11 TEE BOX nice tacking manner until the end of the round.” Nuzzo’s solution was to have more changes of direction throughout the property, which would help with walkability. “Our new routing for the Roost now feels like one went out to play without interruption,” he said. “The entire course flows a lot more organically.” The opening hole – which, along with the second, was shifted more in the direction of the third tees – is now more dramatic. The ninth green was moved to turn the hole from a par four to a five, and the tees at ten were shortened to turn the hole from a par five to a short four. “We eliminated the original eighteenth hole,” said Nuzzo. “It felt disjointed in how it played down below what felt like a pond in the sky. “The current sixth plays perpendicular to the old corridor, which included a forced layup tee shot short of a pair of large trees. The new location for the green is located on a dramatic highlight of the site, adjacent to a beautiful old oak.” Nuzzo relocated nine more greens and reversed a five-hole loop. “The holes now play counterclockwise – the five holes [seven and twelve to fifteen] play in the opposite direction from the old greens to the old tees. This was to improve the course’s flow, interest, playability and walkability.” Morrissett suggested flipping the sequence of seven and sixteen, which Nuzzo says changed the flow and idealised the order of holes by placing the old par-three eighth in the penultimate position of the seventeenth, which enabled more expansive views. “We developed a new theme for the course, with more expansive and rolling golf holes that fit this great site,” said Nuzzo. “We expanded and connected the irrigation pond into a course-wide feature that starts on top of the hill and finishes towards the cottages. “The backlands generally don’t drain off the property. Instead, much of the land drains to a giant sinkhole. It is a very dramatic feature that was essentially hidden previously. Now we play a one-shot hole directly over the deepest part of the sinkhole to a small green, of a similar playing nature to some of [Cabot developer] Ben CowanDewar’s favourite short holes. Rod Whitman’s design ideas and green shaping have been an enormous part of the project and helped to elevate the interest and enjoyment of the entire golf course. “Now, the high points are distributed throughout and by shifting some greens, we were able to create very dramatic vistas. The majestic oaks now stand out more and even act as strategic features on several holes.” Read our report on the Squeeze and the Wedge layouts in the July 2023 issue of Golf Course Architecture and turn to page 42 for an interview with Cabot developer Ben Cowan-Dewar. Mike Nuzzo has completely redesigned the former Rolling Oaks into the new Roost course Photo: Matt Majka
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