A Pictorial: Muirfield (Front 9)!!!

[Kyle Henderson]

FYI: My other pictorial threads from this trip can be viewed at the following links:
Royal Dornoch http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40107.0/
Brora http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40120.0/
Golspie http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40126.0/
The Castle Course http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40204.0/
Murcar http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40281.0/
Crail: Craigshead & Balcombie http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40325.0/
Lundin Links http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40387.0/
Muirfield http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40439.0/
Cruden Bay http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40565.0/
Gleneagles - Kings Course http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40675.0/
St. Andrews - Old Course http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40696.0/
Gullane #1 & #2 http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41085.0/
Panmure http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41122.0/
Gleneagles - Queens Course http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41152.0/
Kingsbarns http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41184.0/
Royal Aberdeen - Balgownie Links http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41498.0/
Carnoustie – Championship Course http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41834.0/
North Berwick - West Links http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,42104.0/

*not featured: Nairn, Eden, New, Castle Stuart (tour)



As I mentioned in another thread, Muirfield was not a part of my itinerary when I landed in Scotland (not willing to book an entire foursome as required given that I was traveling alone, visitor days already booked through August by the end of January, etc.). However, to my great surprise and unfathomably good fortune, I was paired with a member of the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers during my round at Carnoustie, and he generously asked if I would be his partner in an afternoon foursomes match at his home club a few days later. I humbly accepted his offer.

My overall impressions of Muirfield:
The course enjoys beautiful panoramic views of the Firth of Forth to the north, but is itself not a landscape of infinite beauty in the classic sense. Conversely, genuine links lovers and architectural enthusiasts can’t help but salivate when presented with this sea of firm, tumbling earth. I think the initial reaction of a first time visitor probably mirrors that elicited by the Old Course. At a quick glance, one may not immediately appreciate of high quality of the course. It's certainly not the most photogenic playing field, but familiarity will make the heart grow fonder.

Muirfield is an exacting test of subtle slopes and half-hidden hazards that may actually become more difficult over time after past failures have filled a player’s memory banks. Much of the praise conferred upon Muirfield is rightly reserved for the routing, a clockwise-running front nine encompassing a counter clockwise back nine to ensure that winds and predominant slopes must be negotiated from constantly shifting vectors. The holes themselves present a complete and balanced test. As a whole, they feature convex, concave and flattish greens with contours of varying boldness.  Fairways turn left, right, up down and pitch every conceivable direction. The only regrettably repetitive tendency is found in the par 3s, all of which play a bit uphill to turtleback greens with flanking bunkers.

The bunkering throughout the course is largely unchanged from decades past, though some old routing maps in the locker room suggest that some sand traps have been filled during the last century. At first, the fairway bunkers seem more penal than strategic, but the more I examine each hole, the more sense they make.

Despite its many merits, somehow I find the course lacking in charm. None of the individual holes offer a memorable challenge that I can’t wait to tackle again. Yet, as a whole, the course is unique, compelling and generally excellent.
The members are a different story. I met a number of highly affable fellows among the HCEG ranks, all of whom were very charming, courteous, and considerate. For that, I will be forever grateful.

The following pictures were taken during my morning round on the front nine. I did not capture any images during my 18-hole foursomes match during the afternoon.
Entry gate

Here I am looking dapper with my host and glad that I remembered to bring a jacket and tie.

The 1st (par 4, 448 yards) green viewed from short/right. Those who miss the greens at Muirfield will be presented with markedly different recovery shots depending on the position of their ball and the day’s pin location.

The 2nd hole (par 4, 351 yards) plays to a green that sits adjacent to the western boundary wall. The Leven Links can be seen on the other side of the Firth of Forth in the distance.

This view of the approach to the 2nd green reveals some of the bunkering that one could barley discern from the tee. Most of the greens are open for running approaches. The parched turf ran beautifully.

The par 4 3rd (378 yards) runs slightly uphill before culminating at a semi-punchbowl green site.

Drives that find the right side of the fairway will face a partially obscured approach angle. Climbing on to the mound beyond the foreground bunker…

… one can see the bunkers that guard the front/right portion of the 3rd green and the 4th tee to the left.

A look back to the 3rd tee trough the narrow green entrance. A few outlying dwelling of Gullane occupay the distant hill.

Theturtle back green of the 4th hole (par 3, 213 yards) is defended by bunkers at the front/right and middle left portion of the deep putting surface. The putting surface slopes from back to front.

During my afternoon match, one of my opponents putted off of the green into this front/right bunker.

A look at the uphill, par 5 5th hole(560 yards). The fairway slopes from right to left.

These simple but penal bunkers await errant drives.

This look back from behind the 5th green  depicts the subtle fall away at the rear of the green.

Looking past 6th tee to the firth, one can see tasty looking patch of undeveloped dunes. The Renaissance Club is beyond the trees to the east of Muirfield’s boundary wall.

A long par 4 at 468 yards, the 6th hole doglegs around a hidden complex of fairway bunkers…

… and an old stone wall.

…to a lightly defended green (viewed from the right)

The 7th hole (par 3, 185 yards) is a shorter than the 4th, but still a sturdy challenge. The green is almost 40 yards deep and falls away on all sides.

The landing zone in the 8th (par 4, 443 yards, viewed from the 7th tee) fairway is left of the bunkers that guard the dog leg. Cross bunkers sit in the middle of the fairway from 30 to 60 yards from the green to challenge lay-up shots and running approaches.

The 9th hole (par 5, 508 yards though it is being extended for the 2012 Open Championship) plays back to the club house along the southern boundary.

A drives that avoids the left-hand fairway bunkers can set up a long approach and possible birdie. The depressions seen along the right side have sandy bottoms.

The 9th green is fairly receptive to long approaches. Playing from the 465-yard member tees, I reached this green in two during both rounds. It wasn’t  until hours later that I realized my “4s” were birdies rather than pars!

For me, this view of the 18th green, the famous donut bunker, and the stately club house captures the spirit of this venerable club that I was eminently fortunate to sample.

[James Boon]

Kyle,

Only photos of the front nine hey? You tease! Trying to find a suitable analogy but can only think of feeling like a teenager who has just got his girlfriends top off but then her parents have come home so thats all I got to see 

Joking aside, many thanks for the pictures. One day, when I can convince my tight brother to cough up the green fee (being a pro he usually gets courtesy of the course and I have had us both booked on here before, till he realised that he would have to pay and so we didn't play!) I will get to play the links were my boyhood hero Faldo managed two of his Open titles. One day...

Cheers,

James

[Kyle Henderson]

Only photos of the front nine hey? You tease! Trying to find a suitable analogy but can only think of feeling like a teenager who has just got his girlfriends top off but then her parents have come home so thats all I got to see 

That's an interesting analogy, but I can't relate to it. I always hit at least a triple.


...Not really.

[Kyle Henderson]

Here's the course routing, for those unfamiliar.

[Kyle Henderson]

I felt it might be prudent to give this thread one bump. I'm also trying to procure a copy of the R & A's master plan for course changes prior to the 2012 Open, but the club secretary doesn't seem very keen to release said info.

[Bill_McBride]

When I was there in 2007 the crew was doing a very good job rebuilding some of the sod wall bunkers.  That's not an easy job!

[Rob Rigg]

Bump - all of Kyle's threads can be accessed at the top of this one

[Kevin_Reilly]

Kyle, thanks for these photo essays.  Was there a difference in the wind during your morning and afternoon rounds? 

[Lyne Morrison]

Kyle – all of your pictorial threads are a treat - thanks for taking the time to share them with us.

Cheers - Lyne



(ps. that's a great shot - the Honourable Baby Boomer and the Gen Y Golfing Dude)

[Ross Tuddenham]

I do like the gates at the entrance to the club.  I have driven down the road to the club a few times just to have a peek. Sadly that’s as far as I have ever gotten.

I would imagine 99% of people drive by the road end to Muirfield and are none the wiser to it’s existence.  I think the only sign at the road end says keep out or something to that effect.

Did you get a feeling of more openness compared to some of the other courses on your tour?  It looks from the pictures that Muirfield would feel like it was on a bigger scale than some other links courses?

Even from the map of the course the holes look like they are all in their own little space.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Muirfield Course Maps

First 1891 Original Course

Second 1896 Changes for The Open

Current 2008/9

[GBoring]

I find it interesting how the hole are laid out.  Front nine running clockwise and the back nine counter clockwise inside of the front.  Our layout is almost identical with the front nine running in a counter closwise direction and the back nine clockwise.  You don't really see that too much with modern architecture.

[Kyle Henderson]

I do like the gates at the entrance to the club.  I have driven down the road to the club a few times just to have a peek. Sadly that’s as far as I have ever gotten.

I would imagine 99% of people drive by the road end to Muirfield and are none the wiser to it’s existence.  I think the only sign at the road end says keep out or something to that effect.

Did you get a feeling of more openness compared to some of the other courses on your tour?  It looks from the pictures that Muirfield would feel like it was on a bigger scale than some other links courses?

Even from the map of the course the holes look like they are all in their own little space.

There is a sign on the main road for the now-defunct Greywalls Hotel. The pedestrian gate opens manually, if you want to trespass next time.

The scale of Muirfield is fairly large, but the routing is also fairly compact and the property is surrounded by a wall, the Greywalls Hotel, Clubhouse and road to the south, trees on the east and west, and is set quite a ways up the hill from the shore. You can always see adjacent holes, but each hole does enjoy a semi-secluded feel.

Comparatively, Cruden Bay features an expansive vista from the clubhouse that looks out to the ocean over holes 1-2, 5-7 and 17-18 along with most of the St. Olaf course. Plus, the 9th tee features views running north up the coast  over holes 8, 15 and 16 while the 10th tee overlooks the south-running coast over holes 10-13.

Sand Hills probably enjoys the largest scale of any course I’ve played. If it is a 10 on the “scale scale,” then Muirfield is an 8.5.

Melvyn,
Thanks for posting the old routings. Very cool to see the evolution of the course! There are a bunch of old routings hanging in the locker room, but the HCEG frown on photography in small spaces filled by half-naked members.

[Jason Topp]

For those that know:

Are the fairways as narrow as they look?  Would the course be better with wider fairways?

[Bruce Katona]

Thanks fpor the great front-side pictures.....it appears you had a beautiful day for both golf and photography.

Bruce

[Bill_McBride]

I find it interesting how the hole are laid out.  Front nine running clockwise and the back nine counter clockwise inside of the front.  Our layout is almost identical with the front nine running in a counter closwise direction and the back nine clockwise.  You don't really see that too much with modern architecture.

Sonoma Golf Club in Northern California and Chicago Golf Club are two others I'm aware of, but neither is "modern."

It's a great routing for the average golfer who tends to slice more than hook, as all the OB is on the left.

[Kyle Henderson]

For those that know:

Are the fairways as narrow as they look?  Would the course be better with wider fairways?

They're not as narrow as they look in my pix, but they're certainly not overly generous. We spent plenty of time in the hay. Fortunately, the spring growth was sparse thanks to relatively cool, dry weather.

I was told that the R & A wanted to reposition bunkers to make them more "relevent," as they haven't been changed appreciably for decades. I imagine that may change the mowing lines as well and potentially make the course very tough for member play during the decades between Open Championships.

[Kyle Henderson]

It's a great routing for the average golfer who tends to slice more than hook, as all the OB is on the left.

I never thought about that (I fear left with the woods, right with the irons), but that is a very useful concept.

The antithesis would be The Bridges at Gale Ranch (Pascuzzo and Miller), which is essentially a 3-leaf clover routing with mud and bushes left, ravine right, and 20 yards of sloping (left to right) fairway in between. My brother and room mate emptied a bag I gave them filled with 50 old golf balls in 16 holes...

Most players will complete their round at Muirfield without losing a ball, though they may prefer not to find their ball in some of the predicaments that greet sloppy play.

[Brent Carlson]

Kyle - wonderful pics.  You certainly had a great day to play.

This course gets beat up a lot, but I loved it.  Much more hospitable and friendly that it gets credit for.

Jason - the fairways are "fairly" wide.  Throw in some wind and rain and you will find the hay, which is not far off the fairway.

[Mark Pearce]

Most players will complete their round at Muirfield without losing a ball, though they may prefer not to find their ball in some of the predicaments that greet sloppy play.

You haven't played there in a warm wet summer, or in a stiff wind, have you?  Muirfield eats balls.