Updated Ballyhack photos 22Dec2008

[Wade Whitehead]

The new photos are amazing, but still don't quite capture the sheer scale of the Ballyhack site.  I'm convinced it's impossible to, as has been discussed.  The visual breadth of what's being created there is astounding.

Regarding an earlier post: I've played Pine Hill in NJ.  This site differs significantly from that one.  The holes at Pine Hill feel carved from the mountainside; Ballyhack's simply feel like they grew where they are.  I enjoyed Pine Hill very much (and put it among the most difficult courses I've played), but it shares little in common with Mr. George's work here in Roanoke.

WW

[Scott_Burroughs]

More photos, from 15Oct, all untitled:






























the following are from 26Oct-28Oct:

#7 & #8:



#9:



#10:



#11:



#12 fairway bunkers:



#15:



#16 & #17:



#16 green:



#17 green & #12 fairway:



#17 & mountains:



#18:



#18 from green:



back nine & mountains:

[Kyle Henderson]

This course looked interesting just from a viewing of the routing plan a year or more ago. In these latest photos,  it looks like it will be a very compelling test of golf, provided the topography isn't overly extreme.

Are the slopes as severe as they appear? How windy is that area typically? Will the course provide enough flexibility during adverse weather conditions?

Thanks for posting!

[Matt Varney]

Nice progress images thanks for posting them the course is really coming together nicely!

Lester - I would like to drop in and visit tour the course the week of Thanksgiving in November so I can see this place in person.  The pics look great but, I am sure the size and scale of the site along with all the mountains make it feel much bigger.

Keep up the good work on this project can't wait to see it and play the course next year!

Matt

[Scott_Burroughs]

more:

[Jerry Kluger]

Scott: I would really like to think of something to say other than WOW!

[CJ Carder]

Unbelievable.... I feel really fortunate to be watching the stages of growth like this.  Thank you Scott for the pictures and thank you Lester for the hard work - it looks like it's really paying off!   

[Scott_Burroughs]

More photos of Ballyhack, from 19Dec2008:

#1 green:


#2 tee:


#5:


#6 tee:


#7:


#9:


#9 fairway barn:


#11:


#12:


#12 green:


more 12 green:


#13:


#14 tee:


#14:


#14 fairway:


#15:


#17:


#18:

[Tim Gavrich]

It looks utterly spectacular.  How I wish W&L was 35 miles closer and I had a car.  Summer 2009 opening, correct?

[Tim Bert]

Scott - Thanks for the updates throughout the past 5 months.  It's really fun to see the course come along, and it looks wonderful.

Can you provide estimated elevation changes at a couple points?  It looks like the scale is much greater than what the photos reveal.

Elevation changes at these points would serve as a good reference point for me:
- The valley on the right side of the #12 fairway
- The steep wall to the right of the photo of #7
- The fairway of #5 - how big are those undulations

[Patrick Kiser]

Impressive and really interesting to see the progression on this from start to finish.

Should we be so lucky to hold the next Dixie Cup here? 

Congrats Lester.

[Jim Colton]

Thanks for the updates.  I love 10 & 11, and 15 looks like great fun.

[Jerry Kluger]

Lester: I have now added another school onto the list where my son is going to apply.

[Lester George]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the kind words.  This place is truly one of the best things I have ever been involved with.  The site is so incredible!!

As long as I have been doing this, I can honestly say that you really MUST visit to get the full effect of the size of the terrain.

Tim Bert,
The valley on 12 (it to the left of the fairway) is about 35 to 40 feet from highest point of the fairway to lowest of the valley.  You don't want to pull it over there.

The wall in front of 17 green is about 60-70 feet down into a ravine below.

The undulations in 5 fairway are not overpowering when you're out there.  They look large in that photo mostly because of the shadows.

Patrick,
Don't know many details of the Dixie Cup, but all GCA'ers are welcome at Ballyhack after the middle of this summer.

Jim,
15 is great fun.  Most holes at Ballyhack inspire me as being fun for different reasons of course.

Tim Gavrich,
We'll figure out a way to get you there, just let us know when.  Yes, summer opening.

Jerry,
HOW ABOUT MY SPIDERS!!!!!!!  I have been saying "I went to a real football school" for 30 years.  Now I can say it with a little more conviction.  National Champions sure sounds good to all of us.

Lester

[Tim Bert]

The undulations in 5 fairway are not overpowering when you're out there.  They look large in that photo mostly because of the shadows.

Thanks for the taking the time to respond.  I was actually hoping for overpowering!!  I love a fairway with a lot of movement and that one looks great in the photo.

[Carl Nichols]

Lester:
It looks stunning.  What is your thinking on the bunkers in the left rough/hill on 18?  Seems like a steep sidehill lie in the rough would've been enough of a challenge -- and cheaper too. 

Keep the pics coming!

[Ted Kramer]

A question . . .

How come the bunkers in the middle of the fairway are surrounded by grass that looks different than the fairway grass? Is that rough? Is for the sake of playability or for looks?

Thanks,
Ted

[Lester George]

Carl,

The bunkers on the hillside separate the fairways of number 12 and 18.  They provide direction, definition and hazard.  Those have been photoshopped and will not look like that once the native grasses grow in.  They will be more like blow=out bunkers.

Ted,

Yes the bunkers completely surrounded by fairway have native grass around them.  The ones on the edges will also have the native but we had to delineate the bent grass seed from the native seed so we stared with a sod to stabilize.  As time goes on, all of that sod will be "converted" through planting into a more native look

Lester

[Thomas Patterson]

Wow!!  Amazing photos of what looks to be an incredible course. 

Cheers to Lester!

[Mike Hendren]

Looks hard.

Bogey

[Sean Leary]

Looks hard.

Bogey

The dropoffs off the fairway look incredibly severe. Hard to tell how wide the fairways are from the pics (they always look narrower in pics than they really are).

[Kirk Gill]

Looks hard.

I concur !

The beauty of the site, and the contours in the fairways were the first thing that struck me looking at the earliest pictures, but as the course has developed and the pictures start to show something much closer to the finished product, I'm struck by how difficult the course appears to be. Lots of bunkers to get me if the steep fall-offs don't. Is my psyche getting damaged by visual intimidation to the point where I'm not seeing the width that really is there, or will this course, in fact, be as difficult as it appears on first blush?

[Lester George]

Guys,

Looks hard, plays easy!!   The fairways for the most part are HUGE.  A couple of pinch points but I think the final number was about 60 acres of fairways.  HUGE (in most cases) greens. 

You will be penalized for taking an aggressive line on some holes but that's true with most of my courses.  Even off the fairway and down the hillside on most holes you will be able to find it and hit it.

Proof is in the playing, which I hope many of you will do.

Lester

[ed_getka]

Lester,
    Congratulations on the course. I toured the property yesterday with Jonathan Ireland and really enjoyed seeing your work. This appears to be a course that will definitely test your game, but on most holes it appears you have given enough room to work with. The plateau on the front nine is really cool and the scale of the property really is impressive. This is the first course of yours that I have seen and I was struck by the interesting variety of greens you used. #6 in particular was of interest because I was wondering off the tee how you would defend the 50 yard shot for those who attempted to drive the green but came up short. The flattened spine/hogsback seems like a brilliant solution. I will be interested to see how that hole plays when the course opens. More later. Congratulations again.

[Mike Sweeney]

Guys,

Looks hard, plays easy!!   

I find this to be an interesting statement as Bobby Weed said the same thing to me about The Deltona Club, and I just played my third round there this week and the course is my #2 course in Central Florida behind Mountain Lake. Hope to take Lester up on his offer.