Castle Course St Andrews

[Anthony Gray]

  I just got back from my Scotland trip and was disapointed with the greens on the Castle Course. I know David McLay Kidd was defensive in the book DREAM GOLF about the comparisons between his greens at Bandon Dunes and the greens at Pacific Dunes. I believe his quote was "his greens are not flat". So I was anxious to see the greens at the Castle Course.  I think they are over done. I am curious to hear others opinions on the same topic.

[TX Golf]

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,36542.0.html

This is a link to a fairly similar thread. I would love to hear your thoughts.

[Deucie Bies]

How was the rest of the layout?

[John Goodman]

I played the course in July.  I thought the greens were a tad severe in spots, but playable and fun.  The combination of the ubiquitous fairway mohawks with the most severe of the greens made me think that Kidd was trying a little too hard.  There were a few tough walks out there, green to tee, as well (but perhaps that was because I had already played 18 in the morning).  There are great views on that property which Kidd utilized to great advantage.   I did not think it is quite up to Kingsbarns, and it might benefit from a little softening, but in all a worthy course that one should play in St. Andrews.  It is too dear at 130 lbs.

[Anthony Gray]

  The layout is dramatically more hilly than most links courses. Many uphill shots which of course was dictated by the land. #12 is an uphill par 4 which I thought was a par 5 while playing it. Many "chocolate drops" placed arbitrarily at times in the middle of the fairway that punish good shots. Overall it is a fun course. But because of the severness of the green contours it is almost pot-luck fireing at the greens.

[Kalen Braley]

  The layout is dramatically more hilly than most links courses. Many uphill shots which of course was dictated by the land. #12 is an uphill par 4 which I thought was a par 5 while playing it. Many "chocolate drops" placed arbitrarily at times in the middle of the fairway that punish good shots. Overall it is a fun course. But because of the severness of the green contours it is almost pot-luck fireing at the greens.

Anthony,

How is a shot good if it finds a chocolate drop?  A good shot would avoid the drop right? 

[Garland Bayley]

...Many "chocolate drops" placed arbitrarily at times in the middle of the fairway that punish good shots. ...

As opposed to say a hidden pot bunker "placed arbitrarily at times in the middle of the fairway that punish good shots"? 

How is a good shot hit at and into a hazard a good shot? 

I think a more meaningful criticism should be sought!

[Garland Bayley]

Has anyone played both Castle and Tetherow? And, if so, can you compare the greens?

[Mike Leveille]

In general, I found that the seemingly random mounds of long grass in the fairways worked, as the fairways are quite wide and, at least after one play, I suspect it is easy enough to avoid the mounds with well played shots.  The one exception was the tee shot on 18, which I thought was goofy with so many mounds scattered here and there that it seems almost impossible to do anything but blast a tee shot and hope it does not end up on of the mounds.

Though some folks may be bothered by all the mounds in the fairways and others (me included) may think the greens are over the top, there is still a lot of very good things about the Castle, not the least of which is some of the amazing views.  Standing on the front right side of 6 green looking at a back left pin position, with the town of St. Andrews directly in view across the bay, is one of the best views I have ever seen in golf.

[Melvyn Morrow]

The Castle Course outside St Andrews, as it was and should IMHO have remained.





I see no golf course and certainly no good site for a course in these photos.

[Kalen Braley]

Melyvn,

Thats why we invented these... Just gotta your use your imagination a bit 

[Melvyn Morrow]

Kalen

Is that the new USA Super Golf Cart to beat the rowdy crowds when your Ryder Team visit next time, or is it the new secret weapon to speed up play by removing slow players in front of you?

Enough imagination for you?

[Ronald Montesano]

Add 1/3 piss, 1/3 vinegar and 1/3 imagination and you get a Kalen-Melvyn date.

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen

Is that the new USA Super Golf Cart to beat the rowdy crowds when your Ryder Team visit next time, or is it the new secret weapon to speed up play by removing slow players in front of you?

Enough imagination for you?

Lol...very clever.

I suppose if you outfitted one of those as a golf cart you wouldn't have any issues about playing thru.  Just scoop up thier cart with them in it and discard.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Kalen

I think I would enjoy that, I suppose I could call it my artificial aid, but the architects would have to uprate the cart tracks.

                   -------------------------------------------

Ronald

So you have lost me. Do not understand Not enough of an imagination I suppose,
just like the guys in the photo trying to find the unexploded bombs on the site of the new Castle Course

[John Handley]

I played the Castle Course in July and liked the course overall but thought the greens were overdone.  The next day we played 36 at Kingsbarns which is a much better course and design.  I like what Kyle Phillips did as there are a few severe greens which makes it fun and challenging.  18 severe greens is a beat down.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Not wishing to start Melvyn off again but I was only thinking of the holes on The Castle Course last night...

I played it twice and walked it once in August and very much enjoyed it... When we see mention of favourite holes, people talk about the 6th and the 17th and many others... But rarely (if ever) have I seen anyone mention the Par-five 5th hole... I think this one is an absolute cracker... Anyone else?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Ally

No Comment and am not under starters orders either, however pleased you enjoyed your round, that is what golf is about.
Hope it did not cost much.

Melvyn

[Anthony Gray]

  This was my first thread and post. What has happend to me? It appears so sane.

  Anthony

[Brian Phillips]

Not wishing to start Melvyn off again but I was only thinking of the holes on The Castle Course last night...

I played it twice and walked it once in August and very much enjoyed it... When we see mention of favourite holes, people talk about the 6th and the 17th and many others... But rarely (if ever) have I seen anyone mention the Par-five 5th hole... I think this one is an absolute cracker... Anyone else?

I love The Castle course,  I have played it twice now once with Paul Kimber and another time with a guy who was on the crew.

I watched Paul eagle the 5th with a putt played a backwards away from the hole to show us how to us the putting surfaces.  he called the shot and holed it.

I really like the following holes: 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 15th, 16th and 17th. Really fun holes that make you think on the tee but are also fun around the greens.

[Bill_McBride]

  This was my first thread and post. What has happend to me? It appears so sane.

  Anthony

Funny, I was wondering the same thing when I saw this today.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Not wishing to start Melvyn off again but I was only thinking of the holes on The Castle Course last night...

I played it twice and walked it once in August and very much enjoyed it... When we see mention of favourite holes, people talk about the 6th and the 17th and many others... But rarely (if ever) have I seen anyone mention the Par-five 5th hole... I think this one is an absolute cracker... Anyone else?

I love The Castle course,  I have played it twice now once with Paul Kimber and another time with a guy who was on the crew.

I watched Paul eagle the 5th with a putt played a backwards away from the hole to show us how to us the putting surfaces.  he called the shot and holed it.

I really like the following holes: 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 15th, 16th and 17th. Really fun holes that make you think on the tee but are also fun around the greens.

I love the 8th too... A great short par-3 where the tees are all set on the horizontal with angle increasing the difficulty as opposed to length...

The 3rd I like as well... But it's very tough... The 10th possibly slightly lets down the group of one shot holes... but only slightly...

[Kyle Henderson]

My photo tour...
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40204.0/

[Jason Topp]

The Castle Course outside St Andrews, as it was and should IMHO have remained.





I see no golf course and certainly no good site for a course in these photos.

Melvyn:

Is your opinion the same about Kingsbarns?

In many locations, no land is well suited for a golf course absent the type of transformation that happened at the Castle Course.  Is it your view that courses should never be built in such locations?

[George Freeman]

The Castle Course outside St Andrews, as it was and should IMHO have remained.





I see no golf course and certainly no good site for a course in these photos.

Melvyn:

Is your opinion the same about Kingsbarns?

In many locations, no land is well suited for a golf course absent the type of transformation that happened at the Castle Course.  Is it your view that courses should never be built in such locations?

And that the only people that should be afforded the right to play golf regularly without traveling should be those people who live near these naturally occurring sites and therefore have natural golf courses nearby?  Doesn't seem like the best thought process for the advancement of the game of golf...