Bluejack National - Drone Photos / Video

[Andy Johnson]

I will save my full thoughts for a later post but I figured I would post some drone shots of Bluejack National I got last week. I thought Tiger/Beau Welling did a spectacular job.


Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXSJGCyp7Vs


Photos:

This shot you can see all 18 holes.





10 is on the left, 18 green in the middle, 9 green on the right and then you can see a little of 8 through the trees





Practice area and the Playgrounds Short Course.

[John Kavanaugh]

Drone photos are far worse than no photos at all. Why are we forced to suffer through this new technology? People are harming the good work of architects just because they have a new toy. Shameful.

[Andy Johnson]

Drone photos are far worse than no photos at all. Why are we forced to suffer through this new technology? People are harming the good work of architects just because they have a new toy. Shameful.

Different strokes for different folks, John - I know many people who love drone photos, including many on this board, which is why I posted these. They capture a completely different perspective of a golf course and provide a basis for discussion of the architecture at issue. This is doubly true with Bluejack, which is both architecturally interesting and seldom discussed on this board.
What is the point of even replying with this worthless message? You are just wasting peoples time and energy. You routinely make this board unenjoyable with your snarky and valueless posts, and you disincentivize those who seek to contribute to the discussion while contributing nothing of value yourself.

[John Kavanaugh]

Drone photos are far worse than no photos at all. Why are we forced to suffer through this new technology? People are harming the good work of architects just because they have a new toy. Shameful.

Different strokes for different folks, John - I know many people who love drone photos, including many on this board, which is why I posted these. They capture a completely different perspective of a golf course and provide a basis for discussion of the architecture at issue. This is doubly true with Bluejack, which is both architecturally interesting and seldom discussed on this board.
What is the point of even replying with this worthless message? You are just wasting peoples time and energy. You routinely make this board unenjoyable with your snarky and valueless posts, and you disincentivize those who seek to contribute to the discussion while contributing nothing of value yourself.

Andy,


While I can't disagree with most of what you say some issues need to be discussed. Drone photos change the experience of how many of us discover courses we many be so lucky to play. They may even go so far as to how an architect presents his design. They are the duck lips of dating sites.

[Steve Lang]

Andy,


You might want to note for folks that "the fried egg" is your golf blog.


I assume you got permission to fly the drone over BJ like other places?  Did you fly it?  Any effort to fly over in order of the holes?  Is that video or are other shots available?
 
Call me old, but i dislike the quick cuts on the drone video shots, prefer the smooth changing views.


Did anyone there talk about all the holes reused or reversed from the original C&C+Mr Blake course design at Blaketree Nat'l?


Just wondering.

[Andy Johnson]

Andy,


You might want to note for folks that "the fried egg" is your golf blog.


I assume you got permission to fly the drone over BJ like other places?  Did you fly it?  Any effort to fly over in order of the holes?  Is that video or are other shots available?
 
Call me old, but i dislike the quick cuts on the drone video shots, prefer the smooth changing views.


Did anyone there talk about all the holes reused or reversed from the original C&C+Mr Blake course design at Blaketree Nat'l?


Just wondering.

Steve,


Yes the fried egg is my blog. I did get permission before flying at Bluejack. Unfortunately, it was quite windy which made shooting video and controlling the drone extremely difficult.


I have some more shots and 100+ regular camera shots of the course that I am in the process of cataloging. If people want to see the photos, I will be happy to post a few on this thread, just let me know and I will take the time to do so. I will also put a link to my full writeup and photo tour.


From what I have gathered, the majority of holes were redone/rerouted.


One of my few complaints is I felt like the bunkers lacked in the character department. They were in immaculate condition and I loved how their edges were cut tight with the fairway promoting balls to run into them but I felt like they all were just kind of big saucers. I would have loved to see some smaller gash bunkers employed some places from Woods/Welling.


Overall, it's great fun, unique to the area and a course that exemplifies the idea of playable for masses while challenging for the expert player. My favorite aspect is that Woods/Welling did this without going overboard on the green complexes.

[Anton]

Beautiful pics of a beautiful property.  Thanks for sharing!  BJN is a great club with lots of great people.  Truly a fun family golf club!  Glad you enjoyed the club.


Also, pertaining to the other commenters note about suffering through drone photos.....  why are you on this golf architecture forum anyway?  If you see "drone" in the subject line of the topic then perhaps you should scroll on by rather than posting just a bashing comment.  You must also hate helicopters, Google Earth, televised golf, and so on. 

[John Kavanaugh]

Anton,


I just listened to the egg and Cavalier talk golf for over an hour. I'll never hate anything again.

[Tim_Weiman]

Beautiful pics of a beautiful property.  Thanks for sharing!  BJN is a great club with lots of great people.  Truly a fun family golf club!  Glad you enjoyed the club.


Also, pertaining to the other commenters note about suffering through drone photos.....  why are you on this golf architecture forum anyway?  If you see "drone" in the subject line of the topic then perhaps you should scroll on by rather than posting just a bashing comment.  You must also hate helicopters, Google Earth, televised golf, and so on.

Anton,


I don't know how long you have been part of this site, but part of what we do here is offer criticism - bashing, if you like. I'd actually like to hear more from John K regarding what he doesn't like about drone photos.


For what it's worth, I have thought about going to see BJN for a while now (I live in Houston), but honestly these drone pictures are kind of a turn off. Maybe it is unfair, but the pictures make it appear like there is nothing to see there.


We have been fortunate in the past few years in that members of the site have done some fantastic course photo tours. They blow away these drone pictures of BJN.


Just trying to think of golf courses we hold in high regard and whether any, including the very best, would be best presented with drone pictures.

[Steve Lang]

   Tim W,


Did you ever get up to play Blaketree Nat'l before its fall and this conversion to BJN?


We were up there last spring and it is most striking that one can look across a lot of the site from some of the higher vistas, and how the old dense wooded areas are very thinned out from what they were, something very obvious from Andy's drone pics.   


Andy, just post a link please.

ps.. Just remembered, at Blaketree Nat'l, for a period of time, you could play, stay, hunt, and bbq there    I imagine that the new perimeter fencing and housing development has probably reduced the impact of the feral hogs on the east flank holes of the course... they used to really dig rooting on 7, 8, & 9

[Tim_Weiman]

Steve,


No, I have never played or been on the property. However, a few years ago I attended an oil industry event in the area and was impressed with the topography. That led me to think BJN could be on a good piece of land and that something good could be built there.


Perhaps that is why the drone pictures are such a turn off. They take away topography and really don't allow you to see and feel features of the golf course.


The world's best golf photographers have done much better work - pictures that actually make you want to visit and play golf courses. These BJN pictures don't, IMO.

[Jaeger Kovich]

There are an incredible amount of parallel holes in that picture.

[David_Tepper]

Andy J. -

Thanks very much for posting the pics and the video. Much appreciated.

David T.

[John Kavanaugh]

David,


Before you judge the course based on the pictures provided on the egg please take a gander at the club website. It looks like they are doing some nice stuff there.  http://www.bluejacknational.com

[Jaeger Kovich]

Other JK - Not sure what you mean by it cant be judged by some drone pics?! While the Egg in his fake news blogger status may think it's the bees knees from his drone pics, I think it the routing looks like Firestone-adjace with all the parallel holes!... struggling to think of anything great with 9 parallel hole corridors.

[John Kavanaugh]

The further you stand from two objects the more parallel their lines become.

[Andy Johnson]

Other JK - Not sure what you mean by it cant be judged by some drone pics?! While the Egg in his fake news blogger status may think it's the bees knees from his drone pics, I think it the routing looks like Firestone-adjace with all the parallel holes!... struggling to think of anything great with 9 parallel hole corridors.

This is one of the more fascinating posts I have read in awhile, dig at me and my website for contributing ad free, real golf content.


Then say that I think the course is great because of my drone photos. Meanwhile, you who has never played the course is judging it from those same drone photos, while my commentary on the subject is from my playing experience....

[Anton]

Other JK - Not sure what you mean by it cant be judged by some drone pics?! While the Egg in his fake news blogger status may think it's the bees knees from his drone pics, I think it the routing looks like Firestone-adjace with all the parallel holes!... struggling to think of anything great with 9 parallel hole corridors.

This is one of the more fascinating posts I have read in awhile, dig at me and my website for contributing ad free, real golf content.


Then say that I think the course is great because of my drone photos. Meanwhile, you who has never played the course is judging it from those same drone photos, while my commentary on the subject is from my playing experience....

People will complain about anything..... even things (in this case places) they know nothing about.  Unfortunately, it has plagued this site for years.


To the point of it looking like Firestone from the drone shots, many of the worlds finest courses look to have too many parallel holes when viewed from above whether by drone, helicopter, airplane, or satellite (ex: Merion, ANGC, Oakmont, and so on).  The true measure is what is on the ground.  If you have played both Firestone & BJN and not just made assumptions based on aerial photography, then you would absolutely know 100% that they are nothing alike.  I would encourage everyone to not pass up an invite to play BJN.  BJN is a very well thought out facility.  The course plays like a dream, has incredible variety, and the fellowship there amongst the members is top tier.  Very few courses are on this level.  If you do decide to pass up on an invite based upon some drone pics,  that's your loss.   

[Jon Wiggett]

Andy,


I would not think that parallel holes is in anyway a negative. It all boils down to the quality of what is on the ground. I played TOC last week and was reminded yet again what an outstanding golf course it is. It is indeed a true great course and also happens to be the 'poster child' of parallel holes design.


Thanks for posting.


Jon

[Parker Page]

I don't have much to say about drone photos, other than the fact that it's unfortunate that this thread has been hijacked by the discussion of them when the focus should be on one of the best new courses in the country.  I played it last July and had a fantastic experience.  I would even go so far as to say that it holds its own with other Augusta look-alikes, such as Peachtree.  And as far as the Houston area goes, I would put it slightly ahead of Whispering Pines because it's so fun to play.  Numbers 1, 5, 7, 8, 11, 16, and 17 are a blast, and holes 9, 12, and 18 provide plenty of challenge.  There's loads of strategic interest, there are almost always recovery options, the ball runs on the ground, and the green complexes are thoughtful without going overboard.  And on top of all that, the experience is second to none among modern courses.  It was a delight – one of the most enjoyable days I've spent on a golf course.  I would return in a heartbeat, and if anyone has the opportunity to go, I would highly encourage it.


I would be very eager to hear some people's take on various aspects of individual holes.

[Keith Phillips]

A somewhat bizarre thread.  My quick thoughts:
1. Good drone video > good still photography - full stop.
2. Thank you Andy for bringing this forward - I agree it is always helpful to clarify one's involvement with other industry sources - in this case I actually enjoy the regular 'fried egg' emails I receive but agree proper disclosure / attribution is appropriate.
3. Jaeger...'all the parallel holes'...seriously?  You must have looked at a different google earth aerial than me.
I live in the northeast and am unlikely to ever make my way to the Bluejack area...but it looks like a fun addition to the golf scene and a creditable debut by Tiger and his team.

[Josh Stevens]

Yes he does seem to be channelling Augusta a bit too much perhaps. Bunkers are nice and white I suppose

[Ryan Carey]

Since someone bashed it, it feel compelled to note that I love the Fried Egg website and especially their thrice-weekly newsletter that contains honest takes on the PGA Tour and the world of golf. Reading golf news from someone that knows/cares about golf architecture during a tour stop at, say, Riviera or Copperhead is something I will always support.


I don't know Andy and I didn't even know his name until this thread - but he puts out a hell of a product.

[Jim Franklin]

I just finished playing Bluejack and did not notice parallel holes. I mean you see other holes, but it does not have that up and back parallel hole feel. I loved it. It certainly has that clean bunker, Augusta like feel to it. Fairways everywhere and the greensites were certainly interesting. I liked that if you missed a green it was a challenging par. I certainly think this is a nice addition to the Houston golf scene.

[Tim Gavrich]

Winter cabin fever is clearly taking its toll on a few posters here. Keep doin' what you're doin', Andy. Thanks for the photos.