Updated Ballyhack photos 22Dec2008

[Scott_Burroughs]

Also there is the previous thread I'd continued here with ongoing construction update pics of Ballyhack, the new Lester George-designed
destination club near Roanoke, VA, I didn't start that thread, so I couldn't update the title each time.  Here is a new thread where I can do such.

Front nine grassing:




#1:




#1 green:


#3:


from green:


#4:


#5 prep:

[Craig Sweet]

Wow...some serious earth work going on there!

[Lester George]

Scott,

Thanks for posting these.  I have had many people from GCA ask to be kept in the loop, but I regret I can't keep up with my e-mails as I should.  I'll send you some more photos this week.

Lester

[Lester George]

Craig,

Actually we have not moved that much earth at Ballyhack.  Mostly shaping and push dirt, very little top-loading or hauling.  No pans. 

The site lends itself to the "high dune" look because of the tremendous size of the terrain features.  The pictures always amaze me at how flat they make things look.  There are some very large features with extreme elevations changes which is what attracted me to the site to begin with.  Come see it, you won't believe it.

Lester

[Paul Sinclair]

The construction of Ballyhack is being well documented with a set of videos. I guess Lester is too modest to mention them here on this board but he is featured in many of them. The videos are an interesting way to follow the progress being made. They give Lester and several of the project's partners a good opportunity to describe the project, including Lester's design intent and some of the construction techniques being used. They are here:

http://www.ballyhackgolfclub.org/video/_videoHolder.cfm

[Wade Whitehead]

It's nearly impossible to appreciate the scale in these photos.  The terrain at Ballyhack is stunning...some of the videos on the site better communicate its huge features, but it really must be seen to be believed.

In related news: I've popped in several times recently.  It's amazing to see how quickly things change at this point in construction.  This is the first time I've seen a course built firsthand, and it's fascinating.

WW

[Matt Varney]

Nice photos of Ballyhack thanks for posting them.  For anyone on GCA that has never visited the Southern Highlands area around SWVA, WNC, ETN around the Blue Ridge Mountains and Smoky Mountains it is God's Country.

If you ever get a chance to drive I-81 through Virginia into Tennessee come see it and you will see just a taste of the natural rolling land and long views that Ballyhack has to work with creating this golf club.  Keep up the good work Lester, I can't wait to come up see the progress this Fall.

Matt

[Scott_Burroughs]

More photos from 15Aug and 19Aug:

#8:



from fairway:



green:



#3:




unknown to me:







#1:


from tee:

[Jimmy Muratt]

Wow, things are really starting to come together nicely at Ballyhack.  That sure is a majestic looking 1st hole!  I like the look of the bunkers cut into the top of the hillside to the left side of the 1st fairway. 

Also, can Lester or perhaps yourself explain the 8th hole?  It reminds me of a couple holes at Kinloch as it appears to have a split fairway with a meandering creek.  That's an interesting and defining lone tree the will dictate strategy, ala #15 at Kinloch. 

Good things definitely appear to be happening there, I look forward to seeing it in person soon.

[David Neveux]

How similar is the elevation and movement of the property compared to Pete Dye G.C. in W.V.? 

thanks, Nev

[Carl Nichols]

The vistas look terrific!  What's the planned opening day?

[Lester George]

Jimmy,

Please come see Ballyhack this fall.  The 8th hole does have the meandering creek treatment but the risk side (right) is a long carry over a large hill (dune).  There was probably only a hundred hours of discussion about the giant (and I mean big) Sycamore Tree in the side of the creek channel.  I never really considered taking it out although some people thought I was going to.  It will be a matter of time to see how healthy it remains as it was fairly well protected by other vegetation when we found it. 

David,

Elevations at Ballyhack range from 950 to 1150 feet.  Can't tell you about the movement at Pete Dye, but Ballyhack has dramatic movement.

Carl,

Planned opening is Labor Day 2009 but I'm sure a few stealth rounds will be played before that.

Lester

[Scott_Burroughs]

A bunch more updated pics:

From 08Sep:





unsure of date, but recent:









Lester on the left:


from 2 days ago:






#10 green:


#11:


#12 green:


#16:


#16 green:


#17:

[Lester George]

Scott,

Thanks for posting these.

In a few weeks we will have some professional photography of Ballyhack with in the fall colors.

We are finishing the 12th and 18th fairways as we speak.  All greens and other fairways have been planted.  Still on schedule for a Labor Day 2009 opening.

This weekend I am heading to Lincoln as my friend and Ballyhack partner Bill Kubly are hosting many VT Hokies for a weekend of football and golf.  We will play Arbor Links on Saturday before the game and Sutton Bay on Sunday. 

GO HOKIES!!! 

By the way, I attended the University of Richmond and have Spider blood running through my veins.  My wife, however, was born and raised in Blacksburg which makes me a Hokie by marriage.

Lester

[Ted Kramer]

That looks like an incredible piece of property.
Thanks so much for sharing the pictures and information.

Lester,

I hope you won't mind answering the following question/questions:
I've always been curious about designing greens on a property with lots of elevation change.
How much has the sloping terrain factored into the designs of the greens and the choices of green-sites. Has the movement of the land been harder to manage with regards to the greens compared to the fairways? Any opinions that you'd like to share or specific examples that you could site where this has been a facotr would be much appreciated.

Congratulations on what looks like a really cool project!!

-Ted

[Scott Witter]

Lester:

I have to say, the pictures present what appears to be a 'hellalva' nice looking site.  I'm curious, it also appears that you used a lot of crimped straw and perhaps a fair amount of Futura Blanket for erosion control--is this so and did you also use any special tacifiers in the hydromulch/hydroseeding?

Are your soils highly erodable?  Seems they might be and what other, if any, special management devices are you using to protect seed and minimize erosion?  I realize Bill Kubly and Landscapes Unlimited have experienced it all, but I was still interested in this site given its slopes...it closely matches a site I will be facing in the next 2 years.

BTW, the most recent picture of that BIG Sycamore looks like it is in fine shape for the moment.

Finally, if my eyes are not fooling me, and judging by the scale of the laborers, that 10th green looks real BIG, but interesting.

[Michael]

Lester,

 This looks wonderful!! I hope to drop by while in Roanoke in late Oct to see it first hand..
Keep us posted.

Michael

[Lester George]

Scott,

It is an unbelievable site.

We have very steep terrain in some areas and a mixture of soils that are not highly erodible but can move with too much rain.  We used an incredible amount matting, hydromulch and straw just to keep things in place long enough for germination.  We have sort of experimented with different methods.  As we got closer to the end, and with the onset of cooler temperatures, the methods have changed to "hurry-up" the turf where we can.

I encourage you to come see it if you are facing a similar site.

10 green is bout 7000 s.f.  Number 18 is over 21,000.  We hope they are all interesting.

Lester

[Lester George]

Ted,

The greens at Ballyhack are designed to enhance the natural landscape where they can.  The terrain associated with each was individually evaluated with respect the "best" green that could be adapted.  By that I mean that with each hole, I tried to customize the size, shape, orientation attitude and interest of each green relative to its surroundings.

It's not just a coincidence that the 13th and 15th became a double green, they just fit together naturally.  I looked at a couple of options for doubles (11 and 17 was another) but did not do it because I ended up not liking the relationship as much.

I think the severe slopes and bold nature of the site definitely dictated how we approached each green and was the determining factor for many of them. 

I am happy with the overall variety and I don't think many of them are similar enough to call them repetitive or boring.

Lester   

[Jonathan Cummings]

Lester - please contact me at your convienence.  JC

golfguydz@aol.com

[Ted Kramer]

Ted,

The greens at Ballyhack are designed to enhance the natural landscape where they can.  The terrain associated with each was individually evaluated with respect the "best" green that could be adapted.  By that I mean that with each hole, I tried to customize the size, shape, orientation attitude and interest of each green relative to its surroundings.

It's not just a coincidence that the 13th and 15th became a double green, they just fit together naturally.  I looked at a couple of options for doubles (11 and 17 was another) but did not do it because I ended up not liking the relationship as much.

I think the severe slopes and bold nature of the site definitely dictated how we approached each green and was the determining factor for many of them. 

I am happy with the overall variety and I don't think many of them are similar enough to call them repetitive or boring.

Lester   

Lester,

Thanks so much for your response.

I played a bunch of golf at Pine Hill in New Jersey for a few years.
It was built on the side of a hill/mountain.
The greens were so tricky because there were times when the green looked as though it leaned one way, while the sloping land that it was built on sloped the other way. There are putts out there that really look like they break uphill . . . And others that look flattish and just run and run and run.

It seems to me that building greens in that type of environment is a tricky task.
If done well the relults can be fantastic, while there seems to exist the chance to really screw things up.

Thanks again for your response.
And for whatever it is worth, I'm quite impressed with what has been presented.
Ballyhack looks like something very special.
Best of luck!!!!

-Ted

[Carl Nichols]

This does look terrific. 

What is the golf season in Roanoke?  Is it sufficiently elevated that golf courses have to close? 

[Lester George]

Carl,

Golf Season in Roanoke is 300 days a year on average.  The wind blows fairly on most days at Ballyhack and that will factor into it.  Last year, if I'm not mistaken, you could have never closed.  Only a few days of snow.

Lester

[Michael]

Lester,

what would be a good time to drop by? I will be down there the 24/25 of this month

Michael

[Scott_Burroughs]

More photos, taken on 30Sep:

first, I guess it would make it easier to follow the routing with this:



#10:



10 green:



#11:



#12:



from behind green,  I think:



#13, double green with #15 (13 is left portion):



#17 from afar: