Another Photo Tour of North Berwick West Links

[Bryan Izatt]

Hole #11  522 yards  Bos'ns Locker


In my opinion, the 11th is the best par 5 on the course and a great par 5 in any context.  The tee is up on the coastal dune providing a wonderful view down the hole towards Berwick Law.  If you look left there are also great views of the Firth of Forth and Bass Rock and to the right, the promontory where Pit and Perfection are located.




The hole is a slight dogleg to the left with the dunes, covered in gorse, hugging the left and a couple of bunkers to the right to get the attention of those playing it safely away from the gorse.  The fairway tilts left to right towards the bunkers on the safe side.




The second shot needs to negotiate two bunkers well short of the green.  The ground can direct shots in any which direction.  From the left edge of the fairway you can see the flag and a bit of the green but not much else.  From the right side of the fairway the green is more visible and the hazards are more clearly visible.




As you get closer to the green the green side hazards become more obvious.  The rench that runs diagnally across in front of the green can play an enormous role for long second or even third shots that are rolled into the green.  Anything that is a bit weak will be directed across the ridge into the left green-side bunker - a particularly nasty pit.  A push could leave you in the right hand pot which leaves the dreaded long bunker shot.




Here's a look from a bit closer in from the left side.  You will notice the tilt of the green from left to right and the two buners protecting the left side.  The following picture is from closer still and gives a sense of the size of the trench.







From in front of the green on the right side you can see a sinewy bunker snaking along the right side of the green.  And shot rolling along the right side of the green is likely to drift off into this bunker as the green and surround feeds down into it.  The second picture is looking across this bunker - perhaps it is the bos'ns locker - to the green.  The green is quite long and can provide some challenging putts.

[Bryan Izatt]

Hole #12  389 yards  Bass


This hole is obviously named after the eponymous rock out in the firth.  Bass Rock is apparently so white because of guano droppings from the multitude of gannets that inhabit the rock.

The hole looks somewhat rote from the tee as it rises up a modest hill with a nest of four bunkers on the left and one on the right between which you need to place your tee shot.  The bunkers mark where the fairway doglegs left.  The green is hidden, but you can see the red flag on the left side of the following picture.




If you drive short of the nest of bunkers left, you can see a bit of the green and an intervening bunker.




From closer in and the centre of the fairway that challenge of hitting the green is more obvious.  It plays often downwind and it is necessary to run the ball in to get it to stay on the green.  achieving that and getting close to any particular pin has always been a challenge for me.




This green is one of the more severe greens on the course with a ridge, a back right plateau and reasonably big slope to the front left.  Getting your approach near the pin is the first challenge.  Two putting is another challenge if you don't get the approach close.  Here's a large look at the green from the right side.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Bryan

Moving from Dornoch to North Berwick, both for the first time, I was struck by how the 9th green could have sat happily on the former course. The 10th also bears a similarity to the 10th and 13th there.   These 3 par 5’s eat up the less interesting ground but do it with a surprising amount of variety and of course are ideally laid out to use the wind for this.

Most people talk about the stretch from 12-17 but I think the course hits top gear from the 11th.  Who needs par 3’s?

[Bryan Izatt]

Tony,

I'd argue that the course hits top gear from the 10th - I like the par 3's.     The lower gear front nine is pretty darn good too.


 

[Bryan Izatt]

Hole #13  387 yards  Pit


Surely one of the most unique and iconic holes in golf.  Who would decide to build a hole with a green behind a stone wall?  Perhaps in the late 19th century when "hazards" had a broader meaning than it does today, it made sense.

The tee and the fairway is to the right side of the fence and the green is immediately left of the fence.  To quote the playing guide: "Don’t argue with the wall – it’s older than you."  But, you do have to at some point take on the wall.

From the tee, the green is not obvious.  The fairway is offset a bit left of the tee.  There are two bunkers hard against the wall on the left side - which just happens to be where the ideal driving line is.  There are no bunkers on the right side, but there is gnarly rough and a large hollow.  Trying to carry the wall and hold the green from the right rough is a challenge greater than I can overcome.




Here's a zoomed in look from left of the forward tees.  The two players by the bunker are in the ideal driving position.




Here's a look from the far less than ideal angle for the second shot from the right rough.  You can see the red flag peaking above the wall ath the right end of the gorse hillock.




And, here's a look from between the two left bunkers.  Sadly my ball is in the bunker - far from ideal.




If you get too close to the wall the shot can be intimidating for players of all caliber.




Unless, like this player you choose to roll the ball through the gate if you're lucky enough to be in the right position.  One caddie, at least, seems amused.




From behind the green looking back you can see how long and narrow the green is - hence the desirability of approaching from the left side of the fairway.  The left embankment may provide some assistance in directing the ball back to the green (or not).  The green itself is probably the most benign to putt on the whole course.  A birdie is a real possibility if you can play the hole properly.

[Bryan Izatt]

Hole #14  376 yards  Perfection


This hole is supposedly called "Perfection" because it requires two perfect shots to reach the green - probably more true in the late 19th century than today, but still a very interesting and entertaining hole.  Unless, of course, you are one of those who prefer their holes to be all laid out in front of them.

For lovers of links land, the view off this tee must be one of the most appealing ever - nothing but a rumpled rolling fairway - no hazards and no green in sight.  Except that one off to the right.  Try not to drive it on the 4th green.  The only clue is the aiming pole which turns out to be behind the green and not on the ridge.







If you drive it down the right side and not too far you'll come across this shot where there are two bunker embedded in the dune ridge and a peak at the flag just right of the aiming pole.




If you drive it down to far into the hollow by the bunkers then the shot is a lot more blind and intimidating.  Bass Rock is the white one to the right out in the firth.




Cresting the dune ridge you find the green sloping down and away to the sea at the bottom of a sharp closely mown decline.  For the second shot, with a short iron you have to decide whether to try to fly to the green and try to hold it, or to hit it over the bunkers and catch the down slope and run it on to the green.  I imagine it would take many plays to determine the nuances of either approach and how to play the shot.  The sea behind the green is definitely in play if you hit too hot a shot either off the down slope or all the way on to the green.




Looking back across the green yo get a sense for the slope of the foregreen and the tilt and undulations of the green itself.  Putting this green is another interesting exercise, especially after the benign preceding green.

[Bryan Izatt]

Hole #15  192 yards  Redan


Enough has been written here about the Redan and its history so I won't belabour the point - just pictures from various angles.  All of them can be clicked through for larger versions.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Regarding the unwritten history of North Berwick

I have a photo showing this whole bank was one bunker with railway sleppers all the way along, presumably to stabilise or even create blindness!.  This was at the same time ans the Redan green had sleepers down both sides (thank you David Moriarty).   This would have been done in 1895 or earlier presumably under the direction of Dunn. This pre dates the major works being done in the Heathland and supports Melvin Morrows view that Golf Architecture was not a blank canvas before then. Much work remains to be done.

[Matthew Mollica]

Thank you again Bryan. Lotto ticket purchased today. A win ensures a round at North Berwick sooner rather than later!

[Bryan Izatt]

Hole #16  381 yards  Gate


The 16th is yet another iconic hole, this one best known for its quirky double plateau green.  To me, putting the green, even between the two plateaus through the trench is secondary to the challenge and thrill and frustration of actually trying to get the ball on the green in regulation so that you can putt.  I think it probably unusual that you will find yourself on the wrong plateau and having to putt through the trench.  But, before proceeding to the hole, here's one picture I like of the green.




From the tee, it is obvious where the name of the hole came from.  The wall is not much of a threat as the tee is slightly higher than the top of the wall.  What's not obvious from the tee is the burn that runs across the fairway.  Fortunately, two new stone bridges help define where the burn is.  more often the hole plays downwind so carrying the burn with a drive is relatively easily accomplished with a solid strike.  Into the wind, carrying the burn is another matter.  Certainly I saw a number of players, me included, drive it into the burn into a two club wind.

To a front pin, a drive up the right side gives the best angle to the green.  To a pin on the back plateau, I've yet to figure out if there is a better angle - it's a very small elevated target that doesn't really hold very well.

Here's the look from the tee, followed by a zoomed in look.







From near the burn on the right side, you can see the pin on the back plateau.  The front plateau is hidden behind the ridge running to the right.  The green is angled from short right to long left along the line of play.




From closer in on the right side, a little bit of the from plateau green is visible. The ridge in front does throw off distance judgement and the green is very shallow even from this preferred angle.




From the far right side looking along the axis of the green you can see how the fronting ridge is displaced a bit from the green surface.




If you miss too far to the left on the approach there is this nasty narrow trench bunker to wreak havoc.  From the left of the back plateau there is the embankment and a number of humps to deal with.




Being over the green is no bargain either.  In fact, the embankment on the back of the back plateau is just as steep, and taller, and the green runs away a bit.  Better to miss short.

The good news is that once you are on the putting surface the two plateaus are relatively small and relatively flat, so a one putt is certainly possible.

[Bryan Izatt]

Hole #17  425 yards  Point Garry (In)


The penultimate hole provides a stern finishing touch to the round, even downwind.  Into the wind it is a par four and a half.

The hole parallels the 2nd hole in the opposite direction and on the inland side.  So, whatever wind you played going out, you'll have the opposite coming in.  From the tee there are obvious fairly large dunes and knobs in the fairway with one large one separating the 2nd from the 17th.  Along the right side there is a gravel road/path and a 8 foot brick wall to attract the attention of right-handed slicers.  The green looks very far away hidden up on top of Point Garry with the flag barely visible in front of Bass Rock.  It would be wise to note the flag position when you're teeing off the 2nd.




The fairway features some of the best rumpled fairways in golf.  Where your drive ends up is unpredictable and being in the centre of the fairway is no guarantee of a good lie - it might be uphill, sidehill or downhill.  The preferred line is wherever you can find a flat lie.  Here is an evening picture looking back up the fairway towards the tee - I love the contours.




From the fairway, the second shot is a pretty daunting long iron or more up a hill and over a ridge to a blind green.  What's only hinted at is a very wide trench bunker across the front of the ridge to catch those who come up short.  If you can get the shot up over the ridge you'll find the large dell green very receptive.  In this picture you can see the flag peaking over the ridge in the middle of the picture.  The players on the right are standing on the 18th tee.




From closer in on the left side you can see a hint of the bunker and the pin and the tip of Bass Rock peaking above the ridge.




And, from the side, here is the snakey fronting bunker in all its nastiness.




Which bears a striking resemblance to this picture from 1926 when this bunker was a bridle path rather than a formal bunker.




From the front right corner of the green you get a sense of the bowl nature of the green.  The green again just lies on the ground and is quite large.  The size and slopes make putting difficult.  The blind second (or third) shot makes getting close to the pin on the approach shot difficult.




Here's a last look at the hole from behind the green looking towards the tee.

[Bryan Izatt]

Hole #18  274 yards  Home


Like the 9th the 18th does not play in the out and back directions but at an angle that line.  Like The Old Course the final hole plays into town with cars and a road to the right and lots of room to the left with the fairway conjoined with the 1st hole.  With a beautiful view of the town and harbour from the elevated tee on top of Point Garry the setting of the last hole is brilliant. 

At 278 yards it is definitely a driveable par 4 (to which I can attest having aced it a couple of years ago  ) 

When you pay your green fees you will receive an insurance certificate - the cars and road and houses to the right of this hole are no doubt the reason.  Best to park your vehicle around the corner, insurance or no.

From the tee you can drive left which will leave a short chip on level ground to a large flattish green the drops off 5 or 6 feet on the back, right and front.  If you choose to take a shot at the green, then the deep closely mown moat in front of the green must be negotiated either on the drive or on the short second shot.  Here are two pictures from the tee.







From short left there is this relatively straight forward pitch shot.




From the left side, looking across the front of the green you can see a player attempting to putt onto the green.  Fortunately for him he has just missed being down in the trench.  The green itself is again large but relatively flattish.  There is enough movement in it to mean it's not a knock over, but it is a hole where birdie (or better) is a definite possibility.  A fine hole to leave you wanting for more when you're finished.




Looking back across the green to the tee you get a sense of the slope off the back of the green.




And, a last look from the second floor window of the clubhouse looking over the 18th and out to the firth of Forth.





To use the British vernacular, this is a cracking course in a brilliant setting.  If you haven't been, you need to go.  It is an experience not to be missed by any avid golfer and architecture fan.

[Greg Gilson]

Bryan, thanks for taking the time to post this tour. I never tire of reading about this course - its what our sport is all about!

[Thomas Dai]

Well done Bryan, a first class photo-tour.

Nice to see photos taken from different angles rather than just straight-ahead, all the better to appreciate some of the otherwise hidden or less visible nuances a hole may have.

Manys thanks for putting this tour together and sharing it with us.

atb

[Matthew Mollica]

Another vote of thanks for a wonderful tour. I have really enjoyed reading about the course. Your photos are wonderful too Bryan. I hope to play there one day...

[Greg Taylor]

One  of the worlds great courses - thank you for the photo tour!