34 and 38 , par 72 (or 38 and 34?) Sheep Ranch

[Scott Weersing]

So the Sheep Ranch scorecard is a little unusual.


https://twitter.com/BandonDunesGolf/status/1260352238788231169/photo/2


Ok, so name another course with a front nine par of 34 and a back nine par of 38?


I found the old Austin CC in Minnesota had nine holes, with a par 38.
http://www.austincountryclub.net/knowledge.asp?catitemid=18&id=69


I also found a 38 and 34 at White Plains Golf Course in TN.
https://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/tn/cookeville/white-plains-golf-course

[Greg Tallman]

Probably many other examples. One such here in Cabo is Quivira, also 34-38=72.

[Greg Smith]

I think the old version of Royal Birkdale was 34-38 = 72 back when all those finishing holes were par 5s.  I think the back nine was:  443 535 455 = 38.

[Joel_Stewart]

I played Sheep Ranch twice last week and didn't feel the routing is awkward. I didn't even notice until we saw the card on the second day.

[Alex Miller]

18 is a 465 yard par 5 (tips) that is downwind for the summer months and quartering into in the winter months? I know par doesn't matter much but seems like a stretch.

[Scott Weersing]

I played Sheep Ranch twice last week and didn't feel the routing is awkward. I didn't even notice until we saw the card on the second day.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Sheep Ranch?

[William_G]

18 is a 465 yard par 5 (tips) that is downwind for the summer months and quartering into in the winter months? I know par doesn't matter much but seems like a stretch.

yep my friend who previewed it last Friday thought 18 was short as well given the par 5


I think its more or West to East hole though and slightly uphill


we will see in a couple weeks


cheers

[Joel_Stewart]

I played Sheep Ranch twice last week and didn't feel the routing is awkward. I didn't even notice until we saw the card on the second day.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Sheep Ranch?

It's a wonderful addition to the resort. Its unique, has its own personality.  The wind is so strong out there the course will play different everyday.  The way Bill shaped the fairways with little swales and undulations, you could basically have the same shot two days in a row but one could be ever so uphill and another downhill. He supposedly channeled his inner St. Andrews.


There's some great holes out there. 1 is a beautiful par 5 with an enormously long tee box. Plays downhill with the ocean behind the green.


4 and 6 are really hard par 4s and 8 is a great dogleg right par 4 with a green that some think is the best green Bill Coore has built.


14 is a brute of a par 4 that IMHO they need to study and rework.


16 is the par3 on the point with the ocean on your left.


17 is a great hole if you use the tee on the 16th green. You hit over the ocean similar to the hole at Cabot. If you choose the regular tee it's just a driver and wedge but has another interesting green.


18 is a short par 5 but plays uphill and has grass bunker in the fairway and in front of the green. 

[Peter Flory]

I played Sheep Ranch twice last week and didn't feel the routing is awkward. I didn't even notice until we saw the card on the second day.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Sheep Ranch?

(Disclaimer- I haven't played it, only walked it a few times).  A major strength is that the entire property has a gentle tilt toward the ocean.  It makes the holes that aren't directly on the coast still give you that feeling of being on the ocean as far as setting/ background.  Also, I would say that it is a very tidy course- short grass everywhere- all the way out to the very edge- like below.  Whether it is a more effective style than what is at Bandon doesn't really matter to me- the important thing is that it is different and pulled off well and consistently across the course.

The grass greenside bunkers in my opinion will really make the course much easier for both high and low handicap players.  If the wind is more of a factor in general, then this should counter that effect. 

Can't wait to play it. 

[William_G]

the routing


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlbIFAyjlNk

[William_G]

Bandon reopens


https://theworldlink.com/community/bandon/sports/bandon-dunes-reopens/article_5ed81fd6-94bb-11ea-940f-c70e3471dc47.html?fbclid=IwAR01aBw062Zxdz31C1j3wSX6Mt5BamQfJKcRqNGWppjHNb3f5ORD6Y7qDmY#utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social

[Tom_Doak]

14 is a brute of a par 4 that IMHO they need to study and rework.

 


Occam's Razor gives the benefit of the doubt to Bill and Ben over Joel, every time.


But if this turns out to have legs, then 14 is their unlucky number in Bandon!


[Also, in the routing Bill sent to me, 14 used the "A" green site from the previous course.  Is that still the case?]

[Ally Mcintosh]

the routing


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlbIFAyjlNk

In fairness, that looks really cool.

[Joel_Stewart]

14 is a brute of a par 4 that IMHO they need to study and rework.

 


Occam's Razor gives the benefit of the doubt to Bill and Ben over Joel, every time.


But if this turns out to have legs, then 14 is their unlucky number in Bandon!


[Also, in the routing Bill sent to me, 14 used the "A" green site from the previous course.  Is that still the case?]

Yes it is. I'm told because it was an existing course, the permitting was easier so they kept a few existing greens and fairways.  Like many new courses it's going to be a work in progress.


We also played Trails and the 14th had a pin up front which played fairly easy but I'm glad they reworked that hole. I was a little surprised they reworked the three tier green on 15 which I'm not sure what the reason was?

[Garland Bayley]

18 is a 465 yard par 5 (tips) that is downwind for the summer months and quartering into in the winter months? I know par doesn't matter much but seems like a stretch.

Plays uphill, and treats approaches just a little bit short very rudely.

[Garland Bayley]

I played Sheep Ranch twice last week and didn't feel the routing is awkward. I didn't even notice until we saw the card on the second day.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Sheep Ranch?

Too soft. Too lush. On a calm day, too easy.
Less interesting terrain than on the rest of the resort courses.

I guess the strength would be more closeness to and views of the ocean. Even though the ocean is there, it doesn't seem to be as much a factor as Tom created with 4 and 11 at PD. Short hitters should be able to play and have fun without much need to move forward a tee or two.

[Garland Bayley]

....
14 is a brute of a par 4 that IMHO they need to study and rework.
...

Best hole out there. Something outside of what you find on every other souless golf course that low cappers love.

[Brad Tufts]

http://course.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/course/course/bassriver/detailedscorecard.htm


Bass River in Yarmouth, MA is 34-38=72, due to three par 5s in four holes on the back nine.


BR is not in the Ross pantheon, but well worth a game (public Ross!!) if on the Cape, as there are some really fun holes, including the par 3 9th over a calm ocean inlet, the 260y uphill 10th with very little room, and the really cool par four 11th over a ravine, which definitely competes for an all-Cape 18!

Things get a bit pedestrian on the margins with some flat straight holes, but the Cape vibe is there, and the price is right.  If you squint you might even see Bass River as "Oyster Harbors-lite."


Edit:  Apparently, according to the course's website, the routing is now 38-34, with the course starting on the very short par four, and ending on the inlet par three.  Interesting!  I would guess starting on the short 4 could clog things up, but it's still 38-34 so it fits the exercise.

[Adrian_Stiff]

I think the old version of Royal Birkdale was 34-38 = 72 back when all those finishing holes were par 5s.  I think the back nine was:  443 535 455 = 38.

When the back nine had for par 5 holes. 13-15-17-18 the front nine had the 1st and 6th as par 5 holes, I think the 8th might have been at one stage, so Birkdale was par 75.
For the 1965 Open it was par 73. The 1st was classed as a 5 and 6/8 were back to long 4s. so 35-38. I can certainly remember the 1st and 18th as fives so that must have run well into the 70s, maybe the 1983 Open was the first change.

[JohnVDB]

Not quite the same, but San Jose Country Club is 33-37 with no par 5s on the front and 3 on the back.