New Course at The Tribute to Reflect American Classics

When the Justin Leonard - Tripp Davis collaboration at The Tribute opens in 2009, golfers will be able to experience holes representing the best of Scottish architecture and holes reminiscent of the ‘Golden Age’ of American design -- all in one location on the shores of Lake Lewisville in The Colony, Texas, just a few miles northeast of the Dallas/Fort Worth airport.

Davis’ ‘Old Course’ links-style layout at The Tribute, which opened in 1999, is inspired by 18 of the finest holes from Scotland, such as the famous ‘Road Hole’ 17th at St. Andrews and the ‘Postage Stamp’ par-3 8th at Royal Troon. The original 18 at The Tribute is rated one of the Top 100 public courses in the US.

The ’New Course’ will not be inspired by any particular holes. Rather, it will reflect the spirit of early American layouts such as Shinnecock Hills, Maidstone, and other timeless tracks which were originally routed in the late 19th century and early 20th. "This layout will be inspired by the art and strategy of such courses. And we're going to make it look like it's been here for 100 years," Davis says.

“We’d like to be one of only a few 36-hole facility with two public courses in the Top 100,” Leonard suggests. This would put the Tribute in the elite company of such facilities as Bandon Dunes and Whistling Straits. “Our goal is to put a great product out there that everyone enjoys playing.”

To read the latest about The Tribute project, click here.

Jubilant Justin - Justin Leonard waited 13 years to design his first golf course and, man, is he ever psyched!

The better player is going to be presented with opportunities to take some risks and be rewarded, but both Davis and Leonard believe the Orvis Shorefox course is not going to be overly difficult.

“I play a lot of Pro-Ams and I know what the 15 or 25 handicap player is thinking when he stands on the tee,” says Leonard. “That has helped me in designing this course. As a resort course we’ve designed it for a variety of players.”

Natural wetlands on the Orvis Shorefox property will add to the course’s personality and the design team is working with a water features firm from Oregon who is planning to shape some of the 8,000 linear feet of streams.

Described as a ‘sporting lifestyle community,’ Orvis Shorefox ought to find its way onto the radar screens of outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy a variety of pursuits. When they aren’t playing golf, property owners and resort guests can spend their day fly-fishing, riding on horseback or chilling out on the shore of a 35-acre lake.

An avid fly-fisherman, Leonard can’t wait to slip into a pair of waders, get his hand on a fly road and do his darndest to catch (and release, of course) a trout or two. “This is the perfect spot, and I think a lot of other people will agree,” Leonard says. “Orvis is going to attract their share of fly fishing enthusiasts, but there are a lot of those who also love to play golf. Fly fishing may draw them to the resort, but the golf course will keep them coming back.”

To read Rocky Mountain Golf's summary of The Orvis Shorefox project, click here.

Justin Launches Course Design Career with Two Unique Developments

Many of Justin Leonard's finest moments have come on golf’s classic and most revered golf courses – the Open Championship at Royal Troon, The Ryder Cup at The Country Club in Brookline, the PLAYERS at Sawgrass, the Worldcom/Heritage at Harbour Town. So it’s only natural that JL’s approach to his new career in golf course design reflects Justin’s appreciation for the traditional layouts of the game which place a premium on strategy and shotmaking.

Justin is engaged in two unique design projects in Texas and Colorado, both with respected golf course architect Tripp Davis.

The Texas design project is a 2nd course at The Tribute in The Colony, north of Dallas. The first course at The Tribute, which replicates holes from Scottish courses (such as the famous No. 8 “Postage Stamp” at Royal Troon) has been rated by Golf Digest as the best public layout in North Texas.

“There really isn’t a course like the Tribute now,” Leonard said. “The new course will only enhance that. We’re building on the great reputation of the old course.”

The Colorado Davis-Leonard collaboration is at a development called Orvis Shorefox.

Orvis is the well-known purveyor of outdoor gear and accessories, and the Shorefox development will offer a combination of championship golf, fly-fishing, and other outdoor experiences.

All of this is to occur in the crook of land west of Granby formed by the Colorado and Fraser rivers. The location is equidistant between the Winter Park ski area and the western portal to Rocky Mountain National Park. It is located 95 miles from Denver at the junctions of Highways 34 and 40.

To read more about Justin's course design career, click here.

Tribute New Course Targeted for 09 Opening

Tripp and Justin are planning the new course at The Tribute to mirror the first and earliest American golf courses.“The challenge is to make the course enjoyable for all types of golfers,” Davis said. “The key is finding the right balance. That’s what we’re working hard on right now.”

The new course design will not simulate any specific holes. The main characteristics will be soft greens, larger flowing bunkers, water features and frontages. The overall topography will be dramatic with more elevation changes and trees.

“We’re going to make it look like it’s been there for a 100 years,” Davis said. “There are going to be eight holes on the water and you’ll be able to see water from all but four holes.”

To read more about The Tribute project, click here.

Tripp Davis’ Design Philosophy

"My design philosophy has taken a lot from early American golf architects such as Perry Maxwell and Donald Ross. I like Alister MacKenzie's flair. Ross especially was about building substance -- strategy -- into his courses. He was very aware of the importance of making courses beautiful, but substance was his first priority. I think too many courses today overlook the importance of substance in the search for style. However, a course that is full of substance will endure longer than one that is not. Style, especially if it is not natural, will likely fade. Many people don't realize that today's Augusta is as much Maxwell as it is MacKenzie," Davis said.

"These guys were strategic-minded," Davis continued. "I like that. The courses they built have stood the test of time and substance was the core to their golf courses. They weren't worried about creating great views, which is important today. I sometimes think we need to get back to the strategic game when building courses."

For a profile of Justin’s design partner, Tripp Davis, click this link.

Where Hooks Meet Drives

Experts concede that both golf and fly-fishing demand a heightened sense of awareness that engages the mind to the exclusion of everything else. The next shot or cast may not be perfect, but there’s a resounding dedication that keeps enthusiasts enthralled with the process.

“In both sports, you have to train your mind to believe that you’re going to do well; otherwise you’ll force something and mess it up,” says sports psychologist and author Bob Rotella. “When they get a big fish on the line, it’s kind of like a Major; there’s a temptation to try too hard.”

To read more about the similarities between golf and fly-fishing, click here.