Changes to the 17th at Rye

[Scott Warren]

Chatted with a Rye member the other day who said there are changes coming on the par three 17th.

Story is that the bunkers are seen as too small and too often there is no way to play towards a back pin from in them.

They are expanding the bunkers to increase the likelihood of a flat lie that allows you to play to the back of the green and putting some of those super controversial sleepers in between the bunkers so you can't putt up from there.

Also, some extra mounding is being considered behind to keep balls from the 10th and 17th tees in their own corridors.

Apologies, this pic is the only one I have of the 17th green.

[Mark Pearce]

I may be alone in thinking that 17 isn't a bad hole.  I quite like that you can't play to a back pin from those bunkers.  Why should you be able to?  If you have a back pin either play safe long or right or, if you want to go at the pin put bogey in play.  What's the problem with that?

[Sean_A]

Mark

Yes, I like the 17th and think it a welcome variation from the other par 3s which are elevated.  I don't understand the problem of a very difficult bunker shot to the back of the green as a reson for changes.  I do understand the danger involved with guys going left off the 10th tee.  This is more or less a mistake of design to make the best line of approach to 10 green the 17th green - daft really!  I would rather see them rip out the newly planted protective trees to the rear of 17 and build a nasty bunker or two in their place.  When those trees grow they are gonna be one of the worst eye sores in the world.

Ciao

[Mark Chaplin]

Sean  - the trees will not be as hard on the eye as the tee shot on 11. I must have played Rye 25+ times and still have no clue on the line from that tee!

[John Mayhugh]

Due to the tight spacing, I thought that the plantings were of gorse.  But my arborist credentials are nil, so perhaps I'm wrong.


If gorse instead of trees, the penalty becomes much more of a deterrent.

[Bill_McBride]

I also thought that was gorse, saw those same protective enclosures at the Crail Craighead course a few years ago.

I'm with Chappers, the 11th is not a very good hole, very out of place.  He was too polite to say it's a poor hole.

[Andrew Mitchell]

I'm at Rye in a couple of weeks and will see if I can pick up any more information re their plans.

[Mark Chaplin]

Bill the gravel pit secured the future of the club so it may not be a good hole but it is probably the most important at the club!

[Bill_McBride]

Bill the gravel pit secured the future of the club so it may not be a good hole but it is probably the most important at the club!

What's the history there?

[Mark Chaplin]

My understanding is the big lake was club land and licences were granted to extract gravel obviously making the club good money. I'd hav to get a copy of the club history to get the exact story.....anyone assist??

[Sean_A]

Chappers

Yes, thw "lake" right of #11 was formed after gravel extraction was finished.  It must be about 20 years old by now.  I think a lake was created a bit north as well due to excavation and the club recieved royalties from this too.  I admit the 11th is jarring to the eye, bubt I am convinced, from the white tees, if that was a huge sandy waste to the right the 11th would be hailed as a world class hole.  I think the hole is good now, but a bit ugly - not helped by the warehouse type buildings in the distance.

Ciao

[John Mayhugh]

In 2002, Paul Turner posted a number of excerpts from Dennis Vidler's club history:  "Rye Golf Club the First 90 Years."  His post makes a nice read, but I didn't see it until after I had played Rye last year.  Vidler's book was published in 1984, and this prediction was in the book:

The removal of gravel from the right of the eleventh hole will not only produce income for the Club, but will leave behind a sizeable lake, creating an awesome water hazard that will stretch from tee to green.  Many years ago one of the younger members expressed the hope that, “one day we shall see swans swimming on a lake to the right of the eleventh fairway”.  It may well be that his wish is to be fulfilled.

The complete thread:
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,2746.msg53675/#msg53675

[Andrew Mitchell]

Thanks for the link John, I'll have a timely read of that this week.

[John Mayhugh]

Thanks for the link John, I'll have a timely read of that this week.

Enjoy!  Let me know how many black Labs you see.