Indian Hill Report

COURSE REPORT Indian Hill Club for

CLAYTON, DEVRIES & PONT

INTRODUCTION

The primary purpose of any masterplan is to explain to the membership the principles and justifications for the work being suggested

Ideally, a masterplan serves as a roadmap for future committees because lurching from one committee-inspired whim to another is never a good idea and well-governed clubs rarely fall into this trap

Members often see little wrong with their course If they do, what they judge to be conditioning is the basis of most complaints

Dr Alister MacKenzie alluded to this in The Spirit of St Andrews (1932) :

“It is a remarkable thing about golf courses that nearly every man has an affection for the particular

mud-heap on which he plays It is probably largely due to his associations: his friends play there; he knows the course and can probably do a lower score than elsewhere. It may not be a real course at all. There may be no interest or strategy about it; it simply gives him an opportunity for exercise and ‘socking’ a golf ball.”

Many view their course’s architecture as a secondary consideration, but the routing, the variety and strategy of the golf and quality of the man-made construction is our primary focus At Indian Hill, we see a good golf course with much unrealized potential

We shall start this report by covering our initial observations on the course then lay out the general principles that will influence our analysis and specific recommendations

Mike DeVries

Frank Pont

Mike Clayton Edward Cartwright

Image showing the positive flow of water to the Skokie Ditch by flipping dirt upon the play areas, thus improving surface flow of water to the Skokie Ditch and containing flood waters in the detention areas

Sketch depicting the creation of wider detention zones and flipping of soil to raise play areas above the typical flood areas adjacent to the Skokie Ditch.

Bunkers

It’s fair to say we have no affection for the shaping of the bunkers and their subsequent ‘look’, which we find quite unattractive

Many are too far from the greens they are defending Positioning them better will place more strategic emphasis on doing more than simply hitting the fairway from the tee – or the second shot on the par fives.

The sole aim of the bunkering will be to make the game more interesting, and our sense is we can do more of this with fewer bunkers than at present.

Rebuilding the bunkers in a short time will invariably lead to a consistency of style and playability. In reality, bunkers are hazards and a fixation on making them perfectly consistent and ‘fair’ is at odds with the traditions of golf.

Royal Dublin - bunkers restored in 2022

Bloomfield Hills - Hole 17

Bloomfield Hills - Hole 10

Royal Dublin - bunkers restored in 2022

Practice Fairway

The current range is constricted. Anything which both widens it and makes it feel less constrained would be a good thing.

In trying to compartmentalize it from the course, the effect has been exactly that It would be better to embrace it by not isolating it so completely from the 12 and 15 holes Removing trees from the right side of the 12 and 15 holes will improve both It will also enhance their relationship with the range

With the 15 fairway moving to the left, there is the opportunity to remove the trees separating the 15

fairway from the range and widen it by up to 30 yards.

Moving the 18 green closer to the clubhouse affords the chance to build an expansive chipping/bunker/putting green by using the right side of the current 18 green and the land running down towards the tennis courts

We can move the 1 tee to the right and keep a smaller practice putting green close to the tee We propose building a good-sized putting green and incorporating the back tees into the putting surface for special events where a longer first hole is desired

On most days, the first tee will be forward of the green, thus allowing for more activity on the putting green for those about to tee off or for other practice.

Mounding Behind Greens

We have no affinity for the mounding behind several greens Some of it –the 2 and the 13 being examples –has been built to prevent balls from bounding onto surrounding roads. Other examples such as the 14 and 16 holes are simply a curiosity. Cleaning up the lines across the backs of greens where mounding detracts from the golfing experience would be a noticeable improvement.

The creation of these mounds has also disassociated the main features of the golf course from each other. We would prefer to have the landforms work together to present a uniform and naturally flowing landscape that appears to just have greens, tees, and bunkers as a part of them

Currently, the various elements of the golf course are individually formed and do not relate to the transition from one hole to the next. By utilizing the dirt that will come from re-working the Skokie Ditch and various tee platforms and mounding around the greens into broader rolls in the landscape, the golf course will drain better and players will get the sensation of a more rolling landscape instead of a flat area with independent features that are unrelated to each other. Observers from inside and outside the course will see a more natural landscape without the obvious look of elevated tees scattered about independently

Rhythm and Flow / Walkability

The extension of removing the unnecessary mounds around the greens and integrating the golf course into a cohesive landscape will make the course flow better throughout the round.

Indian Hill’s flattish nature makes for a very walkable golf course and walking while playing should be encouraged, as it is the best way to develop a cadence with the unique landscape of the golf course and to enjoy the fresh air and companionship of the golfers in your group.

Hill-shade terrain map shows the flat nature of IHC’s property and the individual separation of features in the existing landscape.

GOLF COURSE ARCHITECT HISTORY AT INDIAN HILL CLUB

Indian Hill Club is a unique blend of three prominent golf course architects: Harry Colt, Donald Ross, and the team of William Langford and Theodore Moreau

Harry Colt

Colt did the routing of the course and established the initial design of the course Unfortunately, the only sketch of his original work that we have is the drawing of the joint fairway of the 15 /16 holes

Harry S Colt (1869-1951) stands as a towering figure in the world of golf course architecture, having left an indelible mark on the game during the early 20 century Born in Highgate, England, Colt's academic journey began in law at Clare College, Cambridge However, the allure of golf proved irresistible, leading him to become the secretary at Sunningdale Golf Club. His career saw collaborations with other luminaries of golf design, such as Charles Alison, Dr. Alister MacKenzie, and Donald Ross.

Overall, he designed more than 400 golf courses across the globe Among Colt's standout designs are Swinley Forest, Muirfield, Sunningdale's New Course, and Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland He also had a strong influence on the design of Pine Valley Today, many of his courses are still revered, consistently ranking among the world's elite

Central to Colt's design philosophy is the emphasis on strategic play He believed in creating courses that not only challenged players but also encouraged them to think strategically about each shot One of his signature design elements was the use of asymmetrically defended greens This meant that the hazards, whether bunkers, hillocks, or even water bodies, defended one side of the green more than the other Such defense often favored approach shots from a specific side of the fairway, compelling players to think about their tee shots. This design nuance was rooted in the belief that the middle of the fairway should

rarely offer the best line to the hole Instead, Colt's designs often rewarded players who took risks to position their tee shots as close to the ideal spot on the fairway as possible

Another cornerstone of Colt's design is the firmness of the greens In his view, a soft green reduced golf to a simplistic target game In contrast, a firm green adds layers of complexity Players had to consider where their approach would land, allowing it to roll and stop near the flag This challenge was amplified if the player's tee shot landed on the "wrong" side of the fairway, given the asymmetric defense of the green.

The areas leading up to these greens, known as approaches or fore-greens, are also of paramount importance in Colt's designs. He believed they should mirror the greens in terms of firmness, ensuring a consistent playing experience. He also promoted short grass around the greens. He felt this not only challenged skilled players

but also offered an easier recovery shot for less accomplished golfers For Colt, the transition between the approach and the green should be as seamless as possible

Colt was also a strong proponent of wide fairways, which often ranged between 50 and 70 yards Over the years, many clubs have narrowed their fairways, either in attempts to make courses more challenging or due to irrigation limitations This unfortunately diluted the strategic essence of the original designs To recapture this essence, it is vital to widen the fairways again This sometimes also necessitates the removal of trees that have been added over time, narrowing the playing corridors Colt's perspective on trees was clear; he rarely used them as hazards in his designs, even going so far as to label them as "fluky and obnoxious hazards."

In sum, Harry S. Colt's legacy in golf course design is characterized by a harmonious blend of strategy, environmental integration, and

consistent playing experience His principles, which have stood the test of time, continue to shape the world of golf architecture and inspire many modern architects

Donald Ross

Donald Ross was the construction manager at Indian Hill, as he was at the nearby Old Elm Club, another of Colt’s design. Ross was a distinguished golf architect in his own right and no doubt he imparted aspects of his design philosophy to the original design at Indian Hill

Ross grew up in Dornoch, Scotland, and apprenticed with Old Tom Morris in St Andrews He had immigrated from Scotland to Massachusetts as a greenkeeper and his duties early in his career included club-making, greenkeeping, golf pro, designing new or remodeling courses, and playing in tournaments

He was a prolific designer and has 400+ courses to his credit, mostly in

the eastern half of the USA, as he lived in Massachusetts in the summers and Pinehurst, North Carolina in the winters, upon his hiring by the Tufts family as the golf pro at the fledgling Pinehurst Resort

Ross created the first four courses at the resort, including the famous #2 Course, where he lived adjacent to the third green

His golf courses are exceptional examples of using the land that he was given and creating a wonderful flow from one hole to the next The designs were challenging yet playable by all. It is hard to find a poor, uninteresting design by Donald Ross.

His work on flatter sites featured greens that were elevated above the surrounding terrain to aid in their drainage and so that the bunkers would support the landforms he created for the putting surfaces.

His bunkering style varied

Indian Hill is clearly part of the latter group We assume the majority of members think the difficulty of the course is something they are comfortable with. There are changes which will make individual holes more difficult (moving the tees back at the 3 and 12 holes are obvious examples) but others will make the course ‘easier.'

Shortening the 4 and 14 holes will likely make them less onerous.

Length

Two of golf’s great misnomers are difficult golf is good golf (and, by extension, ‘easy’ golf is poor golf) and par 72 is somehow the measure of a real course.

"There are many bad long courses and many very good short courses, and length has very little to do with merit ”

-Harry Colt

Half-Par Holes

Trees

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So many of the game’s best holes are right on the border of par, the Road Hole, Augusta’s 13 , and the 16 at Cypress Point being great examples.

We are convinced that, with its ‘volcano’ green, Indian Hill’s 8 can be a truly great ‘half-par’ hole.

Strategy

“The middle of the fairway should never be the ideal line to the hole –except perhaps once a round for the sake of variety.”

-Tom Simpson

One of the most effective ways to introduce strategy is to make the shot from one side of the fairway as different as possible from the shot from the other The ideal hazards defend the side of the hole offering the easier approach

Trees are best kept ‘off the stage’ Being on the fairway and behind a tree is, as a rule, not good architecture

The shading of playing surfaces (and lack of air movement) makes the superintendent’s job much more difficult

Trees are not conducive to the growing of good turfgrass. They block sunlight, restrict air movement, take up moisture, and absorb nutrition from the playing surfaces (four strikes, not three – turf is definitely losing this battle).

SUMMARY OF OUR PRINCIPAL RECOMMENDATIONS

The 1 tee moves to the right (back to its original position). The green moves back.

The 2 tee moves back, and the green comes forward and away from the road.

The 3 tee moves back onto what is now the 2 green

The 4 hole is shortened – largely to improve the tee shot at the 5 hole

The 5 tee moves to the right and back, adding up to 20 yards to the hole.

The 6 green moves back and to the right.

The 7 hole fairway bunkering is re-imagined and the green reshaped to highlight the strategy set-up by the fairway bunkers

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The 8 green is lowered by 2-3 feet and better ‘tied-in’ with the 9 tee, which needs to be enlarged.

The 10 green is rebuilt to reflect the original design.

The 11 green moves forward with the front of the green closer to the edge of the (reworked) creek

The 12 tee moves back, and the fairway is widened noticeably on the right. The creek cuts closer to the right edge of the green.

The 13 tee moves back. The key is how we might be able to better screen the road.

OUR PROPOSED REVISED COURSE

HOLE 1

5 - 548 - 454 yards

Originally, the tee was directly in front of the clubhouse. Moving it to the left may have added some length, but took it away from the ideal line. The suggestion here is to restore the original tee, something that would impact the practice putting green

We suggest moving the 18 green closer to the clubhouse which leaves ample space to build an expansive “Himalayas” putting green between the clubhouse and the tennis courts.

Additionally, we will build a putting green integrated with the first tees. This will consolidate the area and provide more practice

putting for those waiting to tee off. The regular tee will move forward and we will take the green back to pick up any length that may be lost. A championship tee could be placed on the putting green for special events or daily regular play

This is a very good hole but one where an improved green complex is moved 10-15 yards back. The ditch between the 1 and 6 greens will be piped and the two greens linked together with short grass.

As a rule, Indian Hill’s greenside bunkers are cut too far from the targets they are defending –something apparent here While it

may be impossible to replicate the relationship of bunker to green at Victoria on the Melbourne Sandbelt, it would be a significant improvement to cut them much closer to the edges of the greens It would look better, save on the varying mowing heights between the edge of the green and the bunkers and make the bunkers a more strategic hazard. Bunkers used in this way catch the almost very good shot, not simply the poorer shots of the weaker players.

The green complex will be defended on its left to complement the fairway being defended on the right

Par

Sandbelt bunkering cuts into the edge of the putting surface, due to its unique structural qualities Although this extreme bunkering style is not applicable to Indian Hill, its concept of impacting play from afar is and should be considered in placing bunkers closer to the edge of putting greens.

Note the four mowing heights between the edge of the green and the bunker

The shaping to the right of the green is poor. Taking down the unnatural mound would be an improvement.

HOLE 2

4 - 454 - 297 yards

Like so many holes at Indian Hill, there is almost no change in elevation. Thus, the interest must be built around well-placed hazards (primarily bunkers) and great greens.

The green at the upcoming 5 hole is unquestionably the finest on the course, demonstrating what a brilliantly contoured putting surface can do to add interest and fun to a hole.

Here, on the right side of the fairway, are a couple of quite uninspiring fairway bunkers. Making a better-looking hazard there would add much to both the look and the play of the hole One bunker should be be sufficient to do the required job of defending the ideal line to the hole but two could be deployed

The suggestion here is to move the tee back thus foreshortening the

walk from the 1 green. This would also allow for a couple of improvements at the other end of the hole.

First and foremost, the green can move forward and away from the road There is an obvious benefit in getting away from the road without losing any distance, but we have no affection for using artificial mounding at the back of greens. The obvious lack of it is one reason that the 5 is such a treasure.

The amount of extraneous dirt around the greens may well become a recurring problem/theme Langford often had his greens propped up in big landfills with big movement

We could perhaps consider creating some areas where we replicate that

methodology and/or build a bigger overall landform that encompasses the greens and tees of several holes in a way that elevates them sufficiently such that they are distinctly different and have a perspective over and above the rest of the site.

An additional benefit of moving this green forward (the back of the proposed green would be close to the front line of the current green) is that it leaves room to move the 3 tee back and add up to 80 yards to the par 5, making it a true three-shot hole for the very best players.

Widening the 2 fairway to the left would have benefits, but it is critical that we make the shot from the left a little more problematic by introducing an influential bunker at the front left corner of the putting surface

Par

HOLE 3

We

like this hole a lot

Adding a back tee and up to 80 yards of length would allow for a more interesting long second shot, and a true three shot hole for better players.

We stress taking this tee back is not the reason we are suggesting the 2 green move forward It is simply a happy by-product The same applies to the 11 green/12 tee suggestion

The positioning of the current second-shot fairway bunkers will work well from the suggested back tee.

One key to a well-bunkered par 5 is forcing players to deal with a bunker shot between 40 and 60 yards, a shot no one plays with any surety and will do anything to avoid

For shorter hitters, the same strategy will work well from the current tee

Par 5 - 575 - 422 yards

HOLE 4

Par 3 - 175 - 112 yards

The 4 is one of the two long par 3s, and we are well-aware our suggestions here take yardage from it

to the right and allow a muchimproved driving line down what should be one of the very best holes on the course

It is essential that we ensure that the short holes provide as much variety as possible. (Re-orienting the water in front of the 17 will differentiate it from the 10 .)

Normally, it’s a mistake to alter a good hole to fix a problem at another but, in this case, it’s important to move the 5 tee to

We could consider creating a ‘crossover' to maximize the fourth’s length. The picture to the left of the par 3 17 tee at The Addington in London (codesigned by Colt) shows a tee shot playing straight across the 16 green.

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HOLE 5

Par 4 - 486 - 331 yards

Moving the tees to the right will make a noticeably better tee shot to go with one of the best long approach shots on the course.

The green is obviously brilliant

Along with the 9 , it’s one of two world-class greens on the course

The greenside bunkering is, however, quite pedestrian. We believe a green of this stature can stand on its own without bunkers. The hole is certainly difficult enough without them Adding length will only make it more so

Closely mown run-offs feeding errant approaches away from the green would make for interesting short shots around the green.

HOLE 6

The green was reworked long after the course opened. We think it could be improved– and better positioned –by moving it back and to the right.

Unless we move the green to the other side of it, there really isn’t a way to make the creek a strategic hazard, but it should at least be an attractive feature to the right of the green complex.

The new green will be asymmetrically defended, encouraging tee shots to seek the left side of the fairway, which will be more stoutly defended.

In the commentary on the 1 hole, we mentioned piping the ditch and tying this green to the 1 with short grass

Par 4 - 431 - 326 yards

HOLE 7

Par 4 - 312 - 233 yards

The 7 and 8 holes are chances to create short par 4s that offer a more interesting variety of choice– both in terms of line and club – from the tee.

The greatest short par 4s almost give the conservative player a four, and the only way to make a five is to set off in search of a three For some, it will be a brave and wise choice, but for others a reckless and unwise gamble. The key to making it fascinating and confusing in equal measure is to have the

choices vary from day-to-day depending on the wind, the position of the pin, and even the state of a match.

It is important to build hazards (most often bunkers) exactly where the player hoping to make a birdie wants to play Challenging the hazards is the key to setting up an easy pitch.

Here, the fairway’s right-hand flank will offer the best route to more pin

positions but will be stoutly defended, by diagonal bunkering, with a large bunker on the left, a centerline bunker and a large bunker at the right front of the green.

HOLE 8

The next hole can be even more tempting – and more dangerous –because its unusual ‘volcano’ green repels everything but the perfect shot.

The green should drop in elevation a little – perhaps 2 to 3 feet – and its rear section be better blended into the 9th tee

We considered moving the tee forward to shorten the hole and make it drivable. While it would be a tempting and interesting shot, the

proximity of the building and pool to the right makes it a potential safety issue and a risk not worth taking.

A diagonal echelon of bunkers should make most players carefully consider where to place their tee shots It is also highly evocative of one of Colt’s more recurring bunkering methodologies.

The trees bordering the parking lot on the right are poor specimens and are preventing turf from growing

on the right. We recommend replacing them with a dense hedge to hide the cars and allow for a cart path to abut it for better access for golfers and maintenance.

Par 4 - 311 - 201 yards

HOLE 9

We love this green, one making it an outstanding par 3.

That said, we feel that the tees need to be expanded and improved to ensure sufficient playing space and a clear transition to and from the 8 green

The proposed cart path that borders the parking lot and 8 green area would be coordinated into an appropriate path that continues along the 9 hole and allows for maximum teeing grounds to be properly developed

Par 3 - 138 - 101 yards

HOLE 10

Par 3 - 148 - 106 yards

It’s fair to say we have more affection for the original (above) hole than the current version

The noticeably ‘cleaner’ line across the back of the green is one feature we particularly like, and one of the reasons we have much less affection for the mounding protecting the 2 and 13 greens from the roads behind them.

The tees need to be reconfigured to provide better variety and an enhanced visual to the green

as, currently, you do not see the landform of the valley well enough

Restoring a look that is reminiscent of the original green would fit in well with a ‘perched up’ Langford look.

Regarding the pond, we need more information to determine if the drainage is working as it should Adjusting existing ponds is difficult and expensive but we would like to modify it in order to allow golfers to play around it more easily

HOLE 11

This is the first of four back nine holes (the 11 , 12 , 14 and 17 ) with a chance to make use of the Skokie Ditch.

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It needs to be more attractively shaped so it’s more than just a functional drain Rather, it should be an attractive creek with a strategic function making for more interesting golf.

Currently, it does nothing to dictate any strategy from the tee because it’s cut straight across the line to the green as opposed to one on a diagonal line. It's also too far from the green to have any influence over the second shot

We would like to consider how best to orient the new expanded water detention area (hazard) with the creek in front of the green.

It is likely that no bunkers will be needed at the green complex.

We would also like to move the green down closer to the edge of the creek, thus requiring a precise pitch to hold the surface and provide for a birdie opportunity

Par 4 - 335 - 258 yards

HOLE 12

Par 4 - 424 - 318 yards

Bringing the 11 green down to the edge of the creek means we can move the tee back on to what is now the very back part of the 11 green. It would add around 30 yards to the hole

Again, the ditch is an unused feature and incorporating it into play would make for better golf

Removing the willows between the edge of the fairway and the range is a marked improvement, one allowing the fairway to move further to the right.

The fairway needs to be graded and raised to tie into the creek and to ensure that the fairway drains more effectively. It will also create more interesting contours on what is now a relatively featureless fairway Closer to the green, the ditch could be realigned and bought much closer to the right edge of the green complex, replacing the bunker as the primary hazard protecting the right side of the green.

There will be room to play safely away to the left but those taking the bold line down the right will shorten the hole. That said, they will still face a short iron across the water to get to a pin cut on the right half of the green

A man-made creek cut close to the right edge of (and then across) the 5 hole’s fairway at Siwanoy Country Club, NY.

HOLE 13

The initial suggestion here was to try and move the road down the left of the hole and behind the green but we understand that is not easily done.

The necessary mounding at the back of the green is neither attractive nor natural but we understand it’s blocking the views through to the road and the maintenance shed

Clearly, the maintenance shed needs screening That could be by way of vegetation (dense shrubbery) or an offset entrance into it, ensuring that passersby don’t look directly into it.

Our suggestion to shorten the 4 makes it somewhat important this hole retains most, if not all, of its yardage. We can move the green forward a bit and add tees to retain the yardage. The Reverse Redan nature of the green will be retained, albeit with a less obtrusive mound behind it The green surrounds will be blended into the 14 tees to create a seamless transition from one hole to the next while also providing for interesting recovery shots that slide off the back right of the putting surface.

Par 3 - 205 - 122 yards

HOLE 14

Par 4 - 364 - 281 yards

There are several excellent specimen trees to the right of the tee and we don’t want to cut them for the sake of a few extra yards, but a few paces to the right would be an improvement.

The green (another blighted by artificial mounding behind) moves forward Doing this doesn’t improve or detract from the hole, but there are tangible benefits for the 15 , 17 , and 18 holes.

Indeed, it is the key to moving the 17 tee (and removing the fence) and improving the tee shot on the 18 .

The 14 green, 15 tee, 16 green, 17 tee, and 18 tee are all part of an interrelated jigsaw Moving the 14 green is the key to solving the problems with the five finishing holes

HOLES 15 & 16

Par 5 - 563 - 406 yards

Par 4 - 422 - 335 yards

These two holes were famously drawn in Colt’s plan for the course showing a much different arrangement than the current pairing. It should be possible to build the principles of the holes as they were drawn

Our suggestion is to move the 15 tee to the right (made possible by relocating the 14 green) and play the hole through the tree line on the left. An added benefit is it allows for noticeably widening the practice fairway.

It’s important the back tees here do not constitute a danger to players on the realigned 17 tee. The final position of the back tee will be determined by the tee at the new 17 hole

The photos show our recent work at Bloomfield Hills

We removed the vegetation between the 1 and 18 fairways and the two holes now share a fairway separated by common bunkers

The concept of these two holes is remarkably similar to Colt’s original vision for the 15 and 16 holes at Indian Hill.

The 14 at Royal Canberra in Australia shows what is possible when a portion of fairway, which was originally covered in trees, is extended to the water. (The fairway to the right of the centre bunker was formerly treed.)

Adding fairway to the right of the 16 and better using the water would make for a much more interesting tee shot. A green arranged to make the approach from the right easier would create the incentive to play closer to the water – and reward those who do so.

HOLE 18

This is another excellent hole. Building a tee further back will add length for the longer drivers but not for the majority, for whom the current hole is a perfectly adequate length

Moving the tee back also provides the opportunity to move the green so the long second shot plays more towards the beautiful clubhouse, something made possible by moving the 1 tee back to its original line.

The green will come forward by 2030 yards, but we can retain the hole’s current length by moving the tee back and even add to it by building a ‘championship’ tee

The key to so many great par fives is to make a reasonably uncomplicated tee shot (which is not to say it should be devoid of interest) and then, from 250-300 yards out, include all the elements of a great short par 4 including well-placed hazards and a green where the middle of the fairway isn’t the ideal place from which to pitch

Par 5 - 569 - 399 yards

Clubhouse renovation superimposed over the proposed plan and in a conceptual sketch showing all elements fitting together for a seamless member experience

APPENDIX

JOHN CHALLENGER ON COLT & ROSS IN CHICAGO

Old Elm, Harry Colt and the Start of the Golden Age in America

There is a straight line from Old Elm to Pine Valley and to the true onset of the Golden Age that goes directly through Harry Colt and his 1913 visit to North America.

In the same way the Depression and WW2 erased the memory of the Golden Age and its principles of golf course design for decades until Pete Dye came along, WW1 obscured and later erased the memory of how the Golden Age originated in the United States and Canada.

Colt’s Second Journey.

In April and May 1913, Harry Colt travelled to North America on the second of three visits At the beginning of the journey, he worked for nine days on the creation of Old Elm and created a

complex routing and drawings for each hole At the end of his journey, Colt labored at Pine Valley for seven days Perhaps it's hyperbole, but Colt’s 1913 visit might be the most critical step in the history of golf architecture in the United States. When will the historical impact of what Colt created on his journey to the U.S. and Canada in 1913 get its due?

Old Elm History Once Lost.

The history of Old Elm’s creation was forgotten after WW1 and then miscast after the Depression and WW2. The club thought it was a Donald Ross design until the beginning of the 21 century.

Roles of Harry Colt and Donald Ross at Old Elm.

In the beginning, Old Elm distinguished clearly between what it expected of Harry Colt and what it expected of Donald Ross, who

was paid at $50 per day Old Elm paid Colt 25 guineas a day or at $5 11 per guinea, i e , they paid him more than double - just over $127 per day

Harry Colt – First Golf Architect.

Colt was a British lawyer who was responsible for carving out golf course design from the responsibilities of the golf professional and creating a new profession: golf architect Like C B MacDonald, he was an amateur turned golf course architect who changed the paradigm. During the three weeks Colt spent in Chicago, first at Old Elm and then on visits to Chicago Golf, Indian Hill, Glen View, and Exmoor, he must have talked to Ross about his decision to leave his role at Sunningdale and go into full-time course design

Donald Ross, the Reincarnation of Old Tom Morris.

When Donald Ross was hired at Old Elm, he was still employed at Essex C.C., He epitomized the golf professional in the Old Tom Morris mode: a golfer, teacher, clubmaker, organizer of tournaments, and greenskeeper. For some years, he had been laying out courses, but he was more of a golf course constructor than a designer Old Elm hired him for his expertise in construction when he was still a traditional blue collar golf professional, though he had already created a number of golf courses and was on the fast track to becoming the nation’s top full-time architect/designer.

From 1907-1912, Donald Ross was evolving from Boston’s into America’s Old Tom Morris He had begun his career as an apprentice in Old Tom’s shop in St Andrews He was liked and admired by everyone. In Boston and Pinehurst, he had worked at and succeeded in every golf task and role. He received

constant recognition in the media of the day as the consummate American golf professional

Transition From the Victorian Age to the Golden Age – 1907 to 1912.

Until 1910, Ross' approach to the laying out of golf courses, like that of other golf professionals, was traditional In 1910, Ross followed Walter Travis’ and C B MacDonald’s lead and visited Scotland and England to better understand golf course architecture there He returned and began to apply his learnings at Essex CC and Pinehurst. It is an interesting question whether what Ross learned was in the C.B. MacDonald vein of analysis of the structure of the greatest holes in the U.K., what Keith Cutten calls "evidence-based" design, or in a deeper understanding of the strategic design conceptualizations of Hutchinson, Low, Colt and Darwin.

Second Generation of US Golf Professionals.

Donald Ross was a member of the second generation of golf course designers in the US In the 1890s and 1900s, golf courses in Chicago had been laid out by the Foulis brothers, H J Tweedie and Tom Bendelow, among others They were golf professionals Like Donald Ross, they played in tourneys, taught golf, made clubs,

and some of them laid out courses In Boston, as a golf professional, Donald Ross worked in a similar manner to these Chicago professionals.

Golf Professionals and Amateurs.

The UK's next generation of golf professionals, individuals like Willie Park Jr. and J.H. Taylor, hoped to become successful at the business of designing golf courses too. They were having a difficult go of it because amateurs and collegeeducated men like Colt, MacKenzie,

Simpson, and Fowler were getting the best jobs. Ox-Cam changed everything in the UK but there wasn't as powerful a force of change in the US Like Donald Ross, Willie Park Jr and countless other golf professionals came to the greener fields of the US to get jobs

American amateurs such as C B MacDonald, Walter Travis, and Devereux Emmet did secure many design jobs, but the golf boom was underway and there was room for everyone with a design knack, amateur and professional Harry Colt, The “Thomas Edison” of Strategic Golf Course Design.

Like Willie Park Jr., Donald Ross may have been reading Horace Hutchinson, John Low and others in regard to naturalistic and strategic golf design. The new design ideas they had conceived and were promoting were in the wind. It was Harry Colt, the “Thomas Edison’ of strategic design, who first and most successfully put these ideas into practice.

Before Colt’s 1913 U.S. journey, it is safe to say that Donald Ross and other American golf course designers had not fully integrated the strategic, Golden Age design framework into their golf course layouts

Old Elm - A Colt Classic.

Like all golf courses, Old Elm was a collaboration, but Colt was undoubtedly the designer and Ross the constructor Ross did make some changes in Colt's precise plans as he built the course, and Colt did want Ross to have a “free hand,” but Colt wouldn't have wanted too much change in the location, size and shape of the greens, bunkers, tees and corridors. Colt was meticulous and resolute about his routings and course designs.

In his instructions, Colt says, “Everything is marked out on the land and with this book of plans and with the accompanying blueprint there should be no difficulty in carrying out the work.”

Colt Designed Old Elm on the Ground and in Drawings.

Colt made his Old Elm plans and drawings as he walked over the grounds and worked out the design He didn’t draw the plans for Old Elm later from memory in the summer/fall at his desk from his home in England Donald Ross had never made drawings before, but he learned the technique and the professional value of making them from Colt If the war and life had not intervened, Colt would certainly have returned to edit and make improvements to his Old Elm masterpiece.

Colt’s Impact on History Lost and Rewritten.

Colt never came back to Chicago and only briefly to Detroit and Toronto in 1914. The ideas he brought on his three pre-war trips to North America went viral. The history of his impact was rewritten by the winners and those who remained. Colt was the messenger who initiated and carried

the fundamental principle of the Golden Age of golf course design, the theory of naturalistic and strategic design for inland golf, and put it in the ground in North America at Old Elm, Pine Valley, Toronto Golf, Hamilton, and the Country Club of Detroit, among others

New Design Framework.

Armed with first-hand experience, Donald Ross capitalized on the opportunity and the design framework he had witnessed Harry Colt creating at Old Elm Ross saw how “the attitude of golfers as a whole (had) undergone a big change” and how “everywhere, now, the prime object of the leading men in different golf and country clubs is to have their courses up-to-date…and oblige the golfers to improve their standard of play to cope with the difficulties involved.”

Ross’ Career Skyrocketed After Old Elm.

After Old Elm, Ross’ career took off into the stratosphere He "took the ball and ran with it" building and remodeling courses by the dozens in the war years, not only in the northeast and southeast, but now around Colt’s former foothold in Chicago and Detroit

Courses Designed by Donald Ross.

As his business grew, Ross followed Colt’s lead, turned over the construction of those courses to his associates, donned the hat of the fulltime architect, and realized his career calling. The primary construction experts and partners Ross collaborated with and relied upon throughout his career to manage the building of his designs are not seen as co-authors of his courses today, although Ross would certainly have given them freedom in the field too.

Colt, Ross and the great architects of the 20 century are given full credit for their designs even though they were often not present during construction when vital decisions such as green contours were being made

Old Elm Club and The Golden Age – H.S. Colt, the Author.

Old Elm is a pure H S Colt creation As the Golden Age of Golf Architecture emerged in North America, Colt’s three journeys to North America in 1911, 1913 and 1914 might be the most influential force in causing the changes in the golf architectural landscape that were fully realized after the Great War ended.

Mike DeVries

With over 40 years’ experience in the golf industry, Mike remains a true craftsman. He is personally involved in all design and construction aspects of golf course development.

Growing up at Crystal Downs, he is well versed in the methods and activities of Dr Alister MacKenzie and Perry Maxwell.

He worked with Tom Doak before attending the University of Michigan, where he earned his Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture There then followed a stint working as on-site coordinator for Tom Fazio

Mike is one of the leading exponents of the modern minimalist movement and, over the past 20 years, has also become a renowned contributor to books and magazines.

Frank Pont

After qualifying as a civil engineer from Delft Technical University, Frank worked for Shell before earning an MBA from the University of Chicago.

This was followed by a career in the consulting sector and investment banking, culminating in him overseeing Deutsche Bank’s global telecoms team in London In 2001, he left London to study golf course architecture in Edinburgh specialising in the work of Harry Colt and Tom Simpson.

Working with seven of Golf World's Top 50 Courses in Continental Europe, Frank is an expert in restoring classic courses in Europe and USA.

Mike Clayton

After a very successful amateur career, Mike turned professional in 1981. He played on the Australasian Tour until 2007, winning seven times as well s the European Tour from 1982 to 2000.

Having studied course architecture whilst travelling the world as a touring pro, Mike formed Michael Clayton Golf Design in 1995 in partnership with ohn Sloan and the late Bruce Grant In 2010, that business morphed into Ogilvy Clayton which later became OCCM

Mike is a renowned writer, speaker and broadcaster His views on the elevance of period architecture in the modern era are required reading for tudents of golf and golf design. He is one of the southern hemisphere's most highly rated architects, whose work has received critical acclaim on a worldwide basis.

Edward Cartwright

A lifelong golfer, Edward developed a passion for architecture over a decade ago. Coming from a successful career in investment banking and fund management, he runs our head office in London and is responsible for business development.

When compiling our course reports, he oversees our historical research. Scouring national photographic and press archives, meticulous research is an important aspect of our activities when working for clubs whose courses have a significant architectural heritage

depending on the site conditions, with earlier versions of his work displaying flatter sand with grass faces Sandier sites saw him deliver more elaborate bunkering styles and flashed sand, sometimes quite high but usually a bit more reserved in height

William Langford & Theodore Moreau

These two partners worked together for many years and were based in the Chicago area Langford is usually viewed as the main design partner and Moreau as more of the engineer and construction manager, but both had civil engineering degrees Langford went to Yale and was an accomplished golfer on the team that won several NCAA golf championships in the early 1900’s L&M’s style was bold and utilized deep, grass-faced bunking, large fill pads for undulating greens, and routings that flowed nicely over rolling Midwestern terrain Their style is often compared with MacDonald and Raynor for the big

greens and the amount of fill to elevate them but L&M’s designs set softer on the landscape, not as hardedged and linear as MacDonald/Raynor

At Indian Hill, the propped up 5 green has an L&M character with its internal contours, although it is only a small elevation The 8 green is credited to Colt but it feels like a version of an L&M green due to the height of the green and its steep sideslopes, which are very reminiscent of their work The original 10 green, seen in an old photograph with steep sideslopes and deep, flattish sand bunkers on either side, feels like it could have been an L&M green

Langford and Moreau did major redesign work at Indian Hill and that work distinguishes itself from the later coursework by other architects

How To Blend the Three Architects' Styles

Having three great Golden Age architects as the designers of your

course is special The fact that they did things differently or with certain tendencies is not an obstacle to incorporating all three in the renovation of the course They were from an era of traditional golf design and all of them worked with the land that they were assigned by their clients They knew how to work with the land, how to blend features together to make them look natural, and how to set interesting strategies for the golfer

Unfortunately, over the past 90 years, other architects have redone greens, bunkers, and other aspects of the course without either knowledge of or reverence for the original design.

It is our intention to draw inspiration from Colt, Ross, and Langford & Moreau to build the best traditional golf course possible.This allows us to bring more contour into the putting greens, build bunkers that will reflect both their style of work, and provide a course that is fun to play every day.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Bunkers

The best bunkers are not placed to catch a bad shot but, rather, a good shot that wasn’t quite good enough

Inevitably, bunker sand is somewhat inconsistent Bunkers are hazards and should be avoided if one wishes to improve one’s chances of achieving a good score Some inconsistency in bunker sand distinguishes those golfers who know what they are doing from those who don’t

Condition

The condition of the course is not simply the condition of the playing surfaces. It’s the state of everything inside the boundary fence.

There are ‘perfect’ fairways and there are fairways that are perfect for golf. The latter is preferable to the former.

Faster greens are not necessarily

better greens – but they do slow up play Greens should be firm and roll true; excessive speed only eliminates flagstick locations and interest in the short game

Convention

Some of the world’s best courses would fail any modern test of what is acceptable and what is not To that end, we are not bound by ‘convention ’

The Old Course at St Andrews has two par 5s and two par 3s. For the best players, four par 4s are drivable. In the 2022 Open Championship, on five consecutive holes (8-12), competitors were routinely reaching the greens in one shot.

68 is the par at Swinley Forest Pine Valley is a 70 and both the 8 and 9 holes have two greens

72 is not the par at more than half of the world's top 100 courses

Difficulty

“It seems to me that many courses are designed with an eye to difficulty alone, and that in the effort to construct an exacting course that will thwart the expert, the average golfer who pays the bills is entirely overlooked Too often the worth of a layout is measured by how successfully it has withstood the efforts of professionals to better its par or to lower its record.”

-Bobby Jones

th

Merion has two par 5s and by the time you’re on the 5 tee you’ve played both. Cypress Point has backto-back par 5s and has back-to-back par 3s. Pacific Dunes has back-toback par 3s.

There is no relationship between the quality of a golf course and its difficulty. There are, of course, many great and difficult golf courses but, equally, there are many more that, despite having no chance of hosting the US Open, are magnificent places to play golf.

The 14 green moves forward.

The 15 tee moves back and to the left The position and safety of the new 17 tee will be an important constraint and determine the final position of the 15 tee

The 15 fairway moves to the left, recreating the hole Harry Colt famously illustrated a century ago. This allows for room to expand the practice fairway.

The 15 green moves to the left.

The 16 tee moves back, and the fairway is extended to the edge of the lake on the right

The 16 green moves forward.

The 17 tee moves to ‘the other side’ of the 16 green and plays to a reimagined green fronted by the creek.

The 18 tee moves back and right (the 17 tee no longer being an issue) and the green moves to the left, allowing it to better use the backdrop of the clubhouse and to allow for a large putting green and short game area.

The practice range is widened and lengthened, making it possible to play from both ends and substantially upgrading it to make a truly modern training ground.

HOLE 17

Par 3 - 190 - 98 yards

Moving the 15 tee gives us the chance to move the 17 tee to the left of the 16 green By doing this, we can both re-imagine this hole and move the tee away from the 18 tee’s driving line.

Changing the angle of the tee shot and re-orienting the water in front of the green to put it on a diagonal line – as opposed to it cutting directly across the front of the green – will give the weaker player more options

Meanwhile, better players attacking a pin far to the right will need to hit the perfect shot

The original 16 at Augusta- above Its principles could be replicated to make an excellent hole