Bountiful BEAU DESERT GC

[Andrew Mitchell]

There is a god! On my latest stop of the Winter Tour of England I had one of the greatest surprises in quite some time on a golf course.  The green staff must have found an old chainsaw and a tin of petrol because more trees have been felled!  Check out the updated Beau Tour.

Ciao

Sean
Glad to hear more trees have come out.  Hopefully more to come.

Thanks for updating the photo tour.  Sorry I couldn't be with you on Friday as one visit to Beau Desert certainly wasn't enough.  Hopefully we can arrange another game later in the year.

Andrew (or is it Captain Andrew?) 

Give us a shout with some Friday dates.  I am always happy to play Beau. 

Ciao

Sean
Two weeks until inauguration.  Hoping for some good weather this summer!

Beau Desert is certainly worth another visit.  I can't understand why it flies so low on the radar of top English inland courses.  Of the various course guide books I've read the only one I can recollect giving it good raps it is Peter Alliss's "Good Golf Guide", which is probably twenty years old.

I'll email you with some dates but unfortunately it is likely to be October before I can find some free Fridays in my diary 

[Sean_A]

All

A Beau Desert day is set up for 6 November.  We have one tee time booked, but are happy to try and fill a second time.  Anybody interested should give me a shout.

Ciao

[Kirk Gill]

Sean, as always a wonderful phot journey. Good luck to you and those who can join you on the 6th. I'll drink a silent toast to you on that, my birth day.

[Sean_A]

Sean, as always a wonderful phot journey. Good luck to you and those who can join you on the 6th. I'll drink a silent toast to you on that, my birth day.

Kirk

As much as I am disappointed that you won't be joining us, I am guessing that you are even more disappointed at being a year older.

Ciao

[Ben Stephens]

Sean,

I would have like to join you at your beloved Beau again but I can't this time as I am playing in a Pro Am at Seacroft that day. Hope to take photos of it for GCA.

Cheers

Ben

[Andrew Mitchell]

Sean
Thanks for bumping this thread again.

Looking forward to my return visit in a couple of weeks.

[Sean_A]

Tucky was in town so Boony arranged a game at Beau Desert.  I am not sure what Tucky thought of the course, which btw is celebrating its Centenary Year, but I am sure he will chime in at some point.  As has been the case the past few years, some changes have been made.  Most notably a bunker was added on the 15th.  Anyway, it was great to meet up with Tucky. 

Ciao

[John Mayhugh]

Tucky was in town so Boony arranged a game at Beau Desert.  I am not sure what Tucky thought of the course, which btw is celebrating its Centenary Year, but I am sure he will chime ikn at some point. 

Sean is being a little bit disingenuous here.  He should have known from the look on my face (and commentary) that I absolutely loved the course. 

Since I've been on the site, I have enjoyed seeing Sean's profiles of courses.  Beau Desert looked like it would be fantastic, and it exceeded expectations. So now I don't know what to do. I had sort of hoped that Sean just had the magic touch with a course profile, but if they are actually all better than he makes them look....well that means seeing everything I want to is an even more hopeless task than I thought.

 

[Sean_A]

Tucky

I honestly didn't know what you thought of the course.  I was thinking the emergency round was to get a better look and idea about Beau for if there ever was a course which is tough to figure out it is Beau.

You are right, I am generally a bit reserved about courses - its a defensive mechanism against what is now a common practice in all walks of life - grade inflation.  I guess I am still waiting for that course or two which really do make me awe of the genius of men.

Ciao

[Sean_A]

Changes are afoot at Beau.  By my count, at least six new back tees are being built.  I spose maybe 150-200 yards will be added - I am guessing the club may have Open qualifying in the near future.  More importantly, to build the tees, trees had to come out.  There is a noticeable difference playing through the shute on #13 - it is far wider.  Also, the tree clearing behind the green to make way for the back tee on #14 is very welcome.  I am hoping members dig the look and decide to cut thousands of the buggers down.  Anyway, take a look at the updated tour.

Ciao

[James Boon]

Sean,

I was at Beau a couple of weeks ago, just before their big tournament, The Stag, and noticed the new back tees. I did take a few photos which I've been meaning to post to let you and others know of the works, but you beat me to it!

By my count they were on: 1, 2 (though the old mound had been there for a while even if not in use as a tee), 8, 13, 14, 17, 18.

New 8th seen from yellow tees, would have been good if they could have got the tee up on that ridge?


New 14th tees seen from current yellow tee. Its quite some way back there, and will now be a real brute of a par 4!


New 17th seen from the current tees.


New 18th seen from the 17th green


I didn't really notice the extra tree clearance you mention apart from behind the 13th green for the new 14th tee, but as you say, hopefully they will clear out a few more!

Cheers,

James

[Sean_A]

Boony

Yes, I immediately thought the same thing about the 8th.  Indeed, all the new tees seem to set below the main tee blocks.  This could make for some awkward looking tee shots from the backs.  As an example, think of Burnham's 14th, how the main tee block is below the forward ladies tee.  I never think it looks quite right.

Ciao

[James Boon]

Sean,

Yes most of them looked to be set lower than the main teeing areas, but from an aesthetic point of view I'd rather see that, than some great pimple sticking up with a tee perched on top? 

Cheers,

James

[Sean_A]

It seems every once in a while I get down on Beau because of trees and rough.  I play other courses which enjoy great reps yet don't compare to Beau in terms of green interest, thought provoking design and bedevilment.  At some point you have to recognize brilliance despite the course being man-handled by successive unthinking green committees.  In short, Beau Desert is special, very special.  See the updated tour on page 1.

Ciao

[Paul Gray]

Sean,

Beau is a course I've long been hoping to tie with a trip to that part of the ccountry. I was under the impression, seemingly mistakenly, that the tree situation was being addressed. Is it still a big problem?

[Thomas Dai]

Sean,
Beau is a course I've long been hoping to tie with a trip to that part of the ccountry. I was under the impression, seemingly mistakenly, that the tree situation was being addressed. Is it still a big problem?

Paul,
Beau Desert is somewhere anyone keen on quality golf and architecture needs to play. If it were located west of London instead of north of Brum it would be far more raved over. They have a lot of Open Comps - entry is on-line but enter quick in early Jan as spaces fill up quickly. As to the trees, the problem is they keep growing and manpower is needed to deal with them. When I was there last efforts to remove some had been made. I'm back there in a few weeks time so will look out for any work done since. Terrific course, lovely green complexes.
atb

Later edit -

here is the GCA link to a thread specifically about the green-sites at Beau Desert with numerous photos taken from different angles around the greens -

 http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,58979.0.html

[Sean_A]

Sean,

Beau is a course I've long been hoping to tie with a trip to that part of the ccountry. I was under the impression, seemingly mistakenly, that the tree situation was being addressed. Is it still a big problem?

Paul

Beau is hopeless; the trees will never go away.  To be fair, if they thinned out under the trees and cut grass around greens it would be a huge improvement.  Even so, Beau is a better and more characterful design than most of the London heathlands.  It just takes time to realize it. Let me know when you are coming this way.

Ciao

[Sean_A]

Paul

I lie!  Beau is cutting back some trees ever so slowly.  The major areas at the moment which effect play are on #s 7 & 9.  See updated pix for a flavour of change...good and bad. 

Ciao

[Jon Wiggett]

Sean,


I agree that it is baffling as to why the fairway has been narrowed on the one hole as it reduces the holes quality somewhat. As to why some members would have problems with the changes I suspect that it has to do with the rather desolated look of the opened up areas which look very ugly. Once these areas have greened up you will probably find that most of the grumblers will see the sense of the alterations. It is a shame they left the row of trees behind the one green as it would be far better with the vista beyond the green being opened up.


Jon

[Tommy Williamsen]

I remember the ninth hole very well. I loved it. I haven't played its new iteration, but I'm not sure it lessons the hole's shot values. There should be some risk not just reward for those trying to drive the green. Why does the fairway need to be wide on this hole?

[Jon Wiggett]

I remember the ninth hole very well. I loved it. I haven't played its new iteration, but I'm not sure it lessons the hole's shot values. There should be some risk not just reward for those trying to drive the green. Why does the fairway need to be wide on this hole?

Tommy what about people who are not able to go for the green, why should they be punished? Also, having rough in front of such bunkers lessens the value of the bunker.

[Sean_A]

I remember the ninth hole very well. I loved it. I haven't played its new iteration, but I'm not sure it lessons the hole's shot values. There should be some risk not just reward for those trying to drive the green. Why does the fairway need to be wide on this hole?

Tommy

There is a ton of risk going for the green...that isn't the issue.  The lay-up now makes no sense.  The terrain leans heavily left so guys laying up will now most likely end up approaching from the left rough to a blind hole over a bunker.  If I had my way

1. A ton of trees would be cleared near the tee and further up on the right...making the fairway spread much further right...thus encouraging play to a terrible (impossible for most) angle.

2. Place the medal/championship tee on the ladies tee and call it a par 3...~210 yards. 

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Nice to see some tree removal on the 7th. More generally needed including around some of the tees which have become a bit tight.


As to the 9th, I'm not convinced by the new fairway mowing. More fairway up the right would seem worth at least a trial.


I've never been convinced though about folks going for the 9th green from the tee either - the ball is unlikely to roll up the pretty steep (and narrow) rise onto the green, the green itself is pretty small and from the medal tees it's about a 270 yd carry and if you happen to hit one too far and go over the back, well you're more likely to make 3 from a shorter tee shot, a pitch and putt than you are from over the back where 5, 6, 7 etc is probably far more likely than even a 4.


Top course. One not to be missed.


Atb

[Sean_A]

ATB

I have always gone for the green because I really don't like the lay-up option...that leaves a tough approach.  In truth I hope to get somewhere level or in the forward bunkers.  I don't mind playing from sand and will take that shot anyday over the bottom of the hill. Plus...its fun to have a crack at it 

Ciao 

[Thomas Dai]

Sean,


This raises some interesting ways of looking at the game.


The challenge/thrill/pleasure/pain through the attempt at a given shot or the challenge/thrill/pleasure/pain through the ultimate score on the hole. Or some other basis?


For example, take a decent hcp player who can carry the ball with a driver say 260 yds through the air. Give the player concerned 10 attempts at the hole always going for the 9th green. How many tee shots would be on the green? How many times out the 10 that the player goes for the green would the player make a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 etc?


Also, how challenge/thrill/pleasure/pain may or may not vary between a one-round game or match and a single-round, or even moreso multiple-round, competitive event where every stroke counts and there are prizes at stake. Does success or failure at one shot lead to a frown or a big smile and does the smile or frown from one shot then lead to happiness or grumpiness and effect the players play for the rest of the round (and afterwards)?


Lots of aspect to this fascinating game.


Atb