Turnberry - What could have been...

[James Boon]

An article on the BBC website mentions what Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas had in store for Turnberry when doing work before the 77 Open, but they couldnt afford it...

"Apparently, when Alliss and David Thomas did some work on the course ahead of the 1977 Open, they had wanted to resite the 9th green under the lighthouse to form a stunning par three across the water and then have a 600-odd yard par-five 10th sweeping down past the light.

"So the green hung over a little cove rather like the last green at Pebble Beach," Alliss told me.

I can imagine it would have looked great, but they only had £25,000 to play with and had to shelve their plans."

Link here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/07/a_jewel_in_the_er_sun.html

I've not played Turnberry and don't know if anyone else was aware of this? Just interested in what other think?

Cheers,

James

[Jon Wiggett]

James,

I grew up at a course that was redesigned by Alliss in the early 70's and the club also didn't have the money to complete the plans. Although the new course had a couple of cracking holes I prefered playing the old course which came into use in the winter (or most of it). It seemed to have a much better balance and also more variety of shots. I have never seen the plans you mention but often such spectacular holes are somehow out of place on links courses. I mean, what is the most spectacular hole on an open rota course?

Jon

[Rich Goodale]

Thomas + Allis = The Belfry

Thank god that Turnberry ran out of money before those clowns had a shot at it......

[George Pazin]

Thomas + Allis = The Belfry

Thank god that Turnberry ran out of money before those clowns had a shot at it......

 

[Adrian_Stiff]

Alliss' plans for Turnberry also included a new 8th green towards the water. It would have made it a par 5.
The Belfry was a minging piece of land to start with, I don't think there is anything much wrong in the overall design, it will get better and better with time. It was 70's shaping that does not look great but it has been vastly improved.

[James Boon]

I've been watching some of the coverage on bbc.co.uk today and Alliss wont shut up about his plans to make 9 into a par 3 followed by a long par 5, and to be honest its driving me nuts! 

It seems most on here have no love for Alliss and Thomas as architects, and it appears that they have no idea of clients budgets, but having said that I wonder if Jon is getting warm with his answer?

I have never seen the plans you mention but often such spectacular holes are somehow out of place on links courses. I mean, what is the most spectacular hole on an open rota course?
Jon

All this over water and cliffs business is all well and good at places like PB or Cypress Point, but some how in my mind thats not what links golf is about? Yes you play over the water on the 2nd at North Berwick or the 1st at Machrihanish, but it tends to be the dunes that make things dramatic, perhaps with the sea in the background, otherwise people spend all there time talking about the setting and not the course? Turnberry seems to me to be lucky as it has some dunes along the sea but then goes a bit cliff top around the turn. The lighthouse and Ailsa Craig in the background with a hint of cliffs, seams to me to be a good balance of spectacular without being in your face?

But Jon's question still stands. What is the most spectacular hole on the Open rota?

Cheers,

James

[Dan_Callahan]

It's a very subjective thing, but in my opinion the most spectacular hole is also the shortest: the 8th at Troon.

[Tim Gavrich]

Being cheeky, I'll say that the most spectacular hole in the Open rota is the 5th at TOC...