33 to lengthen holes nine and sixteen, but we liked our idea more because it solved a significant congestion problem. The first version was an exact reproduction of the original, and served as a good lesson that reproducing greens exactly in a new location doesn’t work as well as just designing a new one that fits the new space. In 2016, we built a new green further west and positioned it atop the bank of Little Dry Creek. It’s still a difficult hole but now complements the others that play along the creek. Flynn designed the holes along Little Dry Creek to be impacted in various ways by the creek. Think of it as a creek bed and not just the water itself. Flynn’s holes played along the high ground, on the banks of the creek bed, and everything below, from bank to bank, was an unmaintained hazard, with the creek itself meandering within the banks. As part of the project to restore the creek to a more natural state, we had a few opportunities to re-establish the alignment and get the creek proper back into play. The fourteenth hole is the best example of this. Also, restoring the original tees, as well as the front-left portion of the fifteenth green revived what was meant to be the shortest par three on the course. There are terrific new hole locations close to the creek. With the bank mowed short, the slightest pull with a short iron will likely find the water. The longer tees remain intact, so the day-to-day setup for the US Amateur will be fun to watch. It has been a privilege to help Cherry Hills restore the brilliance of its William Flynn design. With the altitude of the Mile High City, 7,316 yards from the championship tees may seem modest for the world’s best amateurs, but Cherry Hills will prove again, as she has so many times in the past, to be a thrilling venue for championship golf. Eric Iverson is a golf course architect at Renaissance Golf Design. ERIC IVERSON “ Cherry Hills will prove again, as she has so many times in the past, to be a thrilling venue for championship golf” Photo: Evan Schiller At the fifteenth, restoring tees and the front-left portion of the green revived what was planned as the course’s shortest hole
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