[Ted Kramer]

I played Bulle rock for the first time on Saturday and really enjoyed myself. A few shots/holes stick out to me as truly first class. . .

- 2nd shot on #2 gives you a lot to think about, lots of options, very strategic.

-The drive on 10 was very interesting. My caddy gave me a line and I thought that he was just asking me to play it safe. I hit where he was pointing, MUCH farther right that I would have aimed, it worked out perfectly . . .very interesting visual from that tee.

-#11 was a lot of fun. Great setting, gorgeous rolling terrain. That hole just seemed "perfectly routed"

-12th hole, do or die. Tough golf hole . . . I made double bogey and loved the hole!

-2nd on 18. What a pressure packed shot . . .great finisher!!!


-Ted

[Voytek Wilczak]

Ted:

I played Bulle Rock twice and loved it. Tough as nails, but fair.

It also (in my opinion), has a soul, that intangible that I am always looking for in a golf course.

Bulle Rock rocks!

[Ted Kramer]

Ted:

I played Bulle Rock twice and loved it. Tough as nails, but fair.

It also (in my opinion), has a soul, that intangible that I am always looking for in a golf course.

Bulle Rock rocks!

Any specific favorites?

-Ted

[mike_malone]

 Ted,

   The thing that most impressed me about BR the last time I played there was how the average golfer (6 to 13 hdcp) is lured into the heroic route while the higher hdcper has an alternative. This afforded a great day for all of us.

[Dan Herrmann]

I played Bulle Rock on Saturday.  Course was in great shape.

But I'd like to propose that Bulle Rock #15 is Pete Dye's worst par 5 anywhere.   The "shortcut" route to the left is now almost completely blocked by trees (not that I hit it far enough to use that path).   But I'm stunned by the way Dye routed the hole - two distinct fairways that don't flow together well, IMHO.

What's your take?

Here's a routing:

[Eric Hammerbacher]

I play here a lot and I'll post some thoughts later...
But in regards to #15, I think it was a missed opportunity to extend the fairway down the right side all the way to the creek.   Everyone I play with just keeps hitting it down the right side in the rough until they get to the green.  No one wants to lay up to the side of the hill on the left.   I have hit the green more times with a 5 wood on my second shot then with a wedge on my third.  The left side is always overwatered and soggy and makes the 3rd shot tough of a tight fairway.

[Andy Shulman]

From my one play 5+ years ago I found #15 to be a head scratcher.  It sounds like tree growth has only made it more so.  I also found the direct route to the green on #9 to be way too long for this short driver to consider that option, making for an awkward route to the green.

The rest of the course was very good, with the par-3 12th being my favorite.  On that hole, you're forced to either hit a medium length iron shot very straight or pick your poison - water on the right and traps on the left.

On the day I played there, the staff clearly was proud of how challenging the course is.  That was in keeping with the mandate to keep carts in the fairway so as to avoid trampling the long rough.  While I like to be challenged, within reason, I don't usually get any thrill out of trying to conquer US Open conditions...and shooting 10-20 strokes over my handicap.  Have things changed in the last several years?

[Matt Kardash]

I'm looking at a video tour of the course on their website. Is there a hill at the end of the 15th fairway making the green blind if going for it in two?

I am surprised 2 people have said the 12th is their favourite par 3. How is this hole any different than any other Dye water par 3 that he has built 40 times? I am more intrigued by 3 and 7.

[Dan Herrmann]

Matt,
The par 3's at BR are not especially memorable - you're right.  I think #3 is probably the best of the lot.  #12 is has a fun factor with the water all the way up the right side, but a guy I was playing with lost 2 balls, which isn't a lot of fun. 

It's not cart-path only anymore, and the rough (other than around the greens) wasn't as tough as Andy experienced.

It had been about 5 years since I was last there, and there's a lot of building going on around the course, and homes have popped up along the right side of #1. 

[Eric Hammerbacher]

I have to agree with Dan and Matt in that the 3rd is my favorite of the Par 3's and 12 is my least favorite.  The only thing I like about 12 is watching the bald eagles fish in the lake.   I think Bulle Rock would be even better with less watering and some F&F conditions leading up to the greens.   Especially #4 where you can bounce the ball down the hill in front of the green to a front hole location.  Some of the par 4's look like they want to accept a shot bounced in, like 4, 11, 13, 14 and 16.   These areas just seem to get more water or do not drain well. 

The part I enjoy the most about Bulle Rock, however, are the greens.   There's some great contours on every green and you can funnel a ball down to most hole locations.  The flip side of this is you can leave yourself some tricky putts if you play to the wrong spot. 

Also, if you read the sign on #10 it says "South Course"  I had heard there were supposed to be 2 courses before the economy tanked, but I can't seem to find any info on it.

[Dan Herrmann]

Eric - I remember playing there in 2006 or 2007, and the area up to the right of 17 was being prep'd for a new second course.   It was very noisy and you could tell they were doing a lot of earthmoving.  Obviously, the Great Recession killed those plans.

And I need to second your take on the watering regime.   When I played Saturday, the course was very soft with very little rollout.  In fact, a guy was syringing 4 green and he actually left standing water in a few puddles.  Not good...

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