Changes at Cruden Bay

« **on:** April 17, 2003, 08:21:01 AM »

I just received word of changes to the 9th at Cruden Bay. The tee has been moved to the top of the dune overlooking the 15th and 16th greens, providing a view like that of the 10th tee. Some bunkers have been repositioned making the hole play as a bit of a dogleg. It should make the hike to the tee even better?.
Has anybody been there recently to get a take on the changes?
Cheers
Stan

« **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2003, 08:32:35 AM »

whoa... now normally I would be against messing with marvelous fun old courses like Cruden Bay, but I can picture these changes and they would seem to be definite improvements... one of the weaknesses of the course before was the long slog from 8 green to 9 tee, with lack of a definite reward at 9 tee as that hole played somewhat blandly... It would seem that the view from the top of that dune by 15/16 would be incredible, and if the hole plays as a dogleg as it would seem to have to (I assume the green stays where it was), then unless they massively mess up the bunkering they would seem to have a winner improvement here.

Any word on the new bunkering? Does it match the style of the rest of the course?

This in intriguing and I too would love to hear from someone who's seen this in person. It's also making me long to get there again and sorta bummed I'm not going to on my July trip... oh well... more reason to go back again!

TH

« **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2003, 11:15:08 AM »

Tom
My friend who is a member there said the green site is the same. and the bunkering was redone. But I agree that was the only hole on the cdourse that was a bit out of place I though and was not of the caliber of the other holes IMHO,
Cheers
Stan

« **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2003, 11:16:05 AM »

Oh Huckster how can you let a few locals mess with a round at Cruden Bay. I will be there on the 11th or July. thanks for the update.

« **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2003, 12:14:08 PM »

Cool... I expect to hear all about it in July, JB. As for moi, well... I'm there in Scotland from July 18-27, the trip can't be stretched any more out of a REAL fear of castration, and CB ain't in the itin, we're not venturing far from the Turnberry cluster and those around Edinburgh. Such is life....

TH

« **Reply #5 on:** April 17, 2003, 12:53:21 PM »

Tom, such is the fates of life. I might add that is a nice neighborhood to hang out in though.

« **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2003, 12:57:04 PM »

Ah yes, these are ALL nice neighborhoods.

Out itin is all the big names, Tiger. That's how my college buds wanted it this time. It's costing a fortune but all notches will be achieved. As for me, well... I'm not exactly complaining about playing 10 extremely great courses.

TH

« **Reply #7 on:** April 17, 2003, 01:08:17 PM »

Tom Huckaby:

No Machrihanish?

« **Reply #8 on:** April 17, 2003, 01:12:25 PM »

Chip:

Nope. Not as of this moment, anyway. I have at least one buddy heading there though before the main trip begins... and it is very tempting to join him... but he's single and has no money issues... For me, the two extra days and about 1000 extra dollars seem prohibitive. I'm holding off till some other time, when I won't have to rush it, won't cause my wife to divorce me or worse, won't have to plead and beg even if I decide the first two are worth chancing...

TH

« **Reply #9 on:** April 17, 2003, 01:14:07 PM »

Tom it is worth it.

« **Reply #10 on:** April 17, 2003, 01:18:08 PM »

Thanks, Tiger. I KNOW how worth it Machrihanish is.... that's why I really prefer to do it another time, when I can take more time, at less risk.

I will be back, and it's not going anywhere.

In any case, if it weren't so damned hard to get to I would have forced it into the itin! Believe me I have covered every possible flight angle and there's really no good way to do it that doesn't take 2 full days for one day of golf. Kinda tough to do when you have a 8 day trip... our goal here was maximum golf in minimum time, forced by life realities.

In a perfect world I go over there and live for six months... sadly the world isn't perfect.

TH

« **Reply #11 on:** April 17, 2003, 04:23:36 PM »

Sniff, sniff...nobody loves me. Even the Huckster won't make the grand journey out to see me!

(Some other time, maybe...)

Seriously, there's a 4-day Open tournament at Cruden Bay from July 15-18 that I'm thinking of going up for - sounds like it COULD have made your itinerary, Tom, in an alternate universe. (You probably don't need reminding of that, though.) The 9th hole at Cruden Bay was easily my least favorite on the course - its flatness and drabness was so out of character with everything else - and any change to spruce it up would be more than welcome in my mind. If I wind up being the first there (unlikely), I'll be sure to report on any changes I see.

Cheers,
Darren

« **Reply #12 on:** April 17, 2003, 04:34:00 PM »

Darren, In my next life I would not mind a little of yours. You guys have a great time in a few weeks at Dornoch. Have Goodale tell all he knows about Catch 22. lol

« **Reply #13 on:** April 17, 2003, 05:41:00 PM »

I'll take some pictures. It will be my first time at Cruden Bay,
play back to back days at the end of June, then the same format at Royal Dornoch, Machrihanish and Machrie.

« **Reply #14 on:** April 17, 2003, 06:37:49 PM »

Speaking of less than perfect worlds and cruel choices, I will be at Cruden Bay on June 18th. The cruel choice is: play 36 at Cruden Bay or after a morning 18 at Cruden perhaps an afternoon 18 at Royal Aberdeen prior to heading for Dornoch? If I only faced such problems daily!

« **Reply #15 on:** April 17, 2003, 10:09:29 PM »

As much as I love Cruden Bay, 6 rounds in two trips I feel you really must play Royal Aberdeen. The front 9 is incredible and the back was good. I would and intend to play this trip.
My itin
County Louth
Royal County Down
Dornoch - Sinclair Cup
Cruden Bay - Golf Week
North Berwick
Crail
Leven
and a couple of players to be named later.
Machriahnish for 36 on my 50th B-day

« **Reply #16 on:** April 18, 2003, 06:31:39 AM »

Darren:

No way could I have changed the itin for the entire 12-man crew to do that CB tourney - they wouldn't have wanted to do it. For the vast majority of the group this is a "notch" trip, that is, putting notches on the belt for great courses they can brag about back home. That's just the reality of it. These are my dear friends and I don't hold anything against them for this - we're gonna have a blast. The pub time will likely be better than the on-course time, and the on-course time ought to be legendary. We do have very fun matches.

And alas and alack, although I'd love to do the CB tourney myself without those blokes or maybe conning one right-minded one into joining me (he's a lurker here, he's gonna read this), I can't see a way to extend this trip any farther and remain an anatomically fully-equipped male, unfortunately. I told my wife initially, way back a year plus ago when planning started that this would be a Sun-Sat thing... that is, leave Sun, return Sat... and I've stretched it to the breaking point already by taking it to what it is now - leave Thu, return the following Sun (so 9 days plus gone from home). The only reason she is speaking to me these days is because the trip hasn't been talked about for months and I think she's forgotten about it.

That CB tourney does sound like a hell of a lot of fun though.... but here's the question: if I'm gonna put my privates at risk, shouldn't I go to Machrihanish? I've played CB several times already and although it is one of my favorite courses on this earth, and I'd love to see the changes, well... I've never been to Machrihanish....

I would be interested in any and all advice on that.

TH

« **Reply #17 on:** April 18, 2003, 07:17:31 AM »

Tom - if you've never been to Machrihanish, you need to go to Machrihanish. Period. Machrihanish is every bit as much fun as Cruden Bay - it's not as quirky, but it's plenty quirky enough and full of character. You won't regret it...

Cheers,
Darren

« **Reply #18 on:** April 18, 2003, 07:23:11 AM »

As I thought - thanks! Damn at times like this I sure wish I were single and independently wealthy....

TH

« **Reply #19 on:** April 18, 2003, 07:30:07 AM »

Huckster,

Go to Machrihanish. As a Golf Digest rater, your privates are already at risk

Darren,

Have you been over to play Shiskine? If so, please report.

Regards,

Mike

« **Reply #20 on:** April 18, 2003, 07:42:45 AM »

Very good point, Mike. I guess I just live a sorta James Bond, at-risk all the time life.

TH

« **Reply #21 on:** April 18, 2003, 08:46:36 AM »

Quote

Darren,

Have you been over to play Shiskine? If so, please report.

Mike, I've been over there twice - if you've read my book, you'll know that I saw a very special bird there.

All in all, it's much more of a great experience than a great golf course - it's a heck of a lot of fun to play, and there are maybe three or four holes of exeptional merit out of the 12, but it's more of a holiday course than a challenge to your game. I don't have a problem with blind par 3s or 250-yard par 4s, but many people do, and Shiskine is definitely not for them....

Cheers,
Darren

« **Reply #22 on:** April 21, 2003, 06:45:35 PM »

I hope they haven't changed the back nine too much, as that was the scene of my first 33 on a nine ...

« **Reply #23 on:** April 22, 2003, 12:21:03 AM »

I once had a 28 on the back six at Shiskine.....

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