Scoring well at any golf course is set up by a well-placed approach shot. A great shot sets the stage for an easy two-putt, at worst. A bad one brings all sorts of trouble into play. There is more to a great approach than knowing the yardage, though. Knowing what a golf-course designer is trying to get a golfer to do is crucial. For instance, John Fought’s redesign of Glaze Meadow is inspired by the Donald Ross era of course design, bringing to Black Butte Ranch all kinds of classical elements. None of those elements dictate strategy more than the [...]

When Black Butte Ranch renovated Big Meadow a decade ago, a project completed with the help of Big Meadow original architect Robert Muir Graves, there was a concerted effort to adapt the venerable golf course to the modern game. The course became more playable, with bunkering and hole design that better stood up to the advances in golf equipment. The bunkering, 65 in all throughout the course, required a level of precision off the tee. But the renovation of Big Meadow also put driver back in the hands of golfers. But that was not the only important change at [...]

The early fall can be among the most spectacular times at Black Butte Ranch. Indeed, the Ranch has already begun the transition from summer to fall. Some signs of the change of seasons are noticeable: a trace of frost in the early morning, leaves beginning to change color, and needles falling from the ponderosa pines. But before you mourn those long, hot days of summer, this is actually great news for golfers. For one, the September weather provides pleasant, warm afternoons and the aspen leaves are set ablaze with color. Another benefit, of course, is that both Big Meadow [...]