Machrihanish Dunes - article Australian Turfgrass

[Robin Doodson]

Check out the article that i wrote for Australian Turfgrass this month about Mach Dunes. be interested in peoples thoughts.

[http://drop.io/wephcqz/asset/mach-dunes-12-1-pg-44-45-pdf]

robin

ps. can someone please tell me how to create a hyperlink on this damn thing

[Tim Johnson]

Hi Robin
I have been following the Dunes on the internet since I first heard of it. I played Machrihanish in May 07 and really liked the course. Your article was an interesting read especially the part about the sheep maintaining the grass. Will they have electric wires around the greens like they do at Brora?

It should be interesting to see how people react to a course that will be a little rough around the edges, so to speak. I applaud the effort that has been taken to make it more eco friendly.

I am from Canada but I have a serious love of links golf and for me, the more natural the course the better so I think, aside from the ecological benefits, letting nature get maintain the course will actually be great for links golf.

Did you happen to go over and play The Machrie while visiting, that course is in my top 5.

Thanks for the article.
Tim

[Robin Doodson]

Hi Tim,

As far as i know they have no intention of putting up fences around the greens. there doesn't seem to be any significant damage caused by the sheep as they tend to stick to the long grass.

I have never actually made the trip to Machrie even though i grew up on the West Coast of Scotland. My uncle is a regular visitor there and speaks very highly of it. it's amazing how you don't appreciate things until you live on the other side of the world from them.

regards

robin

[Neil Regan]

Click below for Robin's article

http://drop.io/wephcqz/asset/mach-dunes-12-1-pg-44-45-pdf

[Robin Doodson]

Click below for Robin's article

http://drop.io/wephcqz/asset/mach-dunes-12-1-pg-44-45-pdf


neil,

please walk me through how you created that hyperlink.

[Brian_Ewen]

please walk me through how you created that hyperlink.

Robin

Click quote on Neils post , and you should see how it has been bracketed by [url]

[Brian Walshe]

Robin,

I played Mach Dunes the day the sheep arrived.  They were huddled up intently watching the ground staff putting in plants around the little temporary clubhouse.  My friend I was on the trip with commented that whilst the rough might get a chomp those plants wouldn't last long 

I found the fairways to be great to play off and I loved the greens.  My only concern was that with so many blind shots, the length and thickness of the rough took away some of the enjoyment.  If the sheep manage to keep the rough down then Mach Dunes is a must play.

[Robin Doodson]

Brian,

i played in november and the rough wasn't too bad, i managed to get round without losing a ball. i believe they now have 200 sheep on site so hopefully they will take care of the thick stuff. the course is also closed at the moment for 3 months to make some minor alterations including designing out some of those blind shots. i personally have no problem with blind shots as i think it's great hitting your ball into the abyss then having that anticipation whilst you walk up over the dunes to see if your ball finished in the fairway.

robin

[Neil Regan]

Money quote from Robin's article:

All plants on the fairways, whether they are
daisies, chickweed or dandelions, have value as
they provide ground cover which stops erosion on
this wind-blown site.My conclusion was that these
fairways were actually the world’s first weed-free
fairways. The fairways certainly look different to
the eye but play hard and fast with the ball lying
perfectly every time you step up to it.

Just as variable-width fairways can be and often are good GCA, so too polystand (poly-family ?) fairways can be good.

[Brian Walshe]

Robin,

I don't mind blind shots, but Mach Dunes does have a few.  As with any blind shot, once you have played the hole once or twice, you pretty much know where to go and it tends to be less of an issue.  With Mach Dunes effectively being a resort course there will be a lot of one off rounds and so blindness might be an issue.  My playing partner on the day certainly wasn't a fan.

Blindness aside, I really loved the green complexes. 

Brian

[Robin Doodson]

Money quote from Robin's article:

All plants on the fairways, whether they are
daisies, chickweed or dandelions, have value as
they provide ground cover which stops erosion on
this wind-blown site.My conclusion was that these
fairways were actually the world’s first weed-free
fairways. The fairways certainly look different to
the eye but play hard and fast with the ball lying
perfectly every time you step up to it.

good to see that you picked up on that Neil as it was the main point i was trying to make in the article. Would be nice to see a few perceptions change.
Just as variable-width fairways can be and often are good GCA, so too polystand (poly-family ?) fairways can be good.

[Tim Pitner]

Robin,

In your view, what accounts for the widely divergent views of this course?  Earlier, I recall posts saying it was terrible, mostly because the fairways were too narrow and the rough too penal.  Is it the sort of course that is polarizing or is it more because the sheep weren't out in force before and now they are? 

[Robin Doodson]

Robin,

In your view, what accounts for the widely divergent views of this course?  Earlier, I recall posts saying it was terrible, mostly because the fairways were too narrow and the rough too penal.  Is it the sort of course that is polarizing or is it more because the sheep weren't out in force before and now they are? 

Tim,

one of the main points of contention has been the blind shots on some holes. i personally don't have an issue with this but i did have the benefit of playing with the course manager when i was there so he was a pretty handy tour guide and kept me on the right line. There are currently some modifications being carried out to rectify a few of the blind tee shots. The sheep do seem to be making a difference in keeping the rough under control. i managed to get round with the same ball as i started on a day that was blowing up to 50mph. Conditioning of the fairways has been another talking point but as i mentioned in my article there is little or nothing that can be done about the make up of the turf so we may as well embrace it. All i can say is that i enjoyed it a lot and can't wait to go back. i play all of my golf on resort style courses and it really does nothing for me.

robin

[Neil Regan]

Robin,

  There are numerous blind shots at (old) Machrihanish, too. But they are not at all irritating, because they are not blind shots to a potentially lost ball. That is to say, your (blind) target is well enough defined that you know you will find your ball if you keep your shot within a certain width. For example, the tee shot on #3 follows the fairway over a ridge, but you know that if your ball is within the fairway width as it disappears, it will be fine.

  This in in contrast to many other courses with blind shots. I know a hole on a well-known course that has a blind tee shot over a hill shaped so that your ball may bounce right into gunk or left into marsh, and half the time you won't really have a clue as to which side to search. This same hole doubles this irritation with a blind second shot which might bounce into the marsh or might just as possibly be lost forever in one of several Cousin Its in the landing zone. Thus your only rules-complying option for a lost ball is a walk back.

  Which type would you say that the blind shots at Machrihanish Dunes more resemble ?

[Robin Doodson]

Robin,

  There are numerous blind shots at (old) Machrihanish, too. But they are not at all irritating, because they are not blind shots to a potentially lost ball. That is to say, your (blind) target is well enough defined that you know you will find your ball if you keep your shot within a certain width. For example, the tee shot on #3 follows the fairway over a ridge, but you know that if your ball is within the fairway width as it disappears, it will be fine.

  This in in contrast to many other courses with blind shots. I know a hole on a well-known course that has a blind tee shot over a hill shaped so that your ball may bounce right into gunk or left into marsh, and half the time you won't really have a clue as to which side to search. This same hole doubles this irritation with a blind second shot which might bounce into the marsh or might just as possibly be lost forever in one of several Cousin Its in the landing zone. Thus your only rules-complying option for a lost ball is a walk back.

  Which type would you say that the blind shots at Machrihanish Dunes more resemble ?



there are no cousin its in the middle of the fairways and actually very few bunkers in landing zones. the trick is to start the ball on line and keep it moving in the right direction to guard against running out of fairway (easier said than done).  there is no doubt that a little previous knowledge would be of great help when playing the course. but this could also be said for the old course (st.andrews) which is filled with hidden hazards and is played by more one-timers than any other course in the world. i grew up playing my golf on the west coast of scotland and most of the inland parkland courses would have half a dozen blind driving holes where you needed to be aware of the hazards hidden over the hill. i feel it makes you play the game more with your imagination and actually helps in visualising the shot that you are trying to play which is what any good coach would tell you do. is it possible that blind holes could actually be a teaching aid?
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