After looking at the revised layout for the course and reading the Heeeeere's Donald thread, I wondered why the actual layout of the course proposed by Hawtree didn't elicit more comments and opinions. If we could ignore the environmental, political and estate development issues for a few moments, and assuming that financing gets in place and the project actually proceeds, what think you of the actual course design?
The course is laid out north-south aling the coast much like it's southerly next door neighbour, Royal Aberdeen.
One thing that stood out was the routing of holes on the bare sand dome at the northern end of the property. Building holes there will require lots of stabalization of the sand base but I guess provides limitless opportunities to shape the holes. Seems likely that there would be the potential for the surrounding dome to migrate onto the holes in any kind of significant wind storm.
The one hole that immediately struck me was the 10th, a 581 yard par 5. The hole description is as follows:
and not just because of the "impressionable green side dune in its "iconic oddity". Rather why Hawtree decided to use the natural wetland to create a split fairway hole. There appears to be no particular reward for attempting the right hand route. In fact it looks marginally longer and not particularly wider. The hole does appear to fit wonderfully into the natural features of the land.
