Back by popular demand...well sort of... here is the 2nd 9 holes at Bonneville golf course in Salt Lake City, UT. The original thread that discusses the course's beginnings and original 9 holes can be found here.
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,37223.0.html. I'll leave the various details of any additional 2nd 9 history to Senor Cirba, but I beleive it was designed by William and Bill Bell in the 1940s. (And with any luck, maybe he'll share some more counter-culture SLC stories.
)
While I haven't seen this 2nd 9 in over 2 years, I must say I was delightfully surprised by what I had forgotten and today rediscovered. As luck would have it, I met another fine older gentleman on the course who says he's been playing the course for over 60 years. During our conversation, I asked him what he thought about all the undulations and so forth on the course and he said, "Thats why I keep coming back...with new courses today they come in and bulldoze the place flat, put in some ugly ponds, and plant flower beds everywhere...thats not golf". Melyvn would be proud...So I said "Right on, I can't possibly agree more with you".
Like the original 9, I think the Bells did a great job of following the contouring of the land and not trying to force anything...the course really sits easily on the land. While the greens appear flat, they are very deceptive in how they tie in with the natural slopes and provide quite a bit of challenge. As you will see in this 1st holes, the land appears to be pretty much left as found and some very cool wave themes emerge on many of the fairways. These guys did an expert job in tee and green placement as you almost always have to challenge them to get a better view and flatter lie for your approach shot. While a lot of the horizontally placed ridges are now easily overcome with vastly improved distance-inducing equipment, they were likely a real challenge when initially built over 60 years ago. Additionally, I don't think I've seen another 9 holes that uses more natural hollows combined with elevated greens to provide ample protection against scoring. As the bunkering is minimal and the fairways wide, a premium is really placed on getting the ball in the correct part of the gently canted fairways.
So without further ado, the pics of the 2nd 9 at Bonneville. (The holes are shown with thier current hole numbers as you encounter them on the course.)
#2 - Par 4 - Just a neat tee shot that actually has 3 sets of "waves" out there.
If your tee shot isn't well struck, you can be left with this approach.
However a well hit shot will usually leave something more like this for the approach.
A look at the green from the right side. There's a false edge and this green is indeed tricky...the picture doesn't do it justice.
Hole 3 - Par 4 - A longish par 4
The approach in where distance needs to be fairly precisly judged.
A closer look at the green.
Hole 11 - Par 4 - A shortish par 4 that a big hitter may think about having a go at.
A look at the approach into one of the few benign greens on the course.
Hole 12 - Par 5 - The first of two reachable par 5s. If you can reach the ridgeline in the distance...
....the approach becomes very inviting.
A closer look at the green
Hole 13 - Par 4 - This same ridgeline must now be negotiated as this hole plays in the opposite direction.
A look at the approach from the right side
While the green looks fairly benign, its a small target.
Hole 14 - Par 4 - A tough ball buster par 4 that goes back in the other direction again, with that same ridgeline to think about...I zoomed in a bit too much with this pic.
A look at the approach from the left side.
Any ill struck approach will be sluffed off to the right leaving a difficult up and down.
A look from behind the hole...a good example of how the holes really just flow with the property.
Hole 15 - Par 3 - A medium length par 3 with normally an exceptional view..a bit overcast/hazy today.
A look in from left of the green. Minimal bunkering...Sean should love it.
Hole 16 - Par 5 - A superb shortish par 5 in my view. I think this could be used as a template hole of sorts on how to build par 5's that are tough for great players to eagle or bird, yet still give the high capper a great chance at par, even birdie once in awhile.
The tee shot to a wide open fairway...but some good strategy awaits.
The short hitter will have this view into the green. While they won't be able to get there, the layup is fairly straight-forward.
A medium to long hitter will have this shorter yet blind approach. A doable shot, but tough with not being able to see anything.
A uber long hitter could hit thier tee ball on top of this ridge to the right, but it would require a shot of 325+ yards that either needs to fly low to bound up the hill or carry 310 yards. Anything short of this will leave an uphill blind shot into the green.
The look in at the approach after a layup. That swale in front of the green is pretty deep.
A look back reveals a little more about the hole.
Hole 17 - Par 3 - Another medium length par 3 with trouble lurking for anything long or short right.
A look from the right side.
