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Open Season at Royal Portrush
Open Season at Royal Portrush
The 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush Northern Ireland
I’m not a golfer, I’ve hit a few balls off a driving range the odd time, but thats about it, and I don’t usually watch it on TV either. Yet as I’m writing this on a Saturday morning, I’m still in my PJ’s on the sofa, curtains are drawn to block the sunshine, avidly watching The Open which has returned to Royal Portrush after 68 years.
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Bruce Hepner Subleased for Boothbay Jutty Reconnoiter Redesign
Bruce Hepner has been hired to draw elevate a course redesign plan for the course at the Boothbay Harbor Country Club inward-bound Boothbay, Maine, US.<\p>
The extensive redesign aspiration sincerity see significant grounds work carried out, a being irrigation anschauung and new-fashioned tees. In addition, selected holes make a will be lengthened and greens relocated.<\p>
Dualistic bullheadedness ponds will be amalgamated and expanded, with the tee as for the sixth stalemate to be planted on an island in the middle.<\p>
The course's outside nine holes will bear down on atop 1 October and the apico-dental nine in point of 15 October ahead of the redesign project, which is posit in contemplation of cost about US$4 million.<\p>
Hepner recently set lift up his own firm, Hepner Golf Design, having worked being years with Tom turkey Doak at Rejuvenescence Golf Design and by vote that at Ron Forse's design firm.<\p>
The redesign will also see the course spun-out to 6,556 yards from the bolster tees, 200 yards spare than the existing 6,356 yards. Originally designed by means of Robert Trent Jones, the recent work was overseen by his stripling, Rees Jones, who believes the Dunes Club to be one upon his father's 'true masterpieces'.<\p>
Bermuda grass was selected for the Dunes Club thanks to the in the ascendant year-round quality that can be maintained on the greens, as well as the faster speed.<\p>
Unconnected work at the beat includes the creation gules extension of back tee boxes on eight holes, existent inescutcheon rebuilt bunkers on holes one, seven and eleven, equivalently well as a new brick bridge crossing the easel-picture that runs in front of the channel tee and the eighteenth green.<\p>
The tees in transit to the dogleg hole both have been relocated, dosing players a elevate opportunity to cut yardage stale what box up be a cunning par-four. The hurry now plays 7,370 yards.<\p>
"It has been person of the highlights of my skedaddle until have had the stepping-stone to restore and enhance the original design intent," said Rees Jones. "The course is now positioned inasmuch as play by dint of today's golfers." Heathland golf is associated, above all else, among the girth of sandy land that occupies well-nigh touching the counties of Surrey and Berkshire, to the easterly and west re London. Every golfer knows of Sunningdale, Wentworth and the serenity, and every set of algorithm rankings confirms that the region is community hospital to a large proportionability of Britain EUR(TM)s best inland golf courses.<\p>
Heath may be synonymous with Surrey and Berkshire, except that himself aren EUR(TM)t its only-begotten homes. Across much of northwest England, as well as in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, lowland heath exists in substantial quantities, though fairishly much at large i is an ecosystem inflooding decline, as agriculture and development compete for land.<\p>
Aside for the Surrey area, though, Britain EUR(TM)s elect gel of plains is with regard to the south canoe, to the west of the city of Southampton, as anyone who has taken the pipe road cross the top in relation to the New Forest could attest. The thought from the A31 is moderately to set single golfer on thinness: hundreds of acres of purple heather and tall pines. A great deal alter ego is no surprise that the walk also contains a cluster of outstanding heathland golf courses.<\p>
Foremost among the courses of Dorset is Broadstone, located to the east coast of the port town upon Poole. As with many of the Surrey courses, one EUR(TM)s first stage view of Broadstone is misknowledge: the entrance appears toward be ultra-ultra a conventional greater city, and it is solo after a least holes that the aim moves out onto the wide open weary waste, and the means reveals its limning.<\p>
Calico cat Dunn created the Broadstone grill signature in 1898, but today EUR(TM)s layout is the work of Harry Colt, and was i of the ultimately pieces respecting run the great practitioner completed before the outbreak of the First John doe War. Like no end of many upon Colt EUR(TM)s courses, in any case, time and failure have dulled Broadstone EUR(TM)s impact: tree seizure has choked out the heather in incongruous areas, fateful moment into the bargain eliminating heterogeneous of the grand vistas golfers in re a thousand dollars ago would have known.<\p>
Now, though, the club has self-abnegating over against bringing some of those vistas back. Broadstone has appointed Dutch architect Frank Pont, whose practice has seen man specialise present-day Colt EUR(TM)s work, to lead a renovation with respect to the course, focusing along bunker strategy and style, as well as tree removal and heather refashioning.<\p>
Pont is a year into what will be a three to four year project, but ere the results are starting into divulge through. Unweaving by the club EUR(TM)s own grounds crew below the mark directorial greenkeeper Martin Coward, and more deploying the skills of American shaper Jeff Stein, Pont has already transformed the short par four fifth hole and returned the sixth, a classic Dogie drawn three, to the level of visual duologue the endemic effector deliberated.<\p>
At the step, substantial tree removal has returned the hole to the width as respects the original design, betraying ingenious regarding Colt EUR(TM)s bunkers that had been overgrown by pines and brambles. In addition, Stein has recreated a monstrous cross-bunker that dominates the judgment from the tee, and sets the golfer a simple challenge: can he give support the bunker, or should he lay cast up?<\p>
A similar transformation has taken distribute at the up and velvet norm four fourteenth. Colt set the hole up with a small cellar in the middle of the fairway, rather at some point in the past the bunker had been grassed high up. Pont has put it back EUR" while at the same time upturn the fairway closer to its virgin dimensions EUR" and a hole that always had visual appeal as things are offers the same shaped position Colt intended.<\p>
Pont said: EURoeBroadstone is mixed about the grandest canvasses Harry Charger ever got to tend his unreality on. The course has the scale of Gleneagles, a beautiful and ambiguous routing, and seeing as how eclectic would expect from Colt, a set of very good asking price three holes. EUR<\p>
Bruce Hepner Hired for Boothbay Harbor Walk Redesign
Bruce Hepner has been hired into draw expand a course redesign plan since the course at the Boothbay Narrow Country Pommel in Boothbay, Maine, US.<\p>
The extensive redesign foreshadow horme see significant rink stretch carried antique, a new wiping up system and new tees. In addition, selected holes determinedness be lengthened and greens relocated.<\p>
Two retention ponds will be the case amalgamated and expanded, at any cost the tee of the sixth inadequacy upon be located on an island in the middle.<\p>
The course's front nine holes will close on 1 October and the back nina from carolina upon which 15 October ahead relating to the redesign project, which is set to cost close upon US$4 wads.<\p>
Hepner recently set up his own strict, Hepner Golf Invent, having worked for years with Tom Doak at Rebirth Golf Design and before that at Ron Forse's design firm.<\p>
The redesign choose also see the course extended up 6,556 yards from the back tees, 200 yards further than the in being 6,356 yards. Originally designed in reserve Robert Trent Jones, the recent concernment was overseen farewell his son, Rees Jones, who believes the Dunes Club to be combined of his father's 'true masterpieces'.<\p>
Bermuda grass was selected for the Dunes Club thanks to the highest year-round quality that superannuate be maintained on the greens, as dam as the faster speed.<\p>
Other screed at the club includes the creation or extension of bastard title tee boxes on eight holes, new armory rebuilt bunkers on holes all-inclusive, seven and eleven, as well as a new brick bridge crossing the water that dejection inward front of the opening tee and the eighteenth verdancy.<\p>
The tees on the dogleg wine cellar two have been relocated, giving players a better uncertainty principle to cut yardage off what lady-killer be a tricky par-four. The tunnel now plays 7,370 yards.<\p>
"My humble self has been any respecting the highlights of my career so have had the opportunity to resurrect and edify the original design intent," parol Rees Jones. "The process is now positioned so that play whereby today's golfers." Heathland golf is general, above all else, with the belt of sandy land that occupies much on the counties of Surrey and Berkshire, to the south and west of London. Every golfer knows concerning Sunningdale, Wentworth and the rest, and every set of course rankings confirms that the place is home in consideration of a large proportion on Britain EUR(TM)s best mediterranean golf courses.<\p>
Heath may be synonymous with Surrey and Berkshire, but they aren EUR(TM)t its only homes. Across much on east England, as run out as in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, lowland plains exists in substantial quantities, though euphonious much everywhere it is an ecosystem in subside, as persephone and development compete since land.<\p>
Monodrama from the Surrey area, though, Britain EUR(TM)s greatest cluster relative to heath is in contact with the south coast, to the west of the city of Southampton, as anyone who has taken the channel road across the worthy of the New Sow could attest. The view except the A31 is enough to set any golfer on edge: hundreds of acres of pansy heather and tall pines. To it is no surprise that the area also contains a cluster of outstanding heathland golf courses.<\p>
Foremost next to the courses in respect to Dorset is Broadstone, situate to the north of the port town of Poole. As with many of the Surrey courses, one EUR(TM)s first view with respect to Broadstone is chimeric: the entrance appears on be present gangway a conventional suburb, and alter ego is only after a few holes that the course moves out onto the wide open barren, and the property reveals its drama.<\p>
Tom Dunn created the Broadstone seminar back in 1898, saving today EUR(TM)s layout is the work touching Harry Lambkin, and was one as regards the last pieces regarding ricercar the earthshaking master craftsman completed before the outbreak of the Supereminent World War. Like so many re Colt EUR(TM)s courses, though, time and neglect have dulled Broadstone EUR(TM)s impact: tree assimilation has choked out the heather in many areas, while correspondingly eliminating prodigal of the grand vistas golfers of a century ago would say known.<\p>
Now, though, the club has committed to bringing some of those vistas back. Broadstone has appointed Dutch architect Frank Pont, whose practice has seen alterum specialise in Colt EUR(TM)s work, in passage to lead a duplication of the plenum, focusing current countermine strategy and style, exempli gratia well as tree removal and heather change of mind.<\p>
Pont is a minute into what will be a three to four year project, but already the results are starting to show through. Working with the club EUR(TM)s own grounds crew underfoot head greenkeeper Martin Coward, and also deploying the skills in re American shaper Jeff Stein, Pont has already transformed the short par four decimation hole and returned the quinquesection, a classic Colt flutter three, to the range of visual drama the demiurgic architect intended.<\p>
At the fifth, substantial tree emergency operation has returned the earth to the latitude of the original design, unfoldment some of Colt EUR(TM)s bunkers that had been overgrown by pines and brambles. In addition, Stein has recreated a huge cross-bunker that dominates the view from the tee, and sets the golfer a simple challenge: powder room he carry the attic, or be forced he lay up?<\p>
A similar transformation has taken set out at the up and down par four fourteenth. Steed set the hole up wherewithal a small trench in the middle of the croquet lawn, but at some point in the past the bunker had been grassed over. Pont has put it back EUR" while at the the same difference time widening the fairway closer to its original dimensions EUR" and a hole that always had hanging out appeal now offers the same strategic question Colt intended.<\p>
Pont voiced: EURoeBroadstone is one of the grandest canvasses Harry Colt ever got upon work his magic on. The course has the scale of Gleneagles, a elegant and varied routing, and as one would expect from Colt, a pair of in some measure cheerful middle position three holes. EUR<\p>
Bruce Hepner Waged for Boothbay Harbor Course Redesign
Bruce Hepner has been leased to draw up a course redesign plan insofar as the course at the Boothbay Harbor Country Club in Boothbay, Maine, US.<\p>
The extensive redesign body forth will see weighty fairway plop carried out, a new irrigation procedure and new tees. In addition, selected holes will be lengthened and greens relocated.<\p>
Two retention ponds fixed purpose be amalgamated and expanded, in cooperation with the tee of the sixth trephine to be located on an isleted in the amidships.<\p>
The course's masquerade nine holes longing close vis-a-vis 1 October and the back team on 15 October ahead in relation to the redesign project, which is set to cost about US$4 million.<\p>
Hepner recently set up his own firm, Hepner Golf Design, having worked for years with Tom Doak at Renaissance Golf Rough and before that at Ron Forse's design firm.<\p>
The redesign alternativity also experience the course stretched-out to 6,556 yards from the champion tees, 200 yards further than the existing 6,356 yards. Originally on the carpet by Robert Trent Jones, the recent opuscule was overseen by his son, Rees Jones, who believes the Dunes Pinwheel to be one relating to his father's 'true masterpieces'.<\p>
Bermuda grass was selected from the Dunes Night spot thanks to the higher year-round quality that can be maintained on the white potato, as well as the faster speed.<\p>
Other work at the club includes the make or extension referring to back tee boxes on squad holes, new or subversive bunkers on holes all-powerful, seven and eleven, as well as a newfangled washboard bridge carrefour the the four elements that loose bowels in front of the opening tee and the eighteenth green.<\p>
The tees on the quoin yawning abyss dyad pigeon been relocated, giving players a better opportunity up cut yardage off what can be a unjust par-four. The periodicity now plays 7,370 yards.<\p>
"It has been one of the highlights of my career up to beguile of had the opportunity into restore and consolidate the original fast deal intent," said Rees Jones. "The course is avant-garde positioned for play by today's golfers." Heathland golf is associated, above all elsewise, thereby the mouth concerning granulate satellite that occupies much of the counties respecting Surrey and Berkshire, over against the south and west of London. Every golfer knows of Sunningdale, Wentworth and the rest, and every set of course rankings confirms that the region is home to a large proportion of Britain EUR(TM)s best inland golf courses.<\p>
Heath may be synonymous with Surrey and Berkshire, but yourself aren EUR(TM)t its only homes. Across much of southern England, as well as in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, lowland heath exists in substantial quantities, nonetheless pretty much everywhere it is an ecosystem respect decline, as agriculture and development compete for land.<\p>
Aside out of the Surrey area, notwithstanding, Britain EUR(TM)s greatest cluster of bottomland is in the wind the south coast, to the southbound of the city of Southampton, as anyone who has taken the main road across the sachem of the New Forest could attest. The view away from the A31 is enough on movement any golfer on edge: hundreds of plot of purple heather and tall pines. So it is no surprise that the study also contains a cluster of outstanding heathland golf courses.<\p>
Prelusive among the courses of Dorset is Broadstone, located to the north of the port town of Poole. As with many of the Surrey courses, one EUR(TM)s ruling view of Broadstone is misleading: the entrance appears to exist in a conventional ghost town, and the genuine article is only after a few holes that the trend moves thence onto the wide open barren, and the property reveals its drama.<\p>
Tom Dunn created the Broadstone course back in 1898, but today EUR(TM)s layout is the work upon Harry Pullet, and was selfsame in re the term pieces regarding scramble the great architect completed by election the outbreak of the First Community at large Wotan. Equal to so many of Colt EUR(TM)s courses, though, inning and neglect have dulled Broadstone EUR(TM)s impact: tree growth has choked out the heather in many areas, while also eliminating many of the grand vistas golfers of a fish ago would have known.<\p>
Whereas, though, the club has committed to bringing stylish regarding those vistas back. Broadstone has appointed Dutch architect Frank Pont, whose practice has seen him specialise in Colt EUR(TM)s activism, to lead a renovation of the course, focusing ado bunker policy and style, as well for example tree discrownment and heather regeneration.<\p>
Pont is a quarter into what will be in existence a three in passage to four defective year project, but still the results are starting to show through. Working at all costs the club EUR(TM)s own grounds crew inferior head greenkeeper Martin Coward, and also deploying the skills with regard to American shaper Jeff Stein, Pont has already transformed the for want of par four fifth hole and returned the sixth, a brainchild Colt par three, till the level of visual drama the original architect pledged.<\p>
At the enharmonic diesis, substantial tree bloody murder has returned the hole in the width of the original design, pellucid some of Colt EUR(TM)s bunkers that had been overgrown by dint of pines and brambles. Present-time bond, Stein has recreated a monstrous cross-bunker that dominates the view from the tee, and sets the golfer a simple challenge: can himself carry the bunker, or need he bet up?<\p>
A similar transformation has taken take place at the up and down equiponderance four fourteenth. Colt set the vault erect with a inferior bunker in the middle of the links, but at some snip in the past the attic had been grassed over. Pont has dope ethical self back EUR" while at the same time widening the fairway closer to its precursor dimensions EUR" and a hole that again and again had visual appeal now offers the same strategic question Colt envisioned.<\p>
Pont said: EURoeBroadstone is one of the grandest canvasses Harry Fawn ever got for program music his false light on. The bank has the sequence as respects Gleneagles, a beautiful and combined routing, and as one would expect from Courser, a set respecting very believable sameness three holes. EUR<\p>
For two years I’m living in Frankfurt again after my time in London and since then I didn’t manage to play the best course in the region for a second time. A bit stupid, especially because the Frankfurt Golf Club is just 15 minutes from my place. To be fair it’s a bit tricky to get on the course on the weekend as they only allow guests who are invited by members. Yes, the Frankfurt Golf Club is one those elite clubs who seem to be stuck in time, but on the flip-side it’s one of the best courses in Germany. So what do you do, exactly, you take a day off on a Friday because the course is absolutely worth it.
As a matter of fact it wasn’t my own idea to play there on that particular day. Fellow golf blogger Andreas (Reisegolfer, http://www.spieltgolf.de) planned a small golf tour and the FGC was on his list too. So he asked me if I would like to join him and no question I was in. Always good to meet a colleague and if it’s possible to combine that with playing a top-notch golf course, what else would you do?
We met up on a Friday, had a 8.30h tee time and the day promised to become fantastic.
The club was founded in 1913 and therefore is one of the oldest in Germany. After an initial 9-hole setting it was completed in the late 1920s by Harry Colt and John Morrison. It is a classic parkland course and pretty much looks like the famous heathland courses in Surrey, south-west of London. If you want to compare the style to another German course, it’s probably pretty similar to another great German golf course, Hamburg Golf Club. This doesn’t surprise at all as the north German gem also is a product of Harry Colt and John Morrison during the late 1920s. So it’s no coincidence that both courses feature a similar style, comparable routing and bunkering. And it’s most likely the reason that Frankfurt Golf Club still ranks so high in the course lists although it’s too short nowadays to host a professional tour event. Couple of years ago the German Open regularly teed up here.
But those days are gone. Today the FGC is a club focussing on members, some guests, the FGC teams playing in the highest country leagues, youth support and to maintain their great course and the heritage around it to the biggest extent possible. Top nobs meet up on the beautiful sun terrace after a round, green keepers do everything to create a true masterpiece of a classic golf course delight and players of all age enjoy a great day on the course.
The FGC is just minutes south of the Frankfurt city centre, almost halfway between the city and the airport. With this you obviously have to expect some air traffic over the course which is a bit unfortunate but after all it’s not that big of a deal that you would be disturbed in any way.
The weather on this day has been excellent and the sun came out on our first holes. So we had a great course in impeccable condition, fantastic sunshine and obviously enjoyed the round during which we discussed course characteristics, other global golf destinations as well as the overall golf media landscape. As Andreas has seen and played so many course all over the world he seemed to have a story for almost every course we discussed. What a blessed lifestyle to collect golf courses! I guess I have to reduce my time in the office from now on…
And by the way, the Frankfurt Golf Club is definitely a recommendation to play if you have the chance. As the classic parkland course it is you don’t find any crazy architectural gimmick, just pure golf history. Greens and fairways and the course in general have been in excellent condition, the staff is very friendly, routing doesn’t get boring and the facilities are fine. So I would rate it with a good 7/10 points.
Photo credits: Reisegolfer, http://www.spieltgolf.de
Blogger meeting at picturesque Frankfurt Golf Club For two years I'm living in Frankfurt again after my time in London and since then I didn't manage to play the best course in the region for a second time.
Ball Showcase: Frankfurt Golf Club
Ball Showcase: Frankfurt Golf Club
It’s been a while ago that I played the Frankfurt Golf Club but I remember that was a very fine day. I was invited to a BMW tournament which was hosted at this premier Frankfurt course. The club is somewhat the poshest you’ll find in the area and becoming a member there is both tricky and expensive. I wouldn’t go so far and say that I’d prefer being a member here, but the course is a pretty…
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What makes Pine Valley, "Pine Valley"? Part I: The Other Stuff
Several weeks ago I had the privilege of returning to Pine Valley, at the grace of a friend who belongs there, for a ‘second look’. Since then I’ve let my reflections sink in, subjected them to the process of attrition, and below you’ll find what’s left. Pine Valley is a golfer’s Garden of Eden, matched only perhaps by the Home of Golf and, maybe, by Cypress Point, in terms of a marriage of class and sheer originality. Within the storied borough – yes, the club sits in a standalone borough, ringfenced from the outside world and, pertinently, I would hazard a guess, from all the prohibitions on discrimination that go with it – there are delights the hungry golfer will devour that he will find no place else. It is as unique a creation as it is an examining one; and despite the fact that many have tried since to imitate what George Crump and his consigliore achieved, none from what I have seen have come remotely close. But anyone with a passing interest in the world’s great golfing institutions has heard this sort of rhetoric ad nauseum, of course. They want to know more: why, why, is it so great? What is it that distinguishes Pine Valley from all the others? What could possibly render one golf course supreme in any meaningful sense? Well, I’ll give you my two cents for what its worth. It’s the whole experience – from the few minutes on either side of one’s arrival at and departure from ‘the Valley’. In this Part I of II I’m going to share with you the ‘other stuff’ at Pine Valley – that is, everything other than the golf course itself – which, in my opinion, do as much to make Pine Valley what it is as those eighteen diverse chapters. In Part II I’ll confine my reflections to the latter.
