Green Blueprints: A Talk With Top Golf Course Designer Jim Engh

   
     Jim Engh burst onto the scene as a top tier golf course architect 20 years ago with his first US design, The Sanctuary, a highly acclaimed, physically radical, and ultra-private course on the edges of Denver, CO. The Sanctuary has no members, and is owned by ReMax real estate co-founder and Chairman Dave Liniger, who originally bought the land for his beloved Arabian stallions. But the site proved too severe for horses, and many thought for golf, until Engh proved them wrong. Perhaps a victim of his own success, he has since been sought after for some especially “difficult” or truly unique sites. His Fossil Trace course in Golden, CO is a former mine, with antique equipment still lining the fairways, along with dinosaur bones and footprints. His private Black Rock in Coeur d’Alene, ID is a top notch Top 100 course full of dramatic elevation changes, exposed rock and waterfalls. Redlands Mesa in western CO plays through buttes like a John Ford western. Whatever challenges the site offers, Engh and his design firm use the same approach. “I get jazzed when I can find really interesting locations on a piece of property.

          I call these ‘hot spots’ and I try to connect them. On a mountain course it could be a beautiful valley. At Awarii Dunes (NE) we found some really cool landforms, and even though quirky, it’s natural. At Black Rock we had this great rock cliff wall and I just had to use it. At Minot (ND) the valley couldn’t fit all 18 holes, so we had to climb the walls. A lot of designers call these ‘difficult’ sites but I love them – every time I face a ‘problem’ I stew on it long enough and come up with a really creative solution. For me adversity is the mother of invention.” “Somewhere along the line someone decided there were ‘rules’ to golf course design. The only rules I have is it has to be playable, even if it’s weird, hidden or quirky, and it has to be fun. If those two factors are involved, it works.” Engh’s very first course was in Thailand in 1991, and ever since he has worked a lot in Asia, with current projects in China, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand – and North Dakota, where he is finishing up the Minot Country Club. The storied club was launched in 1929, but in 2011 they had what he calls a 500-year flood, wiping out the course and clubhouse, and FEMA decided to build levees on the site. So the club is moving across town in Minot, in what is now the oil boom region of the Bakken formation. “The town is just going crazy with oil money,” said Engh.

“The new course in on incredible land, an alluvial valley with all kinds of elevated tee shots.” (Minot CC is opening spring 2015 and now accepting members). What’s the biggest challenge in his work? “The hardest part is the regulations, especially here in the US. I’ve always considered myself a steward of the land, but the assumption is that we are destroyers of the land, and that’s very frustrating.” The rewards? “I have two favorite parts of my job. The first is when I lock myself in the studio and stay up all night, when the phone isn’t ringing, getting creative with my sketchpad, listening to music. That’s a fun time for me. My other favorite is the time I spend onsite doing construction. I spend a lot of time getting my documents accurate and correct but sometimes you see something out there you just have to use. The site, no matter how difficult, is the fun part”

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Punch Shots: Best PGA TOUR Venue to Play This Year

 With the PGA Tour kicking off this week at CordeValle, we asked our travel experts which public-access course on the 2013-14 schedule is the best. Jason Deegan: CordeValle Golf Club It’s too bad that the CordeValle drops off the PGA TOUR calendar next year. The 7,360-yard course has hosted the Frys.com Open since 2010, but the event will move to the Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa in 2014.

Be sure to check out this year’s telecast because it might be the last time CordeValle gets primetime coverage before the 2016 U.S. Women’s Open comes to northern California. CordeValle, which kicks off the new 2013-14 season on the PGA TOUR this week, continues to fly under the radar as a golf getaway. Too many golfers drive by on their way to the Monterey Peninsula not realizing just what their missing in the secluded hills of San Martin 30 miles south of San Jose. The Robert Trent Jones Jr. design and the villas of the Rosewood Resort seem to melt into the scenic pastoral surroundings without intruding upon them. They’re both understated, yet luxurious at the same time. Jones’ yawning bunkers and tricky greens are superb. A meandering stream and several ponds don’t typically bother the pros, although they’re plenty in play for everybody else. Caddies (or a forecaddie) are required, an extra expense that is worth it. With world-class dining and a sumptuous spa to boot, there’s no resort that embodies ‘California cool’ better than CordeValle.

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In the Bronx, New Golf Course Trumps a Dump

The story of the new golf course in Ferry Point Park is beset with a complex history that includes lengthy delays and exorbitant costs—hurdles familiar to any New Yorker with a big plan. Now, 12 years, several contractors, and more than $100 million after the course was initially scheduled to open, the construction of all 18 holes is finally complete thanks to the unlikely partnership of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Donald Trump and Jack Nicklaus. On Wednesday morning, the trio is scheduled to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Nicklaus-designed course, located at the foot of the Whitestone Bridge—a former landfill turned 200-acre urban oasis abutted by the East River, St. Raymond's Cemetery and public parks. The ceremony was initially supposed to take place in 2001, during Rudy Giuliani's administration, but cost overruns and legal snags proved formidable.

"We had half a golf course out there before Mr. Trump got involved," said Nicklaus in an interview at the Presidents Cup earlier this month. "The problem was finishing it. They kept working at it. We spent this ridiculous amount of money for environmental issues—on a dump!" In early 2011, following the departure of the course's original developer, Trump stepped into the sputtering project and was awarded a 20-year lease and the contract to manage the course by the Bloomberg administration—in part because he agreed to spend the $10 million needed to build the 12,000-square-foot clubhouse on the treeless, 7,400-yard links-style course.

        The mayor's office did not immediately return requests for comment. "[Trump] has actually been very, very good with getting things done with the city," said Nicklaus. It's no small reason why the course is named Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point. "I think he pushed it over the edge. He did a really good job of getting it to the finish line." That finish line won't officially arrive until the spring of 2015, when the course is slated to open to the public. (Ferry Point will be used for some public programming, primarily junior golf, in conjunction with the city's Parks Department starting next summer.) Only 14 months ago, the site contained little more than dirt—millions of tons of it. The history of the project stretches back to the closing of the landfill in 1963 and traces the myriad proposals for what to do with the land. "It was a combination of factors with the city actually agreeing to build the course," said Elizabeth Smith, the parks' assistant commissioner for revenue and marketing. "It was getting the concessionaire who had the expertise and financial commitment to build the clubhouse and manage the grow-in and pay us concession fees."

That turned out to be Trump, who also invested $850,000 to manage the grow-in of the course. Course overseers, headed by Trump's course superintendent, Gregory Eisner, are still managing the careful processes of growing the various native grasses and fescues. "Had they not chosen me, it would have been 15 years before it opened," Trump said. "I broke their [behinds], you have no idea. I sent the roughest guys there. I sent construction guys that eat nails." About a dozen excavators and bulldozers remain on a portion of the site, there to build the $10 million clubhouse and a practice area that will include a pitching range and a two-tier, lighted driving range with grass and turf.

           As a public facility owned by the Parks Department, membership fees will be nonexistent, unless residents take into account their city taxes. Greens fees are yet to be established. Nicklaus was initially commissioned to design Ferry Point 15 years ago by then-mayor Giuliani, and Bloomberg's vision for the course has remained largely the same: namely, to host world-class golf championships that will earn revenue for the city—which pumped some $120 million into the project—and help offset public costs. Ferry Point's central location amid the boroughs—"we made it out from Trump's office the other day in 12 minutes," said Nicklaus—presents money-generating possibilities, not just as a public golf destination, but to lure premier events like a USGA championship. Trump and Nicklaus said they hope to host a U.S. Open there in the future. "[Ferry Point] was built to house a championship and to be able to bring the outside world to New York City to see that they have golf, and for the people in the city to have it and allow people to play it that live there," Nicklaus said. USGA executive director Mike Davis has already made two visits to the site, the last one three weeks ago. Short of making any type of commitment, Davis said he believes the venue is worthy of a major tournament.

        "We want to see the golf course open," he said. "It's certainly worth [the USGA] continuing to look at it seriously, but it's so early in the process and so few people have seen it." Host sites for the U.S. Open are already scheduled through 2020, but other premier events, like a U.S. Amateur, USGA Open qualifier, or Metropolitan Golf Association Open, could be staged to test the site for larger, national championships. Almost every hole boasts views of the city skyline. On a few, like Nos. 6 and 7, golfers can use the Empire State Building or One World Trade Center—depending on ball flight and wind direction—as a target line. "When I learned about how [Ferry Point] was going to be a public golf course built on sand in the city of New York and you could literally see the skyline, it's a very intriguing concept and ultimately to the game of golf, to have [a course] within the five boroughs of that high quality," said Davis. Nicklaus, winner of a record 18 major championships in his playing career, has designed more than 100 courses in the U.S., though none have hosted a U.S. Open—something that could make Ferry Point even more intriguing to the USGA. "This will be one of Jack's greatest moments," said Trump. "He deserves it. Jack is a great architect and he's shown it here." Trump played nine holes at Ferry Point last week and said he aced the par-3 12th hole with an 8-iron. "Can you believe that?" he said. "It's a great omen to the course."

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Whether in San Diego for Work or Play, There are Plenty of Options for a Quickie Golf Fix

                                                 Torrey Pines Golf Course

 A destination for business and pleasure travelers alike, San Diego is a mecca for the active outdoor aficionado who, especially, has golf on the mind.  No matter how you get here or the circumstances behind your stay, it seems that there's always a little time in San Diego Country to squeeze in a quick nine holes or a full round to experience the diversity and variety of golf offered by the area.

Of all of the San Diego courses that come to mind when traveling to the area, probably the most popular is Torrey Pines South Golf Course.

           

Site of the 2008 U.S Open and the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open, Torrey Pines' cliffside location Affords panoramic ocean views beneath the area's famous hang gliders that launch from the gliderport off the back nine. The South's signature par-3 third hole showcases downtown San Diego's skyline, as, conveniently, Torrey Pines is centrally located between North Country and the City of San Diego, making it accessible no matter where home base was made.  

The Crossings at Carlsbad

For those based in North Country, the Crossing at Carlsbad is a favorite for kicking off or closing out the day with a round. San Diego's newest addition to the golf family opened in 2007 by the City of Carlsbad, and its rolling terrain and elevation changes two distinct and challenging front and back nines that play just as well as nine-hole courses as an 18-hole round.

Connected by five bridges ("crossings") in place to work with the course's environmental and topographic conditions, many holes at The Crossings boast ocean views thanks to its setting atop the city, and its Canyons Restaurant is as popular with non-golfers as those there to play thanks to its Bloody Mary bar and terraced seating that showcases San Diego's famous sunsets.

 For visitors to make the most out of the area, The Crossings is not even five minutes away from Legoland, the Carlsbad Premium Outlets, and Carlsbad beaches and dining.

Coronado Golf Course

Set beneath the iconic Coronado Bridge, Coronado Golf Course has long been one of San Diego's favorite municipal layouts thanks, in part, to its setting amidst San Diego Bay.

Located only minutes from downtown San Diego, Coronado's golf layout combines flat terrain and tree-lined fairways to create a resort-like feel, complete with views of docked sailboats and the historic Hotel Del Coronado.

Barona Creek Golf Club

Barona Creek Golf Club is the centerpiece of Barona Resort & Casino in Lakeside, located in East Country on the Barona Indian Reservation. It's beautifully peaceful and quite, while offering a nearly 7,100 yard test of golf that winds its way through the natural terrain. Archetict Todd Eckenrode pulled in inspiration from Scotland to work with the natural terrain of the land. More than 100 bunkers are strategically scattered throughout, and along with natural long grasses and the course's iconic old oak tree that splits the first fairway, it offers lots of unforced challenges.

Other San Diego stops

Sycuan Golf Resort in El Cajon is a classic 27-hole property, perfect for the golfer looking to catch a quick nine holes before or after a long day. The Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad is a popular destination for family and corporate travelers, and after reopening its Championship Course after an ectensive renovation, unviels its Legends Course renewal in late 2013. Reidy Creek Golf Course in Escondido is a  great executive course option that cuts out the par 4s and par 5s and leaves 18 tricky par-3 holes for a quick and satisfying round.

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Mystic Rock and Links Golf Courses at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Southwestern Pennsylvania: Scenery, drama and a Pete Dye challenge

Combine the name of dastardly designer Pete Dye  with these daunting numbers -- 7,526 (yards), 77.0 (course rating) and 147 (slope) -- and it's easy to see why players might be intimidated by the Mystic Rock Course at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa.

         But those with a realistic view of their ability have no reason to fear. Play from the appropriate tees, and a round at the muscular course in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania can be as satisfying as the view on the signature 12th hole, an arresting par 3 over rock and water.

Opened in 1995, Mystic Rock is one of two dramatic mountain courses at Nemacolin Woodlands. The Links Course, which traces its roots to 1970, is built on a similar tract of rugged land and comes as a surprise to those who have heard so much about Pete Dye's creation.

                        

"The course itself was amazing, talking about the Links, not Mystic Rock," wrote jepst14, of Pittsburgh. "The scenic view on each hole makes your round exciting and (it felt) like a getaway."

      Designed by William Rockwell, the par-70 Links Course checks in at 6,658 yards with a rating of 72.6 and a slope of 134. By contrast to Mystic Rock, whose 18 holes include a staggering 95 tee boxes, the Links has a traditional set of tees -- blue, white (6,274 yards) and red (4,716 yards) -- and a traditional feel.

Nothing is traditional about Mystic Rock, the result of the vision and (some say out-sized) ambition of resort owner Joe Hardy, who made his fortune with the home-improvement chain 84 Lumber.

      When Hardy brought Dye to Farmington, Pa., the legendary architect was overwhelmed by the prospect of building a course on such inhospitable land. But the promise of an unlimited budget convinced Dye to take on the project, and he went about the familiar business of moving heaven and earth.

      Dye's work is evident on virtually every hole, as sprawling bunkers extend as long as 150 yards along fairways, and decorative boulders dot the landscape and mark transition areas. Rocks also abut cart paths and water hazards. Ravines are loaded to the brim with boulders that were blasted from the land and transported.

     The result is a unique resort course with wide fairways and plenty of undulation, especially around the greens. Mystic Rock hosted the PGA Tour from 2003-06 and ranks No. 1 among public golf courses in Pennsylvania (Golfs Digest, Golfweek). The best endorsement might have come from Vijay Singh who called the majestic clubhouse the best in the world.

GolfNow.com raters rank both courses at Nemacolin Woodlands an average of 4.6 on a scale of 5, many of them impressed by the abundant amenities, including the lavish practice range, touch-screen GPS and forecaddies.

        Over the years, Mystic Rock been softened from the days when it had a 78.1 rating and 151 slope. The back tees are still as long as ever, but at 2,700 feet, distances are inflated. The next most-distant set of tees come in at 6,791 yards with a 73.5 rating and 139 slope; a course many more players can consider tackling.

"Beautiful layout (in) pristine condition," u000005180014 wrote on GolfNow.com. "Fastest greens I have ever played! Pace of play was slow at a little over 4.5 hours. Other than that, it's a must-play for any avid golfer."

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Public Golf - in All its Forms -- The Real Star of Diverse Virginia Beach, Virginia

In the heavily populated Hampton Roads, Virginia area, it's often difficult to figure out who's who and what's what. Few regions have such a plentiful mix of vacationers and residents, civilians and military, worker bees and retirees, and transients and locals.

The diverse population adds up to a large demand for public golf in an array of forms. From spectacular and pricey Bay Creek Resort on the pristine Eastern Shore; to affordable muni Lake Wright Golf Course, nestled in an urban setting in Norfolk; to meticulously landscaped housing development gem the Signature at West Neck; to private, neighborhood course-turned-upscale-muni Cypress Point Country Club, Hampton Roads has -- as the saying goes -- many different courses for different horses.

                     

An example of facilities with vastly different clientele despite their proximity and matching green fees are Stumpy Lake Golf Course and Honey Bee Golf Club, two of the seven municipal courses under the umbrella of Hampton Roads Golf Clubs.

At Stumpy Lake, a secluded, tree-lined, traditional beauty set in a wildlife preserve and designed by Robert Trent Jones, the tee sheet is full of players who approximate the age of the course, which opened in 1953.

Less than two miles away, at Honey Bee, where homes line fairways instead of trees, the crowd is younger and more diverse, drawn by the modern design (1988) of Jones' son, Rees Jones, who added definition with shaped fairways, greens and bunkers.

Another factor that guides the decisions of Hampton Roads golfers is geography. With so much of the region defined by water and so many major arteries traversing bridges, tunnels and toll booths, players must be mindful of the choke points that have to be navigated to reach the course of their choice.

For example, as one of the few courses in the under-served south side, just three miles off I-64, Cahoon Plantation Golf Club in Chesapeake, would seem to have a locational advantage. But getting there can be dicey as Route 17 narrows to a two-lane drawbridge crossing the Elizabeth River. The trip will become even more problematic over the next four years with the construction of a four-lane toll bridge.

"The one way to get here is to cross that bridge," said Dan Shea, director of golf at Cahoon Plantation. "And that’s a big consideration for people who have blocked out a specific time to play."

Those who have made the trip can attest to the excellence of Cahoon Plantation, brilliantly crafted by Tom Clark. On a flat, tree-less, windswept canvas, Clark created a course with the feel of Scotland. Raised greens give many of the holes a majestic presence. Large mounds frame generous fairways and help hide surrounding homes on the back nine.

Because Cahoon Plantation offers something unique to the area, it belongs on any list of Hampton Roads' elite publics. Narrowing the roster to 10 is difficult when one considers the illustrious names associated with the following courses -- Bay Creek (Jack Nicklaus), Bay Creek (Arnold Palmer), Virginia Beach National (Pete Dye), Riverfront Golf Club (Tom Doak), Heron Ridge Golf Club (Fred Couples), Cypress Creek (Curtis Strange), Hell's Point Golf Club(Rees Jones), Nansemond River Golf Club (Tom Steele), Lambert's Point Golf Club (Lester George), Bide-A-Wee Golf Course (Strange), Cypress Point (Clark), and Signature at West Neck (Palmer).

Nearly all of these courses were built (or redesigned) in the last 15 years. Before then, golfers in the Hampton Roads area had to truck up I-64 to Williamsburg to find a selection of quality courses at developments such as Kingsmill, Golden Horseshoe, and Fords Colony.

The forerunner of upscale public golf in the Hampton Roads area was Hell's Point (1982), now showing its age but still a great example of the ambition of the times. With much movement of earth, the course was built in the low-lying swamps west of Sandbridge with no surrounding homes.

For nearly two decades, Hell's Point remained the lone upscale public in the area. Then a wave of courses opened including Virginia Beach gems Heron Ridge (1999) and Virginia Beach National (1999). To the east came Cypress Creek (1998) in Smithfield, then Nansemond River (1999) and Riverfront (1999) in Suffolk.

Also in 1999, Strange's collaboration with Ault, Clark & Associates on a redesign of Bide-A-Wee, in an unlikely middle-class neighborhood in Portsmouth, transformed the course from old and unremarkable to fresh and upscale.

Arnold Palmer's arrival upped the ante further with the opening of Bay Creek (2001), an ambitious marina and housing project in Cape Charles, and Signature at West Neck (2002), which incorporates woodlands, wetlands, 13 lakes, and the area's most meticulous golf course landscaping.

It requires an adventurous trek across the 23-mile engineering marvel known as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to reach Bay Creek on Virginia's lightly populated Eastern Shore. But Palmer's course was so successful that Jack Nicklaus built another 18 holes there in 2006 and perhaps outdid the King with his longer, tougher layout, which has more variety and seaside holes.

After the wave of upscale public golf hit Hampton Roads like a hurricane, adding eight outstanding courses in a span of five years, new construction has slowed over the last decade. The exception is Lambert's Point, a nine-hole, par-34 municipal course, built on a landfill that juts into the Elizabeth River.

Including such a course in this discussion of stellar tracks might sound like a stretch. But with its outstanding conditions, water views, windswept character and implausible location in Norfolk, Lambert's Point is a worthy play and every bit as memorable as the grand designs of Palmer, Nicklaus, Strange, Doak and Dye.

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Stroll Down Golf's Memory Lane at the Historic Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield, New Jersey

NORTHFIELD, N.J. -- The Atlantic CityCountry Club has "it."

You know what "it" is, right? It's that cool factor that can't easily be defined or described. All the great ones have "it" -- thatstar quality shared only by the supermodels, the quarterbacks, the actors.

Count the Atlantic City Country Club among the cool crowd blessed with "it." This place exudes an elegant country club vibe few public courses can replicate. It all traces back to a deep connection to the history of the game.

That time-warp feeling is palpable once golfers step inside the clubhouse and see the memorabilia. The senses perk up simply by walking into the Taproom Bar & Grille, where classic photos cover the walls. Inside the wood-paneled locker room, it's easy to envision a young Arnold Palmer with a drink in his hand, heading into the adjacent card room for a little post-round fun.

Even the putting green outside is unique. It bleeds right into the first tee. The Atlantic City Country Club, founded in 1897, still has "it," even after all these years.

Atlantic City Country Club has a rich history

History and the Atlantic City Country Club became best friends almost immediately. The consensus no. 1 public course in New Jersey has hosted six United States Golf Association championships, including the 1901 U.S. Amateur won by Walter Travis.

In 1911, the club's head professional, Johnny J. McDermott, became the first American to win the U.S. Open, at the age of 19 -- still the record for youngest Open champion. He defended his crown in 1912 before his game and mental health deteriorated.

Babe Didrikson Zaharias, the greatest female golfer of all-time, won the 1948 U.S. Women's Open, the first of three held at the club. The course later hosted the first Senior PGA Tour event (now called the Champions Tour) in 1980.

Most noteworthy of all, perhaps, the golf terms "birdie" and "eagle" were coined at the club. A rock to commemorate the first "birdie" -- a great shot by Abner Smith that came to rest within inches of the cup on the 12th green in 1903 -- sits proudly on the grounds.

Palmer, Bob Hope and Sam Snead were regulars back in the day.

"If these walls could talk," said Charles Fahy, the general manager/director of golf at the club.

The course is the star at Atlantic City Country Club

What attracted all this history was a course worthy of legends.

The 6,577-yard, par-70 course has all the elements -- twisting tree-lined fairways, fabulous bunkering, slick slanted greens -- of a pure classic. In 1999, Tom Doak did a thoughtful restoration of a layout molded over a period of years by multiple men, including Willie Park Jr. and William Flynn.

Four mammoth par 4s on the front nine -- all play at least 417 yards from the more forgiving middle tees -- compensate for the short par 4s at the second and third holes. The 144-yard fourth hole introduces the views of Lakes Bay that stretch to the Atlantic City skyline.

A four-hole stretch on back nine dives deep into these tidal marshes. The 14th tee sits isolated as an island among the reeds. The 339-yard par 4 plays much more difficult than it should. Only the pins are visible on the 190-yard 15th hole and 157-yard 17th hole, two daunting par 3s. Once golfers reach the 18th green, it's wise to turn around for a look back. The scene of the shore and the skyline should be the enduring memory of such a grand place

Atlantic City Country Club: The verdict

It's so ironic that a casino now owns the Atlantic City Country Club since it is the antithesis of gaudy lights and flashy decor. The club remains one of the game's true treasures. It's infinitely more playable than most modern designs and the conditions are kept impeccable. When the wind kicks up, the course can be a bear, so tee it forward for a great round.

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Accuracy is Key at Los Lagos Golf Club Just South of Laughlin, Nevada

MOHAVE VALLEY, Ariz. -- Los Lagos Golf Club is golf at its simplest -- a straightforward layout that is player friendly.

The course, located 90 minutes south of Las Vegas in Laughlin, is a Ted Robinson Sr. layout that stretches to 6,804 yards from the tips. But with several elevated -- and large -- greens, it's still a solid test for all players.

"It's all laid out right in front of you," said Daniel Hegney, the head golf professional at Los Lagos. "We call it the 'Oasis in the Desert.' With the unique views and the player-friendly layout, it's the kind of golf course that brings people back."

With water coming into play on seven holes and about 40 bunkers strategically placed around the course, it's also a scenic layout

.Los Lagos Golf Club: The course

The par-72 design opens with a 407-yard par 4 that features an elevated green. Huge mounds on the right side of the fairway and a large bunker on the left cut down the landing area off the tee, giving players a taste of things to come. Take an extra club for the approach shot as anything short or left will roll back down.

Now the course starts to show its teeth. The second hole is a 209-yard par 3. Short is better than left (a bunker) or right (rough), and the green is deep. It's a hole that can cost players strokes -- and golf balls.

There are two great risk/reward holes on the course that allow players to get aggressive. The first is the 554-yard, par-5 fifth. With a pond slicing through the fairway about 270 yards off the tee, only the biggest hitters can dream about carrying the water. But a perfectly placed shot just short of the water will leave a 3-wood into a green that is guarded left by rough. The smart play is a layup to 100 yards and hit an easy wedge, setting up a birdie putt.

The best risk-reward hole is the 309-yard, par-4 14th. If you try to reach the green off the tee, good luck. You're going to need it. A bunker wanders down the entire left side of the hole, while three pot bunkers guard the front of the green. A gentle fade here is definitely the shot required if players hope to have a putt at eagle. But if you play it smart, with a long iron or hybrid off the tee, a wedge into this undulating green makes the most sense and a chance at birdie.

Richard Daggett, from Lake Havasu City, Ariz., plays Los Lagos about four times a month.

"The course is laid out well and really suits my eye," Daggett said. "And the price is right. There are four sets of tees. so it is set up for golfers of every ability. It's just a nice course."

The course finishes with a dandy. The 18th hole is a 446-yard par 4 that favors a fade. A water hazard slices through the fairway about 270 yards off the tee. Players need to be careful if they reach for driver. Big hitters (and we mean really big hitters) can carry the water on the right side. The left side is off limits for a carry because of the length to reach the water. But that side is perfect for a layup with a good angle to approach the green. Being on the proper level of this huge green is a must as a 100-foot putt (or more) is possible.

"The 18th is certainly our signature hole," Hegney said. "It's a great golf hole with water and desert coming into play. It's difficult and the approach to the green is just fabulous."

In the clubhouse

From clubs to clothing to shoes (and even experienced golf balls for sale), if you need it, it's here -- or the staff will be happy to order it for you. Grab a bite to eat before or after the round in the spacious clubhouse.Los Lagos Golf Club: The verdict

Looks can be deceiving. While Los Lagos Golf Club looks like a pushover, it's anything but. Players must think their way around the course, and accuracy -- both off the tee and with approach shots -- is at a premium.

"There are great views of the mountains, and it's a golf course that's not lined with a lot of homes," Hegney said. "Everyone who comes out loves the course. There are flowers everywhere and it's a nice layout. It's just fun to play."

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Feel like golf royalty in Scotland: Choose from Gleneagles' three great courses

ERTHSHIRE, Scotland -- The green fee at glorious Gleneagles varies from $115 to $280 according to the time of the year and whether or not you're staying in the magnificent hotel, but it matters not which course you play -- King's, Queen's or PGA Centenary.

Very unusually for a resort with three courses -- possibly uniquely -- there's no stand-out, this is the one-you-brag-to-your-friends-you've-played course. A good case can be made for each that, if you only have time for one round, this is the one to tee it up on.

Gleneagles' King's Course

From the very outset 100 years ago when five-time Open champion James Braid first set foot on the perfect moorland turf and admired the most glorious of settings, the intention was to create three golf courses.

Gleneagles' King's Course came first, and although construction was interrupted by the First World War, it opened to great acclaim on May 1, 1919, and has more than held its own ever since.

Despite being more than 500 feet above sea level, it possesses quite a few of the characteristics more commonly associated with the sort of genuine links courses with which Braid would have been very familiar. Foremost amongst these is the resilient turf on a gravelly sub-soil.

The striking undulations, sandy ridges, rough hollows and incessant breezes will have reinforced the familiar linksy feel, but the ravines and towering pines will have presented refreshingly novel challenges. But Braid embraced them enthusiastically.

Although at a tad less than 6,800 yards, it's not especially long by modern standards. The dramatic elevation changes render calculating distance decidedly tricky and make it feel longer than it is. The now-iconic first that stares you straight in the face and is home to the steepest bunker in Gleneagles, if not the whole of Perthshire, provides an accurate foretaste of what lies ahead as the King's is the hilliest of the three, has more sand that the other two and boasts the largest greens.

As he looked up at the opening hole, Lee Trevino remarked, "If heaven is anything like this, I hope they save me a tee-time."

Gleneagles' Queen's Course

Whereas King's is an outward-looking course with spectacular views over the nearby Ochil Hills and the Grampians and Trossachs beyond, Gleaneagles' Queen's Course is more inward looking with imposing pines atop ridges providing shelter that creates a genuine sense of intimacy.

Also designed by Braid but initially only nine holes, the full 18 on the Queen's opened for business in September 1925. Not quite 6,000 yards off the back tees and consequently significantly shorter than the King's, it is often thought of as the younger sister and mistakenly regarded by some as the easiest at Gleneagles.

"In my opinion, it's the most underrated of the three," remarked Andrew Jowette, the head professional.

What it may lack in yards, it would appear to make up in popularity as a straw poll among members revealed it to be comfortably ahead of the other two. Even the taxi driver who drove me up there said it was the best. (And you couldn't find a more authoritative and reliable source than that, surely!)

"Those who don't know it very well think it must be short and easy, which it most certainly isn't," observed Jowette. "The first six holes are often into the wind, incredibly tough and are exceptionally strong. You have to get through them and then make your score."

As with the King's, significant elevation changes put a premium on distance control and correct club selection.

Survive the first half-a-dozen and then admire the next six holes, which are quite breathtakingly beautiful. With the yellow from the gorse and broome gradually giving way to purple as the heather flowers in late summer, the scenery is simply dazzling.

Gleneagles' PGA Centenary Course

Originally christened the Monarch's Course when it opened in 1993, what is now known as Gleneagles' PGA Centenary was designed by Jack Nicklaus and is very different from its two near neighbors. At 7,300 yards, it is the longest inland golf course in Scotland and has clearly been conceived on the grand scale.

It's unmistakably a stadium course with generous fairways, splendid vantage points and deliberate matchplay holes that should make for a memorable Ryder Cup next September. Quite a bit of tweaking was carried out last winter in an effort to improve it further, and no fewer than 12 holes were altered.

The most significant changes were made to the ninth and 18th, both of which are par 5s and should offer up some birdies, eagles and witness significant swings in fortune.

"It's not the most difficult golf course in the world, but it wasn't meant to be," observed Jack Nicklaus. "I didn't want to ruin it for the guests and members."

It's the only course at Gleneagles where you don't need to produce a medical certificate in order to take a cart, which goes some way to meeting the criticism that it's more than a few yards from quite a few of the greens to the next tee.

There are some Europeans who feel it's too "American" and will therefore play into the hands of the opposition. They would rather the King's had been chosen as the Ryder Cup course for the 2014 matches. In answer to that, the experts explain that the PGA Centenary is the only one that could accommodate the 45,000 or so spectators who will descend on Gleneagles next September.

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Wild Pigs Ravage Golf Course, Neighborhood

Hogging the golf course may not be proper etiquette, but the pigs around Almaden Country Club in San Jose, Calif., have no use for protocol, and it has the community squealing. The feral pigs are tearing up the grass and digging holes in search of food and water.

According to the county club, the cluster of pigs is extracting water from the grass, roots, insects in the ground, and anywhere else they find it on the golf course. “It is not a new problem,” said Janice Mackey, public information officer for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “It’s been going on quite a while, we have instances of pigs coming down and uprooting in various locations. It happens periodically and there is no rhyme or reason to it. It could be in search of food and water, but I would not single that out as the single cause.” The pigs, which the city’s Animal Care and Services webpage says originally descended from “introductions of European wild hogs for sporting purposes, and from escaped domestic swine that have established feral populations,” come down from the nearby mountains and although the club does have a fence, the pigs dig underneath it. Country club general manager Robert Sparks told ABC News affiliate KGO that he is fed up with the animals.

“We’ve had an invasion of up to about 40 wild pigs onto the club property,” Sparks told KGO. “We’re talking anywhere from about 200- to 300-pound, large pigs, the males with tusks.”

Ted Barikmo, who lives in the neighborhood and took video of the pigs in his yard, told ABC affiliate KGO that the pigs have become more aggressive over the years. “Years ago, you would see them once in a while, very rarely and they’d smell you, and they would run, Barikmo said. “Now they’re a little more brazen and they look at you and they don’t really mind seeing you.” It is not just the cosmetic aspect and expensive damage to the course and neighborhood lawns that is upsetting the community. “We’ve had stories of the pigs out on the street encountering joggers, dogs, people walking children and people are concerned about the safety of their children,” Sparks told KGO. According to the City of San Jose website, “Wild hogs are typically not aggressive and will retreat if approached. However, when cornered, wounded, or defending young, they may charge and are capable of inflicting serious wounds with their razor sharp tusks.” Mackey suggests community members turn on automated sprinklers to deter the pigs from uprooting their yards. She says people can also close their garbage lids and pick up fallen fruit, put up a fence, and install automated lights.

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Sikta Golf Course Ground Skeeper Charged with Attempting to Poison Bears

Wildlife Trooper Jake Abbott says the investigation shows golf course employee, Kevin Taranoff, placed food laced with anti-freeze coolant near the Sea Mountain Restaurant.

The poisonous food could be what killed two dogs that visited the area last week.

A month ago, the bears tore holes in the golf course. At Taranoff’s request, the Department of Fish and Game set a bear trap, but Abbott says Taranoff ended up taking matters into his own hands. “At that time the grounds keeper had made some comments along the lines of ‘if you don’t deal with the bear I will.’  So upon hearing that I became suspicious that this person had most likely attempted to poison the bears as a way of dealing with the bear problem,” Abbot says. Taranoff  told several Sea Mountain employees about his attempt to poison the bears, Abbott says. After the dog deaths and those conversations, Abbott filed charges and cited Taranoff on Wednesday. “He subsequently admitted that he was the person who had tried to poison the brown bears,” Abbott says. Taranoff acted alone without the permission or knowledge of golf course management. He is facing a maximum penalty of a $10,000 fine, or one year in jail, or both.

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Naperville Park District considering upgrades to golf course clubhouses

By Melissa Jenco, Chicago Tribune Reporter

6:14 p.m CDT, October 25, 2013 

The Naperville Park District's two golf course clubhouses may be getting upgrades they hope will bring them up to par.

Park officials are exploring several options for the facilities constructed more than 20 years ago and say they hope the changes will entice golfers to stick around after they play.

"The focus groups, they say I don't see anything in this shack … basically, that you call a clubhouse," Park District Executive Director Ray McGury said.

He stressed the Park District will be aiming to give the clubhouses a face lift and the feel of sports bars. It will not be transforming them into upscale banquet facilities like those at Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton or the Bolingbrook Golf Club.

Most of Naperville Park District's focus is on Springbrook Golf Course the busier of the two courses. Three options are on the table. Option A would include new tables and chairs, fresh paint, more TVs and a limited bar. Ed Provow, director of golf, said the current tables and chairs are original to the facility and have been breaking.

"We've got our money out of them," he said. "It's time to upgrade a little bit."

On the outside, the Park District would update the patio and furnish it with TVs and more tables. Preliminary cost estimates put Option A at about $391,000.

Option B would include the upgrades from the first option on the inside, but would have a full-service bar with draft beer and mixed drinks. Outside, it calls for a covered patio.

"A solid porch certainly would help against the elements, it help with outside TVs," Provow said.

This option would cost about $670,000.

He called Option C the "lipstick option," and said it would include new paint, carpeting and chairs. It would cost about $95,000.

Regardless of which option is chosen, the Park District also is looking into purchasing new frying equipment that would allow Springbrook to expand the menu.

"I think we're looking at trying to utilize the concession area, more food and beverage, create sort of a bar type of atmosphere and more bar food so that people feel comfortable staying around after their round," Commissioner Marie Todd said.

At Naperbrook Golf Course, the Park District is considering new tables and chairs, paint and carpeting as well as additional TVs. Crews also would fix the pavers on the patio that have been buckling. Officials estimate the cost would be just over $189,000.

"Just dress it up, clean it up," Provow said.

Officials are still discussing how the renovation work would be funded. Typically golf course operations and projects come out of a golf fund, which gets its revenue from the fees golfers pay.

The Park District is discussing the possibility of a small rate increase at its courses, but McGury said that is to cover other expenses and is not tied to the proposed renovations.

Commissioner Bill Eagan said he is leaning toward Option B if the district moves forward with renovations, but he and others expressed concern over the future of golf.

"What if golf falls back in the next couple years, people don't come back to golfing?" he asked.

Todd said if the Park District expands its concessions, it would bring in more revenue even if the number of rounds does not increase. McGury also said golf operations are on track to be in the black this year.

Commissioners will vote on a renovation plan before the end of the year, according to McGury. If one is approved, the major work could start in the fall of 2014 and be ready during the 2015 golf season.

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