Emotion at Alotian

No need to catch his mug on Facebook to see how delighted Jim Colo is these days. All it takes is a few moments on the phone to get the picture something truly special is happening on the western outskirts of Little Rock, Ark.

Colo (pictured here), the Class A superintendent at The Alotian Club in Roland, Ark., is absolutely delighted that the club debuted at No. 14 on Golf Digest's list of America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses for 2011. Not bad, considering The Alotian Club didn't even make the bi-annual list in 2009.

"I know the prestige of making it (top 100) is huge. It's an honor," Colo said by phone. "It's one of those things that's not your goal. The goal is to have members at one of the premier places in the country."

Mission accomplished, Jim

Although it isn't the first time a golf course has surfaced from nowhere to rate high on the top 100 list (for example, Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas entered for the first time at No. 8 in 1991, according to Golf Digest architecture editor Ron Whitten), the key here is that The Alotian Club rates over some historic tracks, such as the site of this year's men's U.S. Open, Congressional Country Club, not listed among the top 20. Golf Digest recently revealed the top 20 courses on this year's list and will release the entire top 100 online Tuesday and in its May issue of the magazine.

This is the first time a golf course in Arkansas has made the top 100 list, according to Whitten.

So how does The Alotian Club, a private club designed by Tom Fazio's group that overlooks Lake Maumelle with vistas that incorporate the Ouachita Mountains, make such a magical move into the top 100? It takes a minimum of 45 panelists to evaluate the golf course, and that didn't occur two years ago, Whitten said. The Alotian Club, however, was ranked best new private course in 2005 by Golf Digest. Panelists rate courses on shot value, design variety, resistance to scoring, aesthetics, conditioning, memorability and ambience. The last of those criteria likely buoyed The Alotian Club, Whitten believes. 

"It has that classic feel, patterned after Augusta National (No. 1 on the list, by the way), but the course is more rugged than Augusta National," Whitten said. "The first hole drops four or five stories, a lot of holes play downhill, and I really thought the strength of it was it had a lot of strategic bunkering. It's a spectacular golf course, flawless in its maintenance. It's one of those courses that people can find very little to criticize. It didn't get to No. 14 by getting a couple of mediocre ballots."

And there is something to the Augusta National ties. Warren Stephens built The Alotian Club, but you may recognize his father better than him. Stephens is the son of Jack Stephens, former chairman at Augusta National.

As for the name of the club, Alotian (pronounced ah-low-shun) comes from Warren Stephens' golfing group and their quest to play America's best courses. They call themselves America's Lights Out Tour, and the first letter of each four of those words (A-L-O-T) evolved into what is no longer a hidden gem.

The Alotian Club is a par-72, 7,480-yard, pine-lined track with wall-to-wall zoysia. The A1 and A4 bentgrass green really get tested during 100-degree summer days, Colo says. The landscape is elaborate, and Colo's staff does lots of hand work, like bunker raking and walk mowing greens daily. "When we get heavy rain coming off the mountain, we've got work to do," said Colo, who noted that a bear made its way onto the course a couple years ago but hasn't returned.

Another bear — The Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus — has been spotted at The Alotian Club, as well. Same goes for a couple of guys named Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Ben Crenshaw even said The Alotian Club could serve as a postcard for Arkansas.

Their appearances, plus the appearance of The Alotian Club on the top 100 list, really tells Colo the bar has been raised.

"It's something we have to live up to," Colo said.

Colo, though, can't imagine a place where he would enjoy his work more.

"When you come through the gates," Colo said, "you know you are somewhere special."

Comments

[John Colo]

Congratulations, Jim! Much deserved.

[Tony Nysse]

Jim! Glad to see Alotian getting it's dues! Well done!