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Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
CO DOWN's Alluring ANNESLEY LINKS New
« on: June 02, 2024, 09:10:23 AM »


Often times the second course at major clubs is treated as the poor second cousin. In my experience, this should definitely not be the case. Yes, these courses may be shorter with less attention paid to shaping detail and maintenance, but many remain fun and challenging places to play, often for far less than it costs to play big brother. Clubs have realized the cash cow these decond courses can be and have started investing! 

I know nothing about the origins of Annesley Links. Perhaps more informed persons can chime in. What I can gather is D Steel made significant changes to the course then in 2015 M Ebert had his say. I believe the goal of each project was to add length and interest to the design. Tipped out at 4594 yards the course isn't long now! Much like Castletrock's second course, The Bann, the holes are often quite narrow. Similar to The Bann, the saving grace is that only one hole stretches over 349 yards leaving plenty of opportunity to layup off the tee and still reach greens in regulation. From what I can gather, Ebert's work entailed the following

Three new holes behind the Championship 3rd green...9-11.

The old 2, 3, 4 have been removed/redesigned. I think at least part of this area is now where the practice ground is located.

16 was removed from the design.

Radically different tee for 17.

So I think we we now have the following configuration:

1 (as existed)

2 (not sure...seems to be a new hole...maybe removed 2-4 and created a new hole?)

3 (old 5)

4 (old 6)

5 (old 7)

6 (old 8)

7 (old 9)

8 (old 10)

9-11 new holes

12 (old11)

13 (old 12)

14 (old 13)

15 (old 14)

16 (new tee to old 15 green)

17 (new tee, lengthened to par 4)

18 (as existed)

I am not really a numbers guy when it comes to golf unless it’s the greenfee being discussed. However, a few things jump out at me when looking at the card. First....94 slope? Okay, whatever, but I think the slope should be far higher. Second, why isn't there just one tee? What is the point of three sets for a short course like this? The Annesley is the perfect opportunity to fully embrace simple golf. The club needs to look at what is going on at Formby Ladies. 


The course starts and finishes on the less interesting land. However, on the 1st one had better find a good approach angle...coming in from the right is a recipe for failure.


The second isn't really up to much, but I like the green.


We enter Annesley proper on the short 3rd. Yes, a nasty fronting bunker, but there is a rear backstop. 


Like Walton Heath, The Annesley and Championship Course intermingle a few times. The 4th teases golfers to drive near the green. It may be best to stay on the flat for the approach to the plateau green.


The pressure rarely eases for those wishing to play aggressively. The blind 5th has hidden horrors beyond the marker pole. The hole eases left of the pole.




More to follow.

Ciao
« Last Edit: November 08, 2024, 05:53:27 AM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: CO DOWN's Alluring ANNESLEY LINKS 1-5
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2024, 01:52:34 PM »
Annesley Links Tour Cont

Despite the meager 338 yards, the 6th is one of the most demanding holes on the course. Shifting a bit right, the hole then ends at at picnic blanket raised green.


There is no room for error!  Behind the green.


Because of its plateau nature, the short 7th looks somewhat similar to the 6th green.


A sideview of the green. Play is from the right.


Very reachable in one, even for me, the 8th is a cracking sub 300 yard hole. A downhill drive, the fairway is split into a high and low half. Even in April the greens were firm enough that position in the fairway often mattered. 


View of the Championship Course from the 8th tee.


One of the three new holes, its not hard to understand why the 9th wasn't previously built.  Its nearly a 90 degree dogleg around the dune from an elevated tee. It reminds me of something that might be at Portstewart or Carne. I didn't take to this hole.


The green, however, is good.


More to follow.

Ciao
« Last Edit: June 13, 2024, 04:08:39 AM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

PCCraig

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: CO DOWN's Alluring ANNESLEY LINKS 1-9
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2024, 02:24:14 PM »
Thanks for posting. The Fried Egg guys were raving about the Annesley course on their recent travel podcast.


I'm planning on being at RCD for a couple of days this August, was 100% planning on checking out the course. Does it get much play? Fairly easy to walk on I assume?
H.P.S.

Tony_Muldoon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: CO DOWN's Alluring ANNESLEY LINKS 1-9
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2024, 04:21:25 PM »
Thanks for posting. The Fried Egg guys were raving about the Annesley course on their recent travel podcast.


I'm planning on being at RCD for a couple of days this August, was 100% planning on checking out the course. Does it get much play? Fairly easy to walk on I assume?


It seems to get quite a bit of play and from experience quite a lot of times are for members only. I would advise booking ahead.


Makes a rgreat contrast and a fantastic 36 hole day. 
Let's make GCA grate again!

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: CO DOWN's Alluring ANNESLEY LINKS 1-9
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2024, 09:04:00 AM »
ANNESLEY LINKS TOUR CONT

A simple, but effective hole which uses the terrain and setting well, the 10th is perhaps the best of the new holes.


The roll-out was more than Spangles expected.


Looking back to the tee. There is a reasonable fall-off to the right (left in photo).


A short hole, the green for 11 is nasty. There is a PInehurstian roll-away to the right.


Looking back to the tee.


More to follow.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: CO DOWN's Alluring ANNESLEY LINKS 1-11
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2024, 04:41:34 PM »
Some might not agree with this but I reckon I’d rather play the Annesley than the main RCD course! Wish there were courses akin to it.
Atb

Michael Morandi

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: CO DOWN's Alluring ANNESLEY LINKS 1-11
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2024, 08:42:24 PM »
I prefer Sunningdale New and Baltustrol Upper to their better known brothers on site. But RCD is magical and I can’t imagine preferring Annesley. But I’m open minded.

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: CO DOWN's Alluring ANNESLEY LINKS 1-11
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2024, 03:48:42 PM »
I prefer Sunningdale New and Baltustrol Upper to their better known brothers on site. But RCD is magical and I can’t imagine preferring Annesley. But I’m open minded.

I would much rather pay for Annesley than the Championship Course!

ANNESLEY TOUR CONT

Back to the old holes, the 12th is a tight little par 4 shifting to the right and downhill then approaching uphill over a dip. Many will layup for the drive and still be left with a wedge. Good hole!
 

A pair of sastisfying short holes come at 13 & 14. The surrounds hide the long & narrow nature of the 13th green.


More intimidating than the 13th, but I am not sure the 14th is better. Its surprising (to me at least) that this sub 5000 yard course has only five short holes. 


More to follow.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: CO DOWN's Alluring ANNESLEY LINKS 1-14
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2024, 06:30:16 AM »
Annesley Links Tour Cont

A perplexing hole, 15 fairway all but ends at about the 230ish mark. There is a blind sliver of fairway (online with the golfers) slippered between gunge and gorse which will see a drive heading safely toward the green, but....if one attempts that shot....The background of the course flowing to the house with the Mourne Mountains in the far distance is delicious.


One can see where the fairway ends just ahead.


One of my favourite holes, the 16th using the crevice on the right very well.


We are now back to the odd rough area that hassles golfers on the 2nd. The hole only being 260 yards, that rough shouldn't be an issue much of the time.


Another short par four, the home hole is marked by more prominent bunkers than is usually the case most of the round. Below is the approach to a thorny green.


Ok, the start and finish don't bookend the dune holes with much excitement, but they are solid holes. Overall, there is a ton to like about the Annesley. The longest hole being 400 yards leaves a lot of scope for club options off the tee even though there isn't much width. Given the time of year we played, I have to believe we did well with the rough. I don't want to know what Annesley would be like with summer rough hard against the fairways on such rollicking land.  Despite my misgivings about the width, there is no question the Annesley is a quality design which partners well with the Championship Course. The course also works as a one off for those who want to play a more reasonably priced round. I would happily return. 1*  2024

Ciao
« Last Edit: July 15, 2024, 07:06:24 AM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Tony_Muldoon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: CO DOWN's Alluring ANNESLEY LINKS
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2024, 06:04:12 AM »
I keep getting pleasant flashbacks to my recent round here. 2nd visit and I liked it even more.


I've often taken long hitters round Deal and I can only imagine being able to hit an iron off the tee round there (off the day tees). The fairways and greens must seem huge!  Even for average hitters like me, long and medium irons are the way to go on the Annesley, so it seems right and proper that it should be tight with small targets.  It may be a 'reduced' golf course but its no less of a challenge for that. (That said I've yet to play it in a significant wind).


By way of comparison; Dooks is much more fun than Waterville and The Annesley is much more fun than "The Championship Course".


Can't see myself ever going back to the main course, but The Annesley is a favourite and I wil return.
Let's make GCA grate again!

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: CO DOWN's Alluring ANNESLEY LINKS
« Reply #10 on: July 23, 2024, 06:07:02 AM »
I keep getting pleasant flashbacks to my recent round here. 2nd visit and I liked it even more.


I've often taken long hitters round Deal and I can only imagine being able to hit an iron off the tee round there (off the day tees). The fairways and greens must seem huge!  Even for average hitters like me, long and medium irons are the way to go on the Annesley, so it seems right and proper that it should be tight with small targets.  It may be a 'reduced' golf course but its no less of a challenge for that. (That said I've yet to play it in a significant wind).


By way of comparison; Dooks is much more fun than Waterville and The Annesley is much more fun than "The Championship Course".

Can't see myself ever going back to the main course, but The Annesley is a favourite and I wil return.

Spangles

I am surprised by your indifference to Bann given the similarities between it and Annesley.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

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