The View from Ben's Porch, July 27,2008

[Neil Regan]

It never gets old.
(I like my new camera. The high-res version of this can print well at 30 inches wide.)

[Kyle Henderson]

The view of the 1st hole from Ben's Porch on June 26th, 2008.


Standing on "the spot" with my dad.

[RJ_Daley]

Neil, that photo looks like a place and time begging for a fellow to sling on a sunday bag of 7-8clubs, and head out for a twighlight round with only a golden retriever as your companion...

[John Kirk]

Where are the trees?  I don't see any water hazards!  That green down there looks unfair!

[John Kavanaugh]

I have always read on this site about how Sand Hills ties into the natural areas more naturally than at Dismal River.  A current picture of Dismal follows and I'm not seeing a difference from the above.  Could someone please explain.

[George Pazin]

Where are the trees?  I don't see any water hazards!  That green down there looks unfair!

My thoughts exactly!

Thanks for sharing the photos, Neil. I'd love it it you started sharing a little more of your talent again...

[Jason Hines]

Thanks Neil,

I needed that today.

[Greg Tallman]

JK,

Your answer is simple... because Jack is Jack and C&C is C&C. I thought you hade been around here for awhile! LOL

[Bill_McBride]

Standing on "the spot" with my dad.

Kyle, is he still savoring the ace at Peacock Gap?  That was an amazing bounce. 

[Garland Bayley]

I have always read on this site about how Sand Hills ties into the natural areas more naturally than at Dismal River.  A current picture of Dismal follows and I'm not seeing a difference from the above.  Could someone please explain.

John,

You need to choose different picture(s) to show the difference. E.g.,


I hope you don't claim that trap in the middle of the approach to the green looks natural in any way.






Makes you wonder if the designers/builders understood the natural process of erosion.

[Kyle Henderson]

I have always read on this site about how Sand Hills ties into the natural areas more naturally than at Dismal River.  A current picture of Dismal follows and I'm not seeing a difference from the above.  Could someone please explain.

Not to denegrate Dismal River (I'm a proponent, absolutely love the place), but I think these photos illustrate the issue of contention.

Note the intersection between the prepared surfaces and the native areas at the periphery... Which do you think is more naturalistic?

Dismal River 1st green


Dismal River 2nd green


Ballyneal 3rd green

[Kyle Henderson]

Standing on "the spot" with my dad.

Kyle, is he still savoring the ace at Peacock Gap?  That was an amazing bounce. 

He finally got his plaque this week (for free after they apparently lost his order). I've probably hit the pin and bounced off of the green on about a dozen par 3s. He kicks off a bunker and shoots across the green at 50 mph, only to hit the flagstick squarely and drain it.  I've also seen him skull one over the green and bound back out of a thinly sanded bunker to 10 feet for birdie (mine landed near where his stopped and trickled off of the surface).

Apparently he's the Padraig to my Sergio, bless his heart.

[Garland Bayley]

bump,

Curious what Barney learned here if anything.

[Kirk Gill]

A friend of mine just returned from a visit to Sand Hills, and he brought me back a SH cap, in thanks for showing him this site, and for being as he said "a golf nut in general."

I've never had a cap from a course I've never played before. Am I allowed to wear it, or do I just put it on a wall somewhere?

Ethics masters, direct me please.

[John Kavanaugh]

bump,

Curious what Barney learned here if anything.

I already knew that Ballyneal had more natural looking transitions.  I did not mention Ballyneal in any of my posts on this thread because it is the only course of the three I had played and was concerned that seeing the course in person instead of pictures influenced my opinion.

My question was about the similarities of transitions between Sand Hills and Dismal River.  If anything Sand Hills looks even more manicured and/or perfect to a point.

[John Kavanaugh]

A friend of mine just returned from a visit to Sand Hills, and he brought me back a SH cap, in thanks for showing him this site, and for being as he said "a golf nut in general."

I've never had a cap from a course I've never played before. Am I allowed to wear it, or do I just put it on a wall somewhere?

Ethics masters, direct me please.

A cap brought from a friend is fine.  Once on ebay there was a bag from NGLA on sale for a great price.  I went to place a bid and the douche police cut off my internet connection when they found no mention of having ever played the place on GCA.  That of course was undeniable proof that I had not because it is a requirement to mention if you have played NGLA as part of you induction ceremony.  In other words...gear that is worn on a temporary basis is kosher but bags will get you in a pickle.

[Kyle Henderson]

bump,

Curious what Barney learned here if anything.

I already knew that Ballyneal had more natural looking transitions.  I did not mention Ballyneal in any of my posts on this thread because it is the only course of the three I had played and was concerned that seeing the course in person instead of pictures influenced my opinion.

My question was about the similarities of transitions between Sand Hills and Dismal River.  If anything Sand Hills looks even more manicured and/or perfect to a point.

In the other thread about Dismal River (from which you pulled the Dismal photo) I compared the integration between Dismal and Ballyneal, so I stuck with that comparison in this discussion. I would agree that Sand Hills' transitions are less natural than Ballyneal's, but still more than Dismal's.

What do you make of this comparison?

Sand Hills #17


Dismal River #5

[John Kavanaugh]

Kyle,

I think 99% of all golfers would believe they were from the same course.  I do have to show my face in parts of the golf world so need to be careful not to claim that Sand Hills and Dismal are equals.  It surprises me that Sand Hills has such a defined first cut of rough.  Throw in some cactus and it could be in Arizona.

[Kirk Gill]

That fifth green at Dismal just looks amazing. I can't remember ever seeing one like it. Are there others like that, saddled up on top of a hill, skyline-style, with a lion's mouth-type bunker yawning in the middle? I've read folks on here saying how hard the hole is, and it looks it. It sure appears to be something worth shooting at......

[Kyle Henderson]

Kyle,

I think 99% of all golfers would believe they were from the same course. 
I do have to show my face in parts of the golf world so need to be careful not to claim that Sand Hills and Dismal are equals.  It surprises me that Sand Hills has such a defined first cut of rough.  Throw in some cactus and it could be in Arizona.

Fair enough. I agree about the first cut of rough at Sand Hills to some extent. They also mow the green surround in a concentric pattern at
Sand Hills. It's a bit ackward in appearance by my reckoning but a small imperfection in this absolutlely world class golf course. 

11th at Sand Hills

[John Kavanaugh]

Bumblebee maintenance is a perfect example of why raters are a harm to the game.  With all the great new courses coming out the super is under undue pressure to present the course as the best in the country instead of letting it rest on its laurels.  Next thing you know it will have its own fragrance.

[Forrest Richardson]

Neill — What camera did you get ?

[John Kirk]

My thoughts are as follows:

1.  What a great hole Sand Hills #17 is.  Beautiful and demanding, with subtle challenges around the green.  I finally hit the green by hitting a low 8-iron in there, after about 5-6 more traditional efforts.

2.  Although #5 at Dismal River is visually spectacular, this hole may say something about the Coore/Crenshaw versus Nicklaus philosophy of architecture.  Sand Hills also has a hole where a shot that comes up short rolls backwards 40-70 yards.  The difference is Sand Hills #1 is 520 yards long, so the third shot should be a wedge.  Dismal River #5 is something like 180 yards uphill, so a mid-iron is required.  I have a question.  If you fly the ball up there, but not so softly, like most players hit a mid-iron, does it stay on the green?

There's no question that Dismal River has some really dramatic shots.

[Neil Regan]

Neill — What camera did you get ?

Forrest,
 
  It's a 12-meg Canon G9.
  Everything I read demonstrated that a DSLR has better image quality than a smaller-sensor compact like the G9 and all the others.
  Except, when you have good light, no moving target, and can keep the ISO to 100 or lower, only a pro can tell the difference in image quality, and only at pixel-level at very large print size.
   The Canon has very easy control of ISO and other settings, and stores RAW format quickly enough to be usable. It's built very solidly and just about fits in your pocket. So you can have it almost anywhere.

   It does tend to lower the quality of your golf game.

[Forrest Richardson]

Thanks for the info. I own a very cheap camera that I purchased because it was less than buying a new battery that kept craping out.