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Jon Wiggett

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Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society to revamp their course
« on: January 28, 2017, 01:09:05 PM »

Looks like one of the old guard are having a revamp. Only thing that is slightly worrying is they state combating the length of the ball as one of the reasons behind it. Below is a link to the article.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-38772851


It is a course I have never played but I am sure some here have so what was/is it like?


Jon

Marty Bonnar

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Re: Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society to revamp their course
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2017, 06:37:36 PM »
Architecturally fairly unremarkable. Decent parkland track.
Nice club, if a bit Edinburgh posh.
Why this merits mention on the BBC is the most interesting part of the whole thing. Must have engaged some serious capital city PR....


F.
The White River runs dark through the heart of the Town,
Washed the people coal-black from the hole in the ground.

Adam Lawrence

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Re: Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society to revamp their course
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2017, 03:50:31 AM »
I don't think there's any external PR involved, we got the story direct from the club. I think you hit the nail on the head when you pointed out that it's a pretty posh club, Marty -- good contacts.
Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Mark Pearce

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Re: Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society to revamp their course
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2017, 01:01:03 PM »
This is driven by the fact that they have had to take the existing 3rd green out of play because longer players, attempting to reach the par 5 in 2, were hitting balls into the grounds of a local school.  A new green has been built short to make a par 4 but the club wants to recover that stroke.  I'm slightly concerned that the plans include the construction of a pond but it will be interesting to see the results.
In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

David McIntosh

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Re: Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society to revamp their course
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2017, 06:55:56 PM »
Marty's description is pretty fair in respect of the course. It's certainly one of the more well-to-do courses in Edinburgh and Bruntsfield's daily lunches are well renowned, probably more so than the course itself.

Friday's Scotsman newspaper contained a 1/4 page article on the course changes which, according to the club's website, will mainly be rebunkering works "with the aim of re-styling the bunkers to be in keeping with the original Dr Mackenzie shapes, while harnessing modern lining technology and repositioning them to reflect the distances club golfers are now striking the ball.".

The current 12th is an ordinary connector hole so will be no great loss to the course however I always shudder when any club talks about creating "signature" holes, nevermind the fourth oldest in club in the world. With Mark's mention of plans including a pond, who knows what they have in mind! The shifting of the existing 13th to a par 5 may be a good move though, depending on where they position the new tee box, as it's presently a brutally difficult par 4 usually played into the prevailing wind and will play as a par 5 for the majority of players as it is.
« Last Edit: January 29, 2017, 07:02:45 PM by David McIntosh »

Jon Wiggett

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Re: Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society to revamp their course
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2017, 02:40:17 AM »
Thanks for the replies gentlemen it will be interesting to see what Mr. Mackenzie and Ebert come up with as the course is clearly nothing special. It worries me that one of the aims is to return to the 'look' of Mackenzie with the bunkering and I do hope this does not mean making jigsaw shaping with frilly edging as this was not really his look until the very end of his career in the states. More important would be to retain the strategy of the holes.

Jon

Mark Pearce

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Re: Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society to revamp their course
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2017, 04:41:47 PM »
I have been playing Bruntsfield a few times a year since I met my wife, over 25 years ago.  Thus is the first I have heard of any Mackenzie connection.  If there is one, it isn't one the club is particularly proud of!  The new 12th will be a monster.  The current 13th is a long par 4 and as David says, plays like a par 5 to most of us in any breeze.  With the extra length it will be a long par 5 in the wind.


They have had a problem with the lower parts of the course being very wet in winter, so the pond may serve to provide better drainage.
In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

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