[V. Kmetz]

TD,

That was great and it occurred to me that--while not the entire ball of wax--that procedure (Where are the divots -- put the bunkers there) is really the junction of so many "aesthetical" threads about "Nature," "Natural Design" "Is Golf Art or Science?" "Isn't it all artifice?" etc...all stimulating to their degree, but few conclusions to be drawn.

That Braid communique, even though (perhaps) offered extemporaneously to the club fathers, to me is the perfect union of where the invisible line is crossed between "Natural" and "Designed."  I think it embodies where the GCA's imagination must forecast, "Where will, can, possibly, must... the ball go when players I've never seen will hit it?"

After a practical and emotionally satisfying routing has been discovered, this is perhaps the most important function a GCA performs.  And that gets more exacting and minute for each shot on each hole, right down to the 3 foot putt...Where might the ball go?

but yet, for me those considerations are still a junction point...not yet entirely DESIGNED, nor entirely NATURAL...on "that" property for "that" shot, it is NATURAL for a flying rolling thing to go "here"...would be true if a shepherd was hitting a round rock or a boy was tumbling down a slope, no "Golf" yet at all...but it is DESIGNED in the very real sense that we are putting a task to it that makes the NATURAL an obstacle, or a feature, or a strategic element of a conjured, designed "game."

Great story to relate...says a lot to me about quite a bit. One of the many reasons I appreciate this site and the people on it.

It was a heisted time-luxury to take 10 minutes to make this post, so I'm sorry I won't be able to respond to any follow-up in quick fashion.

cheers

vk

[Thomas Dai]

For those who are unsure what this is about - the location of bunkers - here is the text, quoted directly from the 'About Us' area of the Mullingar GC website -

"The story of how James Braid designed this marvelous course has gone down in Irish folklore. Brought over from Scotland by the old Dublin boat train from Glasgow, he arrived at Mullingar with the early morning dew, and after a little "liquid refreshment" to enliven his flagging energy, simply asked for "a hatchet and three dozen wooden tees". Then, before the astonished eyes of the founder members, he simply chopped and hacked his way into the middle of the then formidable gorse. With his trademark walrus moustache flapping in the wind, in four hours flat he had "pegged off" the now famous eighteen holes and greens, using the little wooden golf tees as markers. He then simply pointed to where the clubhouse should be built, handed the members his bill, and stepped back into his motorcar for the return journey to Dublin.

This story by itself would be incredible enough, given the totally incredible amounts of money and man-hours that are now spent on course design, but it doesn't end here. As the course was nearing completion, someone suddenly realized that no provision had been made for any sand traps. An urgent telegram was sent to the unflappable Braid, asking him to return forthwith and "finish" his design. By return, a telegram winged its way to the members. "Play your new course for a month, and where you see the most divot marks, that's where you put your bunkers!" As far as is known, that is exactly what was done, and a more sinister and wickedly placed set of sand traps you would be hard pushed to find anywhere!" - I've used italics in the second paragraph to highlight the most apt sentence.

I came across this text as Mullingar GC was briefly mentioned within a GCA post a while back. I viewed the MGC website simply to find out a bit more about the course/club and discovered the above story. All credit to MGC and their historical records. For more information on MGC see - http://www.mullingargolfclub.com/

All the best

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

I played Mullingar nearly 30 years ago and really enjoyed the course. The 2nd hole is one of the best par three holes in the whole of Ireland.

It's a nice tale, but I suspect one that has been embellished with the passing of time. The present day bunkering plan for the course looks no different to any other parkland course; bunkers flanking both sides of the fairways and greens. I am aware that there was some work done on the course in the last 20 years, but when I played the course in 1985, I got no sense of randomness or variety in the bunkering, and I'm a bunker nut so I would've noticed it.

It's entirely possible that centerline and cross bunkers were filled in during the intervening years - a practice that must have been very common when you view the Britain from Above website (notwithstanding the fact that Mullingar is in Ireland) - as they were often considered unfair.  

Here's a link to the aerial of the course:

http://binged.it/1fBUBIF

[Peter Pallotta]

Nice  thread; but here's where I betray my long held belief/philosophy re how gca 'works', heretical and uninformed as  it may be.

I'd suggest that, if in response to the urgent telegram Braid had instead said: "Play your new course for a month, and where you see the LEAST divot marks, that's where you put your bunkers!," the course would've turned out just as good and interesting as it did otherwise.

It would play DIFFERENTLY, no doubt -- but the interactions between golfer and course and the ball and where it was hit would be as varied and challenging and fun whether Braid had responded one way or the other. The MEANING and IMPACT of those bunkers would be different depending on Braid's response, but they would be meaningful and impactful nonetheless -- and it is the golfers SUBJECTIVE and changing experiences (affected by mood and wind etc) that are and should be the definitive barometer/judge of that meaning and impact.

It reminds me of a line by the American film director Frank Capra, something like: "I started making better movies when I realized that it wasn't important if the ACTOR'S cried, but that the AUDIENCE did".  What the architect INTENDS is of vital importance, but it takes second place to what the golfer EXPERIENCES. Those experiences can't be CONTROLLED/PROSCRIBED -- and perhaps the greatest artists are the ones who don't even WANT to control that. Therein lies the MAGIC that is art -- and therein lies the secret that will gain you admittance into the artist's coven.

The good routing (the chords/harmony) can allow for and support a myriad of different contours and hazards (the notes/melody), and the latter will produce one feeling/experience or, differently arranged, another -- but those feelings/experiences will be equally valid to the ONE who has them.

Peter
(in honour of VK's discursive style!)  

  

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