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Philip Gawith

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Rye (pictures)
« on: July 28, 2009, 05:39:42 PM »
A course much favoured on GCA, but not so often photographed, at least not in the summer. Orthodoxy is that the course is best in the autumn and spring, and too dry and quirky in summer. This was not the case last week - the course ran, but not too much, and the combination of sun plus a 20mph wind made it a fantastic links challenge.

One feature of Rye with the prevailing wind coming off the sea is that only about three times in your round do you play straight into (when you hit over the dunes on 6 and 13, and the tee shot on 11). Otherwise the wind is almost always across you.

The short holes are justifiably famous  - hitting some relatively small, and firm greens with a strong left to right wind, clever collecting bunkers...you can quickly run up a big score. I am sure if you play this course regularly you develop a fabulous short game.




The opening tee shot - in fact the landing area is bigger than it looks, but a 200 yard carry with a strong right to left wind to a smallish target is not the easiest way to start!



The first of the great set of 5 short holes - very difficult to hit and hold given the prevailing wind



The approach to three - the saddle on the right front of the green made that flag very difficult to get to.



The famous 4th which proceeds along the top of the dune. A hook and you fall eighty feet down to the right, and the fall off to the right is similarly drastic.



I hit the perfect drive to here - was left with about 170 yards, but a slightly flared second was enough to land me with a six! Only two very good shots get you home here.



The tee shot on the short 5th - not especially long, but partially blind and with a wind howling left to right - no easy shot..





...to this green much of which is hidden behind the ridge you can see on the left of the picture.



The tee shot on the 6th is the first time you have to drive blind over the dunes. After a 180 yard or so carry, this is the view from the top.



The tee shot on the magical 7th - a beautiful hole to look at and a huge challenge to play. When you take account of the slopes/run off from the green, the numerous bunkers, the slick surface and the strong cross wind, you are doing well to hit the surface.

The next three shots are also of the 7th. No apologies!









The approach to the 8th - an appealing dog-leg to the right, and a standout hole for having a very flat fairway.



A foursomes partners looks back as his partners tee off on the 9th. A driveable par 4 in the summer.



This shot of the 9th green gives an indication of some of the undulations you encounter at Rye.




Looking back through the 9th green gives you an idea of the Rye dunescape.


Second nine to follow....

Bob Jenkins

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2009, 05:51:26 PM »

Philip,

Thank you very much for posting those pictures. I will be there in September with some of the others going to BUDA and your pictures have raised my excitement. Really looking forward to seeing the great courses in Kent.

Bob J

George Pazin

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2009, 06:10:48 PM »
Thanks for the pics, they are much appreciated.

Donald Steel's piece on Rye in Classic Golf Links of Great Britain and Ireland put this course very high on my wish list.
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

Philip Gawith

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2009, 06:16:27 PM »
Second nine -



Looking down towards the 10th green from near the 17th. The difficulty in this hole lies in getting the approach right to a green that lacks definition (and has no bunkers).



Some rough ground just short of the 11th green. Maybe my least favourite hole. I don't lakes on my links!



The 12th takes you back into the heart of the course - this is the approach.



The 13th requires the second full blind shot of the round over the dunes. This is the green nestling out of site behind the dunes.



And this is the view back from the 14th tee.



The beautiful 14th - nestling at the foot of the dunes, including the famous sleeper hazards that look like eyebrows. A tough green to hit from 180 yards with a narrow target and strong crosswinds.



Tee shot on 16 - a classic links hole, with the lack of definition, green nowhere to be seen. Drive 10 yards right of the bunker and all is well!



A view from the right of the 17th - the most controversial hole at Rye going back many years. I am not sure it is so bad, albeit not as high class as the other three shorts.



The approach to 18 - a tough finisher. Another hard green to hit and hold.



Another view of 18 - this time from the left, or front of clubhouse.

Ideally you want to play Rye like the members - 36 holes split by lunch. It is a 2 ball course and the best mix is probably to hit your own ball before lunch and then foursomes after lunch. My previous visits had been blighted by rain and wind. This time round i got to savour some of Rye's charms and now number among its fans.


(Finally - the pictures look broader and better when I preview compared to when i post. Any suggested remedies?)



tlavin

Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2009, 06:25:20 PM »
Spectacular.  Breathtaking.

David Amarnek

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2009, 06:34:12 PM »
Philip,
Thanks for the great pictures.
I was there last summer with my brother, nephew and our wonderful host.  It was my first foursome match in the UK and
I had the drive on #4.  With the wind howling, I hit 3 wood and got lucky, landing it in the fairway.   We smoked my brother/nephew, which made it even more memorable.
Hopefully we'll get back there this fall or next year for a re-match.

Deucie Bies

Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2009, 06:36:02 PM »
Philip, was it possible to hold the sixth fairway when you played?  I was there earlier this month and watched drives land left of the fairway and roll into the right rough.  I played foursomes so I didn't hit this tee shot, but watched instead and thought it was a bit unfair, but hopefully only in the summer.

Mike Sweeney

Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2009, 08:28:11 PM »
My 13 year old is in England for 3 weeks with his Aunt and I am sweating here on the NYC subway. What the heck did I do wrong?!  ;)

Mark Bourgeois

Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2009, 09:31:18 PM »
Philip

Do not play 36 like the members - especially with the members. They will pour a jereboam's worth of claret down your throat and cleave your dignity from your person with a precision worthy of Prezza or Amy Winehouse.

And then you're off...

But no matter, a la mode Presidents Putter the winner is just primus inter pares.

Recovering,

Paul_Turner

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2009, 09:31:56 PM »
Look at those sleepers peeking through the turf...just like Castle Stuart

Philip

The new site limits the pics to about 800 pixel width after which you have to scroll to the right!  1000+ would be much better.
can't get to heaven with a three chord song

Chuck Brown

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2009, 10:34:48 PM »
Great pictures.  I must go there someday.  I've been to beautiful East Sussex but not Rye GC.  Is it still 6500 yds./Par 68?

Philip Gawith

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2009, 02:04:44 AM »
Chuck, the markers we played were 6400 yards, par 68. They have some extra length for events - they are playing the English amateur this week - but i am not sure how much.

Deucie - my partner landed his drive in the middle of the fairway, but i suspect he snuck through the left rough? I went a bit right of the pole both times and stayed in the right rough. Considering the right to left wind, it ought to be possible to stay on the fairway if you hit the right line off the tee.

Mark - the alcoholic haze of the afternoon foursomes is one of its appeals!

John Mayhugh

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2009, 02:12:25 AM »
Great pics as always, Philip. 

Bob Jenkins and I have booked a round at Rye on the Sunday prior to Buda.  Your photos make the next two months even harder to take!

John Mayhugh

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2009, 02:23:13 AM »

Philip,

Thank you very much for posting those pictures. I will be there in September with some of the others going to BUDA and your pictures have raised my excitement. Really looking forward to seeing the great courses in Kent.

Bob J

You Canadians......Rye is in East Sussex.   ;D ;)

James Boon

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #14 on: July 29, 2009, 03:57:06 AM »
Philip,

Many thanks for these pictures. We are getting a really good resource of photo essays on this site!

Now to the railway sleepers...







The ones in the pictures above (and I think there were some on the 14th as well?) aren't even a foot high? What exactly are they holding up? If I think of other times I've seen them used at say Brancaster or Westward Ho! they are much larger and holding back large faces of bunkers or dunes. Anyone know the history? Were they holding up a larger area or bunker face which has since been removed or sand blown up against and so shrunk quite a bit?

I do love the look of the railway sleepers though! As Paul Turner has mentioned with the recent thread on Castle Stuart I can see quite a bit of discussion on their use in the near future...

Cheers,

James

2023 Highlights: Hollinwell, Brora, Parkstone, Cavendish, Hallamshire, Sandmoor, Moortown, Elie, Crail, St Andrews (Himalayas & Eden), Chantilly, M, Hardelot Les Pins

"It celebrates the unadulterated pleasure of being in a dialogue with nature while knocking a ball round on foot." Richard Pennell

Scott Warren

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #15 on: July 29, 2009, 04:08:44 AM »
Thanks for the pics Philip. I'm playing Rye on September 12. Can't wait. As with Sean Arble's St Enodoc thread tantalisingly close to my trip there, this thread has whetted the appetite even further.

And now for the least helpful comment in the thread:

James,

That first pic you linked to, the three areas of sleeper short of the green looks like a face, no? Two eyes, the mound over the short bunker is the nose and the wide short bunker is the mouth! Looks kinda sleepy, like he over-indulged at lunchtime with the members and is having trouble making it through the afternoon foursomes ;D

James Boon

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #16 on: July 29, 2009, 04:25:10 AM »
Scott,

Very good! I think Philip refers to the sleepers as eyebrows at some point so a there certainly could be a face there, afterall, some people think they can see a face on mars...

 ;D

Cheers,

James
2023 Highlights: Hollinwell, Brora, Parkstone, Cavendish, Hallamshire, Sandmoor, Moortown, Elie, Crail, St Andrews (Himalayas & Eden), Chantilly, M, Hardelot Les Pins

"It celebrates the unadulterated pleasure of being in a dialogue with nature while knocking a ball round on foot." Richard Pennell

Scott Warren

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #17 on: July 29, 2009, 04:36:27 AM »
Holy shit, it's The Phantom of the Opera!

Andrew Mitchell

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #18 on: July 29, 2009, 05:06:20 AM »
Philip
Thanks for posting.  Unfortunately my office computer doesn't seem to want to load the photographs so I'll have to wait until tonight to see the delights of Rye.

Mark Pearce, Conrad Gamble & I are playing at Rye on Sunday 20th September at 1.30 as a pre BUDA warm up.  As Rye is a two ball course we are currently a two and a single.  Anyone care to join us and make up a second pair?
2014 to date: not actually played anywhere yet!
Still to come: Hollins Hall; Ripon City; Shipley; Perranporth; St Enodoc

Mike Sweeney

Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #19 on: July 29, 2009, 05:55:41 AM »

Bob Jenkins and I have booked a round at Rye on the Sunday prior to Buda. 


Mayhugh has conquered the US and now it is onto The World!  :D

I just hope to get some footnote in his book as "First Raynor Host" or similar !

BCrosby

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #20 on: July 29, 2009, 09:59:44 AM »
Thanks for the wonderful pics Philip.

I played Rye in May in a 30+ mph left to right crosswind on the 4th. It was blowing so hard on the tee that you had to fight the wind to complete your backswing. Perhaps it goes without saying, but my drive flared well right and .... eventually I picked up on the hole. We played 5, 6, and 7 in the same wind, but with the addition of sheeting rain.

After 9, we took a short break in the clubhouse to fortify ourselves with various wines and beers, and then staggered on to the 10th tee.

One of my best golf days ever and a wonderful, wonderful golf course.

Mark -

I always chuckle over Croome's translation of "primus inter pares" as "he was lucky he won".

Bob

Tony_Muldoon

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #21 on: July 29, 2009, 05:13:02 PM »
Philip,

Many thanks for these pictures. We are getting a really good resource of photo essays on this site!

Now to the railway sleepers...







The ones in the pictures above (and I think there were some on the 14th as well?) aren't even a foot high? What exactly are they holding up? If I think of other times I've seen them used at say Brancaster or Westward Ho! they are much larger and holding back large faces of bunkers or dunes. Anyone know the history? Were they holding up a larger area or bunker face which has since been removed or sand blown up against and so shrunk quite a bit?

I do love the look of the railway sleepers though! As Paul Turner has mentioned with the recent thread on Castle Stuart I can see quite a bit of discussion on their use in the near future...

Cheers,

James



James this has been discussed on here several times with no satisfactory answer.  I feel they are there to force a Chip and not a Putt, increasing the variety of shots required on this links course. Not sure if they were there from the start.

When I walked by Royal West Norfolk earlier this year I saw they have just this feature at the rear of the 18th green.
Let's make GCA grate again!

John Mayhugh

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #22 on: July 29, 2009, 05:29:07 PM »
Bob Jenkins and I have booked a round at Rye on the Sunday prior to Buda. 
Mayhugh has conquered the US and now it is onto The World!  :D

I just hope to get some footnote in his book as "First Raynor Host" or similar !

I am simply following the great example set by Bill McBride and trying to play in as many GCA "majors" as possible.  This year's location was irresistable.  I'm hoping you will make a similar commitment and show up at Palmetto this fall.

Not sure when my book will be coming out, but I've already penned a dedication "To Mike Sweeney, who introduced me to the genius of George Crump."  You're not going to make me re-write that are you?    ;D ;D ;D

Philip Gawith

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #23 on: July 29, 2009, 06:26:29 PM »
Bob, that is some wind to unsettle that silky southern swing! I had to endure two brutal visits to Rye before last week's nicer weather. You did not have the best of the English weather since you had a sodden trip round Huntercombe.

Cristian

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Re: Rye (pictures)
« Reply #24 on: July 29, 2009, 06:45:44 PM »
Great course, great pics, great designer.

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