Interesting exchange at Little Aston

[mike_malone]

https://x.com/littleastongolf/status/1748013377241432176?s=46&t=pulT3yiG0rOl0VOlToyGAw




 I thought I heard a disagreement there about restoring to the photo. I think it was a club official who strongly advocated for the interesting bunkers in the photo.

[James Reader]

It’s Martin Ebert (middle of the three) saying that they should go for a “full restoration”.

[mike_malone]

Thanks .  I am glad that he said that.

[Tommy Williamsen]

That's a very cool hole. I'd have to be really straight if I want to hug the bunkers on the right.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Haven’t been at Little Aston since 2007. But the bunkering is a standout feature. If they can accentuate and improve on what was there (which I assume restoration would do) then I’d definitely want to make a return visit.

[Ben Stephens]

It’s Martin Ebert (middle of the three) saying that they should go for a “full restoration”.

Mike Howard is on Martin's left a Senior Design Associate for M+E and a very good golfer

[Niall C]

Iain Burns is a Glasgow boy and when I was down playing on the way to last years BUDA he came out of his office to introduce himself. Turns out we have a number of mutual friends in common. A really nice guy as well as a very good golfer from what I hear.


We did have a brief chat about work going on on the course which from memory was mainly all bunker work. I don't think we talked any real detail but from what I recall LA has a really strong Greens Convener who has the final say on all things pertaining to the course.


As an aside that was my first visit to LA and I thought it was a lovely course without being brilliant. The only hole I had any real quibble about was the long par 4/par 5 near the turn with a pond to the left of the green and fairway from about a 100 yards out. They were in the middle of doing the bunker work and I wasn't sure what was going in and what was going out and it wasn't obvious what they were trying to achieve. If I ever go back I'll be interested to see what they did with that hole.


Niall

[Thomas Dai]

I recall viewing a copy of a large and comprehensive looking M&E booklet in the Clubhouse and of a course with too many trees and trees in the wrong places. Also some lovely mounding and earthworks which once upon a time were presumably in play but now either weren’t or had trees planted on them or adjacent to them blocking out their potential effectiveness on playability.
Atb

[David Kelly]

As an aside that was my first visit to LA and I thought it was a lovely course without being brilliant. The only hole I had any real quibble about was the long par 4/par 5 near the turn with a pond to the left of the green and fairway from about a 100 yards out. They were in the middle of doing the bunker work and I wasn't sure what was going in and what was going out and it wasn't obvious what they were trying to achieve. If I ever go back I'll be interested to see what they did with that hole.

I don't know what the hole was like before but on my visit this past summer the hole seemed overbunkered and different than the rest of the course.

[Niall C]

David


I don't know what was going in and what was going out but the style of bunkers and the number of them certainly made it feel like a steeplechase to me. Very odd arrangement and out of keeping with the rest of the course.


Niall

[Sean_A]

As an aside that was my first visit to LA and I thought it was a lovely course without being brilliant. The only hole I had any real quibble about was the long par 4/par 5 near the turn with a pond to the left of the green and fairway from about a 100 yards out. They were in the middle of doing the bunker work and I wasn't sure what was going in and what was going out and it wasn't obvious what they were trying to achieve. If I ever go back I'll be interested to see what they did with that hole.

I don't know what the hole was like before but on my visit this past summer the hole seemed overbunkered and different than the rest of the course.

There are about three bunkers. It may seem out of keeping, but it’s one of a few holes which feature water. It’s an awkward hole, but not bad for that. Makes sense to me.

Ciao