Link to Old Macdonald Photo Tour

[Rob Rigg]

I just returned from an epic, and windy (30 to 40 mph), trip to Bandon Dunes with another Society member. It was awesome.

For anyone interested in a pretty detailed photo tour please click the link below:

http://www.thewalkinggolfer.com/Old_Macdonald.html

Photo tours of the other three courses to follow - time for sleepy.

I think OM could end up being the best course on the property, in many golfer's opinion. It is a unique experience, very akin to GBI links golf with the wide open fairways and huge greens. I loved it - OM is awesome.

I wish that I had been able to play the three other courses in order of construction - BD, PD and BT - having played PD and BT before BD, I was kind of disappointed to be honest. PD and BT were both exceptional, while BD really didn't do it for me in terms of architecture and interest - the views are spectacular and there are a few really solid holes but . . .

My ten round split at Bandon - 5 PD, 4 BT, 1 BD

[ed_getka]

Thanks for the photo tour Rob. Ash Towe will be there in a couple of days and my anticipation of June 1, 2010 continues to build. Thanks for feeding the fire.
   I hope the course maintenance will keep the greenside bunkers cut close like the Road hole bunker, it makes the challenge that much more exhilarating.

[Ross Tuddenham]

They are some very good photos and your descriptions have really given a good idea of how the hole’s play.

My first thoughts on all the holes are mainly positive however is the penalty for going long over the green on the “Road Hole” enough to claim it is a true representation of the original.

On the original the second shot that goes for the green carries immense worry as you fear both the bunker and the road.  By the look of it here a shot long may just have a slightly tricky chip shot but not really a major worry for most players.

Would it have been better to have a greater hazard to represent the road?

I think a greater hazard may be needed to the back of the green, as going long and chipping back up is not an option on the original.

[PCCraig]

Great photo tour Rob!

It still amazes me that of all the courses at Bandon, this is the one that actually looks the most like a true/traditional links course.

I really hope the course keeps its scruffy/construction look.

[ed_getka]

Pat,
   I'm curious, what does Pacific Dunes look like to you?

[Peter Ferlicca]

I just returned from an epic, and windy (30 to 40 mph), trip to Bandon Dunes with another Society member. It was awesome.

For anyone interested in a pretty detailed photo tour please click the link below:

http://www.thewalkinggolfer.com/Old_Macdonald.html

Photo tours of the other three courses to follow - time for sleepy.

I think OM could end up being the best course on the property, in many golfer's opinion. It is a unique experience, very akin to GBI links golf with the wide open fairways and huge greens. I loved it - OM is awesome.

I wish that I had been able to play the three other courses in order of construction - BD, PD and BT - having played PD and BT before BD, I was kind of disappointed to be honest. PD and BT were both exceptional, while BD really didn't do it for me in terms of architecture and interest - the views are spectacular and there are a few really solid holes but . . .

My ten round split at Bandon - 5 PD, 4 BT, 1 BD

Thats funny, when I went there in March, I felt the exact same way you did about Bandon Dunes, and my ten round split was exactly like yours.  I just thought that was interesting. 

[PCCraig]

Pat,
   I'm curious, what does Pacific Dunes look like to you?

Compared to the rest of the United States, Pacific and Bandon Dunes look like Links courses...but IMO Old MacDonald brings the naturalism to an extreme as it looks more like something that would of been built 100 years ago using the same land.

(I'm not trying to take away from anything already done there, I'm only complimenting how good of a job it looks like was done at Old Mac so far).

[C. Squier]

At first I thought $50 plus tip was awfully expensive for a caddy to play 10 holes.....but since they seem to be ninjas, that's probably a bargain! 

[Rob Rigg]

In terms of the Road Hole - I was hoping for a more challenging element behind the green - eg) a maintenance road running past it or something. Bunkers would certainly present an even greater challenge that the short grass because it can be very difficult to hold the green coming back up.

I agree with everything that has been said - while BD and PD are certainly modern links courses, OM has that flavor of the old world that probably does not exist anywhere on this continent. It is so rugged and somehow timeless. There are also some spectacular holes - Long,The Plateau, Biarritz, Sahara, Hogsback and Short are all incredible, and the others are definitely solid.

Tom, Jim and Team have really done something special at OM - I can't wait to get back for the opening so I can see the other 8!

[Tom_Doak]

We have thought about something more behind the green at #11 ... there is actually a lot of maintenance traffic going through that area and a road would be easy to put in, although we don't want a road all the way up between #11 and #4.

But, it's a lot easier to put in a road or a bunker later, than to take them out.  And we think the golf course is going to be pretty darned hard as it is.

[Rob Rigg]

Tom - You could always put in a dirt road/path that runs out a little bit past the green? Thus, it would not look silly, but also not extend farther than necessary?

The Plateau hole is amazing!

In terms of difficultly, obviously there are another eight holes that need to be opened up and the drive on the Sahara will become a lot more intimidating, but based on the ten holes that are in play, I probably scored better on OM than any of the other courses (although I could not get a birdie putt to drop despite five chances).

All I am trying to say is that IMO - OM is a very fair course (so feel free to add something to the back of the road hole!)

[Matt MacIver]

Many first-time resort visitors probably won't know that long on the Road Hole presents a big problem.  

Which of the four courses will be the "easiest" for first time play?

Which will become incrementally "easier" on the second?  

Having played the first three, I'll vote BT as the easist for first timers (it's all there in front of you...?) and nominate OM as that which will probably reveal more of itself with each pending play....at least that is my hope.  

[Michael Robin]

Hey Rob, which hole are you calling Plateau? Of the 10 that are open in order of play I think it goes:

Long
unnamed
Biarritz
Cape
Bottle
Road
unnamed
Sahara
Hogsback
Short

Have the 2 unnamed holes been named now? The actual first hole will be Double Plateau I believe.

[Rob Rigg]

Michael,

Sorry for any confusion - I am advocating that the current second hole be named "Plateau" for the tremendous greensite that has been carved out of the dune which must be attacked from the fairway well below.

The current seventh is also unnamed - it is almost a "Cape" junior in some regards as the green is drivable with the wind. I think it is the weakest hole of the routing although a big number is possible if you go in the rear bunker. The panoramic vista from the green, however, is spectacular.

[Ash Towe]

Rob,
Thanks for the photo tour.  Really looking forward to having a look on Tuesday.

[Ben Sims]

Rob,

Thanks a bunch for the extra pics.  I have my own, but I was keeping them concealed until the opening at the request of Mr. Doak on a thread a few months back.  It is an extraordinary price of land with extraordinary golf holes. I agree at the possibility of it being the most fun to play on the Resort.  I have already had a day of juxtaposing Pac in the morning with Mac in the afternoon and seeing them within a couple hours of each other is the best example of Renaissance's prowess on the planet.  I can't wait to see the full 18 next year.

What say you regarding the bottle hole?  I am interested to read your initial interpretations of the hole.

[Rob Rigg]

Ben,

I thought the Bottle was an interesting interpretation of CBMs at NGLA. The bunker complex that crosses the fairway was much more forgiving than the original designs (Sunningdale and NGLA) based on the sketches and photos I have seen. There is an element of chance added due to the gaps between the bunkers. The golfer still needs to choose the appropriate line for their carry and I believe a drive long and right will leave a superior line into the green.

Unfortunately (actually kind of fortunately) - I hit my drive very long and right which left me an approach from Long. The angle into the green was near perfect and the site lines were totally clear. I really liked how the green was elevated with the rippled false front that really forces the golfer to carry the ball to the putting surface to ensure a look at birdie. A run up would be quite tricky as the humps and bumps move in many different directions. I think there is a nice backstop on the green to help down-wind approaches that land on the putting surface hold the green.

Sorry I could not be more insightful - next time I will try to play the hole as intended by the architect(s).

It would be interesting to get Tom's thoughts on how they intepreted Bottle - it is definitely a fun hole to play.

[Ben Sims]

Run up would be possible from left side of fairway on bottle no? I do wish Mr. Bahto, Doak or Urbina would expound on Bottle a bit.  It's pretty unique from an aesthetic and tactical standpoint.

I hit my approach there onto Long too.  Great minds think alike.

[Rob Rigg]

From the photo it does look like your chances of running it up effectively are much better from the left side of the fairway.

I had a chance to walk BD and PD (at sunset which was awesome) so it was easier to wander around those holes and get a great feeling for the optimal strategy. It would be great to do the same at OM because it is tough to process everything in the course of a round - especially when you are playing a few holes from, ahem, a less than ideal position (it was the wind, I swear it!).

Paging George Bahto, Paging George Bahto.

[Tom_Doak]

The names for the "unnamed" holes have been proposed as follows:

#7 (second currently):  Ocean, for obvious reasons
#14 (seventh currently):  Maiden, because the green with wings left and right has sometimes been referred to as a "Maiden" green, and because the sand dune behind the hole is even bigger than the famous dune at Sandwich

The tenth hole will be one of the most interesting for me to see how it plays with the strong tailwinds once the course really gets firm.  I have always thought that I will be better served trying to play a run-up shot and/or leaving my second at the foot of the green, instead of risking going through the back; but to each his own.  The fairway bunkering is all based on my positioning ... it was impossible to copy National's exactly due to the undulations in the fairway, which were too good to mess with.  Again, we can always do more, but it's a tough hole already.

[Ben Sims]

Ask and you shall receive.  Thanks Tom.

[Ross Tuddenham]

Tom I may be wrong here but would a maintenance road count as an immovable obstruction?

Also what about the construction of a dry stone dyke.  You could place a weathered section of a dry stone wall that looked like it was the remanence of some old shepherds construction from centuries back.  Would make it look very Scottish.

Something a bit like this, just a portion sort of rising out the ground to give a similar affect to the wall behind the road on the original.

[Pete_Pittock]

Ross,
A road can be designated as an integral part of the course and it then loses any possible status as an obstruction.

[JC Urbina]

Ross

Don't you think a stone wall would be out of place?  If you play long on the Road Hole the option to put or chip back up a 3 foot grass bank makes the shot tricky with a green that is not very wide to the line of play.  You could end up back down the slope in front of the green.

[Pete_Pittock]

Rob,
I played Old Macdonalnd late afternoon on the previous Sunday. I pretty much agree with your assessment.
You need to edit [since edited] the walking golfer near the end of the nice article. The other green next to Short is the Bottle hole (#10, 5th on preview course).
I think it will be mowed into two separate greens.
I refereed the semi-final between Polski and Collopy. Sorry we missed each other.

Tom,
Did you consider putting a tee on the left on 'Ocean' tied in with the lee of the dune?