The plans for Old Sandwich’s Short Game Area call for renovating and improving the practice facilities in a variety of ways. The goals/key points of emphasis are as follows:
• Break-up the 1 large green into 5 smaller greens while retaining a similar overall footprint. (Re-use the approx 18,000sf of green sod.)
• Create more variety and usable areas around the greens to chip/pitch from without adding significantly more area.
• Simulate common recovery shots from the real golf course.
• Design should emphasize better practice habits and give more realistic feedback.
• With multiple other practice areas on property, the Short Game Area should provide greenside recoveries different from Driving Range.
• Develop a flexible routing where the Short Game Area could be used as a chipping or small par-3 course in afternoons or special events.
• Emphasize chipping, bunker shots and other recovery shots, not putting. Greens should run approx 90% standard or the main course or higher if possible.
Other notes:
We will invest significant thought and effort into creating five small greens that faithfully capture the visual, stylistic, and essence of Old Sandwich’s renowned Coore and Crenshaw design in the reimagined short game area. The objective of this redesign is to authentically replicate the intricacies, shot types, and even some nearly identical features from the world-famous golf course to provide a realistic and rewarding experience for practicing short game recovery shots. Agonomcially, the short game area has also been designed to match the course and use materials already available on-site wherever possible.
The area will feature mounds, swales, contours, and tightly mown turf to seamlessly connect the elements, allowing golfers to spread out and practice a variety of shots. Additionally, we will incorporate various bunker types found on the course, ranging from small ones like the example on #5 to the deep grass-faced bunkers that surround #5 green, and even the signature bunker on #7 with islands, each requiring different shot techniques.
Phase One of the course Master Plan commenced in the fall of 2022 and so far nearly half the course has been renovated. With Phase two being open for play in 2024.
It has been a dream come true to develop this Master Plan for The Patterson Club and follow in the footsteps of Robert Trent Jones, one of the most renowned golf course architects in history. Over the last year, the committee and I have put a lot of hard work into developing this plan for the course, and we are excited to present the Master Plan to the membership. This booklet outlines our goals, plans, and the process we have gone through to improve The Patterson Club’s golf course for the next generation of members.
After spending 20 days on-site, I have developed a deep appreciation for the beautiful and diverse property and have dedicated myself to creating a comprehensive master plan for the golf course. I have thoroughly studied the course’s history and unique features, both natural and man-made, and have poured my heart and soul into this project to honor the natural beauty of The Patterson Club while also making the course more enjoyable and playable for future generations of members. I’ve collaborated closely with a passionate team of committee members to ensure we enhance Robert Trent Jones’ design for the modern membership. Throughout, I’ve kept in mind the critical eye of Mr. Jones and done my best to restore and incorporate some of his distinctive features back into the course we all enjoy so much. I firmly believe that using Patterson’s incredible property and rich history as our guide, we will enhance the golf course so it is more enjoyable and solidifies its place among the very best in Connecticut.
The Patterson Club has some of the most passionate memberships I have ever worked with. The committee’s dedication to this project has made it enjoyable. Throughout the interview process and over the past year of planning, this diverse committee has impressively considered every aspect of the membership, ensuring that every facet of the membership was thought of and reflected in this plan. Every level of golfer has been carefully considered, as have the infrastructure needs, conditions, and other key long-term goals of the club. We presented the initial design concepts through a series of walkthroughs and then meticulously refined this master plan to serve as the long-term road map for all future course renovations. Currently, we’re contemplating a plan to implement the entire plan in one large construction project. Instead of multiple years of disruption and discontinuity, the committee and board believes it is best to get everything done at once. The specifics are still being determined, but I eagerly anticipate a hands-on role, personally shaping the new features of the course during the construction project. Regardless of the timeline we complete the work in, this master plan serves as the foundation for the club, to be implemented as funds become available.
During the development of this master plan, I’ve dedicated an extensive amount of time on-site, investing hundreds of hours in analyzing how to update Robert Trent Jones’ original design for the modern membership and also incorporate the clearly laid out goals of the club and committee to expand the practice facilities at the same time. I’ve delved into the course’s design evolution, tracing it back to the days of the old 6th green perched on top of the hill between #5-6, and considered numerous solutions to improving the 18th hole in a way that also creates room for a full-sized driving range and short game area. We considered a small handful of re-routing options, and believe we have settled on the best option, which preserves the best parts of the course, solves the biggest issues on #18 and will give the members the best all-around golf facility they could have hoped for. I’ve also studied how the course is played by all skill levels, its daily maintenance requirements, its day-to-day conditions, and its resilience in the face of heavy rainstorms, ensuring the golf course will play and function better for the next generation of members.
The golf course and master plan have undergone thorough analysis and critique by our dedicated group of members, and our exceptional professional, and superintendent. This once-in-a-generation master plan is aimed at enhancing the golf experience for the entire membership in a lasting manner. This historically based renovation of Patterson’s golf course will make it more authentic to its original design, as well as enjoyable and engaging for the entire membership.
It has been an honor working with Tavistock Country Club and the committee to develop this long-range master plan for the course over the last year and half. I have been tremendously excited about this plan since my first bitter cold walk around Alex Findlay’s charming layout. I’ve been intrigued by the quirky mounds, the trenchy bunkers and the amazing greens and believe that Tavistock’s property has all the right ingredients to take the golf course that we all know and love, and make it even more fun to play every day.
Tavistock has some of the most passionate memberships I have ever worked with, and I have enjoyed both walking and playing the course with the committee. From the interview process, throughout the last year + of planning have done a wonderful job making sure that every facet of the membership was thought of and reflected in this plan. Every level of golfer has been carefully considered as have the infrastructure needs, conditions and other key long term goals of the club. The committee has been incredibly welcoming and encouraging of all of the ideas put forward throughout the process and we have carefully edited and crafted this master plan to be the long term road map for which all future renovations to the course should be done. At this time, there are no imminent projects scheduled, it is simply been designed to be the base and a true master plan for the club to implement over time as funds are available.
During the course of developing this master plan, I have spent over 20 days on property and hundreds of hours analyzing how Tavistock’s course plays for all skill levels; how it functions for everyday maintenance, and how it responds after big rain storms. I have studied how the original architect, Alexander Findlay, intended the course to play, and its design evolution as the property boundaries changed and more. The golf course has been rigorously analyzed and critiqued by the dedicated group of members, the course’s outstanding professional and superintendent to make sure that this once in a generation master plan improves the golf experience for the entire membership in a manner that endures.
This historically based renovation of Tavistock’s golden age golf course will make it more fun, interesting and playable for the large and diverse membership and bring it up to modern standards from the maintenance and conditioning perspective as well. The plan restores some of the original holes and features where they remain and are applicable for modern golf, based on the 1921 – 1930’s period, prior to the changes to the southern boundary holes. The plan contemplates no routing changes or new holes.
It has been designed to take the course the membership knows, loves, and has been playing for over 100 years, and uses the club’s history as a guide, to maximize every bit of fun and interest possible.
While not every aspect of the course can be authentically restored due to changes over time, the plan tries hard improve the strategies of non-Findlay holes using golden age and the best of Tavistock’s history where possible. It also takes advantage of this important chance to update the course for the modern game, its strategies and conditions. A fair portion of this plan mixes Findlay’s style with, to the modern game, and our own original ideas as well will be the best version of Tavistock for the next generation of member play. It will present a tougher challenge for elite players. And more importantly it will offer the typical member the most enjoyable golden age golf experience the property has to offer.
When complete Tavistock will stand out as a dazzling gem among southern New Jersey and Philly area clubs for its unique features and fabulous old school presentation. The bones of one of the best golf experiences in the area are still alive and well, and the opportunity to maximize the potential of Tavistock is tremendously exciting. When executed properly Tavistock should be one of the best courses in the state and is certain to make all the snooty club’s in Northern NJ turn their heads!
It has been a dream come true to develop this Master Plan for The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club and follow in the footsteps of American golf legends, John Reid, Willie Tucker, who created Mount Hope, James Braid and Jack Nicklaus, who made the course what it is today. The opportunity to create this plan for the most historic golfing grounds in the country has been the most important project of my life. Over the last year, the committee and I have put a lot of thought, time, research, and hard work into developing this plan for the course, and we are excited to present the Master Plan to the membership. This booklet outlines our goals, plans, and the process we have gone through to improve the golf course at Saint Andrew’s Golf Club for the next 100 years by returning to its roots.
After spending over 20 days on-site, I have developed a deep appreciation for the beautiful and diverse property, dedicating myself to creating a comprehensive master plan for the golf course. I have extensively researched the history and distinctive characteristics of the course, including its natural and man-made features. It pays tribute to the natural beauty and history of The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club, while also improving the course to make it more enjoyable and playable for future generations of members. Working closely with a dedicated team of committee members, we are sure the Master Plan will enhance the historic golfing grounds for the benefit of the modern membership. Throughout the process, the club’s important place in the history of golf has been top of mind. The plan restores and incorporates some of the original features back into the course we all enjoy so much. I firmly believe that using
Saint Andrew’s incredible property and rich history as our guide, the Master Plan will enhance the golf course so it is more enjoyable, meets its potential as a fun, but challenging golf course to play every day, and help it properly represent its important place in history as the oldest golf club in the country and a founder of the USGA.
The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club has some of the most passionate memberships I have ever worked with. The committee’s dedication to this project has made it enjoyable. Throughout the process and over the past year of planning, this diverse committee has impressively considered every aspect of the membership, ensuring that every facet of the membership was thought of and reflected in this plan. Every level of golfer has been carefully considered, as have the infrastructure needs, conditions, and other key long-term goals of the club. We presented the initial design concepts through a series of walkthroughs and then meticulously refined this master plan to serve as the long-term road map for all future course renovations. The club is considering a series of phased projects where the plan can be implemented over time. The specifics are still being determined, but I eagerly anticipate a hands-on role, personally shaping the features in our Victorian Age revival when construction projects are planned.
Regardless of the timeline we complete the work, this master plan serves as the foundation for the club and will be implemented as funds become available.
During the development of this master plan, hundreds of hours have been spent analyzing how to convert the current Jack Nicklaus design back into a golf course that looks and strategically plays like a golf course from 1888 while also improving the conditions. While the property has changed, we have delved into the course’s design evolution, tracing it back to 1902 when the club moved to Mount Hope and considered numerous solutions to improving the club’s oldest holes while addressing and some of the newest holes on the west side of the road. We considered a small handful of re-routing options and believe we have settled on the best option, which preserves the best parts of the course, solves the biggest issues with flooding and everyone’s least favorite hole #9, and will give the members the best all-around golf facility they could have hoped for. The Master Plan takes into account how the course is played by all skill levels, its daily maintenance requirements, its day-to-day conditions, and its resilience in the face of heavy rainstorms, ensuring the golf course will play and function better for the next generation of members.
The golf course and master plan have undergone thorough analysis and critique by our dedicated group of members and our exceptional professional and superintendent. This once-in-a-generation master plan is aimed at enhancing the golf experience for the entire membership in a lasting manner. This historically based Victorian Revival, which is a part renovation and part restoration, will make The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club more authentic, as well as enjoyable and engaging for the entire membership.
Morris County
We’ve commenced our resotration of a Seth Raynor course in New Jersey.
