Ballybunion's greens to be overhauled.

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Thomas,


It's 31 years since I played Ballybunion, but at that time the cliff edge green was not being used as there were safety concerns I think. Erosion was a big issue in the 80s and there was a big concern that all the cliff edge holes would be affected. It looks as if they have stabilised or even stopped the erosion. At that time, farmers also were taking sand from the beach; I suspect that this is no longer allowed.


It's really had to see from the clip, but it looks like it's in roughly the same position.


I think I might have a centenary book at home, so I'll take a look to see if there are any pictures of it.

[Pete Lavallee]

When I played there in June of 1989 the cliff edge green was closed and we played to the inland green between the dunes; so it's been closed for at least 27 years!

[Thomas Dai]

Thanks Donal and Pete. Heading Bb way soon with considerable anticipation so given the comments above I wanted some advanced historical info. Will report back in due course.
Atb

[Sean_A]

I was at Ballyb a few years ago and played the coast side green.  I don't have a clue if it is in the exact same spot as previously.





Patrick


Its interesting that you say Lahinch hasn't narrowed its fairways.  I recall staring at the first fairway from the house and seeing a 5-7 yard reduction down the left...as one example.  I figured it was part of the redo with the par 5.  Did I get it wrong? 


Ciao

[Patrick Glynn]

The green on 7 during high-season is the one closest to the cliff-edge, the other green is a winter green I believe.


Sean - no fairways have been narrowed at Lahinch, in fact Brian constantly checks to ensure width is retained throughout the course, e.g. has expanded the 3rd fairway recently. I think you said it best in a previous thread, its not necessarily all about the fairway width, but rather the "playable width", i.e. the width of the fairway & short rough (versus the gumbo that appears on links courses in June).


Patrick

[Patrick Glynn]

Interesting pics online - http://news.golfites.ie/2016/04/19/changes-to-the-old-course-at-ballybunion/


I will reserve judgement until I see it in person myself next month.

[Thomas Dai]

I played Ballybunion-Old recently.


The photos highlighted in the above weblink are a nice visual summary but here are a few additional comments.


The greens themselves appear to have been relaid and knitted together very well. At the moment they are a little hollow sounding to the bounce of a ball and the grass is very long and hairy...they are probably running at about 6 on the stimp, maybe even slower. They do however, putt beautifully true and I'm sure that as the season progresses the way they putt will be impressive.


The green surrounds are also very long and hairy..forget about trying to putt from the fringe let alone from 20 yrs away....it's aerial game time for the moment, although hopefully not for too long. The re-bunkering is very neat and tidy.


Lots of marram has indeed been planted, especially on the holes around the Tuck Shop part of the course.


Many tee-to-green and green-to-next-tee pathways seem to have been reworked and these are extremely green and lush.......but do you really need paths that are irrigated by the sprinkler sysytem?


The new 7th green is now very adjacent to the cliff edge and is angled very differently from before. There is a distinct hollow running at an angle across the front of the green. It would seem that any shot not reaching the putting surface will be caught by the hollow and swept towards the cliff edge. Approach shots bouncing to the right may well bounce over the cliff edge. Those rolling however, will most likely trickle into a patch of semi-rough that that has been left near the cliff edge no doubt for such a purpose. I suspect this area will over time contain a great many divot marks. The former 7th winter green situated more inland has been abandoned and partly dug up.


The revised 8th is a cracking short par-3 with an extremely narrow green, especially the front/middle section. Do not hit into the second left hand bunker or you'll need to be pretty lucky (or very skilled) to keep your bunker shot on the green and out of the hollow to the right, which is very deep.


Atb

[Thomas Dai]

Further to my post above here are some recent photos of the new par-4 7th green on the Old course. I must leave comment on the new green in comparison to the previous version to others having never played the older version myself.


From the fairway



From closer with the angled fronting hollow more apparent



From the right side of the fronting hollow



From the rear of the green


And here are two photos of the revamped short par-3 8th.






atb

[Josh Bills]

Here is a photo I found of the coastal green in use back in 2002 when I played there.  The whole surround appears different as well.  Looks as though the green appears to be tucked down in between the dunes in the past, not so in the current version.    Unfortunately I don't have any of the green complex itself.

[Neil Regan]

Here is a photo I found of the coastal green in use back in 2002 when I played there.  The whole surround appears different as well.  Looks as though the green appears to be tucked down in between the dunes in the past, not so in the current version.    Unfortunately I don't have any of the green complex itself.

That is not the 7th. It is the 10th green, 11th tee, and 11th hole.

[Josh Bills]

Clearly it has been since 2002 since I was there, thanks Neil. 


Josh

[Patrick Glynn]

Played BallyB over the weekend. Initial thoughts are positive but the greens are running at 5' on the Stimp right now (max!) so my initial thoughts are a little skewed.


1. Overall the greens / surrounds are good - given time to bed in, I am sure it will be an improvement (fescue > poa annua)
2. Bunkering looks a little fresh / symmetrical - over time, this is likely to be less jarring.
3. Sprigging of marram is way overdone - I don't understand the end goal here. Off the tee on 6 & 8 is particularly jarring.
4. New 7th green location is an improvement - though the green itself lacks a little character, quite large, flat & circular and the faux-dunes behind with the marram are, again, jarring to the eye.


Be interested to hear more thoughts on the work - my overall takeaway was positive but caveat-ed that the changes need time to bed in to be fairly judged.

[Michael Whitaker]

Played BallyB over the weekend. Initial thoughts are positive but the greens are running at 5' on the Stimp right now (max!) so my initial thoughts are a little skewed.


1. Overall the greens / surrounds are good - given time to bed in, I am sure it will be an improvement (fescue > poa annua)
2. Bunkering looks a little fresh / symmetrical - over time, this is likely to be less jarring.
3. Sprigging of marram is way overdone - I don't understand the end goal here. Off the tee on 6 & 8 is particularly jarring.
4. New 7th green location is an improvement - though the green itself lacks a little character, quite large, flat & circular and the faux-dunes behind with the marram are, again, jarring to the eye.


Be interested to hear more thoughts on the work - my overall takeaway was positive but caveat-ed that the changes need time to bed in to be fairly judged.

Patrick - Jerry Kluger and I will be there on Tuesday 30 August. We currently have a 7:00am start time (ouch), but hope to move to a later time when we get closer to the date. Hopefully the greens will be a bit faster when we visit! This will be Jerry's first visit, my fourth and we are so looking forward to seeing everything. We've booked two nights at Teach de Broc, so we'll be just outside the gate!

Neil - I have gotten a great deal of enjoyment sharing the story about your brother making the unusual two on #1. "Move along boys!" 

Mike

[Neil Regan]

Neil - I have gotten a great deal of enjoyment sharing the story about your brother making the unusual two on #1. "Move along boys!" 


Mike

Patsy Walsh said it:
  "Move along, boys. Hugh has finished the hole and we don't want the rest of you holding us all up."


---




And here is where you soon will be.