy that doesn’t promise many birdies. Such a tactic would require a seismic mental shift for most tour professionals keen to attack.

It’s all decidedly old school – thinner grass on the perimeters of the fairways, bad lies in unpampered sand, a little dirt in the socks and no weak-kneed emphasis on equitable outcomes. May the most deserving player win. Pinehurst is a classic destination, and this Open has the potential for a return to classic sensibilities in which the game’s governing body never believed course conditioning was meant to meet any modern definition of fair or perfect.

Pinehurst No. 2 2024 U.S. Open preview
A golf ball rests in a nasty spot of bother with a wiregrass plant blocking its progress at Pinehurst No. 2. (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)

The return to a classic ethos was the focus of the restoration by Coore, who fell in love with No. 2 while still a boy. But by the end of the second U.S. Open at No. 2 in 1999, much of the Ross had been replaced. Acres of manicured grass had appeared, and increasingly precious water was blasted all about the property to keep it green. The more perfected No. 2 was much less perfect by classic standards.

“I grew up in North Carolina and I played golf at Pinehurst as a kid, and I remembered it from what it was in the 1960s, and I just knew from my own memory that it had changed dramatically through the years,” Coore said in describing the motivation for his and Crenshaw’s restoration. “Ben and I certainly never would have gone there and said you need to change this, you need to restore this. All that influence came from the Pinehurst people, who said we’ve been listening and studying that this course is not the way it used to be.”

Coore and Crenshaw wanted to put the Ross back into property. That meant sandy expanses straddling dry and bouncy fairways, with more natural bunker shapes and balls rolling endlessly across firm, tight turf. Work crews removed 40 acres of grass and reduced the number of sprinkler heads on the course from 1,200 to 450, following the still-buried original irrigation pipes as a guide. Coore and Crenshaw stretched the fairways considerably wider, but they frequently play less so because golf balls can trundle along across dry ground until they reach trouble in the waste areas.

It all made for a vastly different U.S. Open in 2014, which was the third at the course but the first after the restoration. Previous iterations had featured acres of lush rough to catch errant shots, but Kaymer won on a baked-out version of No. 2 with magnificent displays of grit from both the course and eventual champion. The USGA that year embraced the slogan “Brown is beautiful,” even if not every player, onsite spectator or TV viewer agreed. It all made for one of the most memorable Opens in recent history.

2014 U.S. Open Pinehurst Martin Kaymer
Martin Kaymer plays from a sandy waste area on No. 14 at the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. (Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports)

The USGA has dropped much of the attention on brown conditions for this year’s Open, and the course is some three shades greener overall than in 2014. But one notable change will keep things interesting: The putting surfaces were recently converted from bent grass to Ultradwarf Bermuda, a warm-season grass that requires less water during a North Carolina summer. That means drier greens, bigger bounces and more roll-offs. The new green surfaces fit in perfectly with Coore and Crenshaw’s restoration efforts to No. 2.

“It had become a very manicured golf course … it didn’t look like a Sandhills course,” Coore said more than a year ago in the run-up to the Open. “Things had happened over the years, and the courses had evolved and all that, and we just said … we need to be true to some sort of aesthetic, the Ross aesthetic.”

Ross’s artistry will be in full effect this week, especially if the dry and hot weather forecasts prove true and the course plays to its fiery potential. No. 2 has the firepower to be the star of the show, and the players must accept that.

Even if it means humbly reaching for a putter from off the greens.

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U.S. Open 2024: What will be the hardest hole at Pinehurst? One devilish par 3 has a shot

If greens are the faces of a golf course, this one at Pinehurst has crooked, sandy ears and a wicked smirk.

What will be the most difficult hole at Pinehurst No. 2 for the 2024 U.S. Open? If recent history is any indication, forget about the long par 4s.

No. 6, a par 3 that is listed as 228 yards on the USGA’s official scorecard, could easily take the top spot … again.

In the 2014 U.S. Open – the only of three previous Opens at No. 2 since the Donald Ross design was renovated by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 2011 – the sixth played to an average of 3.374. That made it the most difficult hole in relation to par.

No. 6 surpassed No. 16 and its 4.341 average, and No. 16 is a 536-yarder that plays as a par 4 in the U.S. Open but is normally a par 5 for resort guests and members.

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The next three toughest holes were No. 2 (par 4, 4.339 average), No. 8 (par 4, 4.336 average, another converted par 5) and No. 11 (par 4, 4.323 average).

In all, No. 6 gave up 12 birdies in that 2014 U.S. Open, with 270 pars, 150 bogeys, 13 double bogeys and one “other.” Martin Kaymer, who won that Open by eight shots, played the sixth in 1 over for the week, making one bogey in the third round against three other pars.

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What makes No. 6 so daunting? For starters, it’s will be a long iron for most of the Open field. The green features runoffs in all directions – a Pinehurst No. 2 specialty – and the putting surface is set at an awkward angle, offset back and to the left. That makes it especially hard to hold the surface, as balls hit to the center/front portion of the green can run through if struck too firmly. Any attempt to fly the ball deeper into the green brings the bunkers even more into play.

2014 U.S. Open
Eventual winner Martin Kaymer blasts from a bunker on No. 6 during the second round of the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. (Photo: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports)

Even shots that land near the center of No. 6 green but are hit with sidespin are likely to turn and find one of two deep bunkers waiting on both sides. A hump and a slope on the front of the green also wait to reject shots, frequently forcing balls to the left and into the deeper of the two bunkers.

Players who find themselves in the left bunker must blast a high shot with spin onto the putting surface. Expect to see multiple efforts fail to clear the lip after players try to shave it too close when blasting out to a short-sided pin on a green that runs away from the trap – it really is a devilish spot, even for the best players in the world. If the rains hold off and No. 2 is playing particularly firm and fast, it will be even more difficult.

Basically, it’s just a very hard hole with no real place to miss. It’s often said the greens are the faces of a golf course, and if that’s true, then No. 6 has two giant sandy, crooked ears and a wicked smirk.

Members at this PGA Tour golf course are being asked to pony up $16.1M for renovations

The courses were designed by legendary architect Donald Ross and opened in 1916.

Detroit Golf Club’s courses, site of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on the PGA Tour since 2019, were designed by legendary architect Donald Ross and opened in 1916.

The Rocket Mortgage Classic is played on a combination course of the club’s two layouts, the North and the South. The tournament layout starts on No. 8 of the North Course, then plays No. 9 of the North. Players then tackle what is normally No. 1 of the South Course before teeing off on what is normally No. 2 of the North and playing the next five holes in order.

An upcoming vote at the club will determine whether a full renovation will be put into motion, according to a story in the Detroit News. The estimated cost, according to reporting by the News, is expected to be $16.1 million and would be paid for largely through a one-time assessment for members.

Here’s more from the News:

The club also would allocate $2.2 million from Rocket Mortgage Classic funds for the project.

Voting by members begins March 6, and closes March 16. An approval rate of more than 60% is being required by the prospective lenders working with Detroit Golf Club.

The proposed renovations — which, most notably to fans, include the removal of the large pond at the par-5 14th hole, a signature hole, to help with drainage — coincide with the 125th anniversary of Detroit Golf Club.

The master plan of the proposed renovations at The Detroit Golf Club, which was originally designed by Donald J. Ross.

“As we approach Detroit Golf Club’s 125th year, we are celebrating the past but also looking toward the future,” Michael Pricer, DGC president, said in a statement to The News, which inquired about the project. “The proposed golf course project has been initiated by our membership to continue an exceptional golf course experience for many generations to come.”

The combined layout typically plays to 7,370 yards with a par of 72 for the tournament.

Rickie Fowler buried a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win a battle with Adam Hadwin and Collin Morikawa in Detroit and end a four-year victory drought at the 2023 playing of the event. Other winners since inception include Tony Finau, Cameron Davis, Bryson DeChambeau and Nate Lashley.

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Former Rhode Island club (designed by Donald Ross) now slated to become a supermarket and 800 apartments

In 2018, Golfweek reported the club was preparing itself for a sale. A group led by Brad Faxon bought it.

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – New renderings of a planned development of the former Metacomet Golf, a historic Donald Ross design, show a supermarket-anchored suburban shopping center flanked by more than 800 apartments.

Developer Marshall Properties purchased the golf course in 2019 and two years later won city approval to build on the 140-acre property off Veterans Memorial Parkway over fierce resistance from neighborhood residents.

Back in November 2018, Golfweek reported on the prospects of Metacomet Golf Club – which had amassed significant debt, primarily in the form of back taxes – as it prepared itself for a sale. Three suitors emerged, with the membership eventually settling on a group that included PGA Tour great Brad Faxon. The reported sale price was $2.2 million.

The plans submitted to the city Waterfront Commission show that the whole development would be branded “The Met.” The shopping plaza, with 163,000 square feet of commercial space over several buildings, would be at the front of the complex, closest to the parkway, the East Bay Bike Path and the Providence River.

A mix of retail stores and apartment buildings

Most customers would enter the complex through a new roundabout built where Veterans Memorial Parkway meets Lyon Avenue. The main access road leads to an unnamed supermarket and an internal roundabout feeding cars to smaller shops and the apartment buildings.

The commercial buildings include restaurants and a drive-through bank. Some of the shops front a walkway that leads to what looks like an amphitheater.

Nine apartment buildings would occupy the northeast half of the development and include 844 rental units, according to a market study submitted to the Waterfront Commission. There would also be 22 duplexes and 24 townhouses.

The study says Marshall intends to rent 10% of the units to residents who make 80% of the Area Median Income.

The apartment buildings range from three to five stories with hotel-style double-loaded corridor layouts. Some feature basement parking garages to supplement the surface parking lots around them. There are 1½ dedicated spaces per unit.

At least three of the buildings are advertised as “senior living.”

Why did neighbors oppose the development?

The first work on the Metacomet site began last year to reduce the 18-hole golf course to nine holes.

The contentious fight over a city zoning change to make way for the development focused on whether the golf course should be developed at all, and, if so, how much open space should remain.

When fully built, the Metacomet development will generate $5.3 million in annual tax revenue to East Providence, 4Ward Planning estimates, $4.9 million when the cost of providing municipal services is deducted. (4Ward did not attempt to estimate the additional educational costs of the new residences.)

Marshall Properties presented the renderings and a video about the development to the East Providence Waterfront District Commission last month.

Waterfront Commission Chairman William Fazioli said Thursday that the developer did not say which parts of the complex would be built first, or if it would happen in phases.

He said the commission will probably begin its review in February.

Lianne Marshall, owner of Marshall Properties, did not return a phone call Thursday. The developer has said little to the media since parting company with a public relations firm after the permitting process.

Metacomet
Metacomet

The renderings show the shops and parking lots overlooking the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Veterans Memorial Parkway and shimmering Providence River, with downtown Providence in the background.

Candy Seel of Keep Metacomet Green, the resident group that fought the development, said Thursday that in meetings Marshall has described a two-phase development, with the shopping center built first and homes later.

“As to whether Keep Metacomet Green thinks that these renderings look better or worse than we expected, 60+ acres of dense commercial and residential development bordering the historic parkway and the surrounding neighborhoods filled with family residences, an elementary school and a public park is completely out-of-scale no matter how the pieces are put together,” Seel wrote in an email.

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Where to play golf around Pinehurst: Golfweek’s Best 2023 public-access courses

Thanks to Golfweek’s Best rankings, we break out the top public-access courses around Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Looking to play one of the top golf regions in the world, with great courses stacked alongside great courses? Look no further than Pinehurst, North Carolina.

From classic dream layouts to modern works of art, there are a dozen courses within a half-hour’s drive of Pinehurst that rank among the top 20 public-access courses in North Carolina.

For this exercise, we used Google Maps and punched in each course as of a Saturday morning to determine drive times. And included with this list is a general map of where to find all these courses. Each one on the list below is represented with a number on the map – keep scrolling to see the numbers.

And keep in mind, the numbers represent how the courses are ranked, and it can become a bit confusing as the courses at the famed Pinehurst Resort are named numerically. For example, Pinehurst No. 2 ranks No. 1 on this list, and it appears accordingly as No. 1 on the map.

Included with each course is its position in North Carolina on the Golfweek’s Best public-access list. For any course that appears on our other popular rankings lists, those positions are included as well.

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A little background: The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek’s Best course rankings.

The courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or casino, by staying at an affiliated hotel or purchasing a golf vacation package. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required, although Pinewild Country Club is a special case on this list with an editor’s note below.

Pinehurst map
(Google Earth/Golfweek)

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Early look: Previewing what players, fans should expect from the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst

“We really hope for a firm and fast U.S. Open come June.”

PINEHURST, N.C. — They say there’s never a bad day at Pinehurst, especially if you’re walking around course No. 2, the famed masterpiece of renowned architect Donald Ross.

The gem in the sandhills of North Carolina will play host to its fourth U.S. Open next summer (1999, 2005, 2014), and the folks at the United States Golf Association recently held an early preview for its flagship championship.

“We are comfortable that Pinehurst will provide the test of golf that has always provided,” said course setup lead Jeff Hall. “If Martin Kaymer hadn’t entered in 2014 we’d have had a really competitive championship, but he played brilliantly.”

“We’re not trying to play defense with the players,” he added. “This golf course, when it’s firm and fast, you can have some scary wedge shots. Even if it was shorter, there’s still some pretty scary wedge shots here.”

From fairways and tricky greens to new grass and hospitality venues, here’s what players and fans should expect to see when they step on the property for the 2024 U.S. Open, June 13-16, at Pinehurst No. 2.

No. 2 will look and play as it was designed

When Pinehurst worked with Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to restore the course in 2010 and 2011, the team removed 35 acres of Bermuda rough and replaced it with nearly 250,000 wire grass plants so the course would look and play the way Ross originally intended. To get it as close as possible, images from 1948-1962 were used.

Pinehurst No. 2
Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina (Courtesy of Pinehurst Resort)

No. 2 is a unique test of golf for a U.S. Open due to its sandy areas in lieu of ankle-deep rough. If players miss the short green grass, they’ll have to deal with the elements. Fairway widths are 34-45 yards at No. 2, which differs from, say, Winged Foot or The Country Club where 24-32 yards is the norm. The diabolical turtleback putting greens make fairway placement all the more important.

“Thinking back to 2014, this was a really difficult U.S. Open to play,” said former Tour pro and current USGA Senior Director of Player Relations Scott Langley. “I say that as a guy who finished in 63rd place, wasn’t as difficult for Martin Kaymer. The thing that’s difficult about Pinehurst No. 2 is the putting greens and surrounds. The greens are very difficult to hit, so you’re often faced with a variety of shots around the greens to recover.”

When you think of a missed green at a U.S. Open, tall, lush rough comes to mind. At Pinehurst, you can play any number of clubs to get up and down to save par. Bump-and-run with an iron. A perfectly nipped wedge. Maybe a hybrid instead of a putter. The course allows for a certain level of creativity that most championship venues lack. It introduces uncertainty for players, which is when things get interesting.

“It provides a mental challenge as much as a physical one,” added Langley. “No matter what club you end up choosing or what shot you decide to play, you always have a little bit of doubt in your mind if it’s the right one because of the presence of so many options.”

As if golf wasn’t hard enough already. But that’s why it’s the U.S. Open, known as the toughest test in golf.

Key corner of the course

If you’ve been to No. 2, you’ll know the area on the front nine that features No. 3 green, No. 4 tee, No. 5 green and No. 6 tee. Come next summer, the section of the course will be a fan-favorite to watch a lot of golf, especially if No. 3 is drivable.

The short par-4 3rd hole is gettable no matter where the tee is, but the challenge increases with the sloping fairway of the par-4 4th. Players will get a breather with the par-5 5th before they’re faced with arguably the toughest test of the front nine, the tricky par-3 6th hole.

Pinehurst No. 2
The fifth hole on Pinehurst No. 2. (Photo: Tracy Wilcox/Golfweek)

In 2014, Martin Kaymer played No. 3 and No. 5 at 6 under par and finished the championship at 9 under. He drove the green on No. 3 on both days the tee was up and two-putted for birdie. He played No. 5 at 4 under thanks to a pair of birdies and an eagle.

“You could hear some roars in this part of the world,” Hall predicted.

When it comes to set up and yardage tee to green, the course will be very similar to what fans and players saw in 2014. The real difference is the surface of the putting greens. The 2014 championship and all the previous championships (as far as the USGA knows) were played on bentgrass. The 2024 championship will be played on Bermuda grass.

The change from Creeping Bentgrass to Ultradwarf Bermuda grass provides a different perspective for the tournament crew when preparing for a U.S. Open.

“It gives us a lot more flexibility because the temperatures are ramping up, nighttime, daytime, sunlight, everything that works against the cool season grasses that time of year are in our favor for the Ultradwarf Bermuda grass,” said Pinehurst superintendent John Jeffreys.

“It allows us more options for managing firmness,” added Darin Bevard, Senior Director of Championship Agronomy. “I just hope that Mother Nature cooperates in June that we’re having this conversation about firmness and not about fixing wash outs and bunkers. We really hope for a firm and fast U.S. Open come June.”

Outside the ropes

The course is a masterpiece inside the ropes, but the USGA believes the same to be true outside the ropes. The resort is an ideal venue logistically, and the staff has a proven plan for what works and what doesn’t.

In order to improve on past successes, the USGA is keying in on two aspects: getting fans closer to the action and elevating the overall fan experience. The answer is different product offerings from the gallery ticket all the way up to the most premium hospitality stand.

A grandstand left of the 18 green with the clubhouse in the background has been a staple for U.S. Opens at Pinehurst. Next year, the grandstand will be integrated with a premium hospitality experience called the 1895 Club, the highest-end experience on-site. The club comes with valet parking, shuttles, and the best food and beverage offerings with the 18th green as entertainment.

“That’s certainly going to be something we’re excited about and something that’s going to feel and look very different,” said Leighton Schwob, the USGA’s Senior Director of Operations.

Pinehurst is going through a full renovation of the lower floor of the resort building, which is where a lot of player facilities will be. A tunnel from the locker room up to the first tee for players is also being built and should be completed by the end of the year. The resort’s driving range will be more of a fan area next summer, as the USGA anticipates more than 250,000 fans will be in attendance for the week.

The course will shut down near Memorial Day, but facilities will be built beginning in March. So don’t fret, there’s still plenty of time to go play before the pros.

In pictures: See how this Donald Ross-designed municipal golf course has come back to life in North Carolina

The consensus during a 2022 tour detailed “steadily degrading conditions” over the last several years.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The 16th hole was the worst one.

That was the consensus during a 2022 tour of the Asheville Municipal Golf Course, which documented what the city called “steadily degrading conditions” over the last several years. At that point, the course had only spent a few weeks under a new management agreement with Commonwealth Golf Partners, which took over the course on Oct. 1, 2022. It had spent the 10 years prior with former operator Pope Golf.

Now, almost exactly a year later, Mike Bennett, one of the operators with Commonwealth, said that the same hole has gone from the worst condition to one of the best.

The 18-hole golf course, affectionately known as “Muni,” was designed by Hall of Fame golf architect Donald Ross and opened for play in 1927. It remains the last “affordable” public fee course in Asheville and is home to Skyview Golf Tournament, the longest-running professional tournament in the country owned and operated by Black residents, which held its 63rd annual tournament in July.

“We like to say (the 16th hole) went from last to first,” Bennett said of the year’s transition.

It needed the full gambit of improvements — guided in part by a $25,000 master plan, prepared by golf architect Kris Spence, a “roadmap” for restoring the relevant Donald Ross features of the course, maintaining the integrity of a historic design.

A framed copy of the 2023 master plan hangs in the Muni’s clubhouse, which just saw its own interior upgrades. On Oct. 18, Bennett traced some of the map’s faint outlines, delineating the course’s current condition, bolder lines indicating the original edges of the design; abandoned bunkers to be restored or shifted, some buried now at the edge of the tree line or faded to faint impressions in the grass.

$3.5 million in renovations, herd of goats

It’s just one piece of the ongoing $3.5 million in planned course renovations. The city has secured $2.9 million in funding to dedicate to upgrades and repairs. About $850,000 has been spent, said Chris Corl, the city’s director of Community and Regional Entertainment Facilities, with a bulk of the funds reserved for incoming stormwater remediation projects, which carry a hefty price.

The stormwater project will be bid out in the next two weeks, with construction beginning in late November or December. It should address the sinkholes scarring areas of the course, and overhaul holes 10 and 11, which Bennett described as still “pretty rough.”

The 16th green was a prime example of the issues that plagued the 122-acre course in East Asheville. It was patchy in places. The sod was fraying to dirt at its edges. A makeshift path had formed where golf carts were cheating up the fairway and nuances of the original Donald Ross design blurred after years of shifting mowing patterns.

But a more recent visit to the course finds wooden posts discouraging forays from the asphalt cart path. A small staircase ascends to the green, and the newly laid bent grass — salvaged from a nearby local course — is resodded and whole.

It was in “terrible condition,” Lonnie Gilliam said of Hole 16. He plays at the Muni almost five days a week and has been golfing there since the 1960s. “Now it’s perfect … pristine is the word I describe it as.”

Before the Commonwealth takeover, Gilliam said conditions were “horrific.” There’s a term in golf, “dog track,” he said, slang for a poorly maintained course. “It had gotten to that level.”

“It is amazing what has happened since the changeover in management. Everything I have to say is positive about the conditions, what they’re doing, how they’ve done due diligence on just about everything that golfers complained about when they had their first meeting (with them),” he said.

In the months since Commonwealth’s contract with the city began, a partnership between Bennett and Peter Dejak, Corl said the “continued, ongoing” maintenance and efforts from new management is noticeable, from clearly defined fairways; rebuilt and sodded greens, tee boxes and fairways; bunker restoration; repaired cart paths and more. The removal of 111 trees, and pruning of more than 80 others, means improved sightlines and more sunlight for grass growth.

A herd of goats was brought in to eat away at underbrush and invasive species.

Golf fees, revenue increased

There’s a new fleet of golf carts on lease, plus a new rate structure, which saw increases across the board, but maintained discounts for city residents.

Rates vary on a number of factors — including resident status, time of day, weekday or weekend, and play with cart — but Corl said average facility revenue per round in 2022 was $23.16, up to $28.67 in 2023.

Considering the most expensive round (Saturday, for the full 18 holes), it was $45 for everyone in 2022. Now it’s $45 for residents, $65 for non-residents.

In past years, the course averaged 41,600 starts a year. This year, Corl said, they’re estimating 48,000 starts, but expect to grow to about 53,000 in 2024.

Rather than a traditional lease agreement, like the one the city had with Pope Golf, the licensing and management agreement shares loss and profit between Commonwealth and the city.

“We’re only a year into it, but it’s gone better than I could have ever expected,” Bennett said.

According to Bennett, revenue is up 24% for January through September when compared to last year.

“I think all of the locals who have been playing here for years are excited just to see growth and change, and good things happening,” said Pat Warren, the course’s general manager.

They haven’t seen anything like it, he said, in the last 20 years.

‘Money is being spent properly’

Paul Bonesteel has been playing at the Muni since 1997. He’s there about twice a week.

Bonesteel is the president of “Friends of Asheville Muni,” a new nonprofit and fundraising partner, and is the documentary filmmaker and director behind “Muni,” a “love letter to the game of golf,” which was released in 2020 and featured on Golf Channel and PBS.

On a weekday in October, he had plans to play nine holes. On foot, carrying his own bag, it will run him about $15. Another $15 if he decided to rent a cart.

“It’s just fantastic to have a golf course in the city limits of Asheville that’s convenient, that’s accessible, and I mean that both physically and economically, to people who live here,” he said.

But it’s more than affordability that keeps Bonesteel coming back. “It’s still the vibe,” he said. Everyone’s out there, from “scratch golfers to people just starting.” There’s plenty of people who are on the course almost every day, and users who have dedicated decades of play to the Muni, one of the oldest in Western North Carolina, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Gilliam described a sense of “fellowship,” particularly for those who play almost daily, and have for decades. The Skyview tournament was long a “highlight” and gathering place for African American families, he said. At this most recent tournament, some players were “shocked” by the “tremendous” improvements, and were already making plans to return the next year.

In the last year, Bonesteel said the work has been noticeable, both “quality” and “efficient,” even with some of the most impactful stormwater improvements yet to come.

“People I play with and the folks that I talk to out there … see that the money is being spent properly. That really makes people feel good,” he said. “Looking at the original plans, and having that level of concern for the historical quality as well as the environmental quality, it’s noticeable and impressive.”

There’s always more to be done, Bonesteel added, and the course is “far from finished,” but there are open lines of communication between course users, management and the city that haven’t been there for years.

“I’ve never seen it so transparent,” he said. The old sense used to be, “someone is making a lot of money here and it’s not the golf course.”

“That’s gone now,” Bonesteel said. “People feel like they are getting what they paid for.”

City of Asheville v. Pope Golf

In the days after Commonwealth took over course operations, in October 2022, the city filed a lawsuit against Pope Golf, alleging deteriorating course conditions, destruction of property and $340,830 in outstanding lease payments to the city.

A year later, the litigation drags on. At its center are the significant stormwater drainage issues, which Pope said in September 2022 is the reason behind not only the course conditions but his termination of lease payments.

Pope Golf submitted an answer to the complaint in December, which denies almost all allegations and calls for the court to dismiss the complaint. The document reiterates Pope’s belief that issues, including the drainage problems, were within control of the city, and outside control of Pope Golf.

An order for a mediated settlement conference was filed with the court in March, with a deadline for completion of mediation of July 15. If the case is not settled out of court, the order names a tentative trial date of Nov. 13.

City Attorney Brad Branham said the parties are in the process of “moving the trial date to accommodate schedules.”

It has not yet been set, he told the Citizen Times in an Oct. 18 email, but will likely be in May of next year. A mediator has been selected, but no dates have been set. This will need to occur prior to trial.

Tree plantings and pollinators

While the news of planned tree removal was cause for some community distress, after action from area environmentalists and neighbors, plus conversations with the city and operators, the number of downed trees was reduced from 157 to 111. More than 80 others were pruned.

This number was already a decrease from initial U.S. Golf Association tree evaluation and report, which suggested 500-plus trees for removal. Removal was necessary for essential renovations to the course, improvements to golf play and longevity of existing trees, the city said.

As part of the process, and to ensure no net loss of total long-term tree canopy, Corl said they initiated a neighborhood tree replanting program, in partnership with area nonprofit Asheville GreenWorks, which offered trees at no cost to surrounding property owners, and assistance in planting.

Corl said deliveries started that week and that 55 trees would be replanted through the program.

The course is also working with GreenWorks on a new tree nursery program and has identified three sites throughout the course where the nonprofit will be able to cultivate trees on the property.

“Instead of planting permanent trees on the property, which in time will grow large and cause similar problems which caused for the removal of trees over the winter, the nursery program will result in trees being removed from the course when they reach proper planting size for their permanent homes,” according to the Muni website.

In total, it’s estimated that the sites will house over 200 trees to be made available to area nonprofits and government agencies for low or no cost.

“It’s definitely pretty unique for a golf course, and it makes sense,” Bennett said. “Most courses have spots like this that could be utilized.”

Friends of the Asheville Muni recently wrapped an over $4,000 fundraiser to bring pollinator plantings to the course, Bonesteel said. November volunteer days will be held for planting, bringing about two acres of pollinators to the property.

The new day-to-day

While outcomes of the capital project overhauls may be among the most noticeable changes, Bennett said it’s the day-to-day operations they are most invested in, “creating the ability to maintain the golf course like it’s supposed to be.”

That means new agronomy practices that are going to help “long term,” Bennett said, and tools, machinery and staffing that will “pay dividends for years.”

In the calendar year, Corl said they reduced water used from 12.5 million gallons used to 5.5 million, even before the larger planned stormwater projects, by eliminating leaks and installing a localized course weather station and water sensors inside all 18 greens.

“Visually, it looks stunning. It looks so much more like a real golf course and a traditional Donald Ross,” Bennett said. “It’s much more playable and more of how it was intended to be played.”

Muni by the numbers:

1927: Year built
122: Acres
18: Holes
$3.5 million: Capital project budget
111: Trees removed
10: Rebuilt bunkers
4 hours, 6 minutes: Average time to play 18-hole round
41,600: Starts a year
Source: City of Asheville

Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network.

This cherished Florida muni designed by Donald Ross is set to reopen soon after renovation

The re-opening marks the start of a new era for the municipal golf course.

SARASOTA, Florida — Residents and visitors to this haven will soon be able to play golf at the upgraded Bobby Jones Golf Club.

Richard Mandell, the architect for the renovation of the golf complex, said the 18-hole course and driving range are expected to open in early November. The Bobby Jones Nature Park will also open then, while a 9-hole short course will open later.

The re-opening marks the start of a new era for the municipal golf course. City leaders wrestled for years over the fate of the course, originally constructed by legendary course designer Donald Ross in the 1920s.

They ultimately decided to reduce the number of holes in the golf complex from 45 to 27 and turn some of the property into a park. They also voted to permanently conserve the property, ensuring that it will never be subdivided or developed.

The nature park will be open to members of the public and will include trails that can be walked or biked.

Mandell, the project’s architect, and the construction crew are restoring the 18-hole course designed by Donald Ross. They’re also building a nine-hole, adjustable, par 3 course.

Mandell said they’re in “the grow-in stage.” The grass for the course has been planted, and now it’s growing. It needs to be mature enough for people to play golf on it.

Mandell said the construction team will also rake the sand in the bunkers and remove weeds from the course.

“We’re pretty much done,” he said, “and as long as the weather cooperates, I know it’ll be grown in in early November, and it’ll look great and it’ll play great.”

A triple-wide modular building will serve as a temporary clubhouse while the new, permanent clubhouse is built. A private management company, Indigo Sports, will handle the daily operations of the golf complex.

Mandell said the course has exceeded his expectations.

“I hope that the locals love it and feel back at home,” he said. He also hopes that it’ll be a regular destination for people on winter vacations and that it gets national recognition.

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