The namesake rock at the Great Rock Golf Club in Wading River is hard to miss as it waits atop the summit of the course's steadily climbing 10th hole. A recent discovery turned up another boulder that had taken up a much more secluded position on the course since Great Rock debuted back in 2001 -- buried underneath the old 12th green. Considering its effect on putts during its ten seasons in hiding, this particular rock, in the eyes of most players, was far from great.
Great Rock's current staff unearthed the boulder when it began its regrading of the par-3 12th green this offseason. Rather than remove the rock, previous owners built the green on top of it and thus created a putting surface that was so severely sloped that even the shortest putts built up enough velocity to careen off the side or roll back down to a player's feet.
General manager Brian Curtin said the changes were made to create more playable hole locations. Superintendent Dan Wolf, who worked with Curtin previously at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, completed the project in ten days.
"Dan did an amazing job," Curtin said. "Subtle to the eye but totally different when played."
Golf On Long Island visited Great Rock last week to test out the new green for the first time. Wolf raised the front and left edges of the surface to counteract the slide off the dramatic right-to-left slope. Tee shots can now hold the green in a sort of collection area in the left-center portion of the surface. But that's not to say the 12th has gotten any easier. It remains one of Great Rock's most challenging putting tests. Putts along the new seam have plenty of movement and require a careful read. And the surface stays true to Great Rock's reputation as the place to be for speedy greens. Balls still go for a ride when tapped from above the hole. It's just that now the player has some control.
Curtin said feedback on the new green has been overwhelmingly positive since it opened. "Dan is a great super and it will really show this season," he said.
To read more on Great Rock, check out the updated course flyover and previous observations.
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