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Peter Ferlicca

  • Karma: +0/-0
Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« on: October 12, 2011, 10:45:21 PM »
I will post three photos of this golf course.  Hopefully someone will figure out which golf course it is.
I will give hints if no one guesses correctly within 24 hours, but knowing the crew on GolfClubAtlas, I bet someone will get it within 2 hours. 




Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +3/-1
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2011, 10:47:44 PM »
I was going to say Northwood, but they didn't even have three bunkers left when last I saw it, and the last picture does not look like anything I can remember from there.  So, I'm thinking it's one I haven't seen.

Pittsburg GC in the Bay Area? 

Peter Ferlicca

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2011, 11:03:40 PM »
I will give a hint, it is not in California.

Randy Thompson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #3 on: October 12, 2011, 11:17:48 PM »
Might take more than two hours because of the late posting but somebody will get it within two hours after the working bells sound in the US east coast.

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #4 on: October 12, 2011, 11:24:56 PM »
Limerick GC
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Peter Ferlicca

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2011, 11:29:44 PM »
No on Limerick

Alex Miller

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2011, 11:52:37 PM »
I don't really know how to explain how I got this, but Hazlehead GC?

What do I win?  ;D

Kalen Braley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2011, 12:25:00 AM »
Its not Delta View in Pittsburg.

Is it in Oregon?

Brian_Ewen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2011, 02:53:16 AM »
Well done Alex.

Definitely my local "MacKenzie", Hazlehead GC in Aberdeen.

Brian_Ewen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2011, 03:24:06 AM »
Some tree chopping on the par 3 12th


Ally Mcintosh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #10 on: October 13, 2011, 03:31:59 AM »
I was a member here for a few years... Just 5 miles from my parents house...

This is the municipal course that MacKenzie refers to in Spirit of St.Andrews where he states that they blew up all his undulations soon after building...

Brian - It's a while since I've seen it... It's lost a bit of character with the tree clearing behind 12 & 14...

It's a really nice course this one for a local with 40,000 rounds a year... Some lovely holes...

Peter Ferlicca

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #11 on: October 13, 2011, 09:44:38 AM »
Ding Ding Ding we have a winner in Alex

It is Hazlehead Golf Club, I played here on Friday of last week.  The conditions were very rubbish, but this place has TONS OF POTENTIAL.  If they put in a drainage system, and had a super who tried to bring back some MacKenzie traits this course would be very nice.  If you would be in the best interest of the Aberdeen council to put a little bit of money into this place, so that when tourists come to Aberdeen and play Royal Aberdeen, Murcar, and Trumps new place, they can also stop by Hazlehead and play a nice inland course. 

Ally Mcintosh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #12 on: October 13, 2011, 10:44:15 AM »
Ding Ding Ding we have a winner in Alex

It is Hazlehead Golf Club, I played here on Friday of last week.  The conditions were very rubbish, but this place has TONS OF POTENTIAL.  If they put in a drainage system, and had a super who tried to bring back some MacKenzie traits this course would be very nice.  If you would be in the best interest of the Aberdeen council to put a little bit of money into this place, so that when tourists come to Aberdeen and play Royal Aberdeen, Murcar, and Trumps new place, they can also stop by Hazlehead and play a nice inland course. 

There was a plan on the table for a number of years for a £10m investment...

However, it was clear from the rhetoric that it was not going to be along the lines you might have hoped... It was even more bullish than Trump... They wanted to build the Augusta of Europe, hold the Ryder Cup etc... etc... They were trading off MacKenzie's name but it wasn't a golf lover's pitch... Watson Design were involved at masterplanning I think...

Sure the course plays 6,280 and is short on land... It would have been a serious renovation / redesign involving the second eighteen... Certainly not a restoration...

Brian_Ewen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #13 on: October 13, 2011, 10:53:04 AM »
Ally
The rumour is the plans to renovate Hazlehead are still in the offing.

(As is the new Nicklaus course at Ury Estate, if you were interested)

Peter
Conditions at Hazlehead have always been "rubbish", but lately with Aberdeen City Council pretty much bankrupt, then , maintenance of golf courses is even more down the list of their priorities.

I dont think laying a course out on clay and granite was ever a wise move in the first place ?

I dont agree with your tourist theory ..... in fact, that is the last thing us local golfers need  ;)

I am hoping you also played a few other of our hidden gems in Aberdeen ?
« Last Edit: October 13, 2011, 11:04:30 AM by Brian_Ewen »

Brian_Ewen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #14 on: October 13, 2011, 10:55:31 AM »
and had a super who tried to bring back some MacKenzie traits this course would be very nice. 
What would you specifically like to see ?

Peter Ferlicca

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #15 on: October 13, 2011, 11:59:17 AM »
Things I would like to see:

First and foremost a drainage system would be HUGE, when we played the course was practically under water, I guess if they get two days of rain in a row the course closes.

Second, actually mow some fairways, and have more short cut grass around the greens.  You can see that there are all kinds of run offs and false fronts that should be in play, but it is just really tall grass everywhere.  For example on the back on #15, the par 5.  It is asking for short grass if you go long over the green with a slope leading down into the dry creek.   There were areas like this all over the golf course. 

Third, put a little nicer sand in the bunkers, the sand at Kings Links another Aberdeen City Council course was much nicer than that at Hazlehead.

Fourth, I know this sounds odd but they have like 4' flags there, it is very odd.  Get some nice normal length flags.

The last two aren't really needed but would be nice.

If they took care of these simple things, this course would be a hidden gem. 

Just my opinion.

Jon Wiggett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Guess the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course
« Reply #16 on: October 13, 2011, 05:15:43 PM »
Peter,

although the course probably has poor drainage it is not suprising that it is water logged following the last few months that we have had. I agree it would be nice if they restored Hazlehead but you need to keep sight on it main purpose which is affordable golf for Joe Public. I would wager that the vast majority of its players if given the choice of leaving things as they are or improving the course but putting the price up would go for the former and not the latter.

Jon