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

[Kyle Henderson]

15th hole overview


Yet another fantabulous short two-shotter, the 15th brings golfers along the estuary towards Anderson bay.

From the tee, players must choose to carry, skirt or stay short of the central fairway bunker. The safest play is short and left of this sand pit.


Few pars are made from the confines of the sandy, central coffin.


Bunkers right of the green and a slope guarding the left side will complicate the approach from those that lay up short and left.


Long, true drives will finish very close to the flag with the easiest line of approach, unless the ground contours provide an unfriendly bounce.


Those who miss right of the green may be left of the surface after their next shot, assuming they can find their respective balls.


Although the 15th green is rather diminutive, two putts are hardly assured.


Looking back as dusk approaches, one can visualize the highly influential fairway undulations.


In the middle of the day, the furrows are less-easily distinguished, but the scene is just as majestic.

[Tyler Kearns]

Looking across the green from the right side, one can see several options for accessing the various hole location possibilities.

I had one of my most exhilarating 2-putts here, back right (in the foreground) of the above picture to the little bowl just left of the bunker. I played it just left of where the pin is shown in the picture. The slope took much more out of the putt than anticipated, and it looked bleak, but it just managed to catch a slope, and after a hard right it looked much more promising. It caught one final hump and ended up within a foot of the hole. The best part, I was at the hole when it finished rolling.

I would love to have a green like this in my backyard, it would be endless fun.

TK

[Scott Coan]

My absolute favorite hole on the course for a number of reasons.  Aesthetically, it's just a gorgeous spot with the entire course laid out in front of you and the picturesque tidal river and dilapidated dock sitting right there.  It used to be that you'd gaze across and wonder what sort of great course could be built there and now thankfully we have LF!

Then you're confronted with a real choice as to how to attack the hole.  If you take drive you'd better be accurate as there's not a lot of room to the right of that bunker.  If you layup you'd better place it correctly or else you can't see the green, but a well placed hybrid just short and left of that bunker gives a perfect glimpse of the green.

The thing I personally enjoy is that it does not kill my occasional rope hook on the few stabs I've had at going for it.  A couple of times I ended up way over on the 14th rough (even the 14th fairway once!) with a completely blind wedge over the big dune.  I'm probably the only one that's utilized the lone pine tree sitting to the right and above the green on the dune but it's perfectly placed to guide a wedge shot from the 14th fairway.  All you need to do is guess the distance as you really are completely bewildered as to distance from there.  

[Brett_Morrissy]

Another super hole, the challenge for the higher 'road' on the right, is that with the prevailing, any shot that has a hint of fade, increases the risk into the dead marram on the right. Certainly after the lay up, the shot of a 7 or 6 iron to a back pin or back right pin is one of my favourites on the course, the lay up is to about the 100m mark to the front of the green, plus 25-35 to the back flags, uphill, often into the wind later in the day - magic.

[Bill Brightly]

A perfect links hole. Kyle, your photos are fabulous. If anyone is on the fence about traveling to Tasmania, this ought to close the deal!

[Scott Warren]

I am, with some consideration, peer pressure and photographic reflection, prepared to admit I may have missed the boat on 15 when I listed it among the lesser holes on the course immediately after the Boomerang.

As it happens, my old man found out on the weekend that he has bagged a start in this year's Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and I have convinced my wife, mum and sisters that we should go down to welcome him in at the finish line - so I'm headed back to Tassie between Christmas and New Year and you better believe I'll be fitting in a day or two at Barny!!

[David_Elvins]

I am, with some consideration, peer pressure and photographic reflection, prepared to admit I may have missed the boat on 15 when I listed it among the lesser holes on the course immediately after the Boomerang.

 

[Patrick Kiser]

Ya, liked this one a lot.  Right up there with the 7th and 12th for me on the barometer.  Liked that little pot bunker to make you think a little more about what to do.  The daring shot to the right plateau feels like a just reward.  Play safe and you're blind.  Seems reasonable, if you refuse the challenge.  Kick ass green and surrounds.  No question.  Gonna remember this one for a while.

[John Mayhugh]

The 15th reminded me a bit of the 5th at Crystal Downs.  I love the way the ridge or division between upper and lower fairways complicates the tee shot and that there does not seem to be a clear way to play the hole.

[James Bennett]

I am, with some consideration, peer pressure and photographic reflection, prepared to admit I may have missed the boat on 15 when I listed it among the lesser holes on the course immediately after the Boomerang.

I just needed some consideration.  I also admit it!


for Dave Elvins .....

[Kyle Henderson]

16th hole overview


Turning west into the prevailing wind for the run home, the 16th is a par 3 that is played either slightly or heavily downhill, depending on the choice of teeing ground.

From the lower tees, the left bunker appears to be pressed rights up against the green. In fact, a weak pull will often carry the sand and kick forward to putter-friendly pastures.


The upper tees offer a better visual perspective, but also bring the wind more into play.


Back pins are accessed with relative ease, thanks to the shaved slope just beyond the green. One is best served by aiming a bit left of the flag (mid-way between the fronting bunkers for the pictured pin location), as the contours generally fee to the right.


Even from the tee, the challenging contours of the green are evident. Distance control is absolutely critical.



The views from the upper tees toward Lost Farm certainly add to the experience.

[Tyler Kearns]

Kyle,

What I really liked about the 16th hole, was that the best and most dramatic view was from the forward tees.

TK

[Bill Brightly]

Kyle,

What I really liked about the 16th hole, was that the best and most dramatic view was from the forward tees.

TK

Deuce (two gloves) is right, the views are incredible from the upper tee. Funny thing is that if you play the Terra Cotta tees, you may miss these views!

[Kyle Henderson]

17th hole overview


Playing from the edge of Anderson Bay, the 17th tee is one of many idyllic spots found throughout the round. One feels a bit spoiled by this point.


Usually playing quite long into the wind, the tee shot asks one to stay left of the menacing starboard fairway bunker complex, but not so far left as to leave the green beyond reach.


Tee shots that end up short of the starboard bunkers will yield blind approach shots.


Shots played from within the bunker are not likely to reach the green.


From the ideal landing zone, one must still contend with some serious fairway movement. Players proficient in playing from uneven lies have a distinct advantage.  


The 17th putting surface is raised and deeper than it is wide. Front hole locations are mainly defended by short grass, with lateral bunkers guarding the  middle and rear locations.


This view from behind is wallpaper worthy.

[Tom_Doak]

Kyle:

I cannot remember if I've told the story before, but that green site for #17 was the discovery that led me to re-route the back nine holes just a few months before we started construction.

I was there on a visit with Mike Keiser in December of 2002, at which point the back nine still had a clockwise routing.  It wasn't 100% backwards from the current routing, and in fact I might have trouble remembering it all, but the tenth hole would have been a bit like the first at Machrihanish, back down #18 fairway with the beach left, and the eighteenth would have played back down the current 10th to a green site near present #18.

Mr. Keiser thought that would make the most boring hole(s) right at the end, and that was his least favorite criticism of Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes, so he encouraged me to try and re-route the back nine the other way around.  I was already leaning that way a bit, because the location for #10 green would have been near the present 18th tee, and it was obvious that would cause maintenance problems because of all the blowing sand, and that was an area best avoided with a green.  So, I went out to scout the site of the present 17th hole, which was very low-lying and almost wet, and which we hadn't anticipated using up to that point.  And there was that wonderful pedestal for a green, and just out of the area that seemed to be affected by drifting sand!  Plus, it looked like just the right distance back from the ridge for the tee location!  I took Mike out to see it, and he loved it, so I rerouted the rest of the back nine from there ... but I never did draw it up for anyone, because at that point it still wasn't clear if the course would go ahead or not, and I didn't want that routing laying around for someone else to pick up years later.

[Kyle Henderson]

Kyle:

I cannot remember if I've told the story before, but that green site for #17 was the discovery that led me to re-route the back nine holes just a few months before we started construction.

I was there on a visit with Mike Keiser in December of 2002, at which point the back nine still had a clockwise routing.  It wasn't 100% backwards from the current routing, and in fact I might have trouble remembering it all, but the tenth hole would have been a bit like the first at Machrihanish, back down #18 fairway with the beach left, and the eighteenth would have played back down the current 10th to a green site near present #18.

Mr. Keiser thought that would make the most boring hole(s) right at the end, and that was his least favorite criticism of Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes, so he encouraged me to try and re-route the back nine the other way around.  I was already leaning that way a bit, because the location for #10 green would have been near the present 18th tee, and it was obvious that would cause maintenance problems because of all the blowing sand, and that was an area best avoided with a green.  So, I went out to scout the site of the present 17th hole, which was very low-lying and almost wet, and which we hadn't anticipated using up to that point.  And there was that wonderful pedestal for a green, and just out of the area that seemed to be affected by drifting sand!  Plus, it looked like just the right distance back from the ridge for the tee location!  I took Mike out to see it, and he loved it, so I rerouted the rest of the back nine from there ... but I never did draw it up for anyone, because at that point it still wasn't clear if the course would go ahead or not, and I didn't want that routing laying around for someone else to pick up years later.

Neat anecdote. Just to clarify, the original idea for the 10th tee was to place it between the shore and what is now the 18th green? That would put the tee near the left edge of this photo playing over the corner of the water towards the rising sun, correct?

I'm sure the sand has moved a bit between course construction and the day I took this photo, but that sounds like it would have been a fun tee shot. Would it have been possible to keep the original 10th tee shot but play to a less sand-targeted green site, create the 18th inland somewhat as originally intended and leave the rest of the back nine as constructed?

[Terry Thornton]

17th hole overview
... the tee shot asks one to stay left of the menacing starboard fairway bunker complex, but not so far left as to leave the green beyond reach.

As in many places the marram has been cut back on the LHS over the years, looks safe and inviting from the tee but trying to get your ball near any pin position other than back right from that angle requires a finesse I don't possess

[Kevin Pallier]

It may just be me but the P3's at BD - save for #7 - have a bit of too much similarity for mine ?

All the rest have significantly elevated tee shots down to green sites that are heavily contoured and have a "sameness" feel about them. It's maybe why I am not overly enamored by them when I compare them to other collections of P3's in Aust. golf.

[Kyle Henderson]

It may just be me but the P3's at BD - save for #7 - have a bit of too much similarity for mine ?

All the rest have significantly elevated tee shots down to green sites that are heavily contoured and have a "sameness" feel about them. It's maybe why I am not overly enamored by them when I compare them to other collections of P3's in Aust. golf.

I agree that the par 3's, while individually are all very good, could offer more variety as a set. I do like the somewhat punchbowl nature of the 5th and 16th greens, since the other 16 greens are raised.

[Kyle Henderson]

18th hole overview.


The 18th tee shot is not stridently challenging, given the ample width available. But those able to hug the right side will follow a much shorter path. When played into a stiff breeze, anywhere between the weeds will suffice for those hoping to make bogey.


Acres of tumbling fairway offer variable stances and lies from round to round, to the delight of true links lovers.


Approaching from the left side, the green tilts strongly to starboard. From the right, the green is more receptive but guarded by a fronting swale.


The tiny knob sitting in the green’s front edge offers the best brand of subtle challenge. If only such features were more common on modern courses.


A last longing look at Tasmania’s lovely links.

[David_Elvins]

I took the wrong time to be on the road for 3 weeks. 

This thread is fantastic and I would have loved to spend some time discussing my favorite course. 

I don't want to single anyone out but I am loving the thoughful comments from Bill Brightly, it was great to play with you and hear your thoughts and also follow up reading some more on here. 

Obviously Kyle's camera deserves some credit too for the fantastic photos. 

[David_Elvins]

It may just be me but the P3's at BD - save for #7 - have a bit of too much similarity for mine ?

All the rest have significantly elevated tee shots down to green sites that are heavily contoured and have a "sameness" feel about them. It's maybe why I am not overly enamored by them when I compare them to other collections of P3's in Aust. golf.

I think that you are right but if 16 was different, then that view would change dramatically.

ie 5, 7 and 13 are a fantastic group of par 3s. 

[Tom_Doak]

I am just curious if anyone actually has an idea for how to make #16 different and better.  I have always been open to suggestion there -- in fact, Mike Keiser suggested the high tee on #16 the same day I related my story above, when I showed him the future #17.  He thought it would be cool for the average golfer to play from a really high tee there.

Keep in mind that the ground to the right of the green is seasonally wet, so I don't know if it could be built on.  Everyone loves #15 as it is, and everyone loves the position of #17 tee.  So, where else would this hole fit?

I do agree with David more than with Kevin -- if you take #16 out of the picture, the other three short holes at Barnbougle are probably the best set of par-3's we've ever built.


As for #18, I am still not satisfied with the positioning of the tees there and the lack of visibility to the fairway.  It is something I intend to fix someday with a bulldozer, even though the area of the tees is so dynamic because of sand blowing up from the beach that whatever we build is probably going to change over time ... the visibility today is quite a bit worse than the day we seeded it.

[Sven Nilsen]

I am just curious if anyone actually has an idea for how to make #16 different and better.  I have always been open to suggestion there -- in fact, Mike Keiser suggested the high tee on #16 the same day I related my story above, when I showed him the future #17.  He thought it would be cool for the average golfer to play from a really high tee there.

Biarritz?  Or is the hole too short.

[Tom_Doak]

Sven:

Thank you for proving why I dislike templates so much.  There is zero about that hole or that green site which would suggest a Biarritz, that I can think of.

The only different idea I had to do the hole was to move the green over to where the fairway wraps around and enters at the back left, and make a wide, shallow green there -- that would have been very different from the other three holes.  But it would have been a very difficult shot to judge, and the marram grass at the back would have killed you if you happened to pure a shot through the wind.  And that green site would be a long way from #17 tee.