 |
Here is a plan
to the left that illustrates the changes that have
been made to the course. Pictured at the top of the
plan is hole 8 which you can read about above. The
far, left hole is hole 1. The hole in the middle is
hole 9. Changes will be coming to that hole in 2011.
The spur to the right is hole 18. You will see
pictures of that hole below, as well as hole 1,
which is where we will start. |
 |
The plan to the
left depicts hole 1. Throughout the renovation
process we have sought to manipulate straight holes
by adding bunkers in line between the tee and the
green to create some movement in the fairways and to
introduce more strategy in the play of the holes.
Here, the plan shows two bunkers along the left side
of the hole that come into the straight line between
the tee and the green. The player may work the ball
around the bunkers, but the long hitter must be
careful of another fairway bunker down the right
side closer to the green.
The green has been expanded
outward to capture some magnificent perimeter pin
placements. You can see the line for the original
green which is more like a small oval. The front
part of the green descends sharply from the green to
the fairway so the front pin positions are
especially challenging. There were three small
bunkers around the green. We combined them into one
large bunker that wraps around the entire green
except for the front. The bunker to the left of hole
1 green is shared with hole 7 green which is to the
left of the bunker. |
 |
Pictured to the
left is the tee shot. There are some mighty trees to
the right of the fairway which must be considered in
shaping the shot. The fairway bunkers are built into
the ground so they are not easily spotted from the
tee. |
 |
Here is the left
fairway bunker which we made one bunker instead of
the two depicted in the plan. The bunker comes into
the fairway at an angle. Just beyond the bunker the
fairway moves back to the left so that a player
could also play a left to right shot to avoid the
large tree to the right and still find fairway
beyond the bunker.
All of the pictures in this
series were taken during the grow-in phase shortly
after the construction was completed. |
 |
Pictured to the
left is the second fairway bunker closer to the
green and on the right side. The mighty hitter who
wants to get close to the green for their approach
shot must account for this strategically placed
bunker. |
 |
This picture is
taken from just short of the green. There is a sharp
rise from the fairway to the green; except for that
the green is close to the level of the fairway. You
get a glimpse to the right of the bunker that
surrounds the green. The green for hole 7 can be
seen to the left. It is separated from hole 1 green
by the wrap around bunker. |
 |
Pictured to the
left is the beginning of the bunker along the right
side of the green. All around the perimeter of the
green the edge of the putting surface slopes toward
the bunker. Notice in the back, right corner of the
green how sharply the ground descends toward the
bunker. This is an especially challenging pin
position there. |
 |
The picture here
to the left just slightly misses that challenging
pin position mentioned above. The bunker wraps
around the back side and challenges the player to be
precise with their pitch shot to pin positions
toward the back of the green. |
 |
Here is a
picture from the back, left part of the green
looking toward the fairway. Just to the right of the
bunker is the green for hole 7. Again, notice how
the edge of the green falls toward the bunker. |
 |
Now we are
standing to the right of hole 7 green looking toward
hole 1 green. The gentleman in the red shirt in the
picture above is in about the same position in this
picture. He is the person to the left of the three
people standing in the bunker. |
 |
The plan to the
left depicts the new addition to Moorestown that
will be the green for hole 18. The area was formerly
a small practice area. The new hole will play from
the teeing area of the present hole 9 and will be a
slight dogleg to the left. The landing area for the
tee shot will be a part of the renovation work in
2011. Most of what is depicted here has been
installed with the addition of another fairway
bunker to the left of the fairway. This bunker along
with the two approach bunkers to the right challenge
the player who must lay up on their approach shot.
In addition the player coming into the green from
the right side to a pin position in the front, right
portion of the green must be careful of the one
approach bunker that was moved in a little closer to
the green because of a pronounced slope in the
fairway that descends from the green to the bunker.
We decided to leave out the right greenside bunker
and instead use the steep slope clothed in short
grass as a worthy challenge. |
 |
Pictured to the
left is a view from the new fairway leading up to
hole 18 green. To the left of the fairway is the
fairway bunker that was installed after the plan was
done above. There is a glimspe of the two bunkers to
the right of the fairway, and the green in the
middle distance. |
 |
The fairway
bunker to the right is in a direct line between the
landing area and the green. It is a challenge to the
player who must lay up short of the green
particularly if the pin is in the back, left part of
the green as a shot close to this bunker makes for
the best angle from which to approach the pin. |
 |
Here is a close
up shot from that angle that is best taken into the
pin positions in the left portion of the green. |
 |
A greenside
bunker along the left side sits well below the
green. A careful shot must be played into pin
positions in the left part of the green because of
the tight turf that descends sharply from the green
to the bunker. |
 |
Depicted to the
left is the plan for the renovation of hole 9. The
green will be expanded to recapture lost pin areas.
Three fairway bunkers will be installed. The left
bunker is in a direct line between the tee and the
green making the hole play more like a doglegged
left hole. This project, which will happen in 2011,
will complete the renovations of the nine hole
course. Each year the changes have been met with
surprise, excitement and some concern. As the
membership have become accustomed to the changes
they have been very pleased with their "new" course.
The course still has the same feel as the old
course, but the playing strategies have been
dramatically improved making for a much more
enjoyable adventure. Another benefit is that the
long term implementation plan has allowed the Club
to make the improvements without incurring any debt.
There was some debate in the beginning about closing
the course and making the renovations in one season.
In the long run this approach would have cost much
less, but now that we are nearing the end of
renovations the important thoughts to consider are
that the Club was very fortunate to have solid
leadership through the whole process, and the future
is bright because of their commitment to invest in
their most important asset: the golf course. |
