Highbridge Hills - Wisconsin

[Cgkdisc]

The HH team's primary goal is getting holes playable if not yet trimmed and sometimes chainsawed back to original or ideal foliage shaping. Plus, new holes are coming along to where hole numbers and routing will be changing by Fall. Not excuses, just the current reality with the mostly thankless tasks that team is knocking out every day.

Current hole 3 will become 2 in the future routing. While it's not as cool as marching up old number 8's fairway and seeing the basket on the rocks, I do like "the big reveal" when players, especially new ones get to see it unfold when they get to their drive. I've also been doing more RH forehand friendly holes since there's been a shift towards more younger players using them even as a dominant throwing style.

Just like other courses I've had to update or change over the years like Acorn or The Valley, it's the course veterans who bemoan some of the changes to holes they liked or knew exactly how to play them. Players new to a course seem to like the new layouts just fine since they don't have that history. The trick is to strike a design balance if possible to retain as much of the good stuff as possible and add some new twists to make players of all kinds happy. I do agree that getting the long tee back by the Honka would be great and trimming out those gaps is needed if/once that happens.

 

[smarkquart]

The HH team's primary goal is getting holes playable if not yet trimmed and sometimes chainsawed back to original or ideal foliage shaping. Plus, new holes are coming along to where hole numbers and routing will be changing by Fall. Not excuses, just the current reality with the mostly thankless tasks that team is knocking out every day.

Current hole 3 will become 2 in the future routing. While it's not as cool as marching up old number 8's fairway and seeing the basket on the rocks, I do like "the big reveal" when players, especially new ones get to see it unfold when they get to their drive. I've also been doing more RH forehand friendly holes since there's been a shift towards more younger players using them even as a dominant throwing style.

Just like other courses I've had to update or change over the years like Acorn or The Valley, it's the course veterans who bemoan some of the changes to holes they liked or knew exactly how to play them. Players new to a course seem to like the new layouts just fine since they don't have that history. The trick is to strike a design balance if possible to retain as much of the good stuff as possible and add some new twists to make players of all kinds happy. I do agree that getting the long tee back by the Honka would be great and trimming out those gaps is needed if/once that happens.

My take on the course, specifically those holes, is from personal experience and opinion only, and not meant to be a statement toward the work and thought put into making the course a premier destination.

I know only so much can be done in the short run, and I like that it is still an evolving plan.

Having stayed in the Honka House numerous times, I have fond memories of old 3. So, seeing that it had to go away, it was a bummer. In regards to new 4, you have majestic, memorable shots all throughout the course - double-deck plateaus, basket on the rocks, long par 4s, tunnel over the swamp, onto a peninsula over two ponds, uphill over an exposed rock-face, and a sharp dogleg tunnel downhill where the deer like to hang out. 4 just does not currently fit in with the personality of Blueberry - that is all I am saying.

 

[da Crippler]

The only hole that was changed was #3 and the tee box on #5 (old #3) was moved slightly. #4 is the same hole it's always been, it just has a different number on it. I have no idea what you guys are talking about.

 

[BuzzzFlicker87]

I hope you can get it back to its former layout. I am not fan of the new Three, but I could learn to live with it. Definitely not a fan of the new Hole Four - too sharp of a corner, and if you go big to run it, you better have spotters. And if you go big, it is such a small and precise window to hit that the risk is so much higher than the reward. I know you have to work with what you have, but that hole just does not feel like Blueberry.

Think you're talking about new hole 5. Old 3

 

[smarkquart]

Think you're talking about new hole 5. Old 3

Let me talk myself through this:

1) Quick midrange shot in the woods, one or two small trees in the middle.

2) Shoots out onto the double plateaus.

3) New hole, big bomb into open field, but right side protected by trees. Dogleg right into gap in the woods with basket on the rocks.

This is where I messed up, so I believe you are correct about the numbers.

4) Old Hole 5, drive over mini-swamp into window going uphill. However, basket is now on the left instead of the right.

5) Old 3, but now basket is deep on the left buried in a small clearing after a 90 degree dogleg. Need a precision spike hyzer into a blind window to run the basket - did the first round, almost acing - utterly failed the second round.

So, yes, I was discussing the new 5. Thank you for the correction.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Let me talk myself through this:

1) Quick midrange shot in the woods, one or two small trees in the middle.

2) Shoots out onto the double plateaus.

3) New hole, big bomb into open field, but right side protected by trees. Dogleg right into gap in the woods with basket on the rocks.

This is where I messed up, so I believe you are correct about the numbers.

4) Old Hole 5, drive over mini-swamp into window going uphill. However, basket is now on the left instead of the right.

5) Old 3, but now basket is deep on the left buried in a small clearing after a 90 degree dogleg. Need a precision spike hyzer into a blind window to run the basket - did the first round, almost acing - utterly failed the second round.

So, yes, I was discussing the new 5. Thank you for the correction.

When you say "now basket is deep on the left" on hole 5, it's actually in the original position. However, because we had to at least temporarily move the tee shorter and more left, the angle is much tougher to that original pin. We'll hopefully improve that angle at some point.

 

[wolfhaley]

You just have to blast it through the tiny gap in the woods.

 

[MikeK]

It looks like the confirmation of sale date for the honka has been rescheduled for 9-15-2020. The foreclosure is done but the bank is dragging their feet, not sure why. It probably isn't getting any offers is my guess.

Got a link to more info? Is it going to be sold at a sheriff's auction maybe?

 

[Cgkdisc]

You just have to blast it through the tiny gap in the woods.

Ah, the famous peek-a-boo route to watch for ace runs.

 

[wolfhaley]

Ah, the famous peek-a-boo route to watch for ace runs.

My wife tried it in early May. Let's just say it was not an ace run. I stuck to the big hyzer with much better results.

 

[da Crippler]

Got a link to more info? Is it going to be sold at a sheriff's auction maybe?

It will be a sheriffs auction but I believe it will be online due to covid. That's all I know, I haven't heard from or seen the bank rep lately but the honka still needs to be cleaned out and opened up for inspection for potential buyers.

 

[roggenb3]

It will be a sheriffs auction but I believe it will be online due to covid. That's all I know, I haven't heard from or seen the bank rep lately but the honka still needs to be cleaned out and opened up for inspection for potential buyers.

Keep us updated, if you can. There's probably a couple people on here that, if the price is right, would consider bidding.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Ideally, it would be great if a lead person who either lives in the area or would live in the Honka would seek potential partners who would be willing to kick in up to X amount toward a winning bid similar to how several partners bid on sports team ownership. I'm not that lead person but might be interested as a minority partner in the right situation as would perhaps several other people. It would almost be like owning a timeshare although a fair amount of work and additional money would be needed to whip that place into shape beyond the winning bid investment.

 

[Discette]

Ideally, it would be great if a lead person who either lives in the area or would live in the Honka would seek potential partners who would be willing to kick in up to X amount toward a winning bid similar to how several partners bid on sports team ownership. I'm not that lead person but might be interested as a minority partner in the right situation as would perhaps several other people. It would almost be like owning a timeshare although a fair amount of work and additional money would be needed to whip that place into shape beyond the winning bid investment.

Please count me in as a potential partner. You have my digits.

 

[Mocheez]

The minimum bid is going to be the judgement amount which is 268K. Also, when you buy a property at sheriffs sale, you become responsible for all liens or judgements associated with the property and that is a long list in this case. You have to pay delinquent property taxes as well but looks like those are current. There will likely be no bidders and the bank will take over the property as REO. Then they will market and sell.

 

[Countchunkula]

^What are the odds that anyone from the bank would notice if they went back to using the old tee location that was on that property? The tee is still there, right?

 

[da Crippler]

^What are the odds that anyone from the bank would notice if they went back to using the old tee location that was on that property? The tee is still there, right?

It's still there but we're not really interested in stirring the pot right now. If we don't respect property lines no one else will either.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Maaaaan if only I lived closer, had a bunch of time and money on my hands...I'd be all over buying the Honka House. Lol

I can dream can't I?

 

[da Crippler]

^What are the odds that anyone from the bank would notice if they went back to using the old tee location that was on that property? The tee is still there, right?

Tom called the bank today and asked if we could mow and use the old tee. The bank said no.:\

 

[Countchunkula]

^Apologies. I should know better by now than to think out loud.