BARNBOUGLE DUNES: A hole-by-hole pictorial!!! (18th hole posted)

[Kyle Henderson]

Links to other pictorials of my Australian exploits:
Barnbougle Dunes
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,47613.0.html
Barnbougle Lost Farm
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,47929.0.html
Royal Melbourne - West
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48238.0.html
St. Andrew Beach- Gunnamatta
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48455.0.html
New South Wales
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48698.0.html
Woodlands
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48900.0.html
Portsea
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49351.0.html
The National golf Club - The Ocean Course
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49598.0.html
Victoria Golf Club
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49756.0.html

Welcome to Barnbougle Dunes, site of the first (annual?) GCA Boomerang.

Enjoy your view of the rising sun over a large breakfast, for today is to be savored.



Below is an overview of the 1st hole. Remember, the distances given are in meters!!!


The opener is a reachable par 5 in favorable conditions. Tee shots are played between two large dunes and should favor the right side of the ample corridor.


A fancy suite (?) overlooks the first tee.


The starboard route is shorter and affords one with a flatter lies.


Large undulations in the left half of the fairway usually preclude any “two-putt birdie” ambitions.



A cross bunker at the right center will also dictate exactly how one chooses to place their second stoke. Shots played past the bunker on the left will yield favorable approaches down the long axis of the putting surface. A tricky false front protects pin positions near the green’s leading edge.


The green slopes away from this right-side bunker – yet another reason to approach from the left side.

[Scott Warren]

The photos are predictably awesome. Makes toting that SLR over your shoulder all week well worth it!

[Kevin Pallier]

Kyle

I look forward to your photo tours of the courses you saw whilst "down under".

What filter did you use on these ?

[Jim Eder]

Fantastic photography!!  I can't wait to see the other holes. I know it is time consuming so thanks for putting the pictures up!!!  I can't wait to get down there to play.

[Kyle Henderson]

Kyle

I look forward to your photo tours of the courses you saw whilst "down under".

What filter did you use on these ?

Mostly I just avoid the "F" word, until prompted.

[Patrick Kiser]

El Capitan,

I thought this was a pretty good starter.  It really set the tone for what was ahead.  The green is receptive if you go a little long and let the ball come back.  Good recovery options around the green.

To the left off the tee are some "Dick Wilson" like mounds that are quite useful.  They helped me twice in avoiding a lost ball.

I definitely like that right of center bunker in setting up for the approach.

Couple more pics to supplement this hole.

[Anthony Gray]

  Can't wait for more.

[Scott Warren]

Patrick,

You mention setting the tone, that was something I thought the opening holes at both Dunes and Lost Farm did really well.

Each hole is a perfect microcosm of the course as a whole.

I also love that both holes give the ballsy player the chance to immediately bite off as much as he can chew.

[Matt_Ward]

Kyle:

Great pics -- can you comment as to the general prevailing wind during the winter months (the summer there) ?

Gives me an idea on how the hole plays what options influence the player(s).

thanks,

[Rob Rigg]

I (lovingly) hate everyone who went on this trip!

Thanks for rubbing it in Kyle (I look fwd to more aesthetically wonderful pain).

Great photos.

[Kyle Henderson]

Kyle:

Great pics -- can you comment as to the general prevailing wind during the winter months (the summer there) ?

Gives me an idea on how the hole plays what options influence the player(s).

thanks,

The first hole plays directly into the prevailing wind, but sometimes play with the wind according to my sources. During my two rounds (on the same day), the wind was coming more from the left than from dead ahead.

[Lloyd_Cole]

Patrick,

You mention setting the tone, that was something I thought the opening holes at both Dunes and Lost Farm did really well.

Each hole is a perfect microcosm of the course as a whole.

I also love that both holes give the ballsy player the chance to immediately bite off as much as he can chew.

Interesting. I thought almost the opposite. On both courses the first two holes ease you into the round.  On both the second is the hole with the least undulation and on both courses (first time around at least) the next few holes take your breath away.

I have a lot of thinking to do about these two courses (I was there a few weeks ago) so I look forward to hearing what folk have to say. My only conclusion, thus far, is that Barnbougle Dunes is now my favourite course in Australia, having leapfrogged several of my favourite courses in the whole world. I will plan all my future visits to Australia around it.

[Kyle Henderson]

2nd hole overview


At the 2nd, the tee shot is played (generally into the wind) to the flattest fairway of the course, running between coastal dunes and a small airplane strip.


Drives will do well to avoid the fairway bunkers guarding the left.


The putting surface is elevated, and much deeper than it is wide.


When viewed from the right side, one can perceive the slopes that repel shots missing short or wide of the 2nd green




The green is divided into ~3 separate tiers, putting a premium on distance control for one’s approach.

Not only is the 2nd hole a decent test of golf, it also proved to be a popular ground for grazing and mating… especially (not exclusively) for wallabies.

[Benny Hillard]

Kyle,
What are your thoughts on the second?
Some say it is one of the weaker holes on the course, however I think it has one of the best greens on the course!

Ben

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Thanks for this tour and the others that I am sure will come Kyle.  From all sounds of it you just took my dream golf trip and I'm happy to live it through photos at least for the time being.

[Kyle Henderson]

Kyle,
What are your thoughts on the second?
Some say it is one of the weaker holes on the course, however I think it has one of the best greens on the course!

Ben

The second is quite bland really but, like every Doak-influenced hole I've ever played (now totaling 90), it features a well-selected green site that lends a satisfactory sense of finality to the hole. More importantly, it allows the rest of the routing to come together.

[Kyle Henderson]

Thanks for this tour and the others that I am sure will come Kyle.  From all sounds of it you just took my dream golf trip and I'm happy to live it through photos at least for the time being.

I'm sure you'll enjoy plenty of our domestic golf riches later this year and the tables will be turned.

[Patrick Kiser]

Kyle,
What are your thoughts on the second?
Some say it is one of the weaker holes on the course, however I think it has one of the best greens on the course!

Ben

Could it be considered weak because it lacks bunkers?  I think it's a tough hole because it's very much into the wind.  As Kyle states, the green isn't as wide as others and that means one has to be even more accurate in their approach.

Couple more pics to supplement the green impression.  Definitely some movement going on here.

[Jon Spaulding]

Thanks for this tour and the others that I am sure will come Kyle.  From all sounds of it you just took my dream golf trip and I'm happy to live it through photos at least for the time being.

I'm sure you'll enjoy plenty of our domestic golf riches later this year and the tables will be turned.

Kyle, at lease for the time being, you are "Bi-Winning".

Keep the great photos coming.

[Alex Miller]

Loving this photo tour!

Quick question: Is that little top tier at the back of the green pinnable? And if so, would you ever want to play it back there, even just for a day?

[Kyle Henderson]

Loving this photo tour!

Quick question: Is that little top tier at the back of the green pinnable? And if so, would you ever want to play it back there, even just for a day?

It's pin-able, by my reckoning, and I'm all for variety.

Perhaps Brett or Matthew have seen the back pin...?


Spaulding,
Golf isn't about winning. It's about containing one's potential for failure.

Woody Austin is the only true disciple.

[Sven Nilsen]

Loving this photo tour!

Quick question: Is that little top tier at the back of the green pinnable? And if so, would you ever want to play it back there, even just for a day?

The pin was back right on Sunday.  Made for a some interesting approach shots.  There's just enough contour around the back of the green to catch a shot with just a little too much pace.

[Tom_Doak]

Could it be considered weak because it lacks bunkers?  I think it's a tough hole because it's very much into the wind.  As Kyle states, the green isn't as wide as others and that means one has to be even more accurate in their approach.

Hooray for Patrick!

I've always felt this hole got unfairly bashed just because it wasn't in the big dunes and we didn't go nuts with bunkering on it.  The green is its defense; if you hit a wide tee shot, the angle of the second to the ridge that the green is sited on makes for a very difficult shot.  And, as Patrick notes, too, the hole nearly always plays into the wind, which makes it play much longer from the back tee than the impression you get from looking at the scorecard.

I guess nobody likes to make 5 without having a better explanation for it. 

[Brett_Morrissy]

Guys,
I really like both opening holes, although I think they are near the weaker end of the 18. If you have a look at the course guide image of the second hole, you will notice some tree(s) out to the left, which frames the FW bunker, these were removed for the building of the runway for the small planes, I think this has certainly removed some framing and reference from the tee shot, and the land now just seems to run away up into the hills without any real defintion. the tee shot still has a number of decisions, long hitters will fly the trap to centre left for a wedge in, but anything less, has the bunkers  in play, a stance/shot affecting mound in the centre of the FW and anything that is pushed or sliced left, brings the corner dune into play, the rough and restricted vision of the green site and having to fly in over the steepest side of the green right.
Note: It would be interesting to hear from TD at some point to hear his thoughts after his recent visit, particularly his views on a number of key holes and tees. #2 is one of those.

Definetly pinnable up the back as Sven says, and makes for fun putting around the slopes at the back.

nice work GS! and Pat.

[Brett_Morrissy]

Tom you posted as I did - do you see a time where you may make it small recommendations for changes to BD? Do you think the owners will see fit to make that happen?