Everyone cares about pace of play until it comes to the first tee shot. Start the round with a par thee, or even back to back par threes, and pace will be better for everyone all day.

I'm kind of the opposite. I don't mind a slightly tougher start. Takes me 4 holes to get warmed up anyway. If I'm going to make a bogey I'd rather it be on a tougher hole 😅.

I love this course but the set up is leaving a lot to be desired lately. I played there yesterday in the middle of the day (the high was 90°) and it was so green, wet, and soft. My foursome had multiple mud balls and there was standing water on the 18th fairway. It’s making the course play significantly longer than it should. All four of our tee shots on 16 came to an immediate stop on landing when they should be feeding down towards the hole. I can’t imagine Mr. Hanse and Mr. Shackelford are vibing with it these days.

Bruce Hepner is one of the few architects/restoration specialists who use restraint “don’t overlook the soup” as a strength. The comparisons to Chicago Golf are noteworthy. To think this relationship began with words from Tom Doak in Confidential Guide “the club’s landscape committee over the past 60 years should be lined up and shot for planting so many trees of so many varieties” 5 Doak scale May 1994. Kudos to Blue Mound for changing directions over 20 years ago.

I grew up in New England and Donald Ross is prevalent up here. So I’m bias but a great start to a course is one or two warm up holes, typically easy par 4s, then allow the course to begin. I’ve heard stories that he did this because back in those days courses didn’t have driving ranges so it allowed the player to warm up and be ready for the remaining course. A great example is Plymouth Country Club, Green Harbor (not a Donald Ross), or Boston Golf Club (Gil Hanse) with its par 5 openers allowing you to hit multiple shots to warm your body up.

I don’t have a specific hole or course that I particularly like, but in general I *dislike* opening with a par 5. I’m not in enough of a groove to take advantage of them, and I don’t want my second shot of the day being either a fairway wood or long iron (whether it is for layup purposes on a longer hole or going for the green on a shorter hole).

"Exquisite" is the correct word. I love the open feel this place has and its presentation absolutely sparkles. Raynor has a "style" that he imposes on the land...so distinctive, as well as appealing. Grabs attention, interest. Beautifully crafted. A walking, very good-looking golf course. Terrific profile/Thanks guys!!!

A first tee shot that doesn't leave any doubt to hitting driver, followed by a full 9 iron or pitching wedge on the approach is hard to beat. When the second hole is a par-five, even better. No course I've played fits that exact bill, but I feel like Augusta National (from the member tee!) would be pretty nice to help control the nerves.

Great timing. I'm playing there next week and this review is just making me look forward to it even more! Great write up Will.

I was fortunate to play this last year and it is a place I'd love to play all the time. The scale of the greens is so much bigger than the photographs show. Great write-up and photos! I can't wait to get back out there and play it again.