“ONE OF THE BEST FINISHING HOLES IN THE GAME OF GOLF.”
Renowned golf course architect, Rees Jones sits back and looks over McLemore’s new cliff-edge 18th hole he designed with fellow architect Bill Bergin. “McLemore has one of the best finishing holes in the game of golf,” he says. “There are just so many holes at McLemore that could be signature holes on other courses, but I really want everyone to decide on their favorite hole for themselves.”
Jones, son of legendary golf course architect Robert Trent Jones, recently completed the redesign and construction of the Course at McLemore with Bill Bergin, a former pro turned architect with three U.S. Opens, two British Opens and more than 50 PGA Tour events under his belt.
The collaboration of Jones and Bergin at McLemore resulted in immediate attention among the luminaries of golf, earning a nomination from Golf Digest for “Best New Course in America for Year 2020,” and landing the cover story on Design Excellence in the American Society of Golf Course Architect’s publication, BY DESIGN.
Bill Bergin echoes Rees Jones’ sentiment. “McLemore is exhilarating. From the environment and topography to the strategic demands of the course, each hole presents a new level of anticipation and drama. Ample scoring holes are evenly matched with holes presenting significant demand, resulting in a course that beautifully ebbs and flows between pleasure and challenge.”
Members and overnight guests in McLemore’s Stay & Play program share the architects and critics’ enthusiasm for the new Course at McLemore. We frequently ask guests which hole is their favorite, apart than the 18th. Surprisingly, each player’s response has been different, resulting in a variety of second-favorite holes. Some prefer the first and second holes for the cliff edge view and pastoral water feature. Others prefer the challenge of the sixth and twelfth, or the relaxed par five and mountain views of the seventeenth.
“The only problem with the 18th hole,” commented one guest last fall after finishing his first round, “is it almost makes you forget about the other seventeen.”
McLemore’s 18th hole is a unique treasure among golf enthusiasts, according to Rees Jones. “Memorability of a great golf hole can be made up of a number of different elements. The memorability of the 18th hole at McLemore goes beyond the dramatic views of the distant mountains into the variety of shot options contained in how the hole can be played.”
“One of the great charms of the 18th hole is in its visual intimidation.”
“The challenge of playing the hole starts at the tee and carries through to the green surface,” observes Jones. “Golfers may choose to flirt with the cliff edge running along the entire left side of the hole. Doing so sets up for a better angle into the elevated green. The golfer could also choose to play to the right, where the hillside slope contains shots hit wide, while leaving themselves a more difficult angle to the green.”
Bill Bergin shares his colleague‘s curiosity about the 18th, noting that “the excitement level grows on the approach as the 18th climbs the slope to the perched green where the overhanging cliff is revealed. A high level of skill and nerve is required to play toward the flag, making the bail out to the right a popular result.”
“Like many mountain courses,” notes Bergin, ”the true contours on the putting surface are difficult to decipher at first glance. The climax of the 18th hole might be the walk to the edge after the final putt is holed, where players can take in all that is McLemore.”