[Sean_A]

The most northernly course in Wales, Bull Bay is located on the island of Anglesey off the northwest coast. The Menai Straits separate Anglesey from the mainland which are connected by two bridges within sight of each other. The Menai Suspension Bridge designed by Thomas Telford in 1826 is the more famous of the bridges.  Upon opening, the bridge had the longest bridge span in the world and significantly reduced the travel time between London and Holyhead. This became an important travel route after Ireland and the UK united via the Acts of Union. Of course, upon exiting the bridge it is the done thing to immediately visit Llanfairpwll whose proper name is Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch…made up of 58 characters and 19 syllables. Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is the second longest one-word place name in the world.  The longest is a Maori name and it has 85 characters!

Train Station.


Shop next door with a translation.


Bull Bay GC is about 20 minutes from the bridge and was designed by Herbert Fowler just prior to the outbreak of WWI.  Charles Henry Alexander Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey, provided the cliff top land above the Irish Sea. The Marquess may be a familiar name for he was the central figure behind the creation of Beau Desert, another Herbert Fowler design from the same period.  Routed over rugged, sometimes rocky terrain, the lightly bunkered Bull Bay plays around and through a central valley and features several knob to knob holes.  That is, holes which start on high tee grounds, play to lower fairways then back up to greens above the eye line.  True to Fowler's form, Bull Bay is not like any other design of his of which I am aware. It is said the first nine holes were completed in two months without a blade of grass being lifted or laid!

The opener heads straight uphill to a green on a rocky outcrop.  OOB looms right...in truth OOB seems to rear its ugly head on many holes.




Playing blind, the second looks like it has has mounds splitting the fairway.  This is partly due to virtually no definition between rough and fairway and this was the case throughout the course.  The approach plays over a farm lane to a slightly raised green.




Looking back toward the tee.


A longish par three follows.  The 4th tee is a bit too close to the 3rd green for my comfort!


Well placed mounds to cause havoc.


More to follow.

Ciao

[Robin_Hiseman]

I can pronounce that long name. Something I learnt long ago.

[Thomas Dai]

Once-upon-a-time, some overseas folks decided to visit Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
On arrival they decided to go for a bite to eat.
They sat themselves down at a table. When the waitress arrived they asked her to pronounce very slowly the name of the place they were in.
The waitress looked at them in a curious way and very slowly said "B.u.r.g.e.r K.i.n.g."

atb

[Peter Pallotta]

I know that good architects past and present have designed successfully in various settings/over various terrains. But it's still striking to imagine Fowler's different mind sets while working here compared to at Walton Heath.

[Sean_A]

I can pronounce that long name. Something I learnt long ago.

Doc

WhatsApp me the pronunciation in your best Welsh accent.

Bull Bay Tour Cont.

Its difficult to imagine so many well placed natural green sites on one course.  The tough 4th is one of the best.


Another tough short hole.  The 5th is uphill and features dead ground shy of the green.




Turning back on the 4th and 5th, we drive over a small herd of cattle and the 5th hole for the sub 300 yard 6th. Details such as the wishy washy bunkers give away the true nature of Bull Bay as a local club.  The green is located near the fellow in pink.


Bull Bay is blessed with several holes of the epic variety.  Even though the 7th is blind from the tee, it is certainly epic. A look over the fairway well in front of the tee.


Its a tough decision between a layup and going for the green.  There is some gunge beyond the buildings which will catch any sort of fluffed shot most likely resulting in a kiss on the card.


Similar to the 5th, the green is on higher ground than it seems.


Looking back toward the tee.


More to follow.

Ciao

[John Mayhugh]

Sean,
Thanks for doing this photo tour. Mark Rowlinson posted one in 2008, but photos have been captured by Photobucket. It's great to see some of the course again.
I visited there in 2012 pre-Silloth Buda. After arriving in MAN on a Sunday morning, I headed two hours west for a round, then from there made it back to Southport for the night. Not the smartest thing I've done, but no regrets either. I had seen Beau Desert in 2011 and after that was relatively smitten with Fowler. Bull Bay looked unique in the photos, and that trip seemed like my best opportunity to go see it.

A random American visiting on a Sunday was worthy of note, I guess, because a very nice gentleman from the club's leadership showed up to visit while I was on the course and played a number of holes with me. He was interested in what drew me to the course, and we had a good laugh when I stood on the 7th green, waved around, and said "do you really have to ask?"

I really enjoyed the course a lot. I think the routing makes the most of the features of the land (no surprise), and many of the green complexes are still remembered today. What's really noteworthy is that while the course is very "knob to knob", there is lots of creativity in where the greens are sited. It's not always just an uphill shot, with green sites being benched into land features as well as perched upon. And plenty of obstacles to play over or around.

A great example of how much fun golf can be on less than hospitable terrain.

Looking forward to more.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I played Bull Bay in 2008 with our own Mark Rowlinson. It is one of the most interesting courses I have had the privilege to play. It is unlike anything you might have played from the rocky outcropping in the middle of the first fairway (indeed all over the course) to the dramatic up and downs of the terrain it is a blast, to the gorse bushes sprinkled here and there. I think number nine is a most inventive short par four. If you find yourself anywhere in the area and get there. You won't be disappointed.
Glad you got there Sean. It is nice to see the photos especially since Photobucket stole Mark's.

[Sean_A]

The three-shot 8th also has its thrills, although the trees spoil the setting somewhat.


The rocky separation on the left between the 8th green and 15th tee is too close for comfort.


The very classy front nine comes to a close with a highlight hole. The intimidating visuals of the 9th tee shot suggest a layup.  There is, however, hidden fairway cutting across from the left which can be accessed if one is bold.


Another superb green site.


Behind the green.


After a breathtaking front nine it was always going to be the case that the back nine isn't quite up to par or else Bull Bay would be a far more recognized course. Yet, there are some highlights which keep pace with the front nine, its just that there are a handful of average holes.  The par 3 tenth is somewhere between the two extremes, however, I am not a fan of drop shot short holes.  That said, the two tier green leaning well right is interesting. 


Another heroic three-shotter follows in 11.  The drive line is confusing, but taking a clue from the 2nd I decided to drive over the rocks.




This is a formidable hole into the wind.  The further left for the second, the worse the angle of approach. The short and rather dull 12th can be seen far left.


More to follow.

Ciao

[Tommy Williamsen]

Sean, nine is one of the better short par fours I can remember playing. I hit two tee shots there. One was a lay-up and the other a driver over the rock outcropping. The green site is inventive and the terrain exceptional. It is a hole you don't soon forget.

[Sam Krume]

Sean,From your pics, it kind of reminds me of Windermere, what with the rocky outcrops and type of holes that they present. Replace the sea views with the Lake District and voila....

[Thomas Dai]

The more of BBGC I see the more I like.
Atb

[John Mayhugh]

The tree plantings on 8 are not good. Don't look right visually and the landforms do a pretty good job on their own.

[Sean_A]

Sam

Yes, Bull Bay is a bit like Windermere with less trees.

BULL BAY TOUR CONT

The short 12th isn't a hole to pause over.  The uphill, dogleg left 13th isn't an especially attractive from the tee, but it is a decent hole. I wonder if 11-13 were altered at some point. 12 & 13 seem particularly out of sorts with the remainder of the course.

I may need to see the 14th again.  Sharp doglegs which require a layup and leave a long approach isn't a style of design which I much appreciate...especially when they are blind.  The long 15th plays knob to knob like many holes.


The approach calls for a hook up the hill.


Even after a good lay-up the target isn't obvious.


The final short hole is provacative. One may have an instinct that right is bad and that would be a good assumption. Why a huge tree has been allowed to block the view of the house is an odd choice.


Closer to the hole not only reveals the trouble right, but also the amount of dead ground. If there ever was a place for a sign this is it. It isn't immediately apparent that walking much beyond this point is effectively entering the 17th hole.


The tough par four 17th is an odd hole.  A layup to a narrow fairway is required off the tee, then a long approach is called for.  The fairway moves around some excellent terrain which makes me wonder why that land isn't part of the fairway.  I think there is a much better hole sitting on  this land.  The 18th hole is an exciting, fairly long par 4, but being downhill it isn't overly onerous.


One of the more charming aspects of visiting clubs on weekends is the possibility of playing around a member competition which will often guarantee a lively house atmosphere.


The Junior Clubhouse doubling as the Covid Arms was appreciated.


It is clear I think the back nine is somewhat patchy compared to the front nine.  Yet the front nine is so good that I remain very impressed. Of course the views don't hurt, but with so many fine holes it is obvious that Fowler was onto a winner.  I look forward to a return visit hopefully during non Covid times.  2020

Ciao

[Tommy Williamsen]

I guess the location of the course keeps it from being noticed. I think it deserves more accolades. One of the things I like about Fowler is that he truly lets the land dictate the design. He doesn't seem to force anything on to a site. Bull Bay is a difficult site on which to build a course without a lot of bulldozing. He just designed it over and around rock outcroppings and the hills.

[John Mayhugh]

Agreed that the best holes are on the first nine, but still plenty of interest on the back. 11 is a really good short par 5, but par 3s on either side of it are among the weakest holes.

Would be a fun site to imagine alternate routings. I think hard to beat what Fowler came up with.

[Sean_A]

Agreed that the best holes are on the first nine, but still plenty of interest on the back. 11 is a really good short par 5, but par 3s on either side of it are among the weakest holes.

Would be a fun site to imagine alternate routings. I think hard to beat what Fowler came up with.

Tucky

I agree, the threes aren't great. Just making the greens more interesting would help immensely.

Ciao

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