Long Range Improvement Plan Presentation for The Congress Lake Club August 23, 2007
History: 1919 Willie Park designs 18 hole layout (Greens 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 & 18 were retained by Ross with 3, 5, 9 & 18 being entirely original Park greens). 1926 Re-design by Donald J. Ross. 1929 Course under construction.
Goals: Provide interesting golf experience for all members. Create more strategy and shot-value. Bring course to today s standards. Emphasize natural elements of our terrain. Provide consistent play from bunkers and green surrounds. Restore design intent of original course layout.
Key Elements: Four teeing areas Blue White Gold Green Proposed Current 6605 yds.6538 yds. 6176 yds.6117 yds. 5818 yds.5823 yds. 5398 yds.5288 yds. *Gold and Green tees will play at par 73 for women golfers.
Key Elements: Bunkers Tees Fairways Greens Trees Cart paths
Forse Design Our Practice Established May 1989. Consulted for over 125 golf courses. From Maine to Miami, Connecticut to California and Canada. Numerous new golf courses. All scopes of projects. Adapted to the styles of over 27 separate golf architects from every design era, from Bendelow and Findlay to RTJ and Wilson. (Example LuLu vs. Manufacturer s) End product looks like original architect was there, not FDI. Known for state of the art construction documents. Budget keeper. Accurate cost estimates. Advocate and representative for Owner, not contractor (No potential conflict of interest). Enduring Client/Architect relationships. Rankings raiser.
Ron Forse President Ron Forse, president of Forse Design, Inc. has been practicing golf course architecture for 18 years. His firm has performed over 80 restorations of classic golf courses and has been involved in dozens of renovations and improvements to private and daily-fee golf courses. Forse Design has also crafted new golf course projects. Mr. Forse s background includes work in civil engineering and city planning firms. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from West Virginia University in 1979, he instructed part-time at a branch campus for Penn State University. He has been an instructor for two seminars for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. He is a member of the Donald Ross Society, the Tillinghast Association and the Seth Raynor Society. A frequent conference speaker, Ron makes presentations at regional state and USGA sessions. He has contributed information for published material covering Classic Golf Architecture. His mention in those books is a testament to his knowledge and dedication to the classic origins of golf architecture.
Jim Nagle Design Associate Jim Nagle, Design Associate, joined Forse Design in early 1998 after nearly 5 years with Derck & Edson Associates Landscape Architects, Land Planners and Civil Engineers (D&E). While at D&E, Jim worked on a variety of small and large scale projects with roles from project designer to project manager. Jim has been practicing golf course design for 10 years. Prior to graduating from West Virginia University in 1993 with Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture, Jim served as a design team member with the golf design firm of Dye Design International in Denver, CO. Since joining Ron, Jim has been engaged in all aspects of the golf design and construction process. Jim provides support for Ron on many projects and also manages projects from the interview stage through construction completion. Jim is greatly involved with the interaction and coordination of multi-disciplinary projects. Jim is also a conference speaker and regularly instructs Landscape Architecture and Turfgrass students at various universities.
Noteworthy Regional Projects: *THE KAHKWA CLUB Erie, PA *KIRTLAND C.C. Willoughby, OH SPRINGFIELD C.C. Springfield, OH LANCASTER C.C. Lancaster, OH OAKWOOD C.C. Cleveland, OH NEW CASTLE C.C. New Castle, PA SUNNEHANNA C.C. Johnstown, PA THE OLD COURSE @ BEDFORD SPRINGS RESORT Bedford, PA *THE LONGUE VUE CLUB Verona, PA *BUTLER COUNTRY CLUB Butler, PA *C.C. of BUFFALO Buffalo, NY *Active Projects
Selected Noteworthy Projects: THE BEDFORD SPRINGS RESORT Bedford, PA NEWPORT C.C. Newport, RI *THE BROADMOOR RESORT Colorado Springs, CO METAIRIE C.C. Metairie, LA (see April 2007 issue of Links ) *BALD PEAK COLONY CLUB Melvin Village, NH RIVIERA C.C. Palisades, CA *INDIAN CREEK C.C. Miami, FL SUNNEHANNA C. C. Johnstown, PA PHILADELPHIA C. C. Philadelphia, PA LEHIGH C.C. Allentown, PA *KIRTLAND C.C. Willoughby, OH SAUCON VALLEY C.C. Bethlehem, PA *MANCHESTER C.C. Manchester, NH NEW HAVEN C.C. New Haven, CT CALGARY G & C.C. Calgary, Alberta, CA *ATHENS C.C. Athens, GA *LANCASTER C.C. Lancaster, PA SALEM C.C. Salem, MA *Active Projects
CHAMPIONSHIP VENUES: USGA Championships - THE BROADMOOR RESORT Colorado Springs, CO (2008 USGA Sr. Open & 2011 USGA Women s Open) NEWPORT C.C. Newport, RI (2006 USGA Women s Open) THE KAHKWA CLUB Erie, PA (2004 USGA Women s Amateur) PHILADELPHIA C. C. Philadelphia, PA (2003 USGA Women s Amateur) BROOKLAWN C.C. Fairfield, CT (2003 USGA Girls Jr. Championship) ECHO LAKE C.C. Westfield, NJ (2002 USGA Jr. Girls Championship) SALEM C.C. Salem, MA (2001 USGA Senior Open) ALLEGHENY C.C. Sewickley, PA (2001 USGA Sr. Women s Amateur Championship) SAUCON VALLEY C.C. Bethlehem, PA (2000 USGA Senior Open) C.C. OF YORK York, PA (1999 USGA Jr. Amateur) RIVIERA C.C. Palisades, CA (1998 USGA Sr. Open & PGA Tour Sony Open) BRAE BURN C.C. West Newton, MA (1997 USGA Women s Amateur)
TOURNAMENT VENUES: PGA TOURNAMENTS - RIVIERA C.C. Palisades, CA (Sony Open) COG HILL G & C.C. Lemont, IL (Western Open) LPGA TOURNAMENTS - CORNING C.C. Corning, NY (Corning Open) NATIONAL AMATEUR TOURNAMENTS - WANNAMOISETT C.C. Rumford, RI (Northeast Amateur) SUNNEHANNA C.C. Johnstown, PA (Sunnehanna Amateur) C.C. of MOBILE Mobile, AL (National Collegiate Invitational)
CLASSIC COURSES RANKINGS RAISED: SUNNEHANNA C.C. Johnstown, PA LEHIGH C.C. Allentown, PA PHILADELPHIA C.C. Philadelphia, PA MANUFACTURERS G. & C.C. Fort Washington, PA SALEM C.C. Salem, MA LAWSONIA LINKS C.C. Green Lake, WI NEWPORT C.C. Newport, RI WANNAMOISETT C.C. East Providence, RI LANCASTER C.C. Lancaster, PA ROLLING GREEN C.C. Springfield, PA
The Four Point Approach for a Long Range Improvement Plan 1. Safety 2. Player Enjoyment 3. Maintenance 4. Aesthetics
The Three Elements of a Good Golf Course 1. Strategy 2. Variety 3. Naturalness
The Big Distance Issue Driver technology has had the greatest impact on shot length and golf course integrity in the past 10 years. Driver Ultimization / Disproportionate advantage for The Rich 2005 Champions (50+) Tour Driving Distance Rankings: Rank Name Avg. Distance 1 st Dan Pohl 300.5 yds 10 th Lonnie Nielson 287.4 yds 20 th Gary Koch 282 yds 30 th Tom Watson 278.8 yds Only at 53 rd place does the average distance drop below 270 yds. (Source: Golfweek Dec. 10-17, 2005) Average driving distance on the PGA Tour increased from 279.2 yds in 2002 to 288.9 yds in 2005. During that time, the driving average of the top 50 players jumped from 289.3 yds to 300.6 yds, (Source: Golfweek Jan. 14, 2006)
THE CONGRESS LAKE CLUB AERIAL PHOTO CIRCA 1942 PHOTO COURTESY OF: MR. CRAIG DISHER
THE CONGRESS LAKE CLUB AERIAL PHOTO CIRCA 2005 +/- GOOGLE EARTH PHOTOGRAPH
BUNKER EXAMPLES THE OLD COURSE BEDFORD SPRINGS RESORT AND THE PENISULA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Peninsula G & C.C. San Mateo, CA Hole #8 Before/After
Peninsula G & CC Hole #6 (Before)
Peninsula G & CC Hole #6 (After)
Peninsula G & CC Hole #7 (After)