narrominded
How many times have you told
your golfing buddies what you
would do to your home course if
you won the lottery? I’ve done it
and heard it enough times to have
the blueprints ready to go should I
pick those six lucky numbers. The
biggest obstacle I have of putting
the plan in motion is to actually
buy the lottery ticket but if it gets
up to a couple of hundred million
again, I may splurge and fork over
two bucks. My dream is as follows.
Since I don’t have an official
home course, I will need to buy the
land to get Jake Narro golf course
started. My wife has some family
land in Loranger, so that’s probably where I would look to build.
The land rolls, which I have always
thought is perfect for a golf course.
There’s also a couple of ponds and
a creek that runs through the property which would provide me and
my architect a nice canvas to design
our masterpiece. I would hire an
architect as I would need to a guide
to help me make the holes fit to the
land. However, as the guy paying
the bills, I would of course have final say on all decision making.
The style of course I’d be looking to build would be fairly open
off the tee but get more challenging
as you get closer to the hole. This
means the greens and the chipping
area around them would be very
tough. False edges on the greens
with lots of movement on the surfaces would be a theme. Around
the greens would be closely mowed
slopes which would allow players to
use many different types of clubs
for their short game shots. The fairways would have a lot of slope in
them for uneven lies and to help
with drainage. Bunkers would be
Scottish style which means small
pot bunkers that you must chip
out sideways on most of the time.
Not too many trees would align the
course as grass grows much easier
without them. Firm and fast conditions would be ideal as the type of
course I’m looking to build needs
this type of surface.
I will also have one of the best
practice facilities one could ever
hope for. The full swing range will
have many target areas and the tee
box will be large with tight turf.
The short game area will provide
any and all types of shots that one
will encounter on the course. Bump
and runs, Philly Mick flop shots,
bunker shots, and any other imaginative shot will be available to those
who want to get better.
Now the putting green will be
as big as any double green at St.
Andrews with lots of humps and
bumps. We would be able to hold
putting contests that would be almost as much fun as actually playing the golf course itself. I will also
need a coupe of practice holes on
property to ensure I get my proper
work in off the course.
Now it’s time to determine who
will be able to play my course. The
easy way out has always been “only
my friends” can play. That’s tempting, but I will go the other way and
allow any and every one that loves
the game to enjoy the facility. The
practice holes and practice range
will develop new and young golfers
prior to getting on the big course.
The big course will have a fee, but
it will be affordable to all people
wanting to pay. Remember, I just
hit it big and don’t need the money!
My course is going to be all
about golf and for people who truly love the game. The number one
way to have access denied will be
disrespecting the etiquette of the
grand old game. We will rake bunkers, replace divots, fix our ball
marks and play by the rules. And of
course, a reasonable pace of play
will be enforced. No houses will be
built on the course, but perhaps a
few condos will be dotted around
the course for those who want to
stay and play.
Please don’t pinch me as I’m really enjoying having a few hundred
million dollars. I’ll bet you have a
plan on what you would do should
you get that lucky ticket. If it does
happen to you one day, please send
me an invitation to opening day,
and I promise to play fast and leave
the course in