[Jon Cavalier]

Jon,


You mention some of the dunes having similarities to Turnberry and Ballybunion. Does the turf allow you to play balls along the ground or is it still predominantly a course played through the air?


Thanks again for another lovely tour.


Michael

Absent prolific rains, the ground game at Bayonne is very playable. The small problem is that a good number of holes (especially on the front 9) have pocketed greens and hazards between the fairways and greens, necessitating some aerial component. The turf plays very links like 98% of the time!

Michael:

Thanks. As usual, Steve is correct. The course conditions are ideal for ground game. In fact, Bayonne is probably better than any other modern east coast course I've played with regard to links like turf conditions.

There are, however, a few holes that require a carry - 1 (mounds), 2 (marsh), 4 (waste), 5 (bunker - par 3), 6 (sand), 8 (pond), 9 (waste), and 14 (elevated green). However, several of those holes do provide a ground route around the trouble - 4, 6, 8 allow this.

It's a lot of fun.

Jon

[Brett Wiesley]

Did the dredge material get dumped, and the routing sought afterwards, or was the dumping of dredge material directed to assist in a predetermined routing?  Being dredge material, how easy was it to push/shape with? 

[Tommy Williamsen]

I played Liberty National and Bayonne on the same day. It is impossible not to be impressed by what was done at both courses.  I didn't particularly like LN but knowing what it was before the design makes it quite an accomplishment.
As for Bayonne, it is a marvel. I've played a lot of links golf and Bayonne feels like Ireland. The flora feels Irish and the walkways feels like they have been there for a hundred years. The course itself is a joy to play. It has been a few years since I played it yet I can still remember most of my shots. Those who play it regulary are lucky indeed.

[Jon Cavalier]

Did the dredge material get dumped, and the routing sought afterwards, or was the dumping of dredge material directed to assist in a predetermined routing?  Being dredge material, how easy was it to push/shape with?

Brett:

My understanding is that the owner/developer was intimately involved in the dumping of dredge materials and either had it dumped where he wanted it for the routing that he already had in mind, or pushed it around shortly after it was dumped. It's also my understanding that it was fairly easy material to work with. But shaping that three dimensional landscape from nothing must have been anything but easy, and must have required immense creativity and vision.

[Jon Cavalier]

Tommy:

I agree. I've never played Liberty National, so I can't really comment on the playing characteristics of the course (at least for regular golfers) but I've been there and seen the course. It is impressive, given that like Bayonne, it was created from scratch.

That said, Bayonne appears to me to be the course I'd much prefer. My own impression is Liberty National was designed with tournament golf in mind, whereas Bergstol designed Bayonne with the simple goal of providing fun, exciting golf for the members.

That's not a knock, per se, on Liberty. It's just that Bayonne is a much better reflection of what I enjoy in a golf course - especially a modern one.

[Thomas Dai]

Another excellent tour Jon. Well done and thanks for sharing. Reminds me somewhat of the Golf National course near Paris where the next Ryder Cup to be held in Europe is to be played although on steroids!
Atb

[John Percival]

J,
Awesome pics.
And you described the character of BGC so well.
One point...
...you mention #10 as a dog left.
Seem to remember it as a right
But it was a long time ago when I played.

Looking fwd to a return

Thx again for the thread.

[Jon Cavalier]

John:

Thanks. Fixed the dogleg reversal. Appreciate the note. Glad you liked the tour.

Jon

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