Tom,
This is the maximum potential distance we can get out of this layout - there will be several tees to accomodate all levels of golfers. There are many courses which do not accomodate the serious + advanced golfer.
The aim is to attract golfers all around the world not just for the Bulgarians (which is a developing world in golf terms) The weather here is warm in the summer. There are hotels and apartments planned to cater for tourists/visitors
Also why is Renaissance Club and Sebonack over 7400 yards?? not everyone can play to that distance.
Cheers
Ben
Ben:
The Renaissance Club is 7400 yards because the owners are well connected with the US PGA Tour and at one point had a deal to host one of the American Express / World Golf Championship events. Unfortunately a permitting delay busted that deal. Sebonack is 7400 yards because my two co designers Nicklaus and Pascucci insisted. I would not have chosen to make it that long myself.
I thought your response was pretty weak. The "serious and advanced golfer" enjoys challenges other than length, and 99%of paying visitors are unlikely to play at anywhere near that length.
I will wager that 3 out of 5 courses in Bulgaria are already 7300 yards, because other modern designers are just as carried away as you are. These courses will likely sit half empty for years to come because they intimidate and frustrate the potential local golfers. And 7300 rads is also hard to justify on sustainable grounds. I am not blaming you for starting this insanity, but I would hope that some young architects would help fight the problem instead of exacerbating it. Bulgaria deserves better.
Tom,
As I have explained through the thread – not directly to your question. 7300 yards is the most we can get out of the site not necessarily the playing yardage.
I have to argue against your comment about modern designers getting carried away by 7000 yard plus courses, it’s a bit unfair – blame Robert Trent Jones he started all this fuss! Then followed by RTJ 2, Rees, Nicklaus, Fazio etc. You can’t really blame young architect getting carried away – this has been the trend for many years now and people tend to follow it. Having a course over 7000 yards is also a marketing gimmick to attract buyers.
The skill gap between the top player and the beginner has increased therefore the distances between front and back tees have increased.
My ideal yardage is 6900 yard range. Rutland Water, the course I designed is just a shade over 6800 yards , Greetham the other one I worked on, increasing it form 27 holes to 36 and both courses is just under 6800 and 5700. I am not trying to be a gung ho young architect – I would love to create a 5800 yard course which Adrian has created recently, the Stranahan, at the Players Club which is a lot of fun for a social game and birdie galore!!.
Adrian’s main vision for the Bulgaria site is to create a course here in the 6800 yard range with 6100 yard shorter tees initially with holes that are fun to play and creating room for any potential future lengthening which a lot of course architects lack that sort of vision. This aims to cater as many golfers as possible from an advanced golfer (pro/top amateur) to a beginner. We aim to give the golfer a choice of tees rather than allow them to play on one.
It sounds that your game is not long and that you tend to dislike long courses why punish the longer hitter because it is an incredible skill to have that others don’t - the world no.1 golfer (apart from Faldo and Langer) has generally been a long hitter as well as a large armoury in their bag – irons, short game, putting, clubs etc. I hate dogleg rights as I tend to hit a draw but I have still put them in my design and also it will help me to strengthen my weakness. Most golfers I know up to handicap of 5 would prefer to play long courses as they will gain advantage over the weaker golfer.
The longer holes on this plan play downhill which means it will play shorter than its actual yardage - 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17
Cheers
Ben