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Jack and Gary Nicklaus unveil first co-design
Superstition Mountain (Prospector) opens to rave reviews and a star-studded field in inaugural Classic Series Golf Event
SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN, Ariz. - It was a grand finish to a grand opening.
When Jack Nicklaus holed a wedge shot from 80 yards on the final hole Monday for an eagle-3, it put the exclamation point on a day filled with firsts at The Prospector Course at Superstition Mountain. Monday was not only the first Classic Series Golf Event, but the unveiling of the first co-design golf course by Jack Nicklaus and son Gary.
The two-man best-ball event drew such names as Sam Snead, Gary Player, Tommy Bolt, Bob Rosburg and Dow Finsterwald. And the course drew praise from everyone.
"As far as I'm concerned, this is a golf course I can be very proud of,'' Gary said. "I thought the course turned out great."
The course sits near the base of the Superstition Mountains, and is about an hour's drive from Jack's collection of courses in Scottsdale at Desert Mountain - the Cochise course serving as host this week to The Tradition, the first of the Senior PGA Tour's four majors.
While Jack has been behind 148 designs worldwide, The Prospector was Gary's first design. But Monday proved that the six professional seasons Gary has under his belt, and a life of learning from the greatest in golf, has resulted in an eye for quality golf courses.
When first approached by his father with the idea of co-designing the course, Gary claimed ignorance. But when Jack handed him a piece of paper, and told him to put down some ideas on the sixth hole at Superstition Mountain, the talent came to life.
The 7,185-yard layout will be complemented by a Jack and Jack Nicklaus II co-design called Lost Gold, which should open in late 1998 or early next year.
"The idea was that my course would be a little easier, and Jackie's a little trickier,'' said Gary, 29, a member of the European PGA Tour. "I think Jackie's will end up tougher, but this is not an easy golf course. I thought the course turned out more difficult than it appeared. There's a lot of room off the tee and the approaches are fairly forgiving, but it's a tough golf course."
Perhaps the most difficult feature on this grand opening day were the greens. Rolling at about a 13 on the stimpmeter, Jack said The Prospector's greens were faster than the legendary greens of Augusta. But while the greens were hard and fast, the course as a whole was in stunning condition.
"I don't think I've seen a course anywhere in the world in as good a condition as this one,'' Jack said. "The tees were perfect. The fairways were perfect. The greens were perfect. Even the bunkers were perfect."
If there is a signature hole on The Prospector, it would be the picturesque par-5 18th. Both the beauty and the danger of this slight dogleg left is an oasis-like lake running up the left side of the hole. The lake caught Gary's final drive of the day, while Jack stayed well right on his first two shots. Then, from 80 yards and the right rough, Jack bounced a wedge shot on to the green, and hundreds watched as the ball rolled in for the eagle and a six-under finish for the Nicklauses.
"It broke perfectly," Jack kidded. "I wish my putts would do that. |
