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Padraig Dooley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Leopard Creek
« on: December 07, 2006, 03:23:09 AM »

The Dunhill Championship starts today. It's been played at Leopard Creek.

I think it is the best course in Africa. It's in an African bushveld setting on the edge of the Kruger National Park. The thirteenth hole is one of the most spectacular in the world. The green is high above the banks of the Crocodile river, looking out across the park. A friend of mine once saw a lion kill a buck while on the green.

Coverage of the event is on the golf channel. I would recommend taking a look.


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There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.
  - Pablo Picasso

Marty Bonnar

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2006, 06:44:12 AM »
Quote from: Padraig Dooley on December 07, 2006, 03:23:09 AM

The Dunhill Championship starts today. It's been played at Leopard Creek.

I think it is the best course in Africa.



Is 'Padraig Dooley' an anagram of Gary Player?

FBD.
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The White River runs dark through the heart of the Town,
Washed the people coal-black from the hole in the ground.

Padraig Dooley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2006, 10:02:40 AM »
Being compared to Gary Player is probably the worst insult anyone could get. Similar height but that's the only similarity.

Yes, he did design the course and I think he did a very good job. This course is far superior to the course that bears his name, Gary Player CC at Sun City, which is very highly rated down in South Africa, but I think is very overrated.

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There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.
  - Pablo Picasso

Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2006, 10:11:07 AM »
Just been watching some coverage on Sky. The course looks in fabulous condition apparently the greens are putting at 12.

Can anyone who has played it give us a run down. The 18th looks a bit tricked up with it's island green.
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Cave Nil Vino

Padraig Dooley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2006, 10:41:39 AM »
Just a couple of stories about the course. First day I drove in there were a couple of giraffe blocking the driveway.

Also one of the guys hit his ball into the bush, his caddy was walking towards the ball when he jumped into the air and moved away from it, there was a snake lying around the ball.

The course has a nice amount of variety, some nice short holes like the driveable 6th and drive and wedge 14th. Plenty of elevation change and a couple of really nice risk and reward par 5s like the 13th and 18th (which normally plays as the 9th but is switched for tournaments). I don't think the 18th is tricked up. The green is a big enough target and nothing funky normally happens there.
 
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There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.
  - Pablo Picasso

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2006, 10:53:10 AM »
Local rule... you can have your caddie tote a 416 Weatherby as a 15th club in the bag.  Pit helmets optional.  Cherrio chaps... ;D 8)
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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.

Philip Gawith

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2006, 01:53:05 PM »
Padraig - why is being compared to Gary Player so insulting?
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JohnV

Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2006, 02:00:54 PM »
Quote from: Padraig Dooley on December 07, 2006, 10:41:39 AM
Also one of the guys hit his ball into the bush, his caddy was walking towards the ball when he jumped into the air and moved away from it, there was a snake lying around the ball.

The perfect example of Decision 1-4/10.
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james soper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2006, 02:15:31 PM »
leopard creek was the venue for the shell's wonderful world of golf match between ernie els and nick price.
« Last Edit: December 07, 2006, 02:16:14 PM by james soper »
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Padraig Dooley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #9 on: December 08, 2006, 04:28:10 AM »
Phillip, I heard a comment by Gary Player last week about how he's beaten his age 43 times this year in competition. He is 71. He has only played 12 events on the Champions Tour this year. So, I would like to know how he comes up with his figures.

I've heard enough stories about him to say that honesty mightn't be his best policy.

We've all heard him say that every course he's done is his best ever.

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There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.
  - Pablo Picasso

Marty Bonnar

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #10 on: December 08, 2006, 08:46:22 AM »
Padraig,
actually your name is an anagram of "Good day. A peril", so you've got that going for you ;)

As a proud owner of Mr Player's '100 great golf courses of the world' (about 86 of them just happen to be HIS!), I am painfully only too aware of his penchants and predilictions. I do like to wear black on the golf course though...

I watched a bit on Sky last night. The course clearly wasn't 'designed for television', was it? Looked awful. Big wide open spaces with no definition or distinctive shaping or colouring. I thought the 18th looked especially pants.

FBD.
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The White River runs dark through the heart of the Town,
Washed the people coal-black from the hole in the ground.

cary lichtenstein

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #11 on: December 08, 2006, 11:18:25 AM »
One thing that I almost always do when I someone posts about a golf course I haven't heard about, it find their website and click on the course photos.

In this case, there were no course photos.

Most of the time, the course photos are pretty revealing and lack of them is also revealing in that they have nothing to brag about.

Also course photos can be so misleading when shots are taken at angles that do not exist in the playing corridors of holes, etc.
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Live Jupiter, Fl, was  4 handicap, played top 100 US, top 75 World. Great memories, no longer play, 4 back surgeries. I don't miss a lot of things about golf, life is simpler with out it. I miss my 60 degree wedge shots, don't miss nasty weather, icing, back spasms. Last course I played was Augusta

henrye

Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #12 on: December 08, 2006, 11:25:51 AM »
Quote from: RJ_Daley on December 07, 2006, 10:53:10 AM
Local rule... you can have your caddie tote a 416 Weatherby as a 15th club in the bag.  Pit helmets optional.  Cherrio chaps... ;D 8)

RJ, that was exactly what I was going to ask.  Can your caddie carry a Weatherby?  Based on Padraig's accounts it sure sounds like a good option.
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henrye

Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #13 on: December 08, 2006, 11:28:00 AM »
Quote from: cary lichtenstein on December 08, 2006, 11:18:25 AM
One thing that I almost always do when I someone posts about a golf course I haven't heard about, it find their website and click on the course photos.

In this case, there were no course photos.

Most of the time, the course photos are pretty revealing and lack of them is also revealing in that they have nothing to brag about.

Also course photos can be so misleading when shots are taken at angles that do not exist in the playing corridors of holes, etc.

Cary, I think the club is private but accepts limited outside play, which might explain its reluctance to post a lot of photos.
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RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #14 on: December 08, 2006, 12:18:40 PM »
Aye Martie, ba aie can'na agreie whithya entierlie.  Mr. Player may be givin ta'tha ocaishionul hiepearbolie, ba he backs i'up quiete offen, teew.  I wunna wan'na sugjisst anay preedelecshuns o'preedalictshins wi'out a reel werld fer instants.  An'nai canna see yer cumments abou' a lack'a difinishins an "pants".  Ye dew tawk odd o'er there, doan'ya?

Reelie Martie, ye half a way wi'annagraems.  Ba wha'dew ye think o halfin a naem tha issa mitafore, liek yer ol' unckle Dickie Daley, a leest tha lassies liek it. ::) ;D :-\ :o

riegarts,
Unckle Duckie.
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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.

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #15 on: December 08, 2006, 12:21:24 PM »
Quote from: Padraig Dooley on December 07, 2006, 10:02:40 AM
Being compared to Gary Player is probably the worst insult anyone could get. Similar height but that's the only similarity.
...

The worst insult? You sound like a Paris Hilton or Britany Spears to me!

How's that for worst insult?
 ;D
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"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Padraig Dooley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #16 on: December 08, 2006, 02:37:22 PM »
Yes, saying that being compared to Player is the worst insult is a bit hyperbolic, like Player himself. I'll downgrade it to say it's less then complimentary.

The club is quite private, reasonably remote and gets very limited play. i would think there would a very good opportunity for some striking photographs of the course. I think there are some excellent photos in the clubhouse.

There's nothing like turning the corner while playing the 13th hole and seeing the river and bush beyond.

One more Player quote, he is building a course on his estate, Blair Atholl, outside Johannesburg and according to him it is going to be better then Augusta National.



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There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.
  - Pablo Picasso

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #17 on: December 08, 2006, 02:43:08 PM »
Quote from: Padraig Dooley on December 08, 2006, 02:37:22 PM
Yes, saying that being compared to Player is the worst insult is a bit hyperbolic, like Player himself. I'll downgrade it to say it's less then complimentary.

The club is quite private, reasonably remote and gets very limited play. i would think there would a very good opportunity for some striking photographs of the course. I think there are some excellent photos in the clubhouse.

There's nothing like turning the corner while playing the 13th hole and seeing the river and bush beyond.

One more Player quote, he is building a course on his estate, Blair Atholl, outside Johannesburg and according to him it is going to be better then Augusta National.


Why is he setting his sights so low?
 ;D
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"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Robert Mercer Deruntz

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #18 on: December 09, 2006, 01:59:57 AM »
Did anyone catch the dialogue about the 13th?  It is always a joy to hear the commentators talk about Redan's, but with little historical backgound.  Dale Hayes had a very descriptive and eloquent diatribe about the beautiful  sea off the coast of North Berwick.
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Robert Mercer Deruntz

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #19 on: December 09, 2006, 02:01:00 AM »
Is there any course in the world with  as much interesting wild life as Leopard Creek?  
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Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #20 on: December 09, 2006, 09:25:27 AM »
The owner of Leopard Creek, Mr. Rupert, is a founding member of Sebonack and good friend with Mr. Pascucci.

According to Mr. Pascucci, it was Mr. Rupert who suggested he contact me to work on the routing of Sebonack.  He told Michael his experience at Leopard Creek was that you could fix some things, but if the routing was wrong, some holes would never be really good.  I think Jack Nicklaus' team (perhaps Greg Letsche who is now working with Ernie Els) has done some reconstruction work at Leopard Creek.

Several members of Sebonack have been to Leopard Creek and to a man they loved the experience, but they haven't told me nearly as much about the golf holes as about the giraffes and hippos and leopards.
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Robert Mercer Deruntz

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #21 on: December 09, 2006, 10:08:08 PM »
Although the course has some very contrived and artificial aspects, it sure was great TV viewing today.  How exciting was the 18th?  There were eagles and doubles today. Perhaps this had the potential to be both natural and great.  However,  it was a very good challenge to the players and provided a stage to display an interesting variety of golf shots.
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Jason McNamara

Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #22 on: December 10, 2006, 03:31:38 AM »
Quote from: Robert Mercer Deruntz on December 09, 2006, 02:01:00 AM
Is there any course in the world with  as much interesting wild life as Leopard Creek?  

Hans Merensky is also located adjacent to Kruger National Park.  

The architect was Bob Grimsdell, who iirc apprenticed with Colt & Alison.  He basically did every course in South Africa (Royal Durban redesign, Royal J&K-East, Hermanus, etc.) before Gary Player (and Peter Matkovich) started doing every course in South Africa.

Jason
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Steve Okula

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #23 on: December 10, 2006, 05:29:24 AM »
I worked for the Gary Player Design Company as a site supervisor in the early 90's, in South Africa, Spain, and later the Philippines.

Regardless of the critiques of the golf designs, my experience was entirely positive. I have met the man, so I don't need to judge him by "stories I heard". He was always a gentleman, and, as far as I saw, treated everyone in his presence with respect and good humor.

Gary Player has done a world of good for impoverished children in Souht Africa, dedicating his own time wnd resources.

Crticisms of his golf courses are fair game. The public disparagement of anyone's character based on heresay is a mortal sin.
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The small wheel turns by the fire and rod,
the big wheel turns by the grace of God.

Padraig Dooley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Leopard Creek
« Reply #24 on: December 16, 2006, 06:11:48 AM »
You're right Steve it was a mistake to publicly criticise Mr Player's character.

It's something I should have known better not to do.

I must say I've enjoyed playing a lot of his courses. His tenacity is much to be admired as well.
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There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.
  - Pablo Picasso
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