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Dave_Wilber

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Ballyneal Pics
« on: August 31, 2004, 11:02:53 PM »
Just got my hands on some pics that Dick Durrance did earlier this month and I thought it might be cool to post them here. Certainly captures some of the energy of this site. Exciting time is ahead as we prepare to begin shaping on 3-4 holes this fall after waiting on permitting and other usual issues of getting things going.

I'll try to post some inital construction stuff as I can (my wife laughs at the large number of "dirt pics" on my hard drives, but I love them all!!).

Sorry in advance for these being a little on the large size. Enjoy!


Looking west across where the 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th converge.



From behind the 13th Tee looking southwest.



#16 from just in front of the where the tee will be looking south.



#18 from bebind the green looking slightly south




« Last Edit: September 01, 2004, 02:22:26 AM by Dave_Wilber »
---------
Dave Wilber
Wilber Consulting--Coaching, Writing Broadcasting, Agronomy
davewilber@yahoo.com
twitter: @turfgrasszealot
instagram @turfgrasszeal
"No one goes to play the great courses we talk about here because they do a nice bowl of soup. Soup helps, but you can’t putt in it." --Wilber

Mike Benham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2004, 11:08:18 PM »
Reminds me of the old Carly Simon song "Anticipation" ...

The color of the turf looks perfect already ... why bother to shape, just start mowing ...
"... and I liked the guy ..."

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2004, 11:13:22 PM »
Details please:  where is "Ballyneal?"  Private? Public? Who is the architect?  Thanks.

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2004, 11:16:13 PM »
It looks like the drought subsided and the vegitation has perked up out there.  Isn't it just mind boggling to see these endless grass land and prairie regions and imagine golf holes to infinity?  

Just looking at those pictures must have a benefitial effect on your average urban guerilla business warrior, to just imagine a get away and be totally nowhere and as alone as you wish to be, yet somewhere playing a game of golf over perfect land...
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Craig Van Egmond

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2004, 11:20:47 PM »

Bill,

    Ballyneal is a private course by Tom Doak, somewhere outside of Denver.


Steve_ Shaffer

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Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2004, 11:21:40 PM »
Bill

Tom Doak in CO: www.ballyneal.com

Steve
"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2004, 11:22:15 PM »
Well so far it's a great wildflower exhibit!

Don_Mahaffey

Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2004, 11:28:22 PM »
Wow!
It's not hard to imagine golf holes in those pics.

Dave, I hope things go smooth for you from here on out.

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2004, 11:30:10 PM »
Its the Sizzle, McSchnizzle factor Bill... marketing, thats the ticket. ;) ;D 8)
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Larry_Keltto

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2004, 11:41:56 PM »
I was there when Dick took these photos in early August. What a thrill to see a photographer of his ability at work!

Ballyneal is going to be special. I believe the phenomenal property, supported by Rupert and Jim O'Neal's vision, Tom Doak's routing and design, and Dave Wilber's ability to provide turf that will support the design, will make Ballyneal an extraordinary place.

I was/am so excited about Ballyneal that I joined. It's going to be a grand journey.

BTW, it was explained to me that the wildflowers are thriving because the Ballyneal property hasn't been used for grazing in two years. Also, Holyoke is about 50 miles east of Sterling, roughly 2.5 hours northeast of Denver.

Kevin_Reilly

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Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2004, 12:06:32 AM »
Anyone traveling near Denver should make the trek out to Holyoke to see the land.

As far as the Ballyneal club is concerned, the O'Neal brothers are 100% committed to doing everything the right way.  Low key, pure golf.  And as the pictures above show, all in an absolutely beautiful setting.

Search the archives under Dave Wilber's prior posts and you'll find the "mission statement" regarding the turf and conditions.

I'd encourage any GCAer with an interest in the club to contact Jim O'Neal.  Jim is a classy guy who is a pleasure to spend time with.
"GOLF COURSES SHOULD BE ENJOYED RATHER THAN RATED" - Tom Watson

Joel_Stewart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2004, 12:28:19 AM »
I'm a little surprised not to see any blowouts or sand dunes.  Maybe I misunderstood previous talk, I thought it was similar to Sand Hills?

Larry_Keltto

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2004, 12:36:08 AM »
As I understand it, and others can correct me if I'm wrong, the reason you don't see sand is because the property hasn't been grazed heavily for years.

Immediately underneath the grass that you see in the pictures is sand -- the kind that makes a golfer weep.

If the Ballyneal land had seen heavy grazing over the years, you'd see the sand right now. As it is, it won't take much effort to expose it.

Matt Kardash

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #13 on: September 01, 2004, 01:02:33 AM »
Wow, Tom Doak is really on a roll for getting unbelievable pieces of property to work with, especially in this modern age when most architects are saying how little great pieces of land are left. I think in the past 5 years Tom Doak has gotten more unbelievable sites than his former boss Pete Dye got all his life. Good job Tom  ;D
the interviewer asked beck how he felt "being the bob dylan of the 90's" and beck quitely responded "i actually feel more like the bon jovi of the 60's"

Dave_Wilber

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #14 on: September 01, 2004, 02:19:40 AM »
Wow!
It's not hard to imagine golf holes in those pics.

Dave, I hope things go smooth for you from here on out.

Don...thanks.

Although we would have liked to get going earlier for many reasons, I'm seeing less and less downside to getting some work done in 2004 and packing our schedule a bit tighter for 2005 with the end result of the ball in the air at Ballyneal at just about the same time. A bit more of a project management challenge, but that's OK.

I'm pretty stunned at the amount of vegative growth during this summer. If you look at this photo _Doak and Hepner, Spring 2004_ on the Ballyneal website you can see how much sand the drought and the cold weather had exposed. Rupert tells me that anyone thinking they are tough enough to walk the site in shorts has another thing coming and it wasn't easy prior to the summer growth.

To be sure, we can't, on any kind of short order, re-veg construction scars and make them look any kind of natural. We are going to have to tip-toe around this site and I'm excited about that. We've got some challenges to step up to in working this out and this fall will give me a ton of answers as to site management. (Geeez....I'm gonna have to get a pacemaker or some such device to keep my heart from jumping out of my chest when I talk about this stuff!!)

and the sand is...to die for.

All of this comes on the heels of my Father passing away on August 12th. I can honestly say I haven't had too many opportunities to smile during the last few weeks. Seeing these pics makes me realize that I'm blessed that Dad encouraged me to do what I do and not follow in his footsteps as a Chef.
« Last Edit: September 01, 2004, 02:42:38 AM by Dave_Wilber »
---------
Dave Wilber
Wilber Consulting--Coaching, Writing Broadcasting, Agronomy
davewilber@yahoo.com
twitter: @turfgrasszealot
instagram @turfgrasszeal
"No one goes to play the great courses we talk about here because they do a nice bowl of soup. Soup helps, but you can’t putt in it." --Wilber

TEPaul

Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #15 on: September 01, 2004, 05:03:47 AM »
Some of the most beautiful little "twists and turns" for golf I've seen!

TEPaul

Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #16 on: September 01, 2004, 05:08:06 AM »
I know it's not exactly practical but look at that photo captioned "from behind the 13th tee looking southwest!

Can you just imagine a 200 yard wide fairway with all that great natural movement out there on it! How interesting would that be to play?

Which way are you gonna go? Max Behr would call that "wild golf'.  ;)

Dave, seriously, how wide is that area out there on the right side of that photo that really does look like a fairway?
« Last Edit: September 01, 2004, 05:10:46 AM by TEPaul »

Steve_Roths

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Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #17 on: September 01, 2004, 10:08:44 AM »
Tom,

If you are reading this post, you had said in Golfweek that Ballyneal could produce your finest work to date.  Do you think this will still be the case?  

A_Clay_Man

Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #18 on: September 01, 2004, 10:12:47 AM »
Exciting time is ahead as we prepare to begin shaping on 3-4 holes this fall

Shaping? C'mon Dave, all you're gonna do is turnover the loam and grow grass, right? ;D

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #19 on: September 01, 2004, 10:22:58 AM »
No offense to Dick Durrance who is a great photographer, but without anything out there for scale, it is impossible to do justice to the undulations of this site.  Those dunes are pretty good-sized.

Steve R:  I don't remember saying it exactly that way.  I don't know how to predict what "could" produce my best work to date ... any project "could."  Ballyneal is a great site for golf, as is Sebonack and Stone Eagle [in a much more dramatic raw form] and Tumble Creek in Washington and all three projects we did in Australia and New Zealand.  As Matt K. said, I've been quite fortunate in the calls I've gotten in the past three years, and I hope my run isn't over just yet.

George Pazin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #20 on: September 01, 2004, 10:26:45 AM »
Thanks for sharing these inspiring photos - reminds me of an amazing photo Dick Daley sent me a few years ago. I still use it as a background on my computer.
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

Bill Gayne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #21 on: September 01, 2004, 11:09:40 AM »
I like the naming. In Gaelic "bally" means "place of." The translated name would be: place of Jim O'neal.

Ballybunion: place of bunion?

Mike Nuzzo

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #22 on: September 01, 2004, 12:54:27 PM »
Any chance of seeing a routing?
Thinking of Bob, Rihc, Bill, George, Neil, Dr. Childs, & Tiger.

Dave_Wilber

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #23 on: September 01, 2004, 04:40:29 PM »
I know it's not exactly practical but look at that photo captioned "from behind the 13th tee looking southwest!

Can you just imagine a 200 yard wide fairway with all that great natural movement out there on it! How interesting would that be to play?

Which way are you gonna go? Max Behr would call that "wild golf'.  ;)

Dave, seriously, how wide is that area out there on the right side of that photo that really does look like a fairway?

Tom...from my understanding of that hole and from our preliminary irrigation maps giving me some hint at size, that side that you are looking at is 80-90 yards wide, if not more. That picture doesn't do that area justice...and it still is a pretty nice pic!
---------
Dave Wilber
Wilber Consulting--Coaching, Writing Broadcasting, Agronomy
davewilber@yahoo.com
twitter: @turfgrasszealot
instagram @turfgrasszeal
"No one goes to play the great courses we talk about here because they do a nice bowl of soup. Soup helps, but you can’t putt in it." --Wilber

A_Clay_Man

Re:Ballyneal Pics
« Reply #24 on: September 01, 2004, 06:47:44 PM »
That area, looks like Pete Dye's opener at CCoD. Only more random.

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