Originally published on 2/23/2011 at 1:27 am.
With the density of sad stories or horrible events that saturate our news coverage, it is easy to become desensitized to the grief that is reported. The “matter of fact” delivery of such stories lends itself to an emotional detachment from the subjects. As such, it is rare that the reader is moved to tears, without some type of direct personal relationship with the person affected.
And then Mo’ Golf sent me this Golf.com article several weeks ago (Strantz). It recounts Mike Strantz’ heroic struggle to complete his final project in Monterey while battling the terminal cancer that would end his life in June 2005. Recent visits to two of his North Carolina designs kick-started my passion for his work. Further research into his writings and design philosophies revealed a man who echoed my feelings about golf design – he knew Golf was meant to be a full sensory experience, not just a game to be played.
Reading the Golf.com story, the quality of the writing alone would have brought a lump to my throat. But having developed such a deep admiration for this perfect stranger’s work, I found myself in tears by the end of the story. Tears of joy in that I was lucky enough to experience the masterpieces left behind by this special person. And simultaneously, tears of sadness, knowing that his contributions to the world were cut short by a non-discriminating killer.
Getting to Know Mike Strantz
If this is your introduction to Mike Strantz, it is difficult to find a starting point to describe what an incredible figure he has become within the world of Golf Course Architecture. I suppose the best I can do is to lead you down the same path that I took in learning about him. You may have heard him mentioned during this week’s edition of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, as David Feherty discussed his renovation of the Monterrey Peninsula Golf Club. As Feherty noted in his feature, it is often a sad fate of artists & creators that they are never fully appreciated until they have passed.
In this article, I will link you to interviews with Mike and also to his web site, which has been maintained as a memorial to his gifts to Golf. At the same time, I will relate my personal experience with his work through BuffaloGolfer’s recent trip to Tot Hill Farm Golf Club and Tobacco Road. Today’s article will focus on the introduction to Strantz’ philosophy and unique creative style. His courses deserve an article unto themselves, especially Tobacco Road, as it often receives the most admiration, and paradoxically, the most criticism. Later this year, we hope to bring you additional encounters of Mike Strantz, as we travel to Williamsburg to experience Stonehouse & Royal New Kent.
The “Old School” Maverick
Throughout all my readings about Mike Strantz, the one theme that emerges is “I’ve never seen anything like this.” That statement alone should give you an idea of his influence within the Golf World – it is often used to describe anyone who revolutionizes an established practice, whether in music, art, industry, or other form of expression. As Mo’ Golf wrote earlier this year, “Strantz’ brand of
golf course architecture was the equivalent of Picasso’s introduction of Cubism.” His unconventional approach has tagged him as a “maverick of golf course design.”
Yet, for all the discussion of “maverick ideas,” it is surprising to learn that Strantz credits his most significant influence to the most “old school” of sources. The Old Course at St. Andrews is generally honored as the birthplace of Golf, and Dr. Alister MacKenzie’s tome “The Spirit of St. Andrews” is one of the most revered books in the Golf Course Architectural World.
From MacKenzie:
“I have not the slightest hesitation in saying that beauty means a great deal on a golf course; even a man who emphatically states that he does not care a hang for beauty is subconsciously influenced by his surroundings.”
Mike’s reverence for Dr. MacKenzie permeates his website (Maverick Golf), which is a wonderful resource to familiarize yourself with his works, philosophy, and accolades. These themes continue in Mike’s feature interview at GolfClubAtlas.com (GCA Feature Interview).
