Colossal CRUDEN BAY GC

[Ben Sims]

I’d be shocked if the 18th green hadn’t been rebuilt earlier this year. In early July, based on the turf conditions relative to other greens and the green surrounds themselves, it looks like it was recent construction.

[Niall C]

Ben


I would also be surprised if the 17th and 18th aren't relatively new. It has been nearly 20 years since I last played the main course and certainly don't recall the 18th green being like that. The 17th also and it certainly doesn't look anything like Simpson's green. I'm now wondering whether it was like that when I saw it last, I can't be certain.


David


When were you last there ?


Niall

[Ben Stephens]

Ben


I would also be surprised if the 17th and 18th aren't relatively new. It has been nearly 20 years since I last played the main course and certainly don't recall the 18th green being like that. The 17th also and it certainly doesn't look anything like Simpson's green. I'm now wondering whether it was like that when I saw it last, I can't be certain.


David


When were you last there ?


Niall

Niall,


I am not familiar with Cruden Bay however saw on M+E news and most recent Google Aerial that they have moved the tee to the other side of 17th fairway and 1st on St Olaf has been relocated.


Cheers
Ben S

[Thomas Dai]

Ben
I would also be surprised if the 17th and 18th aren't relatively new. It has been nearly 20 years since I last played the main course and certainly don't recall the 18th green being like that. The 17th also and it certainly doesn't look anything like Simpson's green. I'm now wondering whether it was like that when I saw it last, I can't be certain.
David
When were you last there ?
Niall

Niall,
I am not familiar with Cruden Bay however saw on M+E news and most recent Google Aerial that they have moved the tee to the other side of 17th fairway and 1st on St Olaf has been relocated.
Cheers
Ben S

Jumping the gun a bit.
I suspect Sean will cover this aspect when his tour gets to the 17th/18th holes and it will be mentioned within his St Olaf course tour as well.
[/size]Atb

[Niall C]

Ben
I would also be surprised if the 17th and 18th aren't relatively new. It has been nearly 20 years since I last played the main course and certainly don't recall the 18th green being like that. The 17th also and it certainly doesn't look anything like Simpson's green. I'm now wondering whether it was like that when I saw it last, I can't be certain.
David
When were you last there ?
Niall

Niall,
I am not familiar with Cruden Bay however saw on M+E news and most recent Google Aerial that they have moved the tee to the other side of 17th fairway and 1st on St Olaf has been relocated.
Cheers
Ben S

Jumping the gun a bit.
I suspect Sean will cover this aspect when his tour gets to the 17th/18th holes and it will be mentioned within his St Olaf course tour as well.
Atb

So do we wait until Sean gets to the 17th hole before you tell us when you were last there ?

Niall

[Sean_A]

I’d be shocked if the 18th green hadn’t been rebuilt earlier this year. In early July, based on the turf conditions relative to other greens and the green surrounds themselves, it looks like it was recent construction.

Yes, we experienced the same. Although, I don’t know if the green was altered. I don’t think the 17th was altered recently, but I don’t know. It would be useful to have the M&E report. That said, it is what it is.

Ciao

[Ben Stephens]

From the Google aerials - it seems that the outline of the greens for 17 and 18 remain as they are. The right green side bunker on the 17th has been relocated from the side to a different location more or less front right.


18 has two new fairway bunkers on the right and seems to be increased to around 450 plus yards from the back tee.

[Niall C]

Ben


Yes, the recent M&E work involved realigning holes for safety reasons, but apart from the first hole on St Olafs it didn't involve any work to the greens (from memory). There was a recent thread on it somewhere. What I'm wondering is when did the 17th and perhaps the 18th greens get redesigned because they certainly look to me to be more modern. And as I said above, the 17th isn't the green that Simpson designed.


Niall

[Ben Sims]

The 18th green was re-grassed very recently. Likely coinciding with the shifting of the 18th tee and bunker work on that hole. It was considerably different to any other green at CB in regards to turf. Why it was re-grassed I’m not sure.


Getting ahead of ourselves here.

[Sean_A]

Cruden Bay Tour Cont

The half-par 8th should really be a par 3. Its one of those holes which made perfect sense for the old bogey score system. Playing between a towering dune right and a lesser dune left, the raised green is cuddled in a ring of hills. It can be a difficult target with a wedge in hand let alone a long club or possibly a driver.   




Coming in from the left (right in photo) side of the fairway offers a clear advantage.


An old photo from near the same spot.


Now then, the new 9th. I recall the old hole being a harsh climb from the 8th to the tee to leave a severely uphill drive. It was not a good hole. Now the climb to the new tee is much worse!  That said, the views are the best on the course and the hole is much better as a down-hiller playing closer to the cliff edge. Below are views over the 15th & 16th greens and the 14th.




The drive is now a dogleg left. The start of the old fairway corridor is to the right.


The long approach. The new green is just about where the old 10th tee was.


More to follow.

Ciao

[Niall C]

The new 9th is an undoubted success, even if it's hard work getting to the tee.


Niall

[Tony_Muldoon]

In a previous thread someone said that the current 8th green was built after the original one, situated higher up, suffered landslip.
It often shocks me to think these holes were designed for hickory players.




Cruden Bay is sneaky difficult. I wonder if its the favourite 'quirky course in Scotland' for the better player? I've never quite got the deep love for it that some people have. That said, I'd play it again and again.

[Sean_A]

Cruden Bay is sneaky difficult. I wonder if its the favourite 'quirky course in Scotland' for the better player? I've never quite got the deep love for it that some people have. That said, I'd play it again and again.

Spangles

I think we had a tough day. Constant rain, some wind, course wasn't keen and the wind switched on us so very little downwind golf.

Cruden Bay tour cont

The 10th tee is right and lower down from the green, creating a dogleg. I never took to this hole, mostly because I don't like the linear aesthetics.


Crammed between 10 & 12, the short 11th feels a bit like an after-thought. If this is the case, its one of the best after-thoughts I have experienced. Not unlike the 4th in that the 11th is an execution hole of the do or don't die type.


A look at the rear of the hole from the 13th fairway.


A tight hole, the 12th creaks left with intermittent gorse on either side of the fairway. The look is very similar to the front nine of the OTM course at Rosapenna.




More to follow.

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

A zillion years. Fortunately having played so many rounds on both courses details are firmly embedded in the small number of little grey cells located between my luggies! Some further recollections and thoughts:


8th. In the mid-1980’s a massive flash food washed away a significant portion of the fairway although I don’t recall the green being damaged. Some rather large size pipes were used in the renovation work and the water course down the valley from the area near the previously located 9th tee was ‘beefed-up’. In the winter the 8th used to be played as a long par-3.


9th. The walk from the 8th green to the 9th tees was nicknamed ‘Cardiac Hill’. The path split part way up with the path to the ladies tee following the route to the left where the men’s tee is now located although the ladies tee wasn’t located on the high viewpoint just where the path joined the then fairway. The original hole wasn’t anything special, which the new hole appears to be. An experimental men’s tee on the opposite side of the valley up from the 8th green was tried for a short while in the 1980’s with the hole playing significantly longer, but this was abandoned pretty quickly.


10th. The front area of the green was raised significantly in the 1980’s. The previous tees for the 10th weren’t just where the 9th green now approx resides. The men’s medal tee was at a lower level just off the zigzag path that ran to the left down from the top of the hill tees to the fairway. To the right of the previous 9th green was a tractor path. From the previous 10th tee positions the 11th green was a potentially dangerous spot. From the photos this would appear to be a less significant issue now (although maybe not with modern era clubs and balls?). The 10th fairway, especially the right hand side, was often very wet and boggy during the non-summer period.


11th. A look at the 1896 map posted above shows the area where the 11th green now is to be bi-passed but there’s a hole there in the 1921 map (not that I can recall quite that far back!).


12th. The gorse appears to have grown back significantly. I recall it being massively cut back with the aim of reducing a rabbit infested habitat.


12th - later edit - the rear of the 12th green and the position of the formally central rear bunker seem to have changed presumably due to the building of the new extra hole in the area behind the 12th green, an area that was previously over a fence. I believe that somewhere underneath the area behind the 12th green runs one of the main North Sea oil pipelines.

Atb

[Ben Stephens]

A zillion years. Fortunately having played so many rounds on both courses details are firmly embedded in the small number of little grey cells located between my luggies! Some further recollections and thoughts:


8th. In the mid-1980’s a massive flash food washed away a significant portion of the fairway although I don’t recall the green being damaged. Some rather large size pipes were used in the renovation work and the water course down the valley from the area near the previously located 9th tee was ‘beefed-up’. In the winter the 8th used to be played as a long par-3.


9th. The walk from the 8th green to the 9th tees was nicknamed ‘Cardiac Hill’. The path split part way up with the path to the ladies tee following the route to the left where the men’s tee is now located although the ladies tee wasn’t located on the high viewpoint just where the path joined the then fairway. The original hole wasn’t anything special, which the new hole appears to be. An experimental men’s tee on the opposite side of the valley up from the 8th green was tried for a short while in the 1980’s with the hole playing significantly longer, but this was abandoned pretty quickly.


10th. The front area of the green was raised significantly in the 1980’s. The previous tees for the 10th weren’t just where the 9th green now approx resides. The men’s medal tee was at a lower level just off the zigzag path that ran to the left down from the top of the hill tees to the fairway. To the right of the previous 9th green was a tractor path. From the previous 10th tee positions the 11th green was a potentially dangerous spot. From the photos this would appear to be a less significant issue now (although maybe not with modern era clubs and balls?). The 10th fairway, especially the right hand side, was often very wet and boggy during the non-summer period.


11th. A look at the 1896 map posted above shows the area where the 11th green now is to be bi-passed but there’s a hole there in the 1921 map (not that I can recall quite that far back!).


12th. The gorse appears to have grown back significantly. I recall it being massively cut back with the aim of reducing a rabbit infested habitat.


Atb

Helo Dai!


For someone who hasn't played the course one wonders would Cruden Bay main course used some of the land where the St Olaf course is and create a better course likewise with St Enodoc as some of the original Braid holes are on the Holyhead course.


Cheers
Ben

[Thomas Dai]

Helo Dai!
For someone who hasn't played the course one wonders would Cruden Bay main course used some of the land where the St Olaf course is and create a better course likewise with St Enodoc as some of the original Braid holes are on the Holyhead course.
Cheers
Ben

Interesting question and comparison with StE. That someone might put their head above a Cornish parapet and suggest that some of the Holywell land could be used replace say the 10th through 15th on the StE Championship course is an intriguing if brave possibility. Heresy I can hear some say!!!


As to CBGC, the interesting unused land at CBGC is the land on the seaward side from behind the 4th green to behind the 7th/16th greens. And it’s quite a significant area plus it has the biggest dunes. A few years ago Frank Pont raised a GCA thread about more holes at CBGC and the potential use of this area came up in the discussion. Not sure whether it’s some kind of protected area or not though. Interesting possibility though.


Atb

[Jeff Schley]

The new 9th is an undoubted success, even if it's hard work getting to the tee.


Niall

This is 100%, was there in June and the walk is taxing no doubt. However, take a few minutes to catch your breath and look around 360 degrees is one of the best views I think one an have on a course.

[Niall C]

Jeff


To be clear, I was referring to the actual hole. Yes, the view is nice but it's the golf that counts.


Niall

[Thomas Dai]

The new 9th is an undoubted success, even if it's hard work getting to the tee.
Niall

This is 100%, was there in June and the walk is taxing no doubt. However, take a few minutes to catch your breath and look around 360 degrees is one of the best views I think one an have on a course.

Somewhere near the new 9th tee would make a spectacular if occasionally very windy location for a halfway house. A wee rest, some photo time for visitors with some grub and liquid refreshment available too.
The walk-up Cardiac Hill and a sit on the bench alongside the fence by the old 9th tee was often a place for some to nibble a snack or imbibe in something liquid from a hip flask.
Atb

[Sean_A]

Thanks WW!

Cruden Bay Tour Cont

Another great long hole, the 13th can be a brute into the wind. A stream winds its way past the 11th green through the 13th fairway and it can be troublesome. Below is a photo from 1911. This looks more like the 8th to me, but I am not sure.


The unforgiving approach.


An iconic hole, the 14th makes the roll call of Scotland's must holes. That said, I am not convinced bunkers should play any part in this story.
















More to follow.

Ciao

[Niall C]

Thanks WW!

Cruden Bay Tour Cont

Another great long hole, the 13th can be brute into the wind. A stream winds its way past the 11th green through the 13th fairway an iit can troublesome. Below is a photo from 1911.



Ciao

That looks more like the 8th ? 


Niall

[Thomas Dai]

That looks more like the 8th ? 

I concur with Niall, looks like the hole currently numbered the 8th.
Thanks for posting as it’s not a photo I’ve seen before.
Atb

[Thomas Dai]

Two interesting old photos.
I’ve seen the top one a few times before but the lower one is new to me.
Atb

[Sean_A]

Thanks WW!

Cruden Bay Tour Cont

Another great long hole, the 13th can be brute into the wind. A stream winds its way past the 11th green through the 13th fairway an iit can troublesome. Below is a photo from 1911.



Ciao

That looks more like the 8th ? 

Niall

I agree!

Ciao

[Sean_A]

Two interesting old photos.
I’ve seen the top one a few times before but the lower one is new to me.
Atb

There looks to be a sharp drop off from the rear of the green. The green is also much smaller. It’s quite a severe target for a blind shot!

Cruden Bay Tour Cont

Not a hole I admire, the 15th usually requires a hit and hope shot over the corner of a large dune to hit the green of this blind par 3. There is minimal forgiveness to the right due to harsh rough up the dune slope. 


Another short hole, the 16th is demanding, but doable. Not long ago the green was made a bit easier to hit with the tee shot, yet its essence remains intact. 


Play is from the left.


Below is an old photo of the stairs bunker on the NLE 9th which was left and short of the current 16th green.


The run of challenging holes continues with 17 & 18. A large mound thought to be a burial ground from the Battle of Cruden. Regardless, this feature dominates the hole. I notice new bunkers down the right which have considerably tightened the drive.


Luckily, the wind often blows off the left for those able to hit a roundhouse slice.


Looking at old photos, I do wonder if the green hasn't been enlarged. One of our party thought the green was different, but didn't offer how so.


The tee for 18 was pushed right for safety reasons...which makes sense. Unfortunately, despite the large mound on 17, the two holes have similar characteristics.




I am as impressed with Cruden Bay today as I was when first visiting over 20 years ago. There is often talk of Cruden Bay being the fun course, but Royal Aberdeen is the course for a serious test. I don't subscribe to that opinion nor do I think Cruden Bay is the lesser of the two because of its quirky holes. Cruden Bay's immense variety of holes is rarely matched and for this reason alone it is one of the top courses in Scotland. 1*



The old caddie shack is worth your time. It has been recently renovated and includes loads of club memorabilia.


Ciao