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Jonathan McCord

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Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« on: April 06, 2007, 04:30:17 PM »
Well, after over two years of waiting, my chance to play Ballyneal had finally arrived.  I pulled into Holyoke, CO and got a room in the Burge Hotel just inside of town.  It was about 5:00pm and I was anxious to get out and see the golf course.  As I drove south from Julesburg on Highway 385, I wondered where the heck the Sand Hills were.  The land was as flat as a football field.  However, after I checked into the hotel and headed south out of Holyoke, I could see the distinct rolling sand hills on the horizon South of town.  As I made my way through the farmland and around the dunes I came to a sign no bigger then your average street sign that said "BALLYNEAL".  I knew I had arrived.



What greeted me as I drove up the gravel entry road was a site I will not soon forget.  The golf course and the clubhouse complex greeted me on the horizon like a heavenly meeting of land and....well....sand!  If there were one club that I was going to join immediately, it would be Ballyneal.  The greens and there surrounds are the most interesting I've ever putted and played.  The array of shots that can be played are infinite.  I'm a sucker for interesting greens and surrounds, and these are paramount to anything I've ever seen. SERIOUSLY

Now keep in mind I'm saying all this as the greens are still being mown at a tall height to ensure a high density of turf on the putting surfaces.  By May 9th, the greens should be running very well.  Once the remainder of the fairways reach the consistency and turf density of the 18th, which lies on the fertile soil the Midwest is known for, the course will be in flawless FIRM and FAST shape.

This golf course will NEVER get old.  The infinite possibilities of pin and tee positions, various wind conditions, you WILL learn something new and different about every hole each and every time you play it.

When I arrived, I noticed that the tee boxes appeared to be very rustic and unkept, and I wasn't sure I liked them.  However, by the fourth hole, I knew they had done something special.  I'm not sure if a name as been given to these tees yet, but I am going to call them "Infiniti Tees"  On most of the holes you cannot tell where the tee boxes end and where the fairways begin.  This is especially true from the fourth tee, where from the back tee, the tee boxes cascade down the hill, and appear to be part of the rolling, undulating fairway more the 160 yds. away.  Shear genius.

The design team also appeared to do some unique things in some of the sandy scrub areas.  It appears that they removed some of the native flora in an effort to create natural bunkers.  Below is an example.



By removing the natural flora, the wind will create bunkers and blowouts over the years where bunkers were not initially manufactured.  This will again lend to a different look at Ballyneal from year to year.

It was a struggle determining which pictures to post, as plenty have been posted, and I took plenty myself.  However, I have added some below to show people the best that Ballyneal has to offer.

First Fairway from left side.


Front left Greenside bunker on One


View from the third teebox back to the second green.  One of the great bunkers of Ballyneal.


One of Four Spectacular Par Threes.  #3


The vista point on the course.  The 4th Tee.  Note: the teeboxes cascading down and appearing as one with the fairway.


The par three 5th hole from the 6th tee.  Again awesome bunker.


The fifth green and sixth tee from a tall dune.


The awesome par 5 8th.  I initally thought this hole was close to 600 yds. long, but come to find out its just 515.  Very deceiving.


Notice the undulations in the 8th green.  Awesome view from the 9th tee.


The table top par three 11th.


Short Par 4 12th.


237 yd. Par 3 15th.  Green is in a large bowl.  It makes this hole play much easier.


Finishing Par 4 18th
"Read it, Roll it, Hole it."

rjsimper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2007, 04:38:27 PM »
Beautiful - some great pics in there.  I love the sign.  Brutal pin on 8 it would seem.

Certainly looks like a hell of a place.



ed_getka

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Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2007, 04:39:58 PM »
Jonathan,
   The internship is over. ;) Thanks for posting your thoughts and pix. I look forward to getting out there next year hopefully. It was quite interesting to talk to Jim about the development of this project last fall. It sounds like an exceptional place to immerse oneself in golf.
    Any other stops scheduled as you head east?
« Last Edit: April 06, 2007, 04:40:36 PM by ed_getka »
"Perimeter-weighted fairways", The best euphemism for containment mounding I've ever heard.

Jonathan McCord

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Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2007, 04:59:22 PM »
Actually, the pin on eight is probably one of the easier ones, as it is a bowl around that back right portion of the green.  So if one plays the proper shot, its actually quite easy to get it close that pin.

No trips scheduled while were relaxing back in COLD NW Iowa.  However, where heading north back to Michigan in a month so I plan to hit Lawsonia, Timberstone, Greywalls, Wilderness Valley and High Pointe.

Ballyneal is a very special place and I encourage all to see this truly amazing place.
"Read it, Roll it, Hole it."

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2007, 05:00:33 PM »
It looks like spring has sprung out there.  I can sense the freshness of the wind on my smellovision/airventing computer! 8)

BTW, about that whole Timberstone, Greywalls plan... it may take the rest of April for the 2ft of snow they got the last few days to melt...  :-\
« Last Edit: April 06, 2007, 05:02:26 PM by RJ_Daley »
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Joe Hancock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2007, 05:05:12 PM »
That place looks like ripe divot sniffin' grounds..... ;D

Joe

p.s. RJ, by the sounds of it, mid May might before Greywalls is available..... :o....30-something inches of new snow is what I heard on the news....
" What the hell is the point of architecture and excellence in design if a "clever" set up trumps it all?" Peter Pallotta, June 21, 2016

"People aren't picking a side of the fairway off a tee because of a randomly internally contoured green ."  jeffwarne, February 24, 2017

Ron Farris

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Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #6 on: April 06, 2007, 05:05:16 PM »
Thanks for the post on Ballyneal.  Truly a speacial place.
I am curious - you stayed in Holyoke and not at the course.  Are the accomodations not available yet.  I would think that to 100% experience Ballyneal to its fullest one needs to stay overnight and soak in the star field skies at night?

Thanks for the great photos!

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #7 on: April 06, 2007, 05:14:06 PM »
Ron, I heard it gets pretty dark in Holyoke when they turn off the street light and Farmer's Co-op gas station sign!  ;) ;D
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Geoffrey Childs

Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #8 on: April 06, 2007, 07:06:01 PM »
Thanks for the photos and descriptions.

I am SOOOO looking forward getting to Ballyneal in July.

Adam Clayman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #9 on: April 06, 2007, 07:18:47 PM »
Ron- I don't think the lodge is open yet. I know the dinning room won't open until the 22nd of April.

 While the weather has been acommodating, the Ballyneal experience doesn't just happen. It requires the efforts of quality people like our Head Pro Eric Petersen and his staff.

However,  and I bet Jonathan agrees, showing up when it's quiet, is also a special experience.

One note on a topic of interest shown in one of the photos.

Ballyneal was fortunate to have very little loss of sand out of their bunkers caused by the winter winds.

 In both pictures of the fifth green above, the SW tip of the pictured bunker illustrates the level of the sand splash. It looks like nothing more that a top dress and in reality is just the finest of sand particles that were able to drift outward.

All the golf courses in the region fared well after a moist snow covered winter.

« Last Edit: April 06, 2007, 07:37:17 PM by Adam Clayman »
"It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing your whole life." - Mickey Mantle

Adam_Messix

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #10 on: April 06, 2007, 07:30:10 PM »
The lodge at Ballyneal and the food in the clubhouse is awesome, the dinners in particular are not your typical club fare.  

Jonathan--

Those are great pictures of Ballyneal.  It shows the place in a great light and the kind of special course that it is.  The members there can comment more on this, but it seems like you're always learning something about the course.  Whether it's the wind or the greens or the vargaries of how the ball bounces around.  

That ride out there from Holyoke sure is interesting.  It seems like you're never going to get there going down that road.  

ed_getka

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #11 on: April 06, 2007, 08:40:25 PM »
Jonathan,
   I hope the snow melts for you as Lawsonia is a fabulous golf course. Sounds like a fun swing up and over to get back down into Michigan "proper", if Mother Nature cooperates.
« Last Edit: April 06, 2007, 10:09:33 PM by ed_getka »
"Perimeter-weighted fairways", The best euphemism for containment mounding I've ever heard.

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #12 on: April 06, 2007, 09:24:49 PM »
The 7 day forecast around here (WI) is nothing warm, only in 30s all week, with wind.  I'm not sure if Lawsonia is even open.  But, since we had much rain before this deep freeze, turf is in a pretty precarious situation.  Don't expect much...
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

PThomas

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Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #13 on: April 06, 2007, 09:50:29 PM »
nice pictures Jonathan...Ballyneal is pretty cool

I played there in pouring rain last year so am looking forward to seeing it again
199 played, only Augusta National left to play!

John Kavanaugh

Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #14 on: April 06, 2007, 11:12:23 PM »
How do the Golfweek guys think Sand Hills is a full 2 points better...I just don't get it.

David_Elvins

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #15 on: April 06, 2007, 11:26:08 PM »
A question for Tom Doak if he checks in.

Of all the photos of all your courses that i have seen, Ballyneal looks the most like Barnbougle Dunes.  Do you agree? Do you consider the courses similar at all?  What simmilarities and differences do these courses have? THanks.

Jonathan,
Thanks for the photos. Very inspiring.
« Last Edit: April 06, 2007, 11:27:25 PM by David_Elvins »
Ask not what GolfClubAtlas can do for you; ask what you can do for GolfClubAtlas.

Kirk Gill

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Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #16 on: April 06, 2007, 11:34:09 PM »
Beautiful, rugged, sinuous.........looks like a special place.
"After all, we're not communists."
                             -Don Barzini

Jim Nugent

Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #17 on: April 07, 2007, 03:44:53 AM »
Great photos.  So many people say the course will never get old, that you learn something new about it each time you play.  The photos seem to show the same thing.  Each group of new pictures show different, fascinating aspects to the course.  

Another question for Tom Doak.  How much did you use topo maps in routing Ballyneal?  

Matt_Ward

Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #18 on: April 07, 2007, 10:51:57 AM »
Jonathan:

Great pictures and insightful analysis.

Just a word to add -- if Ballyneal had a body of water next to it the certainty of the course being even higher rated would clearly take place IMHO.

I loved the course and what it provides. As much as people speak about Pacific Dunes -- I have to say that Ballyneal is the better choice for me.

P.S. Hats off for mentioning how utterly boring the terrain is when you are in the middle of town. Only as you begin the trek towards the course do you see the fascinating terrain that makes Ballyneal so unique.

Jeff Doerr

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Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #19 on: April 07, 2007, 11:30:12 AM »
Thanks Jonathan!

I love the 8th as it climbs and rambles to the skyline. Ballyneal does draw you and seems to be a place where you could lose yourself in the beauty and mystery of the game for many days on end.
"And so," (concluded the Oldest Member), "you see that golf can be of
the greatest practical assistance to a man in Life's struggle.”

Jon Wiggett

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Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #20 on: April 08, 2007, 02:27:21 PM »
Jonathan,

looking at the pictures it appears as though they are triplexing the greens. Is that the case?

Tim Leahy

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Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #21 on: April 09, 2007, 12:37:49 PM »
Is this a walking only course? I didn't see a single cart path.
I love golf, the fightin irish, and beautiful women depending on the season and availability.

Sean Leary

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Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #22 on: April 09, 2007, 12:49:18 PM »
Is this a walking only course? I didn't see a single cart path.

Yes.  Walking only.

These pictures always make it look more desertlike to me than it felt like when I was there.

Jerry Kluger

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Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #23 on: April 09, 2007, 12:59:59 PM »
The routing is special in that you can go out and play any number of combinations of holes which is great for an afternoon round at a walking only club. We emptied our bags but for about six clubs and starting walking - man what a way to spend a couple of hours in the afternoon.  

Jim Franklin

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Re:Ballyneal - At Long Last!
« Reply #24 on: April 09, 2007, 04:38:21 PM »
JB -

No one has commented, but I can't see Sand Hills being 2 full points better either. Don't get me wrong, Sand Hills is an incredible course/experience, but Ballyneal is right there and that is a compliment to Eric and his staff and our Tom Doak.
Mr Hurricane