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Post by catcherman22 on May 8, 2021 21:36:27 GMT -5
Welcome to week 34 @ Steamshovel Banks by pitt1976More Template fun! Conditions are really benign... more in anticipation of next week playing a bit on the harder side!
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Post by twofor22 on May 9, 2021 7:02:35 GMT -5
Opening round of -8 for me. Never really felt like I got in a groove with the tempo although I didn't really have any terrible misses. Putting was pretty good.
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Post by zooby97 on May 9, 2021 7:46:07 GMT -5
Welcome to week 34 @ Steamshovel Banks by pitt1976More Template fun! Conditions are really benign... more in anticipation of next week playing a bit on the harder side! Harder? Lol, I thought this past week was the hardest of all of the Tours. My scores were much better on Plat then on CC this past week, lol.
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Post by williamwes626 on May 9, 2021 15:39:53 GMT -5
Last week was a tough one for me - I got cut and played poorly partially because I didn't address the difficulty of the course enough starting with last week's writeup. I had been practicing using legend swing so I didn't realize even with master swing, Holly Point could bite. Sorry I didn't give a better heads up. So this week, the course is easier but the handicap is a 74 so despite easier conditions, it can be sneaky tough here and there. Bunkers are manageable but the creek that winds around the holes can be bothersome and make us think twice. Some greens are tougher than others, some being templates that demand precision approaches.
STEAMSHOVEL BANKS
Par 71, 7124 yards, 74 handicap Architect: Pico Heelis: "Welcome back to Steamshovel Banks Golf Club. Late last year, I had made the decision to completely renovate one of my first and favorite designs "Steamshovel Golf Club". 4 holes were transformed to different templates during the process and all bunkers were reshaped as well. The routing and yardages are almost identical to what I created back in 2015. Named after Charles "Steam Shovel" Banks, this design takes cues from some of his unique work. Banks was an understudy to both C.B. MacDonald and Seth Raynor, and was known for his use of a steamshovel to create extremely steep banks and slopes on his work. Upon Raynor's death in 1926, Banks was dealt the task of completing over 10 of his works in progress. Banks passed away at the age of 49 and his individual work is not extensive, resulting in his oft-overlooked contributions to the Golden Age of Golf Architecture. This design is a tribute to his work."
Steamshovel Banks is more of a straight-edged flatter, old fashioned course with template holes. Our architect for this week also made Chicago Golf Club, similar in style, and we played that a few months back. Everyone plays template holes differently since they all have options
1-Double Plateau (4-434) #3 handicap
A basic opening hole with some bunkers infringing on the both sides of the fairway, the drive and approach are mostly unencumbered, just be weary of the OB wall along the left plus behind, and keeping below the hole on a squared double plateau green.
2-Corner (4-443)
We continue to head south along the OB brick wall to the left as we continue to Corner, a par-4 that allows its fairway to get poked by a corner of OB at the landing area of the fairway. Again, anything right is okay so use the neighboring fairway to the right to play safe, though that will grow the approach.
3-Short (3-143)
The shortest hole at Steamshovel, landing on the elevated putting surface surrounded by bunkers isn’t too tough, but there’s a severe circular dip in the middle of the green that will hold back birdie progression. Precise wedge accuracy is required. Avoid a shortside shot to pin #2.
4-Road (4-479)
Another straight hole, ‘Road’s bunkers are to the sides and not too punishing so the drive should be comfy. A fairway miss however to the right is the worst since trees will block the approach the long green. Besides the false front, the green is reasonable and some long putts can be made here.
5 Straightaway (4-427) #1 handicap
Central fairway bunkers are the nuisance trying to prevent birdies on #5. Only a hybrid will be safe since the bunker complex starts at the 250-yard mark. Curving the approach around the left greenside bunkers will be tougher the further the approach. The green’s diagonal spine can be formidable in certain putting instances.
6 Biarritz (3-224)
Your typical ‘Biarritz’ hole, play it the way you’re used to. I usually play low drives with any kind of wind and use the fairway apron to run the ball up to the front hole locations. On the practice run, I almost got my first hole in one – it hit the flagstick and sat a foot away from the hole. Its length and swale works to prevent birdies.
7-Principal’s Nose (5-576)
The fairway zig-zag at the 300-yard mark can be picky on what tee balls it accepts and which it spits out into the rough. This is lengthy enough to play as a 3-shot par-5 if we want to keep on the short grass. Even with a fairway drive, the mammoth approach may be too much to handle when going for eagle.
8-Long (4-438)
A par-4 that can be handled easily with a 3-wood and wedge or we can get aggressive with driver to assure ourselves we get the birdie.
9-Alps (4-387)
That little stream looks so innocent but it will gobble golf balls like Pac Man gobbles pellets. Like #1 and #2, avoid going left and we should be fine. The green is completely serene up front but the back is in a bowl shape with a steep ridge crossing the green’s midsection.
10-Lion’s Mouth (4-409)
By now, the straight nature of many Steamshovel holes never ask for shot shaping off the tee. The tee shots can be more about accuracy, so avoid the stream to the right. At worst, missing left will leave a short wedge play out of the left rough which is an easy recovery.
11-Cape (4-363)
A dogleg left whose corner can be cut with a long drive, in the right wind, we can reach the green with one shot but be weary of missing left where recovery will be hard to judge. Worth the risk off the tee, chances are a birdie will be had here.
12-Eden (3-215) #2 handicap
Another hole that invites low liners off the tee, ‘Eden’ needs to be conquered with accuracy with a long iron or hybrid if birdie is to be attained. Miss in the bunker right not left where recovery chips, pitches, and splashes will be hard to stop on the green tilting severely to the right. I used a low five-wood and got it close.
13-Punchbowl (4-454)
A partial driver or 3-wood has plenty of room and leaves only a mid-iron approach but landing too far left on the fairway leaves a blind 2nd shot. Miss left on the way to the green and the heavy slope will run the ball towards some hole locations.
14-Steps (5-550)
With water messing with the fairway, be more careful on this par-5 than the others. The squared green is the most demanding on this hole, acting like a staircase. The #2 pin is not worth shooting at directly as it's hiding in the back left corner.
15-Leven (4-407)
Playing it safe at Steamshovel Banks may be the right way to go if you played as poorly as I did last week. Drivers will be challenged by a stream crossing the fairway and a 3-wood drive won’t leave a long approach. The squared green is divided into 4 so the approach needs precision for any chance at birdie.
16-Carry (4-443)
Driver if playing in a headwind, 3-wood with a tailwind should be enough to conquer 16. Birdies can be had here as well like on 15 and 16. Stay below the hole when landing on the 2-tiered putting surface.
17 Redan (3-211)
The Low Rider is a little higher – sing it! A low riding tee ball can be helped by the sideboard left slope that plays alongside the green and fairway runway. Just make sure we clear the false front.
18 Home (5-521)
One more time for the road – don’t go left no matter what – there’s water all along the hole and the fattest lipped bunkers on the course. It’s too bad staying left on the fairway provides the best chance at eagle. Worst comes to worse, a birdie isn’t so bad on this closing hole.
Good luck this week don't kick my batooty like that week. I'm still licking my wounds. I'll probably try out the Platinum major qualifier at Turaco. I didn't take any notes for that course though - have fun and enjoy playing in the major soon if one of you qualify.
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Post by deacondrake on May 9, 2021 19:15:00 GMT -5
Thanks again! Here is a summary from my practice rounds... one of which didn’t provide a lot of useful data.
1. There are not a lot of obstructions out here so you really want to play the wind and the distance. A strong draw off the right side should put you in an easy position for a short iron Birdie. The green is really tricky though. If you hit the canyon down the middle and roll to the back your chances for an easy bird are shot. Second practice round I literally holed my 60 yard pitch (like literally, no. Bounce/roll). 2. So lesson... don’t play drunk. You want a nice high draw off the tee... The green is a little bit easier so you can run this one up and you can put in from 30 feet as long as you are not hammered.Not sure how to coach this one. 80% of low scores will be based on the ability to hit the right tier. The breaks are manageable but the tiers you have to lag across. 3. Hole Looks benign, but pin 2 is an absolute beast. I went after with 85% pitching wedge and somehow caught the front edge of the fringe and trickled it up. Any mistake can roll you about 50 feet away. 4. Most people struggled with Holly point... I played my best tourney there and ended up top 10... this course is deceptively difficult. I hope to make the cut. My last half dozen rounds I have been struggling with Perfect practice swings every time and then catching a slow 80% of my regular shots. Long holes like this make that disastrous. However the lack of obstructions or heavy woods do allow for some good scramble save opportunities. These greens have played slow in my practice rounds. Uphill you want to be almost gray long. Short white has left me 1-2’ short 5. I have had more success just playing to the right side of the split fairway even though it’s tighter. Crossing the bunkers just forces you to play back across the ones near the green. 6. Should be a fair birdie opportunity. I ran a hybrid up each time... 85% on the front location, 90% for mid. Back location you probably want to go for it... hill will eat up you roll and leave 50’. Don’t think I ever played it with a tailwind. 7. One of my rounds I did nuke one and cleared both bunkers and still couldn’t get home in 2. In the rough or in the bunker makes it difficult to even get there in three. The approach will give you a lot of different looks with the shape of the green. 8. Approach shots seem to get eaten up here so played a distance in loft it up there. Another green where I experience multiple White putts that came up short... all were going up hills so it is explainable. 9. I did not have any issues with the creek on the left because I have been tending slow. If you want to hit driver and get down to the end of the fairway which is possible just go about 90%. Green is pretty easy, so I have tried to keep myself in a distance where I can still hit my normal lob wedge instead of getting into pitch range. 10. This hole has been my freaking nemesis. That creek on the right has eaten my ball about 75% of the time. If you stay dry this is an easy birdie Hole. Pin 2 is inviting, but if you go past it your come back putt will run away from you. I think my average score here has been about 6 11. So if you play a nice natural draw this hole is for you. I struggled a little bit because my fade has been pretty unpredictable. I got lucky a couple times and ended up in the fairway or light rough. If you do play fast and end up down in the left rough play an extra club length and use the slope as a backboard and roll it back down. The green is a weird funnel type thing. Even though the pot looks relatively flat I never hit it from the 20 to 30 foot range. 12. I feel like this played very similar to number six. When the pins are up in the middle or front definitely a run up shot. In the back I lost it a hybrid and it looked way long but the backboard caught it and rolled it back to about 5 feet. 13. I kept slicing it into the cabbage on the right and then having to crush a hybrid out... For some reason it kept working because the left side of the green acts as a backboard so everything that looks like it was going to rocket through bent back in and ended up in a makeable putts territory. 14. Good birdie/eagle opportunity. If you are a big hitter, don’t try to crush it... the creek is in play, and rolling through isn’t fun. Easy to get a 3 wood up there, and even a hybrid is doable for front locations. I think my average score here was like 3 1/2. 15. 3 wood from the tee... Not sure will ever be worth trying to bring that creek into play. Even from there it is PW or GW to the right level... 16. I feel like this whole plays very similar to15 but the opposite. Mostly hit driver on this one though to get to wedge range. Even when I played out of the rough the green was pretty excepting and filtered the ball to where I needed it to roll. 17. The big hill on the left is extremely helpful for back pain locations but upfront it will just push you deep. This whole plays a little shorter than six and 12 so if you have the Carry you may want to loft an iron. Spin control is also helpful, to prevent Runaway. 18. I can see this whole wreaking havoc with everyone’s confidence with the tempo issues. Nice 300 yard drive on the right side really sets up an eagle opportunity here. A lofted 3 iron at about 95% should get you there. I kept getting donkey punched by that trap on the right which is no picnic to hit out of either.
For those of you who remember playing Chicago golf club earlier in the year, there are a lot of similarities. It is deceptively difficult despite the lack of visible trouble from the tee boxes. The bunkers are strategically placed and on a scale of 1 to 10 are all about seven or eight to play out of. Also, I haven’t quite figured it out yet, given some of the sideways lies that I had from the fairway, there must be some better landing spots than I was finding. I did not play any difficult wind in my practice rounds, but still struggled to break par, whereas last week I was typically about 3 to 6 under. It will be interesting to see the greens under tournament conditions. I was playing 1.6+ pph, which would get destroyed even in the middle to lower divisions of challenge.
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Post by deacondrake on May 9, 2021 22:56:16 GMT -5
I stand corrected... the blue tees in round 2 will certainly lower the scores. Takes many of the fairway bunkers out of play. Green side bunkers are still in play from the rough, and some of those pin placements are brutal, but round 2 was electric: -4 to -9.
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Post by gunslinger1972 on May 9, 2021 23:21:19 GMT -5
First off.. how did this course get TGC tour approved ? It looks like it was completed in less than 4 hours. Maybe one of the most forgivable courses I’ve ever played. I won’t be surprised if we see a -50 plus round by a few
Cut line for CC-A will be -8 (prediction) . Top 10 will be -35 or better Top 20 will be -26 or better Winner: -47
This reminds me of Chicago Golf Club in so many regards
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lazarides
Caddy
Posts: 52
TGCT Name: Michael Lazarides
Tour: Challenge Circuit
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Post by lazarides on May 10, 2021 0:49:40 GMT -5
I stand corrected... the blue tees in round 2 will certainly lower the scores. Takes many of the fairway bunkers out of play. Green side bunkers are still in play from the rough, and some of those pin placements are brutal, but round 2 was electric: -4 to -9. Hoping you are right. I had 3 bogeys in my first round of 69 to leave me at -2. All tempo related, particularly when I missed the greens. There weren't many putts with significant breaks so I really should have shot a lower score. I'm going to play a few more practice rounds before submitting my 2nd round score. Tempo is way off !
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Post by SMB_Hoppy on May 10, 2021 6:45:15 GMT -5
63, 60 for me (ccb) Course plays well. Some strategic 3 woods off the tee to take some bunkers out of play.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2021 8:14:01 GMT -5
-6 then -3 (CC-K) I've got to learn how to putt properly, gave away so many shots with terrible putting, especially in round 2. Striking the ball well tee to green.
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Post by pitt1976 on May 10, 2021 8:55:25 GMT -5
"This course looks like it was completed in 4 hours"
I have officially heard it all.
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Post by catcherman22 on May 10, 2021 10:15:41 GMT -5
"This course looks like it was completed in 4 hours" I have officially heard it all. Somebody doesn’t understand what a template is... forgive them
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Post by timh on May 10, 2021 12:40:55 GMT -5
"This course looks like it was completed in 4 hours" I have officially heard it all. Somebody doesn’t understand what a template is... forgive them Daniel, no complaints with the course, but could you guide me to posts describing the template concept...I'm just curious. Thanks...Tim
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Post by timh on May 10, 2021 13:09:17 GMT -5
Never mind...I got off my a$$ and looked it up. Now I understand.
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Post by PollingPoints on May 10, 2021 13:32:23 GMT -5
Turrible round one of -5 made up for in round 2 with a -13.
-18 at the cut
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