''It's just golf, let's have fun''
Played Tot Hill Farm yesterday-with pics! What a course! Conditions were great. Was sent out as a single and PoP was 4 hours.
Those par 3's look amazing
I absolutely love his designs, he could design courses that hold up to the test of time, and I wish he were still around. I play True Blue and Caledonia whenever I get the chance.
Pics of Tobacco Road.
Been waiting 25 years to play Tobacco Road. Mission accomplished today. Great conditions. PoP was 4 hours as a single (behind a foursome, so I was glad to click some photos). Yes, most of what you hear about TR is true. Different doesn't do it justice. For a first timer, it's an absolute puzzle-and not always an enjoyable one. I found that the "hidden" areas that may be spacious aren't as wide or as evident as at True Blue or Tot Hill Farm. I was warned/advised to play TR twice on the same trip. I think it would take more visits to get a sense of the course. If you're not playing well, TR can be pure torture. If you get outta position, it more often than not requires heroic recoveries. That said, I'll update you after I've played it 20 times.
Some eye candy:
Great pics and thanks for sharing. There's a lot of WOW factor in these pics.
Stranz out Dyed Pete Dye at TR.
There was a course in Pinehurst named The Pit, which is closed.
It was built in an old mining pit. It had about 10% of the TR design
ideas. Maybe that course gave Stranz the idea for TR.
*** Please Show Your Appreciation For MB Advice/Info In MBGT With Your Course or Trip Report! ***
Stranz out Dyed Pete Dye at TR.
There was a course in Pinehurst named The Pit, which is closed.
It was built in an old mining pit. It had about 10% of the TR design
ideas. Maybe that course gave Stranz the idea for TR.
Played The Pit several times. It was sort of like TR, but not on the steroids like TR is. The Pit was designed by Dan Maples(who designed courses all over the Carolinas). Pinehurst Resort owns it now and at one time there was talk of it becoming one of the Resort Courses after being upgraded. To clarify, the Pit is closed and they own the property
Love all those pictures.
Brownwood Bandit
Played The Pit several times. It was sort of like TR, but not on the steroids like TR is. The Pit was designed by Dan Maples(who designed courses all over the Carolinas). Pinehurst Resort owns it now and at one time there was talk of it becoming one of the Resort Courses after being upgraded. To clarify, the Pit is closed and they own the property
There was an article not too long ago that reported Coore & Crenshaw have a routing for the Pit property. Seems like a marketing no-brainer to have TEN (not including the Cradle) courses under the resort umbrella. I'm betting the opening-or announcement-of that tenth course will coincide with the US Open return in 2024.
Mike Strantz was such an artist. He like to create something different on each golf course. For example, True Blue et Caledonia are two very different golf course. Their design are unique.
''It's just golf, let's have fun''
Have played Caledonia, True Blue, Parkland and Wild Dunes. Thinking we are finally going to get to Tobacco Road this year. Long been on the bucket list.
Mike Strantz was implied also at Parkland, with Tom Doak and Gil Hanse. He was in charge of the bunkering. I played Parkland during my last trip in Myrtle Beach. It is a golf course that i would play each day.
Yes, he was hired to do the bunkers, they recently remodelled all the bunkers on Parkland, sadly, there is no Strantz footmark at Legends.
Brian Noblin
Myrtle Beach Golf Talk
My direct line at work 888-272-7263
