Burnham & Berrow pics

[Sean_A]

Kaput

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I'm glad we share an enthusiasm for Burnham and Berrow.  It's a delightful course as well as pretty challenging in parts.  Thank you for posting them.

[ed_getka]

Sean,
   More pix please. My primary memory of B&B was the very strong set of par 3's. Also, there are a number of other very good holes there, but its not solid all the way through.

[Bill_McBride]

Nice job with the photos, Sean, you've got it worked out.

Look forward to meeting you in Pinehurst in just over a week.

[Stuart Hallett]

Sean,

Hope you don't mind me joining in with the pics. I took these back in August, glorious sunshine and a lot of nostalgia after too many years away from B&B.

I agree the 18th is a very good finishing hole, however the messy backdrop or lack of definition always bothered me. You're hitting a semi-blind long approach, often downwind with tee furniture, or even worse, a four-ball group waiting on the 1st being the most visible feature. Dare I suggest that some subtle mounding between the green and 1st tee would frame the green and reassure the already stressed players on the 1st tee.

2nd, another view



4th



14th, tough short hole, 192yrds



14th green, first of 3 impressive green complexes



15th, tricky



16th approach. Considering the number of architects who worked at B&B, who did this green ? The obvious choice is supposed to have only submitted a report.



16th green



17th, only a solid strike will do, 200yrds

[ed_getka]

Thanks for the additional pix.

[Paul_Turner]

Nice pics and brings back some fond memories, eh, RT and Darren!

I think Burnham gets a bit of a bum rap when it comes to the "boring" holes 6,7,8,11.  Even the flat 7th has quite a cool spine that bleeds into the green.  Sure, you're out of the dunes proper but it's still good stuff.  

How's the new(ish) Hawtree 6th green play?  I think he tweeked 14th green too?

[Mark_F]

Hey Sean,(and others)

Nice pics.  

Interesting take on your weakest holes.  I agree, but would also add the 4th? Thought it was a pretty ordinary par five.

I quite liked the 6th, too.  Deceptive, I thought.  I stood on the tee and thought it looked about 50 yards longer than marked.

Great course in a nice part of the UK.  Friendly, too.

[Keith Durrant]

Sean/Stuart, well done on posting the photos - as Oliver said...please sir, can i have some more!

Re.16th Green, that is a very enticing approach - who's green is it?!

I like the small green on 15th with its punchbowl surrounds. Every course should have one of these !!

Is the prevailing wind off the right on par 3 14th? Any hidden bunkers on this hole?

[Marc Haring]

I may as well join in the fun and post a couple of my own.

Here is the 11th looking back. It is a totally blind drive over a huge sand dune with a couple of hidden bunkers and plenty of impenetrable buckthorn just about where you’d be wanting to hit it. The fairways are painfully narrow at present and personally I believe they should be opened out a bit to allow a man to breath, but that’s just my opinion. It looks as though they were at one time at least twice the width, as spines that look as though they would have been placed in the middle of the fairway are now off to one side and throw anything slightly off line into lost ball territory.




Here’s that glorious 12th green approach. The castle/church would be located some way left of the green.




Here’s the rolling fairway of #15 another blind drive to the narrowest strip of fairway.



This is looking back down the 7th fairway. It is a very demanding hole with a hogsback fairway and watery, marshy stuff all down the right side right up to the edge of the green. Although bland visually it does present some real commitment questions on both the drive and the second and it’s a long, long par four.
 

[Mark_Rowlinson]

It's such interesting land.  Very beguiling photos.

[Keith Durrant]

I read that significant changes were made in terms of the 13th and 14th holes - was this to the benefit of the course?

[Keith Durrant]

Sean,

Frank Pennink "regreted the loss of the fine 13th hole" (Choice of Golf Courses 1976), and Donald Steel (Classic Golf Links)
"The much lamented old 13th has been swallowed up as part of a housing development and the short 14th turned in the
 opposite direction and lengthened considerably. In order to accommodate this, the unique Church hole has been diverted
 up into the dunes, and while this has been carried out with obvious advantages, there were many who shed a sentimental
 tear over it passing"

Is the "Church hole", the 12th?

On the club website, they list the following architects as having been involved in the design of the course (although it's not
 clear that any of them were involved in the changes described above!):

JH Taylor, Fowler, Alison, Hilton, Mackenzie, and Colt.

[Stuart Hallett]

Sean,

B&B has changed so many times. The club history book "Between the Church & the Lighthouse" by Philip Richards explains the evolution very well.

First 9 & 18 holes, Charles Gibson.



1901, J.H.Taylor & committee.



1910, H. Fowler removed blind holes.

1923, H. Colt continued to remove blind shots. Possible contribution by Mackenzie for 9th & 16th greens. Loss of "Majuba", a prononced version of The Dell at Lahinch.



1936-1951, Colt & Alison. Alison designed 8th green.



1976, F. Hawtree. 1978, F. Pennink.


Cards



Sorry, the images seem rather small.

[Keith Durrant]

Stuart,

If I understand the club history diagrams and scorecard correctly, by comparing 1938 and 1976, I came up with these being the changes:

- 12th green moved

- 6th is re-routed to the left and the Old 6th reversed, roughly becomes the new 13th.

- Old par 3 13th is rotated in a new direction and lengthened (and becomes 14th)

- Old 14th is the hole that is consumed by the housing over the road

What's your understanding? This doesnt gel with Steel's description. Pennink appears to lament the old par 3 13th.

[RJ_Daley]

Sean and Stuart, good stuff, thanks for providing the interesting study.

[Stuart Hallett]

P. Richards explains the concerns and eventual changes around the church.

"In 1946 Alison prepared a report for the committee on improvements to the 7th and 8th greens and in 1947 he was asked to provide sketches of holes six to twelve with firstly the 12th hole west of the church and secondly the 12th hole east of the church. His first scheme was accepted and although we have no record of its details, it obviously set the thinking of what was needed to change the course around the church"

New 8th green was completed in 1953 by Alison.

"Two of the proposals were to divert the course to the west of Berrow church and to construct a new nine hole course. Both of these proposals were approved at an EGM held on 30th September 1972".

"So many problems were arising from trespass on the church hole, coupled with the fact that the hole could not be played on Sundays or whenever there was a funeral or wedding, that it was only a matter of time before a new hole would be required. The proposal of the sub-committee was to build new 12th and 13th holes, for the existing 13th to become the 14th and for the short 14th to be abandoned. the new 13th would have to be built along the fairway being used for the 6th hole so a new 6th hole would be required and was to be built on the west side of the ridge marking the edge of the existing 6th fairway. Fred Hawtree was asked to design these holes. The 6th hole was the first to be completed and opened in December 1976 but the 12th and 13th holes were delayed until 1978".

The 13th hole was sold for housing to avoid a £25 surcharge on membership fees.

" There were desperate attempts to convince the members that maybe only part of the land around the 13th, the Old Mill hole, would need to be sold and that if some waay could be found of keeping one of the oldest and finest holes on the course then every effort should be made to do so. In the end it was to no avail and the 13th was sold.This also meant that in the new plans another 14th hole was needed. This was easily accomplished by retaining the old short 14th green and building a new tee to play the hole from the opposite direction. Fred Hawtree was initially asked to design this hole but later, in 1976, the committee invited Frank Pennink to do this and also review the layout from the 11th green to the 15th green".

Changes around the church were completed in 1978.

I hope this text clarifies the changes around the church.

[Sean_A]

Thanks Stuart.  I think I have a handle on the evolution of Burnham now except for the 14th.  It still doesn't make sense to me.  

1.  This is largely Colt.  Rerouted and new green 1920.  A new tee has been built in 1976 (?) I think by Hawtree.  

2. Colt 1923

3. Colt green & tee 1936ish.  Taylor routing.

4. Colt 1936  

5. Colt 1923

6. Hawtree 1976.  Hawtree also worked on this hole a few years ago creating a dogleg around newly planted tough grass.  New tee since 1976.  Probably Pennick or Hawtree.

7. Colt routing.  Pennick green 1978.  

8. Alison green 1953.  The routing may be Alison.  He prepared a plan in 1946.  It could also be Pennick.  Once there was a new 7th green it makes sense that a new fairway would be created away from the water area because of drainage difficulties.  

9. Colt 1923.  Probably influenced by MacKenzie.

10. Colt 1921

11. Colt green 1922.  Fowler routing 1910.  Pennick tee 1978.  

12. Pennick 1978

13. Pennick 1978.  Fowler partially responsible this as his old 6th 1910 routing has been reversed by Pennick.  A new tee and green have been added since 1978, probably by Hawtree.  

14. Colt green.  Pennick created new tee and really a new hole by putting the tee completely on the other side of the green.  

15. Fowler green 1910.  Taylor routing 1901.  Pennick tee 1978.

16. Colt green 1923.  Gibson and Taylor routing, 1891 and 1901.  Fowler tee 1910.

17. Colt 1926.

18. Hawtree green (1976?).  Fowler tee 1910.  Fowler & Gibson routing.

It would seem that Colt should get the lion's share of credit for the current version of Burnham and that Alison should get credit for seeing much of the work completed.  

Ciao

Sean

[Stuart Hallett]

Sean,

Bravo, it's all starting too make some sense. However it would be nice to put names to a couple of unexplained changes.

I've added some comments to your summary:

1.  This is largely Colt.  Rerouted and new green 1923.  Gibson tee 1891.

2. Colt 1923

3. Colt 1923, used existing 4th layed out by Taylor & tweaked by Fowler.  
 
4. Colt 1938  

5. Colt 1923

6. Hawtree green 1976 and a few years ago.  Pennick tee 1978.No mention of Pennink, probably a Hawtree tee    

7. ?  Hawtree or Pennick 1976 or 1978, not clear.Part of report with the 8th green by Alison, no recent report of either Pennink or Hawtree working on the 7th (maybe Hawtree with 6th green). Must give credit to Alison unless otherwise proven.    

8. Alison green 1953.  Pennick or Hawtree 1976 or 1978,  tee and routing not clear.  

9. Colt 1923

10. Colt 1923

11. Colt green 1923.  Hawtree or Pennick 1976 oer 1978, not clear.

12. Pennick 1978

13. Pennick 1978.  Looks like a new green has been built since.  Not surprised, because there is an odd bunker about about 50 yards short of green where old green probably was.  

14. Remains a mystery to me.  I can't see how the old 13th green was used.  According to diagrams, it can't be.  The old 13th and present 14th are on separate sides of a large hollow.  The would be old 13th referred to must have been built after 1938.  Anybody have further clues to this hole?
The description given is taken from Hawtree's report. Given today's layout, Pennink must have decided otherwise, therefore let's assume its Pennink.    

15. Fowler green 1910.  Taylor routing 1901.  Pennick tee 1978.

16. Colt (Dr. Mac ?) green 1923.  Gibson and Taylor routing, 1891 and 1901.  Fowler tee 1910.

17. Colt 1938.

18. Gibson green 1891.  Fowler tee 1910.

Alison's forty year membership at the club until his death in 1954 suggests he was responsable for undocumented minor changes.    

It would be nice to check this with someone at the club, Tony Hill or other family's who stretch back several generations at the club. What do you think ?

[Sean_A]

Stuart

Thanks!

3. Yes, the routing looks to be basically Taylor and it looks like Fowler put the tee in its present position on top of the dune near the 17th tee.  However, it looks like Colt sited the green in the bowl.  The previous 4th green looks as if it was just to the right of the present 3rd green.  This does strike me as a bit odd though.  The current site seems like a natural place to build the green.  

6. Seems reasonable to assume Hawtree did the present tee.  

7. Seems reasonable to assume Alison changed the siting of this green as well.  

I would have thought there might be flooding problems with #s 7 & 8.  Makes sense to move both greens away from the marshy area.  I can only assume #7 green wasn't pushed further left into the dunes because then the 8th would then drive directly over the 7th green.  

What is odd about #7 is that this green is right next to the marsh now.  How could the green have been further right?  Maybe the marsh area naturally expanded for some reason.  Also, this green is quite flat.  Although the green is crafty in that it does tilt toward the water with a "hidden" hogsback on the left side of the green which sends balls away from the water.  Real head scratching stuff if one has to chip from the left side of the fairway.  Is something Alison would have done?  Any ideas?

14.  I reckon it probably was a Pennick decision.  The green also strikes me as a more modern design, much like the new 6th green in this respect.  Although there is the possibility that Alison sited this green.

Sorry, I can't figure out how to modify my post listing credits.

Perhaps I will call the club after my hols and try to get some answers.

Ciao

Sean

[T_MacWood]

I would have thought Alison deserved more credit at B&B seeing that it was his home course and his firm was making the changes.

[Keith Durrant]

Good stuff, Sean and Stuart !

Ok, now this does make more sense when Frank Pennink writes in 1976:

"...several important changes will soon further enhance the superb quality of this championship links, although I regret the loss of the fine 13th hole."

(Frank was involved in its loss!)

I wonder what the old 13th was like? Only 142 yards.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Wow!  Isn't this why GCA occasionally comes out with some real scholarship!  A great thread started by some super photos.  

[Stuart Hallett]

Sean,

The nine hole was approved in Sept 1972 and the construction would coincide with the extension of the M5 motorway. In 1972 orders were made for 3,000 tons of hardcore for tracks, 2,900 tons of clay topsoil and 250 tons of blue silt.

The course was completed far later than expected due to the poor quality of materials, it opened in August 1977.

What were they thinking of ordering all that clay topsoil ! must have been the longest nine hole construction in history.

[Paul_Turner]

The club history is very good, one that really tries to get to grips with the course evolution.

The Colt report was actually 10 years earlier in 1913, but because of the War it wasn't fully implemented until 1923.  I'm sure Alison was heavily involved too.