Risky decisions

On August 27, 2000, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Tiger Woods completed a shot that would go down in history. Known as “the shot in the dark,” the swing secured Woods’ win at the World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational. That shot isn’t remembered because of accuracy; it was not a tournament-winning stroke. 

The “shot in the dark” became historic because visibility was low, hopes were high, and neither Woods nor his fans knew how it would end up. The shot landed just two feet from the pin.

Hiring Brian Ross to design Park Mammoth Golf Club in Park City, Kentucky, could be described as a Woodsian shot in the dark. Ross, a golf course architect, started his company in 2019. Based in Austin, Texas, he had no projects lined up when he pitched himself to the owners of Park Mammoth. Ross had spent large amounts of time searching websites and news articles for recently sold courses. When he discovered the property that would soon become Park Mammoth, he reached out to the developers, as he had done 30 or 40 times previously with other properties.

“I kind of just took a leap of faith,” he says. 

That leap of faith led to not one, not two, but three different projects led by Ross at the Kentucky facility. 

Park Mammoth is an hour and a half south of Louisville and opened in April 2022. Prior to opening, the public course underwent a major renovation and redesign led by Ross starting in fall 2021. Ross guided the rerouting of several holes, added 20 new greens, 50 new tee boxes, 25 new bunkers and oversaw a new irrigation system installation. Soon after the course’s opening, Ross returned to the Kentucky site to design a driving range and practice area for golfers.

His designs produced an 18-hole, par-70 layout measuring 6,113 yards from the back tees and 4,692 yards from the front.

Following Ross’ successful designs, the owners decided it was time for something new. “We were looking for a way to not just get people to the course to play golf, but try to keep them there,” Ross says.

After considering options, management settled on building a short course — The Little Mammoth, designed by none other than Ross. 

“I just felt like that’s a great way for golfers to spend additional time at the club,” Ross says.

The course lies adjacent to the driving range among rolling valleys, clay and limestone. When designing the main course, Ross and the construction team did not use a lot of rock. “I thought one of the neat things we could do on this project would be to kind of highlight a little more of the natural limestone ledges that occur in the area.”

From a landscape perspective, the short course provides players with conditions common to the area. Inspiration for the design came from Park Mammoth, aiming for a cohesive product with different aesthetics. Ross says projects like this allow architects to take more risks, building greens with “interesting” shapes and ramped up contours that allow change in play based on pin positions. 

Ross’ careful designs and “risky” decisions resulted in a 9-hole, 960-yard, walking-only layout. Ross worked alongside superintendent Austin Hines to keep maintenance practices in mind through the design and execution process. After all, once Ross’ work was finished, it would be in the hands of Hines and his team.

“Brian Ross, he did the big course. I came in after all that was completed, but with his designs and myself working along with him, trying to work out some of the maintenance-friendly issues that we were going to have, it was awesome,” Hines says.

The shortest hole, No. 2, measures 88 yards. The longest, No. 4, measures 127 yards. As you stand atop the tee box on the fourth hole, the entire short course layout is visible. “The sunset, if we’re here late in the evenings, it’s magnificent,” Hines says. “It’s probably the best in the state from that view.”

The Little Mammoth was grown in by Hines, who celebrated three years at the course in September. Hines worked alongside Ross to execute a maintenance-friendly course.

Hines works with assistant superintendents Jacob Thompson and Hayden Scroggy to manage staff and maintain all 27 holes at the facility.

The staff who assisted in the building and grow-in of the course were excited to get their feet on the turf. “They couldn’t wait to play it. They kept talking about it,” Hines says.

Despite the course’s length differences, Hines maintains the short course to the same standard as the main one. “Everything is the same, and they maintain it with the same character,” general manager Marc Eubanks says.

The short course features 75,000 square feet of greens made up of 777 bentgrass. Tahoma seed makes up the fairways, tees and approaches. The course is often used for clinics and lessons alongside the practice facility. The course is also able to be played in multiple variations and orders, offering a unique opportunity for frequent players.

The par-3 course is enjoyed by customers and employees alike. “When the weather’s nice, we’ll go out and play two loops, 18 holes on the par 3, and they love it and can’t get enough of it,” Eubanks says.

Eubanks aims to provide each golfer with an experience. “We try to make them feel like a member for a day,” he says.

Eubanks used the example of a junior golfer who recently visited the course and requested to play the Little Mammoth. The course was supposed to be closed for a high school event. “I’m like, just go play,” Eubanks replied. “It’s all about relationships and the way that we treat people. And we try to say that the answer is yes, and we’ll figure out how later.”

The Little Mammoth offers something for everyone. Park Mammoth has developed from an 18-hole course to a 27-hole facility and practice range. Let this Kentucky course remind you that, sometimes, taking a “shot in the dark” can lead to something inspiring. 

Kelsie Horner is Golf Course Industry’s digital editor.