Pics of The Castle: Today!

[Marty Bonnar]

We were doing some survey work on Coastal Path adjacent to site. Sorry - pretty crap quality shot on my work moby (cellphone!) Around the area of the new clubhouse and 9/18 green. Auld Grey Toun in distance.











FBD.

[Daryl David]

UFO just landed or clubhouse? Yikes.  

[Marty Bonnar]

UFO just landed or clubhouse? Yikes.  

It is a little - ehm... - 'challenging', isn't it?

FBD.

[Sam Morrow]

If that was an American course it would have some crazy, outlandish castle style clubhouse. I think I like this one more.

[Daryl David]

Seriously, what would have been wrong with something like the clubhouse they built for the New and Jubilee?  Modern, but not distracting from the general surroundings.  This on top of the "helmet" makes me wonder what they are smoking at the Links Trust.

[Marty Bonnar]

Sam/Daryl,
maybe they didn't look next door.
Kingsbarns managed quite successfully to build a relatively low-scale tasteful edifice.

FBD.

[Sam Morrow]

Sam/Daryl,
maybe they didn't look next door.
Kingsbarns managed quite successfully to build a relatively low-scale tasteful edifice.

FBD.

I like the low-scale, functional style clubhouse, espically if it's a public course.

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

In my mind, one of the worst looking clubhouses is the one at the municipal golf course I play in Meriden, Conn., Hunter Lawn and Raquet Club. The clubhouse was part of a renovation to the course in the late 1980 and has always been referred to as the spaceship. The Castle building looks like it's relative.



Anthony

[Sam Morrow]

I seem to recall Gabe Lozano Muni in Corpus Christi having a similar look and maybe even the old Galveston Muni.

[Greg Krueger]

Martin, thanks for the pics! Any idea why there are two different sand types in the bunkers?

[Marty Bonnar]

Greg,
the dark one is unfilled. Luvverly dark brown CLAY abounds at the Castle...

FBD.

[Stan Dodd]

Martin
Are these bunkers what became of the steep mounds we saw last summer?
Stan

[Marty Bonnar]

Stan,
only in part.
Vast numbers of the wee mounds still around.
I have to say that the grow-in is superb. The mounds have softened considerably with grass cover and the course is looking ready to play now. If only it was within the budget of the poor working man...

MB.

[Bill_McBride]

Martin, will it play even a bit linksy on that clay?

If not, did David Kidd design it to play on a softer surface?

We will be there in June pre-opening but hope to be able to walk a few holes.

Perhaps in the company of a "local expert!"  

[James Bennett]

Bill

there is someone there who can show you 'the path to RIGHTesness'.  He can probably also show you the REVERSE path!

James B

[DonJ]

Montauk Downs Club House has similar alien space ship characteristics.  Sorry no pic.

[Marty Bonnar]

Unka Bill,
you know what? Damn good questions!

It looks like a Links. The soft, sweeping contours run smoothly into each other. The fairways blend very seamlessly into the greens. Despite a gazillion gallons of water from the skies this week (the Coastal Path just below the site is seriously water-logged - hence the survey), I could not see a single puddle ANYWHERE! This may even be a better faux-links than Kingsbarns. We'll wait and see!

David and Paul have done a great job with the drainage. I suspect, knowing they had a dodgy sub-soil condition, they've designed the living daylights out of the surface water removal system. There are a few basins around, but, judging by some of the wee 'burns' we had to leap today, most water is removed by slope, swales and contour.

Looking forward to a wee tour in the hot scottish summer!!!

aye yours,
neffers Marty.

[Marty Bonnar]

James,
you Ozzies can be sooooo cruel. I had almost managed to expunge those memories....

best,
MB.

[Jeff Loh]

DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!

[Eric Morrison]

Hunter Lawn and Racquet Club??!!!!!
When did that become the name? That is weak. Where do they think they are located - Fairfield Co.

[Jason Hines]

Martin,

Did you snap any photos of the sewage plant?  I have seen the routing photos, does it miss your eye when you are walking the course?

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Don:

Here is the only photo I could find from Montauk and the clubhouse does appear to be part of the same alien life form.



Jason:

Sewage plant is barely visible.

Anthony

[Mike Hendren]

Martin,

Has the Links Trust engaged Donald Steel to install the pond yet?

Mike

(Note:  I'm still bitter that I was denied access to an empty New Course with 4 hrs. of daylight left because "the starter went home.")

[Mike Mosely]

Oh come on now, you've gotta be kidding me with that clubhouse.  That's just wrong.  I thought Brendan Byrne Arena was a spaceship, but that thing looks right out of "Independence Day!"

Golf Writer Art Spander once wrote that he thought Royal Lytham's clubhouse was scary - wait till he sees this!  That's uglier than Birkdale.

Jeff Loh, that was hysterical!

[Eddie Adams]

As far as I am aware there was strict planning restrictions on the Clubhouse which prevented the clubhouse from being visable from the City (Yes St Andrews is a City)
Hence the design ?, I have seen it close up and all be it a modern! design the views it will provide of the bay will be superb although you struggle to the see St Andrews.
The stone finishing around the building is first class and I am sure the interior will be also, its not my cup of tea but if they could have built a clubhouse that stood out along the skyline they would have, be assured of that.
The sewage works are well hidden and the maintenance facility is sited beside it which I am sure will be a pleasant experience for the greens crew in the summer (July)