Richland Country Club

The property featured at Richland Country Club does not leave much flat space for even-footed golf, and when the land does mercifully level out, Jack Nicklaus is quite willing to shake it up by placing a green behind a forced carry, over an irrigation pond or otherwise. The rolling topography makes for a fine set of blind tee shots on some of its longer holes, but Nicklaus does not abuse the technique.

Those familiar with his tendency to build a green atop a stone wall will recognize the putting surface at the 9th, a short par four fronted by a small pond. What Nicklaus aficionados will not recognize so easily is what occurs during the 6th, a reachable par five. The fairway and landing area in front of the green is all held up by a rock wall, elevated just enough above the lower area of the fairway that the player must consider both whether they can reach the green in two, but also whether that approach will be traveling high enough to clear the wall, or be blocked back into an uncomfortable lie. Player comfort is rarely Nicklaus’s intent when crafting a golf course, but creating a unique layout certainly is. Richland lives up to this credo.