[Gary Daughters]

Reading the post about Murcar reminded me of something I heard at Cruden Bay last summer.  A member informed me, and the pro later confirmed, that there is a plan to make a substantial change to the course's inward nine.  It involves adding one new hole, eliminating another (obviously), and making significant alterations to two other holes.

It is not a done deal, but the wheels are turning.

If anyone is interested I will pass on what I know.  And if someone can walk me through the process of posting photos I can show the holes that may be involved.

[David_Tepper]

Gary -

This was talked about on a thread here probably 2-4 weeks ago, maybe a little longer. As I recall, the speculation was that a par-3 would be built at the far end of the course and that the 15th hole would be taken out of play.

Any further info you have or pictures you would like to post would, am I sure, be most welcome.

DT

[Aidan Bradley]

Gary,

Tried to go through your email but your spam blocker rejected me. Here is the info. Hope it helps.

1.....Re size your image to 180 resolution, 3 inches high, which will give you approx 3.8 wide. Save to desktop.

2.....Open an account at photopucket.com, easy and free.

3.....Login, browse, select image and submit.

4..... For that image you will receive an Url, a Tag, and a IMG. Copy and paste the IMG to your post.

Aidan

[Gary Daughters]

Aidan -- Thanks.  Beautiful photo of Murcar, too.

David -- Yes.  New par-3 would be built, and forgive me if this repeats the earlier thread, on land the club owns on the hillside behind #12.  The hole would face the sea, play downhill, and measure about 200 yds.

What I've been led to believe is that the current 14, 15, 16 stretch would see changes.  Right now it's 3 blind shots in succession, and while visitors seem to relish the quirkiness of it all, it is the membership that is pushing for something different.  From watching members play 14, for example, I learned that the way to play the approach is to putt it up the hill and let the ball dribble into the punchbowl green.  I think it has ceased to become a challenge to those who play the course often.

[Aidan Bradley]

Gary,

Here is my Cruden Bay visual offering.

[Ross Cooper]

Hi folks,

my first post so be gentle    i was searching through the discussion group out of interest and happened to come across the posts re the possible changes at Cruden Bay. So i'd thought that i'd add a little to the debate as i'm in quite a good position to comment. i currently sit on the greens development committee at Cruden Bay and instigated the 'desire' to undertake some changes to the course. i say 'desire' because until the proposals come before the members i cannot say with full certainty that anything will change - i suspect the desire may be there, but of course like any change there will be opposition. I am not going to explain the thinking behind the changes (if any of you are interested enough, this can be provided). I will state what is being considered.

Firstly as has been said,would be to build a new par 3 at the far end of the exisiting course to replace the existing 15th. The area of land can be seen in the picture below (and where the green would be situated looking from the teeing area)



This hole would measure approx. 170yds and as you see would be quite dramatic and exposed to the elements.

The next change proposed is to redevelop the existing 16th green - moving closer to the sea - or to the left looking from behind the green as seen from Aidan's second picture posted. This would allow us then to extend the 8th tee backwards (as the new green would not then be in danger from stray tee shots!)

The final change (and the most difficult due to the limited space ) would be to redesign the existing 'punch bowl' 14th by extending it slightly and possibly make it more visible for the approach shot - not that the blindness is the only problem.

At present, i have had one architect up to the course to gain their thoughts on these proposals, and to come up with possible designs/solutions. However, no changes (if they go ahead) will start until later this year, by which time i hope to get some further opinion on the proposals.

I hope that this has enlightened a few of you as to what is going on at Cruden Bay.

Thx  

[Michael Hayes]

Ross, Welcome to the group!!!

I for one, as a BIG fan of Cruden Bay, would love any information as to the thinking behind the changes.  Hell, I would love any little tidbit that you would care to post about Cruden Bay.  Your course was the most hospitable in all the land during my last Scottish golf safari, the people and the golf course rate a perfect 10 in my book...

Michael Hayes

[PThomas]

welcome Ross

I too would like to know why changes might be made

[Brian_Ewen]

Ross
Welcome , nice to see a fellow East-Coaster here .

Please tell us more .

Personally , I would hate to see any changes that would eliminate the quirkiness of Cruden Bay .

On another point , the last time changes were being talked about at Cruden Bay , it was the 10th that was going to be altered . These plans just seemed to disappear , any idea what the reasons were for not going ahead with them ? .

Best Regards
Brian

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

How great are the pictures!  I sure do love the place, but understand that 14-16 could drive the members nuts having to play these holes all the time.  Maybe with local knowledge, 14 and 15 might not be such dramatic holes when playing matches.  Also, 8 and 16 can be something of a shooting gallery--have any players been hit by stray shots?  I could see this being a consideration when there is some great linksland property available to alleviate this situation.  Hopefully, the course further evolves towards greater greatness!

[ForkaB]

Welcome, Ross, and thanks for the informative and thoughtful post. I'm generally in favour of the changes, and have said so onthe earlier threads.  A couple of questions:

1.  Is the new 15th tee going to be on top of that ridge that bisects the current hole?
2.  If you move the 16th to the right, how long of a walk will there be and will it cross the 8th?
3.  Are you sure you want to move the 8th tee back?  As it is, the drivability of that green is the primary feature of that hole, IMHO.  With a back tee, won't you have to create a bit more interest/playability in front of the green?

Thanks in advance

Rich

[ForkaB]

Sean

I meant the walk from the (new) 16th green to the 17th tee.  Wouldn't it have to cross the 8th "fairway," particularly if they move the tee back.

Agree with the potential greatness of the new 15th (if it's up that hill).  Gonna be a tough climb for us geezers, however, particularly so late in the round!

Vis a vis your length, I'll stay fairly silent until all pre-match bets are settled at the Buda Cup in October.  All I can say is that I'd take you in a long driving competition against any GCAer I've ever played against, and there have been more than a few.......

[ForkaB]

Sean

You hit it farther than me and I hit it about the same as Barney (or did 5 years ago), so you must have been off your feed when you played with him.  Vis a vis the African Animal and his 210 carry + 150 roll diving hook, I have two words "centerline hazards!"  Hope they have added some at Hoylake since I was last there in 1981.......

As for the Buda Cup, it is one of the things on my To Do list to invite the Painswickians.  I'll do it shortly.  I assume that Craig will attend to the Littlestoneans.

[Gary Daughters]

Ross,

Thanks for getting in on this thread.

I wonder what you could tell us as to how the members would like #14 to play.  When I visited Cruden Bay in August I learned from watching locals that the approch can be putted up the hill and into the punchbowl.  I can see how that might cease to be a challenge.  And yet that green seems to be one of course's signatures.  What gives?  I suppose there is considerable debate on that one.

I'm with the previous poster on the upside of #8 being drivable.  That makes it a fine exclamation point to the 4-8 stretch, which is about as good a 5-hole run as one will find anywhere.

Also, your pro mentioned that one reason for approaching the 14-16 stretch gingerly is the difficulty of getting earthmoving equipment back there.  Has that been resolved?  And are there beach erosion issues to consider?

Thanks, Ross.  And please say "hi" on my behalf to Ken, the elderly gent who plays in a tie.  

Gary

[ForkaB]

Sean, we have a problem....in that I think that Philip is destined to be the Captain of the Rest of the World (or CROW, for short) at Hoylake (unless Robin Hiseman shows up again--I'm already praying that he does....).  I think we'll just have to deal with it and grind away.  As always.

Rich

AB, MBA, CUSHY (Captain of the US Hoylake Yanks)

[Tom Huckaby]

I will attest to the prodigious length off the tee of OUR Bluto.  But you get him for that Buda Cup only after his duties are performed stateside.

Tom Huckaby, CONKPUS*



*Captain Of Norcal King's Putter Underwhelming Side

[Tom Huckaby]

Sean:

Bear with me.  We need to win.  And remember, I didn't say you couldn't have him - which of course as his home Captain I have every right to do - I just said you don't get him until his home duties are complete.

After that, he's all yours.

BTW, it couldn't hurt if you sent us Goodale for some help in June...

 

[Tom Huckaby]

Ouch.  That hurt.

But think of this with more logic and less passion.

We need Bluto more.  Our side which so clearly owned The King's Putter for so many years has now lost possession of it for two running.  The Putter's maker is one of our NorCal stalwarts.  The Putter desparately wants to come home.

Your US side over there is the equivalent of Chelsea.  You need another win like they need another EPL title... and it also seems to be equivalent in terms of done deals.

So have a heart - leave us our Bluto.  

He's also insulted the lack of faith you have in him, assuming he can't perform at both events.

TH

[ed_getka]

Ross,
   Thanks for posting the info re: CB. Please keep us informed as things develop, I would be interested in hearing how it goes. 36 holes with George Wallace was one of the highlights of my trip a couple of years ago. I think a little more internal contour on at least two of the greens in question would make that stretch more interesting to me. From a routing standpoint I thought it was fine.
    When I returned from my trip two years ago I commented that CB could be even better if it had greens on par with Dornoch throughout.
    Good luck with the changes, and I look forward to seeing the course again on my next trip over.

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