I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak at Lost Farm last week. For those who don't know, the course is Bill Coore's latest effort, and sits next door to Barnbougle Dunes. Lost Farm is still some months away from opening, with an expected unveiling around December 2010. Some parts seem like they need little more than a short mow and a little tidy up, while others need Spring to look their best.
My aim with this thread is to give a glimpse of the course, primarily from an architectural perspective. I will aim to not spoil the mystique each person's first visit will undoubtedly bring.
From the outset, let me share that the anticipation prior to this round was quite high. The quality of what I saw was higher than what I expected. Lost Farm is really something. I feel it may shade Barny Dunes. As a set, the par 3s are better, and the 5s are certainly better. The routing winds and twists over flattish land, as well as over and around some huge dunes. The effects of the wind are more varied at Lost Farm than they are at Barny Dunes, owing to the fact that many LF holes are routed perpendicular or oblique to prevailing winds. The dunesland at this segment of the property extends further from the shore than it does at Barnbougle Dunes. The quality of the holes on flatter land, is just as high as those sitting on the exciting terrain.
There's absolutely no question that Lost Farm is among the best 3 courses in this country, comparable in quality if not slightly superior to it's brother, and consequently around the Top 30 or so in the world. Where exactly it sits in respect to other courses is open to individual opinion...
Anyway - enough talk - let's get into it.
Hole 1, Par 5
The elevated tee shot plays to a diagonal fairway, running short right to long left. Prevailing Bridport winds hit the drive from 2 o'clock. Ample room is afforded to the short right drive, or the slicing drive. The inside of the fairway is bunkered and can be challenged with a strong opening tee shot. The diagonal fairway asks golfers to bite off as much as they feel they can chew. The flag is visible off to the left, yet a vast fairway area sits to the right. Those who greedily aim too far left will invariably find bunkers, yet long accurate drawing drives allow a chance to get home in two - if another precise shot is made.
The first green is able to be seen on the left of the picture above. The sprinkler on the first hole was our aiming point, and a good spot to land.
A recurring theme over the course is the provision of great width, allowing short conservative golfers a broad expanse of fairway, and a margin for error with those who aim down the pro line, yet miss to the 'fat' side.
For those playing the first hole conservatively (out to the right, away from the green and bunkers on the inside of the fairway), there are hazards to contend with in the second shot landing zone.
The small green complex includes a bunker front right, and a larger hazard left.
Routed over the flattest land on the property, this is a fun, well designed hole which challenges all classes of golfers, while also allowing one to feel comfortable at the commencement of the round. The more I think about it, this is a wonderful opener - a hole of great design quality.
Matthew