Cashen #15

« **on:** February 24, 2004, 05:34:56 PM »

Dear All

As you may know, Paul Daley is compiling a book of Architect's favourite holes and has asked me to contribute. My own, for my sins, is the 15th on the Cashen. Why? Well you'll have to buy the book - it explains all.

My problem is that I don't have a good enough photo to accompany the text, so I am putting this out to you all to help if you can. If you think you have a really good digital image or transparency of this hole and would like to see it printed (and credited) in Paul's book, then please send me a private message and we will sort it out. Paul is looking for a 30mb file if digital, or the transparency sent to him by post. He will definitely return it safe and sound.

I hope some of you can help.

Thanks

« **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2004, 02:28:58 AM »

This is Cashen #15.

And this is my brother going to his ball to play his third shot to this par 5. See below for a picture of him, swinging.

This is his 2nd shot, in a different round.

« **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2004, 04:24:49 AM »

Two more views

« **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2004, 04:45:31 AM »

Another view

« **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2004, 05:11:48 AM »

Another view

« **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2004, 06:17:08 AM »

This image is enlarged beyond its resolution, but it shows the scale of the hole. My brother is about 80 feet above the fairway

« **Reply #6 on:** February 25, 2004, 06:33:36 AM »

Tim Weiman & Neil,

Now I am starting to understand your love for Cashen ! Need to see that one too.

« **Reply #7 on:** February 25, 2004, 07:19:41 AM »

Nick,

I've hit my fair shot of poor shots in my lifetime, but how in the world did your brother hit it 170 degrees behind him? Or were there significant right to left winds?

« **Reply #8 on:** February 25, 2004, 08:38:48 AM »

Tom,
The picture of him in the fairway, about 170 yards from the green, is from a different round than the picture on the ridge, about 90 yards from the green.

But that doesn't mean he couldn't hit the ball up the ridge from that spot.

« **Reply #9 on:** February 25, 2004, 09:37:11 AM »

Neil

Thanks for those great photos.

They bring back great memories of
my time at Ballybunion.

« **Reply #10 on:** February 25, 2004, 09:47:37 AM »

While i enjoyed my time at the Cashen course,you can see why people do not like the course-----the raised fronts on the green plus a lumpiness that kicks the ball away.I guess people just get frustrated in the wind.By comparison i am looking at a picture on my wall of the great#11 at the Old Course;open in front so it is playable in the wind.

« **Reply #11 on:** February 25, 2004, 10:00:36 AM »

Robin,

I don't think you'll find any better pictures of Cashen's #15 than what Neal has offered here. Even the Slazenger ad photos don't strike me as being as good.

And it is fitting that Neal should get credit. He is the only person I know with as much love for the Cashen as I have.

Mayday Malone:

Normally, I don't like to discuss such things here, but I've played the Cashen with Tom Doak, Jim Urbina and a local Ballybunion friend who hit balls for RTJ. When Tom was asked what he might have done different with #15, he responded by saying he would have preferred the green complex being lower to encourage more second shot attempts at the green.

Honestly, I haven't seen too many attempts to reach it despite the modest length of around 500 yards. That's because the wind is typically right in your face. So, I've usually just played it as three shots hoping to avoid lost ball territory on the surrounding sandhills and make a working man's par.

That said, it is quite exciting when someone has a go and makes it......like my partner did on the last friendly match I played on the Cashen. Mind you it took a driver from the fairway perfectly struck!

Tim

« **Reply #12 on:** February 25, 2004, 10:04:52 AM »

Tim
Doesn't it also create some variety?---two courses right next door,but different in many ways.It must be daunting to build a new course next to such a priceless one.

« **Reply #13 on:** February 25, 2004, 10:12:48 AM »

Tim
I have always heard people say that the original Cashen has been "softened".I have no knowledge of the truth of this statement.Is it true? Could you specify some of what was done?

« **Reply #14 on:** February 25, 2004, 11:16:54 AM »

Mayday:

The most obvious examples of "softening" the Cashen involve #5 and #12.

On #5, a green placed quite high up the hill has been abandoned. On #12, the entire hole has been abandoned and replaced.

Another example would be what currently plays as #7. Erosion wiped out the back tee of what once played as a par 5; today it is a mid length par 4.

Another thing I would refer to is the course conditions. The Cashen suffered initially from a very poor grow in making the course kind of wild; today the playing conditions are much improved, but probably "softer" as well.

FYI, future plans for the course focus on making it easier to walk. We've seen that on #17 (where a walk up and down off the tee has been eliminated) and may see something similiar for the walk from #1 green to #2 tee.

Perhaps Neil can add some things I managed to forget.

Tim

« **Reply #15 on:** February 25, 2004, 11:19:42 AM »

Tim

Thank you.I look forward to returning again.

« **Reply #16 on:** February 25, 2004, 12:26:31 PM »

The shot from about 250 yards

I think Kevin got a 2 here one day years ago.

« **Reply #17 on:** February 25, 2004, 03:43:30 PM »

It was a 4-wood he hit, from the gap. It hit the green and spun back into the cup. Christy saw it.

« **Reply #18 on:** February 26, 2004, 12:27:25 AM »

Soon, the 17th

« **Reply #19 on:** February 26, 2004, 05:57:19 AM »

Neal: many thanks for posting the great pics of Cashen's 15th hole. It sure is one spooky, lunar landscape - scaring yet exciting the heck out of golfers upon first encountering it.

Could you tell me about the photographic format of the images. Do you have access to trannies that can be scanned at high-res for book reproduction?

I am trying to hunt down an image to accomnpany Robin Hiseman's excellent essay in "Favourite Holes By Design."

« **Reply #20 on:** February 26, 2004, 06:52:24 AM »

Neil:

Sure that's not you climbing up the dune in the 2nd picture?

Did you putt it from there?

(Neil is THE greatest off-shore putter in the world - out of rough, bunkers and from as far away from the pin as 150 yds he is deadly).

« **Reply #21 on:** February 26, 2004, 11:29:29 PM »

Paul,
I sent you an email. If you don't get it, let me know here.
Neil

« **Reply #22 on:** February 27, 2004, 10:33:32 AM »

Neil

Ever so many thanks for your wonderful pictures. The Cashen looks to be in fine nick. I hope that Paul can make use of your images - I will contact him to find out.

Can you tell me what kind of camera you used? Digital, I guess, but how many megapixels?

« **Reply #23 on:** February 27, 2004, 11:02:41 AM »

Robin,
I just sent you a copy of the email that I sent to Paul.
Neil

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