[ForkaB]

I drove by and into "Course #7" at St. Andrews yesterday, and about 1/2 of it seems to be growing in and reasonably nearly ready for play.  Having done drive-bys off and on over that past year, one thing really stuck out for me--numerous manufactured mini-buttes or mesas dotting the holes that I could see.

These features were all about 3-6 feet high, spread more uniformaly than randomly, all seemingly capped with some sort of gravel or crushed stone.  Interesting, yes?  Good golfing feature, maybe?  Natural, no?

All I could think of as I drove by them and then (after a U-turn) up close and personal to them was Richard Dreyfuss playing with the mashed potatoes in his kitchen in the film referred to in my title.

I think this is going to be a cool golf course, but hardly one that one would call "minimalist"............

[jeffwarne]

Minimalistm(whatever that means)is the most overused word on this site.
The first time I heard the word was by an architect widely villified on this site, describing a course that I thought was anything but (but as I've come to find out that's all a matter of opinion)
Given a great natural site with amazing soil,contours and vegetation, it's probably easier (but certainly not a lock) to practice minimalism .
Given a mundale,flat site with minimal attractive natural vegetation and soil it would take a confident and courageous architect to deliver a minimalist project, particularly if he was sponsored by a demanding,  well financed client

[ForkaB]

I agree with you, Jeff, but try to convince the other 1498 people on this site!

[Tom_Doak]

David Kidd has never claimed to be a minimalist, so why is it part of this discussion at all?

[Ally Mcintosh]

rich,

i realise it's probably been discussed on here quite a few times but can you give anymore info about the course...

-it is ownd by the links trust, i presume?
-is it on the same land or is it a few miles away? guess they've run out of space
-following on from that, is it really links land? doesn't sound like it...sounds more like kingsbarns type land
-when is it due to open?
-any idea where they are going to pitch this one in terms of green fees? more expensive than all but TOC?
-have you any attachments/links to more info?

thanks very much,
ally

 

[ForkaB]

Tom

Tom

To me, Bandon Dunes was as "minimlaist" as Pacific Dunes, but like Captain Renault, I might have been misinformed.....

Ally

#7 is owned and developed by the Links Trust, but is situated 2-3 miles north of the town.  It is on farmland rather than linksland.  Less "linksy" than Kingsbarns, as the latter is and was actually connected to the sea, whereas, #7 abuts a cliff (like Pebble Beach and the courses at Bandon).  Due to Open in 2008.  Greens fees likely to be much closer to TOC and Kingsbarns than to the Balgove or Crail.  No links, other than to the Lnks Trust site.  Not much info on there.

Cheers

Rich

[Ally Mcintosh]

cheers rich...

...i would have hoped that the green fees would be not much more than the new course for an unproven links trust course ... but i guess that's just wishful thinking...

was in st andrews in july - didn't get the time to hunt the course down

[Bob_Huntley]

I wonder if a new course could be built in the UK absent the use by Americans? I have a hard time thinking that local denizens would cough up the pounds for the exhorbitant green fees being charged.

Bob

[David_Tepper]

Ally M. -

Here is an article about the project:

http://sport.scotsman.com/golf.cfm?id=2230642005

DT

[Ally Mcintosh]

thanks david...

...one off-topic but related question to all - can kingsbarns really be considered a links? was it not flat farming land before kyle phillips went to work on it or was it sandy and unused - the dunes are definitely manmade?... i've no doubt its a great course by the way (i haven't played it)

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