James Braid

[Brian_Ewen]

Looks like it sure is especially since a fair amont of it looks to have blown on to the green !

This looks like a sexy course wheres its location ?

Wales.

Not that easy to see the green, but you can just about make out the flag on the ledge like green straight ahead.

[Brian_Ewen]

[Sean_A]

David,

The beach is OOB on the 4th and 5th holes at Crail Balcomie, both of which holes are left to right doglegs with the tee shot played over the beach.  I don't know why OOB rather than a hazard, though the beach is popular with walkers.  Like you, I prefer to see red stakes rather than white.

At Machrihanish, isn't the beach a hazard in normal play but OOB when they host any serious competitions?  I had heard that this was to prevent tidal timetables having an undue effect on results as many very strong players might choose to drive as far as possible down the beach and then hit a wedge up to the green from the beach.  Of course, this might be nonsense.....

Mark

For flat bellies the first is essentially a drive/wedge unless the wind is unusual - no need to sneak up the beach.

It doesn't look pretty, but here is a classic Braid par 3 using the oob to perfection at Broadway.


Ciao

[Phil McDade]

Followed by a visit to McCaig's Folly!

[Brian_Ewen]

Followed by a visit to McCaig's Folly!

Aye McDade ..... ye get aboot 

[Brian_Ewen]

This looks like a sexy course wheres its location ?

Ally
Porthmadog in Wales

[Brian_Ewen]

Have a look at Tom Wards photography of Goswick .

A Classic Braid.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/twardpress/sets/72157625205119409/with/5153928132/

[Brian_Ewen]

A favourite Braid approach of mine :

[Sean_A]

Here is a look at Porthmadog's 12th looking back to the tee and toward the 13th green (which is just off the fairway of the 12th). 


I haven't seen any evidence of P'dog being a Braid course.  Is that the suggestion?  If so, let me know why as I am interested in the history of the original nine hole course.

Ciao

[Tom MacWood]

Braid's design career began around (or before) the turn of the century and ended three or four decades later. How did his design approach and style change over the years? What were his best original designs?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Braid is credited with the design on Porthmadog's web site. There are some nice pictures on there, too. The great baritone Bryn Terfel is (or was) a member. I believe they wrote their centenary book in Welsh.

[Paul_Turner]

A favourite Braid approach of mine :

Brian

Where's that?

[Sean_A]

The general concensus is that Gleneagles Kings was Braid's best, but that was really a collaboration with Hutchison.  It is difficult to know what original even means as Braid rarely ventured onto virgin land to design a course.  Though I suspect Braid was the orginal designer of Perranporth and without a doubt Pennard - though Pennard has very likely been improved by later revisions. 

Ciao

[Tom MacWood]

Sean
Why do you think over his long design career Braid did so few original designs?

[Sean_A]

Sean
Why do you think over his long design career Braid did so few original designs?

Tommy Mac

I think there are several reasons.

1. Braid played competitive golf for a very long time.  Essentially, when Braid took on Gleneagles with Hutchison in 1914 that signaled the end of Braid's proper competitive days.  Even so, Braid played off and on for many years and made it to the final of the then very major like News Of the World in 1927!  He also always tried to qualify for the Open as well as play in exhibitions. 

2. Unfortunately, WWI coincided with Gleneagles and this made taking advantage of that design for further work very difficult - Braid was now 44. 

3. Braid was first and foremost a golfer and constantly traveled - so projects other than redos, bunker work etc were difficult to pursue. 

4. Braid had a full-time job at Walton Heath which he never gave up.

5. I don't believe Braid chased jobs like other archies did as he was essentially a one man band until he properly partnered with Stutt in 1924ish.  By then, folks like Colt were rightfully established as the top dogs and essentially, the time had passed for Braid.  As it turned out, there wasn't much left in the tank of great design for best UK designers either.  Jeepers, when guys like Dr Mac and Fowler feel they must pursue their careers abroad you know it was a tough market.

6. The Great Depression put to rest any notion of really cranking up an excellent design firm.  By now, Braid is 60.  Even the ever on the go Braid must have felt like he had a good run and it was time to settle back and enjoy life at Walton Heath...working full time!

Ciao 

[TEPaul]

I would very much like to know what they use to mow the grass around those bunkers in Post #17 and if they actually keep it that short generally.

I guess another good question would be what type of grass it is.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

One later Braid course on virgin soil was Mere (1934-5). True, George Duncan was already appointed Professional and oversaw construction in Braid's absence, but as far as is known Duncan didn't interfere with the design. Certainly, Braid returned (for the opening) and (later) to alter one short hole.

[BCrosby]

Has anyone read Darwin's book on Braid?

Bob

[Niall C]

Sean (and Tommy Mac)

Braid certainly did an awful lot of redesign work, bunker work and other one day visits and the shear volume of that tends to dwarf the original layouts of which there were many. I think the problem is identifying exactly what is original Braid and what is a redesign/bunker work. Because of his fame clubs were keen to name him architect of the course where in fact he only did redesign work.

Of the courses round Glasgow that he did the original layout (I think !!) East Ren I mentioned previously in the thread is a good/fun moorland track, Cawder is in my view the best parkland course in Glasgow and Hamilton is perhaps the best in Lanarkshire. Also around Glasgow is Crow Wood, Cowglen, Renfrew, Paisley Muni, Windyhill and Cathcart Castle (again not sure). Slightly farther afield he did Dalmahoy in Edinburgh which has its fans and Belleisle down in Ayr which is a great muni course.

With regards to Gleneagles I suspect that Hutchison gets more credit than he actually deserves but then when he was the Golf Manager for the resort its maybe not surprising.

Niall

[Sean_A]

Niall

You could be right about Hutchison, but I would guess not.  The guy had been around golf projects and architect circles and I gotta believe Braid believed the man knew what he was doing as Hutchison was left in charge to build the Gleneagles courses - which we all know entails design changes as and when.  I think the project was very likely 50-50. Its either this, or we have to say Hutchison was awfully lucky pulling good partners to work with.

Bob

Yes, I read Darwin's account of Braid.  I liked it, but not much focus (and rightfully so) was placed on architecture.  I know Tommy Mac thinks Darwin was the king of archie writing and that could be true, but he was often frightfully short with details just the same. 

Ciao

[Brian_Ewen]

Brian

Where's that?

Paul
Forfar .

Very underated heathland course, with some rig and furrow thrown in as well.

Wheesht 

[Tom MacWood]

Sean
Why do you think over his long design career Braid did so few original designs?

Tommy Mac

I think there are several reasons.

1. Braid played competitive golf for a very long time.  Essentially, when Braid took on Gleneagles with Hutchison in 1914 that signaled the end of Braid's proper competitive days.  Even so, Braid played off and on for many years and made it to the final of the then very major like News Of the World in 1927!  He also always tried to qualify for the Open as well as play in exhibitions. 

2. Unfortunately, WWI coincided with Gleneagles and this made taking advantage of that design for further work very difficult - Braid was now 44. 

3. Braid was first and foremost a golfer and constantly traveled - so projects other than redos, bunker work etc were difficult to pursue. 

4. Braid had a full-time job at Walton Heath which he never gave up.

5. I don't believe Braid chased jobs like other archies did as he was essentially a one man band until he properly partnered with Stutt in 1924ish.  By then, folks like Colt were rightfully established as the top dogs and essentially, the time had passed for Braid.  As it turned out, there wasn't much left in the tank of great design for best UK designers either.  Jeepers, when guys like Dr Mac and Fowler feel they must pursue their careers abroad you know it was a tough market.

6. The Great Depression put to rest any notion of really cranking up an excellent design firm.  By now, Braid is 60.  Even the ever on the go Braid must have felt like he had a good run and it was time to settle back and enjoy life at Walton Heath...working full time!

Ciao 

Interesting reasons and thoughts; I'm trying to think if there was anyone comparable in the UK or US. Maybe, JH Taylor and he did quite a few original designs. Willie Park, Jr.?

[Sean_A]

Tommy Mac

I would be surprised if JH did substantially more original courses than Braid.  While JH didn't keep down a full time pro job he did still do a lot of exhibitions and writing.  I don't know, but I get the impression that JH spent more time on projects than did Braid, but that may be down to having Hawtree as a design partner for many of his projects - I don't know.  Its also my impression that JH was more connected with the Colts and Fowlers in design than Braid was, possibly because of his writing.  Braid and Vardon do seem like characters off in their own separate niches from JH.  Although, I suspect Vardon was not well for long periods of time so this may be an explanation for him. 

So far as Park Jr is concerned, I have always wondered what happened to his club making business when he was hammering away at design.  Do you know?

Ciao

[RSLivingston_III]

Do we have many Braid society members amongst the members of GCA?

[Dan Moore]

Braid's work at Deal is confined to 4 holes on the flattish northern portion of the course.  The beauty, indeed genius, of these holes is often discerned only by multiple plays in different winds.  The par 3 8th is one such hole that seems fairly mundane at first, visually fairly plain, on a flat open area of land with no particular character.  However, the well bunkered green sits on a slightly raised plateau and creates an exacting target in any wind.  It is the only hole on the course that plays mostly east and maybe a little south which means this is the only time in the round you will see that wind from that direction.  Anyone who has played Deal knows how significant that is.  At 171 yards nothing less than a well judged, perfectly executed shot will suffice.