PENNARD: To Do Or Not To Do & The Relevant Questions

[Sean_A]

First the good stuff.  Here is what a links is meant to look like in late June after a decent run of sunny days mixed with ran here and there - including a torrential downpour on Friday.  

Approach to 2nd after a recovery from the rough.  Notice how the rough is harsh, but it is on the verge of turning to sparse, whispy rough.  


#11: when I compare the difference of where I just played in Ireland to Pennard, its like night and day.  I don't think most supers can help but to turn on the water if they have the choice.  With no option, Pennard turns a cookie brown, hence controlling the run of the ball becomes paramount.


On the 14th, which usually plays downwind, trying to hold the raised green can be troublesome and lead many to attempt running one up the hill for the approach.  


Ditto for #17!


With slopes and firm ground, many think holes like the 18th are unfair because its nearly impossible to hold the fairway, unless one lays up to the 150 mark before the fairway slopes dramatically.  What do you folks think about this sort of design?


Here are a few shots  of the 16th about one month ago.  Which look/playing conditions do folks prefer?



Now I come to the 2nd.  The club, for some reason unknown to me decided that the perfectly acceptable 2nd was unacceptable as the green never putted like the rest of the course.  However, the club decided to alter the hole into a punchbowl style in addition to relaying the green.  Its been about three years and the green is far worse than it ever was and for most of that time the hole has been out of play.  From the tee it doesn't look much different except for the obvious mounding on the right and the now more visible left front bunker.

How the hole looks now from the tee and forward of the tee.


A bunker on the front right was removed as well as one on the side right.  


Here is what the hole looked like from the right side previously.


And now.


What do folks think about the changes?

Ciao

 

[ed_getka]

The course looks like great fun in either condition, but firmer and faster is generally my preference. Thanks for taking the time to post the pix.

[Rich Goodale]

The greens are still too damn green!

[James Boon]

Sean,

I dont mind the browner appearance we get on links courses after a dry spell, but not sure I could say that its visually its more appealing than the greener look? I suppose I like it in a nostalgic way as it reminds me of when I first played a links course as a kid, and that was pretty brown?

I assume that when it was greener a month ago it was still playing reasonably firm and fast as though its greener I wouldn't say it looks lush?

Lastly, thanks for the pics. I've not played golf at Pennard (so can't really comment on the changes to the 2nd green) or anywhere else in that part of the World. Looks like I really should make an effort!

Cheers,

James

[Bill_McBride]

I love the brown, thanks for taking the time to post both.  On that golf course, brown is beautiful.

#18, a fade into that fairway can hold, at least it did for me, but I probably laid up without realizing I did!

I loved that little dell green at #2 before, the mounds look out of place although there is a lot of wild broken ground at Pennard.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Sean, I have to admit that I do like green.  I don't mind brown but being from the left side of the ocean  I am partial to green.  I'm not sure that green can't be fast and firm.  I liked the second green the way it was.  I have not played the new one but I like the looks. 

[Cristian]

I don't mind the brown at all, although the course looks like it's fast and firm all year, brown or green. The differences in looks through the seasons is one of the attractions of links courses like Pennard. Does the club welcome group visitors during weekends? I organize an annual society outing for around 16 players and it looks like a great venue, always impressed with your images of the course, whatever the season!

[Scott Warren]

Sean, in your opinion, can a course get too fast and too firm?

[Sean_A]

Sean, in your opinion, can a course get too fast and too firm?

Scott

IMO your question goes to the heart of an important matter.  I have always believed that what watering a course (beyond keeping it alive) really does is alter seasonal play.  Essentially, water makes courses play more or less the same throughout the year and I believe this is the goal of many supers.  Additionally, I have always believed that the changing of the seasons and how the game is effected by the changing conditions is one of the great things which make golf such a joy to play.  So, strictly speaking, so long as the grass is alive, no, I don't think a course can be too f&f.  It is what it is.  Now if we are talking about IDEAL playing conditions, then yes, a course can be too f&f and Pennard is guilty of this every summer as are nearly all non-irrigated courses - what is left of them. This is why some (mostly) links are called better winter courses.  However, some of that less than ideal conditions is accentuated by the hilly nature of Pennard.  The flatter the land, ideally the more f&f it can be with the proviso that the grass is kept alive.  Otherwise, on hilly terrain, rough must be all but eliminated. 

James

Pennard is NEVER less than firm.  Its a blessing and a curse. 

Bill

So far as the 18th goes, I am not a big fan of this sort of design.  In effect, the result is similar to breaking up a fairway with rough except at Pennard a well shaped shot only drifts to light rough.  If hit past teh 150 marker, a straight shot down the middle on Saturday could very well have gone all the way to the hay left.  Most of the year its fine, but still requires some thought.  I spose this is ok once in a while, but it reminds of canted fairways leading to a treed area in the fall - looking for a ball under the leaves can be maddening because you KNOW the ball is nearby.

Any more thoughts on f&f and/or the 2nd green?

Ciao

[Andy Hughes]

Sean, if you had never been to Pennard before and just happened upon it, what would you think of the new 2nd green?

[Sean_A]

Sean, if you had never been to Pennard before and just happened upon it, what would you think of the new 2nd green?

Andy

I don't think I would blink an eye at the site/surrounds except for possibly the path through the mounds.  I would wonder why the condition of the green is so bad and so unlike the others.  In fact, I would still like to know that!

Ciao