Bear Creek has Nicklaus written all over it

Local course could have feel of Muirfield Village

By DAVID CLIMER

When Jack Nicklaus II first toured the 426 acres north of Nashville that is being carved into Bear Creek Golf Club, he sent encouraging words back to his father.

"I told him, 'The property will remind you of Muirfield Village,' " he said.

That was music to the ears of Papa Bear. Of the 200-plus golf courses designed or co-designed by Jack Nicklaus, Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, holds a special place in his heart. It is the site of Nicklaus' pet tournament, The Memorial, and is a fixture on virtually every top-100 course list.

Yesterday, the elder Nicklaus made his first visit to the property, where his son has done the bulk of the design work. They spent the morning working their way through the first 12 holes and were due to take a look at the 18th hole before Nicklaus flew off to visit another course that is under construction.

Bear Creek, a semi-private facility with both golf memberships and daily fee play, is scheduled for completion in late summer but will not open for play until next spring.

When Bear Creek opens, Nicklaus' stamp on golf in the state of Tennessee will grow. He designed the five courses spread across the state that comprise the Bear Trace as well as Richland Country Club in Nashville and Spring Creek Golf Club in Collierville, Tenn.

Each course is distinctive. For example, Richland is tucked into the rolling countryside of southern Davidson County, with creative bunkers and mounding around the greens. The Bear Trace courses blend in with local topography - Cumberland Mountain near Crossville has dramatic changes of elevation while Ross Creek Landing near Clifton is on flatter property, with water coming into play on several holes.

The site of Bear Creek, near White House, Tenn., is marked by creeks and deep ravines. A rock-faced ridge ó Burrus Ridge ó runs through the property.

"The property gives us some opportunities to be creative," Jack Nicklaus II said.

The course will play at about 6,500 yards, although there will be a variety of tees to accommodate players of different abilities. Nicklaus said he will include "gorilla tees" that will add 60 yards to some holes for those who want a more severe challenge.

This is one of several domestic and international courses currently in the works by the father-son tandem. They are working together on such far-flung projects as Twin Eagles North in Naples, Fla., to the Golf Club at Daoxiang Lake in Beijing, China.

"I try to get the golf course to a point where it's worth Dad's time," Jack II said.

Nicklaus, who began his golf course design career in 1970, when he collaborated with Pete Dye on three layouts, oversees a design empire that has 295 courses open for play in 28 countries. Another 100-plus courses are currently in some stage of development.

The business, Nicklaus Design, includes course-design work by sons Jack, Steve, Gary and Michael, and son-in-law Bill O'Leary.

At Bear Creek, Nicklaus said his role is that of a critic ó often a vocal critic. By contract, the elder Nicklaus is required to visit the site only once. However, he said yesterday he will make a return trip since he and his son did not get to work their way through the entire property.

"Jack takes the lead and I critique. I stick my nose in a couple of times," he said. "Ö When you have a collaboration of thoughts, you end up with a better product."

Yesterday, for example, Nicklaus made a change on the very first hole of Bear Creek, moving the tee back and the green forward so a bunker to the left of the fairway would fit more naturally into the terrain and frame the tee shot.

His is the voice of experience. When he noticed that his son had left what he called "a gorgeous beech tree" in the fifth fairway, Nicklaus suggested that the tree be removed. Why?

"If you take a beech tree out of the forest and start doing any work around it, its days are numbered," he said.

This father-son partnership dates back to Nicklaus' playing days. His oldest son caddied for him and was on his bag when Nicklaus won his sixth Masters 20 years ago at the age of 46.

"I remember every shot like it was yesterday," the younger Nicklaus said.

Now, father and son remember every hole they design.