Does the course firm up and take bump and run?
Mark, Yes! One of the mind numbing aspects to Ballyneal is how firm it play when it looks lush. And, vice a versa. Built on all sand, rarely is it ever so soft that bounces and rolls cannot be had.
This season has been another unique one. Still cool at night and it's the frick'in third of July. What a country!
Jason, The fifth's back tee has to be one of the coolest and shortest walks in golf.
On the other thread discussing #9, someone recommended not being too far back because the shot is more blind. Well, I've had my share of long approaches there and from my experience it is not the big penalty it would appear on the surface. i.e. My weak drive left me 163 to the hole. I pulled an extra club knowing I wasn't stripping it. To a rear hole position the back left kick plate is steep enough to stop a four iron dead in it's tracks and trickle back onto the putting surface. Or, in this case a weak low 5 iron will feed in from the left perfectly.
I catch myself, while showing many GCA'ers around, starting sentences with..."I hit the greatest shot from...(fill it in)" So many opportunities to be creative. Balanced perfectly with ample opportunity to be a goat with one's worst.
#12 has some real mojo working for it. Hugging the left is typically the high percentage route. However, when the pin is back right, being right in the hollow, is not only one of the coolest looks over those bunkers, but, also affords a visual of the back right kick plate which is the aggressive creative way to get to that particular pin position. The other day, golfing with Ballyneal's first member,(first in our hearts and I believe deed) We played from a teeing ground few know about. Up ahead on the right it plays 240 from there. Everyone made par, each in their own unique way. The aforementioned member, must've missed hitting the pin by inches, off the drive, and was amply penalized finding the rear bunker.
If I have one idea for that hole it would be to expand the green so that it abruptly abuts that rear bunker. It would carry a motif forward as it would resemble the look of 7 green with it's green space hard against the bunker.