A links course par-3 as a one hole case study with pix - thoughts please?

[Thomas Dai]

This is the par-3 9th hole at Dunfanaghy GC, a lovely mellow, quiet links in Donegal. Not one of the obvious big stars of Irish golf nor indeed of the area but a thoroughly enjoyable place to play, splendidly conditioned and in a wonderfully scenic position. Not easy either. There is a terrific photo tour of the whole course, one of the best photo tours posted on GCA IMO, by Donal - see - http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49256.0.html - for more.

The hole plays 124 metres from the daily tees. From the medal tee it plays a bit longer and the tee shot is angled such that more of the beach, which is OOB, has to be carried.

What do you think of the hole?

What, if anything, would you do to improve it?

Below are a variety of photos taken from different angles.

I'm curious as to what architects and enthusiast think of the hole, which is why I've termed it a one hole case study.

From the tee

from nearer the green

From the rear (10th tee)


from the left side

from close-by the left side

from the left side at the rear


Depending on the response I'll do a separate thread on both a similarly quietly located, lesser known par-4 and par-5 sometime.

So what do you think of this hole?

atb

[Garland Bayley]

It appears the beach that is played across is OB. I would remove the OB for hackers frustration relief.

It appears the green and surrounds are irrigated. I would appear that said irrigation may cause knarly rough behind green where ball searching will need to occur. Mow, or modify the irrigation.

[Ronald Montesano]

I would move the bunker rightward, toward the center, and a bit toward the tee (maybe five yards). I'd like to see the front tongue of green disappear into fairway length. Extend the green to the left. The hole is short enough that you shouldn't need carom from the sides.

[Josh Tarble]

It looks like a mighty fine hole to me.  I would probably leave well enough alone. 


If changes had to be made though, I would probably try mow green closer to the bunker and further left above the bunker so pin could really be tucked in behind.  I'd also make that bunker deeper.

[Mark Chaplin]

Nice hole just get rid of the OOB.

[mike_malone]

I always prefer that such subtle land have a bigger green. It just adds to the fun.

[Josh Bills]

I would leave it alone.  If nothing else agree with removing OOB, really seems no need for it.  As I look at the hole it screams to me like a place where MacKenzie would have placed some nice bunkers on the hillside behind the green ala Cypress /Pasatiempo.  However, I can only imagine such excess is not needed on a course like this, but that is what popped into my mind as I looked at it.  I would stick with leaving it alone. 

Josh

[Simon Holt]

I am the only one who wants to play the hole the other way around?  Hitting from the green back to the tee is a much better visual for me.  I don't know the routing but could this be a Dumb Blonde hole?

Still a perfectly acceptable golf hole.  Lovely spot.

[Sean_A]

I think the hole looks good, maybe better in reverse?  I really like the grass face on the bunker.  The beach may not be club land....

One thought, make the bunker smaller and deeper and push the green more left around it.  

Ciao

[Simon Holt]

Great minds, Sean.

[Greg Tallman]

Add me to the backwards list

[Adrian_Stiff]

I think it is a nice hole as it is. I like the 20 foot or so of green at the rear.

I would be a great looking hole in reverse also but in this routing it does not fit.

[Ronald Montesano]

In a perfect world, you could flip it, but you have the routing to consider. Pain in the assonance to walk, play, walk.

I like my idea, which is similar to Sean's. I think that front tongue of green is out of place.

[Bill_McBride]

I would leave it alone.  If nothing else agree with removing OOB, really seems no need for it.  As I look at the hole it screams to me like a place where MacKenzie would have placed some nice bunkers on the hillside behind the green ala Cypress /Pasatiempo.  However, I can only imagine such excess is not needed on a course like this, but that is what popped into my mind as I looked at it.  I would stick with leaving it alone. 

Josh

The beach in Scotland is odd.  Sometimes it's in play (North Berwick) and sometimes it's out of bounds (Crail). 

[Frank Pont]

I do not  like the bunker left of the green, looks very artificial. Would change that into a grassy hollow with short cut grass.

I personally would like to see a bit more sand in the bunkers in front of the green, I guess my taste there is different from Sean's ?

[Thomas Dai]

Some very interesting thoughts and alternative suggestions. Thank you all.

I did wonder about the beach being OOB. Perhaps it's not so much about the golf as such, perhaps more about a golfer clambering down onto the beach to find and then desire to hit back an errant tee shot and the potential for a 'disagreement' with a beach user who has just built a sandcastle for his kids on top which is now sitting a ProV1!

A cracking wee hole as it is IMO, and a cracking course/village too.

More thoughts welcome.

atb

[Sean_A]

I do not  like the bunker left of the green, looks very artificial. Would change that into a grassy hollow with short cut grass.

I personally would like to see a bit more sand in the bunkers in front of the green, I guess my taste there is different from Sean's ?

Frank

I didn't realize there were bunkers on the beach side of the green.  If there are, I would they be removed.  Of course, ideally it would be great to get the green closer to the beach, but that probbaly not wise.

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

I do not like the bunker left of the green, looks very artificial. Would change that into a grassy hollow with short cut grass.
I personally would like to see a bit more sand in the bunkers in front of the green, I guess my taste there is different from Sean's ?

Frank
I didn't realize there were bunkers on the beach side of the green.  If there are, I would they be removed.  Of course, ideally it would be great to get the green closer to the beach, but that probbaly not wise.
Ciao

Old 'once-upon-a-time' bunkers perhaps, but now fluffy grassy hollows.

Incidentally, the rise at the centre of the green is really pronounced and the plateau at the top plays narrow.

As to irrigation, the photos were taken in early May.

I believe the prevailing wind is right-to-left.

atb

[Jason Topp]

I would not touch it other than removing the OOB stakes if you can.   It seemed like all the Irish courses played the beach as OOB so I do not know if it is possible to remove them. 

Shots from the beach are great fun. 

[Thomas Dai]

Shots from the beach are great fun.  

A friend once hit a shot so far right on the 14th at Cruden Bay that he was on the beach, fortunately the tide was way out, in fact he was sooo far out that he had a full 8-iron back to the green. Damn funny moment, one those who witnessed it still chuckle about.

I also remember watching on TV quite a few years ago as Aussie Brett Ogle played a shot from on the beach at Pebble. Not sure which hole it was.

atb

[Garland Bayley]

... to find and then desire to hit back an errant tee shot and the potential for a 'disagreement' with a beach user who has just built a sandcastle for his kids on top which is now sitting a ProV1!
...

What parent would let his kids onto a beach that was in direct line of fire for golf shots?

[Carl Johnson]

Wouldn't mess with it.  Reminds me just a little of the Sea Hole (13) at the Glen Club (North Berwick, East Links).

[jeffwarne]

a perfect hole-wouldn't touch it, though removing the stakes would be nice.
a spectaculalry beautiful part of the course.
10, the next hole, has a fascinating tee shot as well

My son played a ball up to 6 feet from well on the beach at Borth and Ynslas -it was marked as a lateral hazard

[Jon Wiggett]

Hole looks fine. I am not sure the bunker is really needed maybe a hollow or a hump instead. I too would ditch the OOB.

Jon

[Ally Mcintosh]

It's what's happening behind the bunker on the left that doesn't suit my eye.

I don't know the course but I might be inclined to reinstate some of the native grasses back left and try and hide those wide, grass walkways a little better. this would give the rear dune a more cloaking feel the whole way around the green complex.