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Peter_Herreid

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Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« on: June 15, 2009, 02:30:25 PM »
Good afternoon, gents!

I thought I would get a thread started with some pix, and maybe those attending can use this as a "clearing-house" for any additional thoughts or pictures that might be of interest...

I will comment as appropriate later, but for now, here they come...

Morning light over the bocce ball court/putting green and the proshop


Game on!  Diagonal tee shot from the back tee on #1


Soak it all in from the back tee box on #4, looking south I believe...


Pick your line, any line, and hope for the best off the lower left tee box on #6.  I dare you to know where to aim...




More to come...

« Last Edit: June 15, 2009, 02:35:04 PM by Peter_Herreid »

PThomas

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2009, 02:39:42 PM »
the view from the 4th tee is one of the "gasp" moments i've had in golf....absolutely tremendous
199 played, only Augusta National left to play!

Peter_Herreid

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2009, 02:39:50 PM »
#7 may get lots of "pub", but I think this may have been my personal favorite greensite at #8 (I couldn't quite get the high right [far left in picture] edge in the field)


Behind the green from the massive #10


The 430 yd tee box on #13


The denizen graciously allowed us to visit his turf


More to come...

Peter_Herreid

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2009, 02:46:29 PM »
Brad Fleischer, Matt Schulte and Peter Herreid obscuring the beautiful view from #4...


Matt Schulte, Jim Colton, Brad Fleischer, Mike Wagner and Ben Sims after finishing a quick late nine in the gloaming on Saturday...


This is what was chasing them as they finished up on #18


However, Jim and Brad were blissfully unconcerned as they headed back off #1 as "stormchasers" themselves!


The late dinner grouping of (clockwise from lower left) Mike Wagner, Matt Schulte, Evan Fleisher, Jim Colton, Brad Fleischer, Joe Perches, Ben Sims and Richard Choi.  Rich was attacking his steak with the same zest that he attacked the "E" green!

Peter_Herreid

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2009, 02:51:48 PM »
The lovely "bowl" containing the #3 green...


One of our hosts, Matt Schulte, contemplating a severe predicament on #11.  The resulting "Seve" shot almost found the hole!


Ben Sims teeing off on his own personal "Dell" hole, #15  (BTW, the "ass-shots" were kept to an acceptable minimum of this one only!)


Looking back down on #15 green and the evil right shelf for that day's hole...


#18 tee and anticapting going right back out to the 1st tee!

Tony_Chapman

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2009, 04:03:27 PM »
What a wonderful place! A joy to golf at Ballyneal, that's for sure. After all, isn't that what it's all about. Looks like the company was grand. Thanks for sharing!

ed_getka

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2009, 04:10:00 PM »
Peter,
    Thanks for sharing the pictures and heightening my anticipation of seeing Ballyneal for the first time in a few weeks. I look forward to seeing Matt pull off some more Seve shots.
"Perimeter-weighted fairways", The best euphemism for containment mounding I've ever heard.

Ash Towe

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2009, 04:34:41 PM »
Peter,
Thanks for the photos.  I hope I have as good a time at Ballyneal as your group appeared to have when I visit there next month.

Jed Peters

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #8 on: June 15, 2009, 04:46:53 PM »
Looks like a fantastic trip, gentleman.

Good seeing members of the treehouse getting together in real life!

Scott Szabo

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2009, 04:50:36 PM »
Boy did Ballyneal look green - we've had more rain in the past three weeks here in Northeastern Colorado than we typically do over the course of a summer.  I'm sure you all had a terrific time!
"So your man hit it into a fairway bunker, hit the wrong side of the green, and couldn't hit a hybrid off a sidehill lie to take advantage of his length? We apologize for testing him so thoroughly." - Tom Doak, 6/29/10

Rob Rigg

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2009, 05:51:23 PM »
Peter - You are having a great run of golf courses lately - CB, PV, BN - spectacular stuff!

Is Wagner still mixing it up between the long putter and the lefty? Ha!

Great to see a group getting together on such incredible golfing soil - well done lads - and keep posting those pics - BN is as photogenic as any course I have ever seen (via photos anyways).

Brad Fleischer

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #11 on: June 15, 2009, 06:03:39 PM »
Peter,

It was hard enough driving away and now as I sit in the airport looking at your pics it makes it even harder to return home. I just
want to say I had a blast meeting everyone and It was a fantastic two days with great company !!   I will post some other "comments" latter lol.

Big thanks to Jim once again !

"turtle"

ps
So glad you added the "dell" hole !


Jim Colton

Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix New
« Reply #12 on: June 15, 2009, 07:02:48 PM »
I was thrilled that so many people would be willing to come out to the NE Colorado just to play a course outside the GD Top 100 :)  Seriously, it was a lot of fun meeting new people and I think everybody had a great time.  The course was very green with all the recent rain, but still played well if not up to its pure firm and fast glory.

Line of the trip:
Ben Sims (on 15th tee): "This hole is a lot like the Dell Hole at Lahinch"
Brad Fleischer: "Uh...except that you can see the green."

1st Green at Sunset (Brad F, a NYC cop: "Look at the colors.  They're just so VIBRANT!")


Holyoke or the Moon?




EZE


8th Hole from the tee


Looking back on the 8th


Trust me, you'd pay admission to see Mike Wags hit the ball, even if barefoot and in sweats.  Ben Sims wanted to impregnate Mike's golf swing.


A thunderstorm cut Day 2 short at 45 holes, but we were treated with a full rainbow.


Oh yeah, Tim Bert brought the lefty quotient up to 3 with a Sunday afternoon showing.


Joe Perches paying the piper (Rich Choi) on the 18th green, although it was the same buck that Rich gave to Joe the day before.


Good times.



« Last Edit: June 18, 2009, 03:38:44 PM by Jim Colton »

Wyatt Halliday

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #13 on: June 15, 2009, 07:05:45 PM »
Magnificent photos Jim.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2009, 08:10:33 PM by Wyatt Halliday »

Bill Gayne

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #14 on: June 15, 2009, 07:31:56 PM »


What's up with the food? Steak for the guys on the right and something else for all the guys on the left.

Great golf course.

Carl Nichols

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #15 on: June 15, 2009, 08:50:05 PM »
Looks like this trip might've lowered the average GCA-event participant-age.... :)  

Great pics, thanks for sharing.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2009, 09:36:01 PM by Carl Nichols »

John Mayhugh

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #16 on: June 15, 2009, 09:13:42 PM »
Jim,
That Holyoke or the moon pic is just awesome.  I suspect I'll look at that quite a bit for the next month.

Jim Colton

Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #17 on: June 15, 2009, 11:45:39 PM »
By the way, I'd like to go on record and classify the weekend a huge success. I'm already targeting the same weekend next year for another GCA outing. Be on the lookout next spring.



Jordan Wall

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #18 on: June 15, 2009, 11:57:49 PM »
By the way, I'd like to go on record and classify the weekend a huge success. I'm already targeting the same weekend next year for another GCA outing. Be on the lookout next spring.




Jim,

I'd be interested.  Certainly looks fantastic.

Good call on the moon or Holyoke picture, John, what a shot.

Cheers,
Jordan

Brent Carlson

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #19 on: June 15, 2009, 11:58:40 PM »
Wow - phenomenal guys.  Ballyneal not in the top 100 :-X  I would love to do this next year.

Adam Clayman

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #20 on: June 16, 2009, 12:10:36 AM »
The dining picture says it all for me. Jim's ear to ear grin is what it is all about.

Great meeting the gentleman who braved the rains Saturday morning. Sorry I couldn't stick around and meet everyone. But, ya know it's all about balance. I must've done well because Sheryl is still talking to me, even after playing in a couples scramble Sunday with a known sexual predator.  ;)
"It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing your whole life." - Mickey Mantle

Ben Sims

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #21 on: June 16, 2009, 12:18:28 AM »
Brent,

That subject was broached several times and it became my conclusion that...it didn't matter.  I enjoyed myself on a golf course that has been matched only by that mystical ground in southwest Oregon, and that's saying a lot based on those 4 days of my life. 

The creativity allowed by the golf course is second to none.  The green complexes are in your face and fun as can be.  Mike started making fun of me because every four holes or so I would chime in, "Man, this is probably in the top 5 of four hole stretches I've ever played."  The staff was incredible and Mr. O'Neal was a gracious and fun dude to be hanging at the bar with.  As I said on my parody thread, Jim and Matt are to be commended for such hospitality and generosity on such a magical piece of sand.  I hope to be back next year if they'll have me.  I promise I won't do anymore hole comparisons.

Damon Groves

Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #22 on: June 16, 2009, 01:35:49 AM »
I was there this time last year and the pictures are making me very much want to get back soon.

Looks like a great time for all.

Kyle Henderson

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Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #23 on: June 16, 2009, 01:41:40 AM »
Ballyneal is the best course in the whole universe. I can't wait to go back!
"I always knew terrorists hated us for our freedom. Now they love us for our bondage." -- Stephen T. Colbert discusses the popularity of '50 Shades of Grey' at Gitmo

Jim Colton

Re: Ballyneal--GCA weekend--June 2009 w/pix
« Reply #24 on: June 16, 2009, 03:23:57 AM »
Admittedly cheesy, but some more details about the weekend:

http://wegoblogger31.blogspot.com/2009/06/ballyneal-2009.html

ps. I agree w/ Kyle