Not anymore.
Last week, Kenmark Golf Management and Half Moon Bay Golf Links announced that they would be enhancing the renowned Ocean Course to provide a true links-style playing experience. For General Manager Bill Troyanoski, the decision to change the course was made in order to return the course to its original intent.
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Designed by famed golf architect, Arthur Hills, the Ocean Course was open in 1997 as a traditional links golf course. Links courses are typically situated in coastal locales and are known for their firm and fast playing surfaces.
Famous links courses include St. Andrews in Scotland and the site of the most recent British Open Championship, Turnberry.
Troyanoski believed that the changes would instill a renewed sense of excitement and require golfers to approach each shot creatively.
(The Ocean Course) has been maintained since its opening like that of our parklands course or Old Course and the design characteristics are not consistent with that,” he said. “We’re re-establishing maintenance practices to get the ball to move along the ground and with more options for short shots into green complexes.”
Whether these changes will provide golfers with more excitement or headaches remains to be seen. Once all modifications are completed golfers will have to contend much more with bounces, rolls and course curves.
“The quality of the shot has more significance than the distance, shifting the premium from length and power to accuracy and creativity,” Troyanoski said in a press release. “The ground game will come back into play and be a major factor, and the emphasis on the aerial game will be dramatically decreased.”
Course designer Arthur Hills was thrilled by the decision to modify the course.
“Creating a drier, faster playing surface will certainly enhance the course’s reputation as a links course,” he wrote in an e-mail to course management. “Faster horizontal movement around the greens will be delightful!”
Course alterations have already begun, starting around the putting greens.
“The first component is to mow down grass types around the green to around green height,” said Troyanoski. “We want the ball to roll and curve and see move movement on the ground.”
Course management also stated that the golf course would be watered and fertilized less, while native grasses would be introduced into non-playing areas to improve course aesthetics.
The course will also be stretched to as much as 7,000 yards from its current length of 6,700 yards with the relocation of tee boxes.
Yet with all the modifications, golf management assured that there would be no significant capital investments and instead called the project a “reallocation of resources.” Troyanoski was also confident that the course improvements would attract more professional and upscale events, the last being the LPGA Samsung World Tour in 2008.
Changes to the playing surface would be made throughout the fall and are expected to be perfected by spring of 2009, while the beautification of nonplaying areas is to be completed in two-and-a-half years.
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