[Sean_Tully]

Getting around to going over my photos from the Grand Opening. Hard pressed to say which nine is my favorite, but would probably go with the back nine if push came to shove.

All yardages are from the BACK tees.

#1 382 Par 4
The first hole gets you out in easy form but sets you up for what the rest of the round has in store for you as you make your way up to the green. Love the movement on and around the greens and the view from the first green is quite nice.


#2 490 Par 4
The second hole gets your attention with a carry over some bunkers into a fairway that is full of movement.


#3 145 Par 3
The third green is surrounded by bunkers that really catch your eye and a wayward tee shot. A nice breather hole between the 2nd and the 4th, but don't take it too easy. Pic is from the right of the tee.


#4 573 Par 5
The fourth tee gives you the best overall view of the property. Hard to miss fairways, that I still managed to miss. Plays downhill, the mown area before the fairway is actually teeing ground. Ballyneal has some very interesting teeing areas, no tee markers and the tees flow and have some movement around them.


#5 165 Par 3
The fifth hole is par three with a small bunker that guards the front of the green.


#6 480 Par 4
The 6th hole is blind from the tee and a fwy with a lot of movement. The hole does not jump out at you but it is the #1 handicap hole.

A closer view of the movement on the green!


#7 352 Par 4
The 7th is a one of a kind hole that I fell in love with from the tee. What I found interesting is the movement of the fwy where it is used like a backstop to keep balls from moving forward in the fwy. It is a feature repeated in the fairway on the 8th as well. I would be interested in the opinions of John, Adam, or Tom. It seems like a way to limit the effects of a longer driver in most cases. I joined up with one group of golfers on the 8th and the long hitters all found their balls on or near the rise in the fairway. In a way it helped to keep them in position for their second shot into the green.
View of the 7th from the tee. The flag is the tiny white speck surrounded by the bunkers, quite the tease for the longer hitter.



#8 515 Par 5
The 8th is an uphill par 5 that has the most intersting green on the front nine. I just loved the internal movement on the green, a sight to  see and thrill to putt.

View from the 9th tee looking back a the 8th. Gives a good idea of the property and some of the movement on the green.


#9 362 Par 4
The ninth is a bottleneck par four that rewards postion to a green with a very defined bump that can spell doom to a long putt.


I'm sure the guys can add more info to the holes and how they play beyond what my two rounds told me.

Tully

[Sean_A]

Honestly, from the photos, Ballyneal looks like the most interesting newish course I have seen featured on this site.  The course looks a cracker.  Thanks for posting Sean.

Ciao

Sean

[Michael Robin]

And Sean, the photos don't nearly do the place justice. The elevation changes and movement in the fairways and putting surfaces is just hinted at in pictures. The 14th was a very dramatic example. That green is wonderfully protected by slope and not bunkers, which is the only hole on the course like this and just adds to the great variety in the holes you encounter.

[Eric Franzen]

Thanks for posting these, Sean.

The 8th green really fascinates me. Imagine the pin being tucked away a bit more to the left in the upper or the lower corner.

[Dave_Wilber]

Nice pics Sean. Your appreciation of the place is most inspiring.

[Jim Franklin]

I think the 7th green looks awesome. I can't wait to see it next week. There did not look like too many places to put the flag on the 6th green though. It looks huge, but with all of the severe humps and bumps, it does not appear to have many pin placements. Again, I am trying to determine this from a photo so anyone that has actually played it, I would appreciate their thoughts on the 6th green.

[Adam Clayman]

Sean,
 Very nice pictures.

In your query you ask about the rolls to the fairways. Not only do the rolls limit forward momentum, when specific shots hit their windward side(so to speak) they also propel balls hit on their leeward side. It is a reocurring theme at Ballyneal and one that both allows and disallows a player. I find these rolls to be wonderfully sexy, but also the spines that intersect these rolls on several holes.

Walking around yesterday with Dan Proctor I was surprised to hear about all the drainage consideration there was. Up until then, I just assumed the sandy site could handle the drainage.

It must be noted that, on the surface, Dave Wilbur is a huge part of the reason Ballyneal is the way Ballyneal is, and will be. His devotion to the soil and turf is paramount to the success of Ballyneal. I for one, would like to thank him profusely. TY TY TY TY

Michael Robbin, I'm so glad you mentioned the 14th. On cursory examination, one might not see all the subtle qualities of the hole. But I can guarantee anyone who sees the photo, Dick Durrance took from behind the 14th, will be shocked at all that is going on there. The photo I speak of resides over the fireplace in the main dinning room. I'm planning on purchasing one of the prints, as the photo speaks to me, and is wonderfully representative of Ballyneal's qualities.

Thanks again Sean, and it was wonderful meeting you. I hope we get a chance to golf together soon.

Jim Franklin. The green has plenty of pin positions. At least nine that I'm aware of. (I think)

[Jim Franklin]

Thanks Adam. Again I was judging by a picture, but can't wait to see the place. It does look impressive.

[John Kirk]

Tully,

Thanks for the pictures.  Nice to meet you, after chatting about Stanford Golf Club offline, a course we both feel would benefit from a restoration project.

Regarding your comment about uphill lies and ridges, I do not feel they limit the longer hitter.  Actually I think the opposite is true.  After watching my friends drive it past me all week long, I think it limits the crafty, aging, medium length hitter.  The long hitter benefits on many holes, including 2, 4, 10, and 17.

7 and 8 are interesting examples.  On 7 into the wind last week, I got my drive stuck on the last ridge next to the bunker, and had an uphill lie.     On 8, a good drive often leaves an uphill lie.  The hole is uphill.  The left side is much better on 8.  You can see where you second shot needs to go, and there are more even lies over there.  Other examples where a medium length hitter like me gets stuck on an uphill slope are 4, 13 from the back tee, and 17.  But if I hit it well on those holes, I can get a flat lie with a nice angle.

One of my first rounds at Ballyneal, I ended up with an extraordinary number of uphill lies, which is a tough lie for me, as I tend to pull hook those shots.  Since then, it seems things have evened out, and I face a pretty random variety of lies.  I believe if you did a mathematical analysis, you would find that undulating courses yield more uphill than downhill lies.

Mark me down as another Dave Wilber fan.  I discovered the Ballyneal project when Dave posted his "Ballyneal Agronomy" thread two or three years ago.  Take good care of that ankle, Dave.  And thanks for talking turf with me last week.

[Matt_Ward]

Just to echo the comments concerning Dave W. Given the nature of how little water the area as received the turf quality is quite good for such a young course.

Have to amplify what John Kirk mentioned. Longer hitters can gain from cretain landing areas provides they get the proper bounce and corresponding run-out.

The pictures look great but being there is the ultimate way to enjoy what Ballyneal clearly offers.

[Tom Huckaby]

The pictures look great but being there is the ultimate way to enjoy what Ballyneal clearly offers.

Which is of course what we all want to do.  Just do understand it ain't so easy, and this does remain a private club.  

So bear with those of us who live through the pics... To wit, I shall echo THANKS SEAN - and keep them coming.

[HamiltonBHearst]

Ah, the positioning for an invite has started.  Could someone post a link to the Ballyneal membership roster?

[Tom Huckaby]

Ah, the positioning for an invite has started.  Could someone post a link to the Ballyneal membership roster?

Of course this is exactly NOT what I intended, so I don't know what the hell you're talking about.

My point was Matt implies it's just so easy to fly out to Colorado and play this course - and obviously it's not.

TH

[HamiltonBHearst]

Flying to colorado is easier than you may think. Does anybody know what the nearest airport is that can handle a business jet?

[Tom Huckaby]

Flying to colorado is easier than you may think. Does anybody know what the nearest airport is that can handle a business jet?

Flying to Colorado is impossible when one has other priorities and duties in life.

Try thinking outside of your own world, Hammy.  Obviously getting there is not all that difficult logistically.  Finding the TIME to do so is the much harder matter, for some of us anyway.

TH

[Adam Clayman]

Holyoke airport is nearby. Not up to speed on my corporate jet specs, sorry. So, one would need to call to findout if the strip can handle the load.

[Adam Clayman]

There are some newer photos on BN's website, I suspect Sean will do the back nine. And in anticipation for those, here is a view of the tenth from the 509 tee.



The bunker complex on the right side, hides the optimal position for ones tee ball.  If one looks closely, the complex looks like 3 separate bunkers. The two on the right were built by Proctor, while the team added the furthest left one, that really accentuates the jutting out into the fairway and the risk reward nature of the play..

[Tom_Doak]

The runway at Holyoke is 5000 feet.  Not enough to handle a G-5, so Julian Robertson is having trouble getting here, but it has been an all-star week for the airport here anyway.

[paul cowley]

Holyoke should be able to handle anything NetJet flys.

BTW Tom.....congratulations to all on a job well done ....and the course is only going to get better and better...sheesh [sheesh being old Irish for way to go].

[Adam Clayman]

Taken from a more accurate angle, this Dick Durrance photo almost captures the impact of the nearest bunker.

Redanman,
 When you get here, you will appreciate the route from the existing tee. As opposed to the angle you suggest.

Paul, Were you here with Mark and his brother? What was your impression? Theirs? How did you boys score?
Sorry I missed ya.

[Tim Bert]

Clubhouse with lodge in the background...

[Tim Bert]

Foreground is in play on the 9th hole.  Tee and most of fairway off to the left of this photo, and the green just right or slightly right and behind.  I can't recall the exact spot I was standing.

Those who are more familiar with the course could probably tell you quickly by looking at the photo.

[Brian Joines]

The mini-boomerang green at #7 looks pretty cool. Espescially with the large mound right of it. Can this be used to get the ball towards those back pin placements?

[Sean_Tully]

Onto the back nine at Ballyneal

#10 509 Par 5
Another cool view of the property from the tee. Tee shot needs to challenge the fairway bunker for a good angle into the green. Some pretty deep hollows on the left that can leave a blind to semi blind shot into the green.




#11 200 Par 3
A tee shot that crosses a small depression to a green that is close to the same elevation(depends on tee used of course). Trouble is left, trust me.




#12 375 Par 4
Probably my favorite hole for a number of reasons. I love the hog back feel of the fwy and I have never seen a green with three seperate punchbowl like features  and an incredible amount of movement. I hit a low screamer off the tee and it hit the beginning of the hogback and I proceeded to watch it get deflected about 20 yards to the right and finally come to rest in a hollow with a blind shot into the green. Most golfers would have called it unfair, but for me I could not wipe the grin off my face. I know that if I do hit the right area on the fwy that my ball will react in a good way and I will benefit. For me I got what I deserved.








#13 510 Par 4
Downhill.  Generous landing area with some centerline bunkers that can come into play for the longer hitter. Lots of movement in the fwys.




#14 362 Par 4
Shorter hole with bunkers in play off the tee and more fwy to the right then you first see off the tee.






#15 237 Par 3
Green is fronted by a ridge that blocks the front of the green from view and area just behind the ridge. The tees are interesting in that the view of the hole and the angle improves as you move from the front to the back tees. Punchbowl action to green surrounds.




#16 546 Par 5
Premium on the tee shot if you are to go after the green in two. Keep an eye on your tee shot and watch it as it bounds along on this fwy.




#17 481 Par 4
Teeshot to corner guarded by bunker. Fwy is dominated by a large mound on the middle to the left that can impact a tee shot. The hole played into the wind for us and it was a bear.



#18 463 Par 4
Another wide fwy with bunkers down the left hand side to a green guarded by two deep bunkers.





One last view of the course to get an idea of the property.

Overall the course was set up very well. Alot of thought was put into the playability of the course and the transition from the fwy>rough>native is very nice. Too often the native is "juicy" from being overirrigated and that is not the case here. The maintenence was very good as the greens went the turf was perfect. In time when they get the green speeds up to the target of 9-9.5 they will be a handful considering all of the internal movement. As for the rest of the course, once they get a handle on what they are shooting for regarding the fescue going dormant in the fwys they will have an interesting look and the playability will be very firm and fast!

Tully

[Scott Witter]

We have all seen many many photos of this course, but I have to say that this latest set shows off the putting surfaces and their contours better than most, so much so that without ever having been there they are very impressive and creative...I am inspired.  The Renaissance crew are definetely talented.

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