[James Bennett]

Here is an aerial of Royal Adelaide (Seaton) from perhaps 2 or 3 years ago.  Taken in February (late summer) when the Jacob's Creek was being played down the road at Kooyonga.  I expect it will be not quite as pale a shade of green next week, although it certainly won't be dark green.

This is my first photo-post, thanks to photo-bucket and the tips in 'posting ass pictures'.  It was easy .  More to come.

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I have used the 'IMG' tips for posting, not the URL's.  If you are having difficulty in seeing the pictures, add a psot and I will try and rectify.  Probably not for two days or so though - sorry.  Work and a visit to Melbourne (work only) tonight).
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If you have any questions on this course, fire away.

James B

[Jason Topp]

Thanks James!

Where is that crater that Mackenzie suggested be incorporated differently in the design?

[James Bennett]

Jason

#9 par 5 green (out) is top left, with #10 playing down (south) as a par 4, then #11 playing up-right (north-east) as a par 4, in to the famed crater.  You'll see the fairway cut-out, and fronting greenside bunkers on each side). The pines around the crater have been reduced over recent years, but not as much as circa 1920.  MacKenzie's plan actually had this hole playing as a dogleg, from #10 tee to #11 green.

Other deviations from MacKenzie's Plan are (I think) :
- the first hole south (below) the railway line, rather than above the railway line (no issue here from me)
- an additional hole behind #15 green (par 5) and #16 tee (par 3) as a par 4.  #17 became a straighter hole (I think the tee-shot on #17 is the 'least best' shot on the course, although the green and approach is wonderful (redesigned and built in the 70's I think.  The bunker at the left edge is a real concave, gathering , except when they grow a rough fringe around part of it  ).

The main sandhills that MacKenzie re-routed the holes in and out of runs from around #11 green (top right) down towards the clubhouse (impacts on 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12) and rise again on the most glorious #14 green (set in the sand dunes, afetr a fairway cut-off in a swale within the sand dunes just before the green)  a bit further down-right (s-east).  

Apparently, the routing pre-MacKenzie played more around the dunes, rather than in and out.

Hope this helps.

James B

[James Bennett]

I've relocated the pictures to a separate thread.  They are from Saturday (day 3 of the Jacobs Creek) as promised.  My apologies for the abscence of any photos of #2, #3 or #4.  That will have to wait for another visit.

First of all the par 3's.  All were played from the original tees.  #7 new tees made a good spot for a wine bar and bbq stand.

#7 is about 155 yards, #12 about 225 yards (both into the wind) and #16 about 180 yards with the breeeze quartering from the right and behind, accentuating a draw and into the bunkers.  All 3 are plateau type greens, with #12 only slightly raised.

#7

#12


#16




PS - I'd love feedback on the photos - good or bad, too few or too many.  thanks

[James Bennett]

And now some others
#8 postage stamp size green from the far right rough - hiding mound on front right, fall way at back left.

#10 approach, from downhill lie into the wind to a hard, convex green.

#11 - the crater hole, from back right of the green and from left edge of fairway/rough


#14 fairway bunkers.  These three have been here for decades (the right hand ones were added in late 70's, I think).  Note the larger hollow that contains the three bunkers.  Whilst these have been reshaped in recent years (to increase the internal slope) the general dimensions are the same.  These bunkers look similar to me to Cypress Point #2 fairway bunkers.  Both are set into the crest on the preferred line (these are on the right whilst I think Cypress Pt is on the left.  

#15 approach.  There are aspects of this hole that remind me of the schematic layout of #17 at Muirfield.  Don't know whether they are the same though - haven't been to Muirfield.

#17 approach and green.  The pot bunker left seems to my memory to have gooten bigger in recent years.  It is a gethering bunker.  The green is two-tiered and rolls off at the rear on both sides.  Very flat on the top tier until the roll-off.  This green is about 30 years old.

#18 fairway, green and clubhouse.  The fairway bunkers are circa 1998.  The green has played like this as long as I remember - falls from right to left, play from the right is intimidating with a 4 iron, not as bad with a wedge.  The rhs was out of bounds for the Jacobs Creek - that is where Michael Sim lost it.  He was probably 20 yeards off fairway (brreeze is across from the left, with large pins on the left side of fairway pushing play right)



The course aerial (from a previous post) was taken about two years ago.  Less fertiliser and iron that year - Jacobs Creek was played at Kooyonga.  Bill V - see the centrally located clubhouse.  By the way, the trains didn't run through the course during the tournament. (that is a trainline that runs diadonally though the property, next to the clubhouse.  Imagine that, Joe public rides through the most exclusive club in Adelaide every day.  I think that fits with Adelaide).


Hope you enjoyed the show - sorry the photo sizes jumped around a bit.

James B

[James Bennett]

Thanks to jason Topp, my 'BAD' was discovered.  The photos were there initially, then I deceided to correct my tyop on Photobucket sub-directory of 'Rpyal Adelaide' instead of 'Royal Adelaide'.  And of course, my photo links didn't know where to go.

My sincere apologies to those who wasted their time looking before.  I hope you came back.

Roberto DVicenzo's coment from the masters in 1969 (I think) is appropriate here.

"What a stupid I am"    

Enjoy, and thanks for taking the time to get me over the line, Jason Topp.

James B

[redanman]

Thanks so much for the photos.

They really show how you do NOT need hystrionics
to keep scores low.  No ridiculous rough
no over the top green speeds, just

good golf design defending par (if you will)
from the greens backwards.

Im sick.  With envy.  

[Jason Topp]

James:

It was a terrific tournament and I really appreciate the ground level photos.  Thanks.

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