[John Foley]

The term that I keep coming back to when I think about Bayonne is first of all it is an incredible engineering marvel.



This barren area was a flat site, 10 feet off the water level with no obvious features. Seven years and 7.5M Cu Ft of fill (mixed w/ cement) sculpted to provide it’s members with a wonderful canvas. The final product is just astonishing.

We now have a site w/a massive clubhouse standing guard over a wonderfully challenging, difficult (but very fair) and spectacular course. To think that Eric Bergstol had the chops to look at this site and say I can develop this place on this site and make it happens is just truly astounding.

From a course standpoint, the overall massive shaping bothered me early one. I felt like I was being hidden from the outside world. Maybe that is what we needed, but the first & 10th hole was a little disorienting. I could have dealt with a little more views of the gas tanks and some smaller faux dunes.

Positives

Green shaping / details & bunker tie-ins we’re very very good
Width (to deal with the wind) is very good.
Routing & shop variety

Negatives

Not many
Massive shaping on the ist & 10th seemed a little much.

2nd hole view from green back towards the end of the fw



2nd hole green from the 9th tee (8th fw in foreground)



3rd hole – very nive semi redan-ish par 3





4th hole view from fw back to the tee.



4th hole from landing area



4th hole green



6th fw



6th green



8th green site – great par 5 tumbling down to the waterfront.



9th fw / 8th fw / 2nd fw w/ 2nd green in the distance



9th hole tee shot





9th fw & stuff



10th green – absolutely huge rumpled green



12th hole tee shot



12th hole green - great little nothc of a bunker on the right



13th hole approach



14th tee shoot – long par 3



14th green – raised / exposed w/ great closely mown short area all around



15th tee shot



15th green





16th tee shot



16th green in the distance







17th from the tips – don’t know who or when anyone every plays from there



17th approach



The ubiquitous view of the Clubhouse



As someone who hasn’t seen a lot of great places (though a few) I would highly recommend Bayonne. It’s fun , fair and a great test.

Everyone looking for more should check out the great web site with some very cool hole flyovers.

http://www.bayonnegolfclub.com/

[Sean Leary]

Do these dunes look any more natural than the ones at Whistling Straits? Look similar to me...

[Richard Choi]

The fescue area looks brutal. What are the odds of finding your balls there?

[Kenny Baer]

The fact that this site was completely flat is almost impossible to believe after looking at the pictures; it is AMAZING what they did.  How can you not at the very least marvel at the creativity involved in being able to envision and then carry out that vision.  Wow!

[George Freeman]

Do these dunes look any more natural than the ones at Whistling Straits? Look similar to me...

Never seen the course, but from these pics I would say the Bayonne mock dunes look quite a bit more natural and less choppy/manufactured than the dunes at Whistling Straits (once again, judging by pictures).  But that is  just my opinion.

Thanks for the great pics John!

[Patrick_Mucci]

John Foley,

Thanks for the picture tour.

As stated, when you consider that the entire site was 10" ASL, Bayonne is a modern marvel in the world of golf.

What Eric did is quite remarkable by any standard.


And, the views of that clubhouse, and most importantly, that majestic American Flag, seen from almost everywhere on the golf course, reminds us of how lucky we are to be in America and playing at Bayonne.
It's quite inspirational.

The majestic American flag, which is so huge that the flag pole had to be seated 70' below the surface to counter the stress forces applied by the winds, also serves as a great wind indicator as some of the winds can shift amongst the dunes, in their nooks and crannies.

The view from the 16th green, back up the hill, to the clubhouse and majestic American flag is spectacular, and so unusual that you'd never believe you're within 500 miles of Bayonne, NJ.

Thanks for the photo essay.

 

Are you sure that the pictures are properly labeled ?
I thought you were refering to # 4 where it's labeled # 3.

[Mike Sweeney]

One is in Orlando:




One is in Paris:




One is in Philly:



One is in Paris:



One is in Ireland:



One is in Jersey



I have not played Bayonne but I am not convinced based on what I see. Would it be a Top 10 in Ireland ? Top 20?

I know, I know that is not the point but maybe it should be?

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mike,

Are you talking about the views from the golf course or the golf course ?

[John Foley]

The fescue area looks brutal. What are the odds of finding your balls there?

Richard - for the miost part it was pretty playable - few spots where it was tough one of them being the left side on # 9

John Foley,


Are you sure that the pictures are properly labeled ?
I thought you were refering to # 4 where it's labeled # 3.

OOPS - had the routing wrong - I will change the pics - thanks for the catch

[Mike Sweeney]

Mike,

Are you talking about the views from the golf course or the golf course ?

Both. Again have not played it and I do appreciate the concept. No interest in playing Shadow Creek either.

By the way I really like Archie's course.

[John Foley]

I have not played Bayonne but I am not convinced based on what I see. Would it be a Top 10 in Ireland ? Top 20?

I know, I know that is not the point but maybe it should be?

Mike - I have not been to Ireland so I can not comment.  

The one thing I do know Bayonne is a tremendous course with as much strategy / a strong test / fun - as I have played in a while.

Nothing against Twisted Dune - but I prefered Bayonne.

You should get out and do some field work!!

[Mike Sweeney]

You should get out and do some field work!!

Thanks Matt!! 

By the way, The Orchards is right off I-90 on Saturday.

[John Foley]

You should get out and do some field work!!

Thanks Matt!! 

By the way, The Orchards is right off I-90 on Saturday.

Ouch!!!

I saw that - I will be driving right by there on Sunday heading w/ the familly (clubs will be remaining home ) so Saturday will not work. It does look like a good time though.

[Tim Gavrich]

How long is the 14th hole?  Does the steep upslope short of the green keep the player from running the ball up?  If so, are front pins accessible?

Just curious.  Cheers.

[John Foley]

Tim,

14 is very steeply downhil. 202 yards from the blues. No one in our group tried to run the ball up. I think it's possible, but it would be very tough

[Tim Gavrich]

Tim,

14 is very steeply downhil. 202 yards from the blues. No one in our group tried to run the ball up. I think it's possible, but it would be very tough

Thanks for the response.  I'm a big fan of the idea to put that gigantic American flag by the clubhouse, by the way.  A course--a project--like Bayonne GC does seem so thoroughly American in a good way: taking a place that is forbidding and thought relatively useless and making something of it that is unexpected and, evidently, very enjoyable.  The contrast between the clear artifice of the industry across the water and the artifice of the physical golf course is fascinating.

[Matt_Ward]

John:

Well said and thanks for the pics -- the course is plenty of fun and the daily wind patterns keep things from getting boring.

More than just an "engineering" marvel -- Bayonne has plenty of stellar holes that require clear execution and thought.

For all the hype and talk that Shadow Creek gets -- the process to get Bayonne started and seen through completion is second to none.

[Mark McKeever]

John,

Thanks for the photos.  What is the carry from that optional tee on 17 to the fairway if you had to guess?  The place looks pretty challenging and it looks like i may need a few extra golf balls in the bag.

Mark

[Matt_Ward]

Mark:

The 17th plays about 490 yards - anyone even remotely thinking about the tip tees needs to have some serious firepower with the driver. Not only is the hole long but the carry is quite intimidating when you stand on the small ledge of a tee box that is the tip tee.

For most people such a shot would require more than a few "extra golf balls" -- likely a large bucket would suffice.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Matt Ward,

The putting surfaces at Bayonne are vastly superior to those at Shadow Creek.

Eric created those greens with plenty of contour and/or slope.

He did a masterful job.

[Mark McKeever]

Mark:

The 17th plays about 490 yards - anyone even remotely thinking about the tip tees needs to have some serious firepower with the driver. Not only is the hole long but the carry is quite intimidating when you stand on the small ledge of a tee box that is the tip tee.

For most people such a shot would require more than a few "extra golf balls" -- likely a large bucket would suffice.

Thanks Matt.  It looks like its a poke and a half to clear all that junk.

Mark

[Matt_Ward]

Mark:

Most people do what John said -- they play a more subdued angle for the tee shot from pads that are located down the right side. The back tee is not for novices or anyone more than a 3 handicap.

What's amazing is so different and challenging the final three (3) holes are -- all par-4 holes.

[Mark McKeever]

I feel like if I played there I would tee one up from back there just for fun.

Mark

[John Ronalter]

John,

Great photos!

Did you get a chance to use the short game practice area?  The photos of it on the website make it look awesome.

[Ajay Yadav]

Bayonne is a marvel of engineering - from that perspective, end product is stunning.

As a golf course, it's good, but has drawbacks.

The fescue/ rough can be equivalent to a lost ball on  few occasions (tough to find the ball) -  a major drawback. The mounds are used to isolate the holes (needed to the limited acreage)

From a links golf perspective, quite a few of the greens require an aerial approach, running the ball is not an option.

A good, but not great course.   I do feel that a lot of the comments get colored by the marvel of engineering than the architecture of the course.

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