Associated with Cherry Hills for more than a decade, John Ogden said he didn’t think it was possible to love the course at the august country club more than he did 10 months ago, just before a major renovation project began.
That changed after work on the $7.6 million venture was completed.
“I really think it’s better than it was before,” Ogden, Cherry Hills’ head professional, said Tuesday upon the course being reopened to the membership.
What began more than six years ago with a desire to do some work on the bunkers grew into a renovation that tried to recapture the past while at the same time maintaining the stature and relevance that the 87-year-old William Flynn-designed course has long enjoyed. Cherry Hills has hosted three U.S. Opens in a sport that is played far differently than it was decades ago.
“It was important to maintain the original footprint, as it were; we wanted to re-create Flynn’s original architecture as much as reasonably possible,” said Bill Bergner, a former club president who spearheaded the project. “However, in this modern day of golf, we realized we had to add length to provide a championship option.”
While Cherry Hills adheres to its original design, major renovation was done on the No. 3, No. 8 and No. 13 greens. In addition, seven other greens were expanded, a brand new irrigation system was installed and all tee boxes were resodded.
On a tract where space is at a premium, the redesign team, led by Tom Doak, managed to find enough room to extend the course to close to 7,500 yards. But while Cherry Hills prides itself on its national reputation, vis-u-vis the major championships it has hosted, the majority of play is by the rank-and-file membership, so the changes had to be compatible for high handicappers too.
How that seemingly conflicting challenge was addressed might best be found on No. 3. From the tips, the par-4 is only 329 yards, but a long bunker at around 220 yards from the tee box appears to be right in front of someone hitting from the tips. For the higher-handicap player, the tee boxes on the hole have been shifted, the change providing a beautiful view of Mount Evans in the background, which may be small consolation to the misery that awaits.
Wherever either player hits the ball, the real trouble begins on the second shot. Previously, the green was protected by four bunkers; now there’s only one, but the pin sits on an elevated, convex green that falls off to all sides. On days when the course is playing firm and fast, it’s hard to imagine getting a ball to stop in birdie range.
“I think it’s going to be harder for the better player to make a 3 than it was before, but somehow it will be easier for the average player to make a 4,” Ogden said.
While the latter’s prospects might be tested on a daily basis, the first real inkling of how stern a test the old/new Cherry Hills will be should come next month when the course hosts the Palmer Cup. Named after legendary pro Arnold Palmer, the June 2-5 event matches a team of United States-born collegiate players versus a squad of European-born stars.
In 2012, Cherry Hills will host its seventh United States Golf Association event, the U.S. Amateur, which was last held here in 1990 and won by Phil Mickelson.
For some, the question with Cherry Hills is whether Mickelson will have cause to return to the grounds. While its legacy and appeal is undeniable, there has been talk that the course is too short to host men’s major championship golf as it’s played today. That standard includes all the ancillary requirements that accompany such tournaments, such as huge acreage for television compounds and the hospitality tents.
“The possibility for something like that still exists; it’s not outside the realm of possibility,” Bergner said. “We’re not talking to the USGA about anything specifically or even in general right now, but if you were to look at Merion (Golf Club in Pennsylvania), which will host the 2013 Open, that’s a course of similar length and a good example of how it could be done.”
Anthony Cotton: 303-954-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com
