BARNBOUGLE LOST FARM: A hole-by-hole pictorial!!! (20th hole posted)

[Kyle Henderson]

Barnbougle Lost Farm sits on property of a markedly disparate character to its sister course, Barnbougle Dunes, even though the two are separated by little more than a river crossing along the shore of Anderson Bay (seen through the tunnel adjacent to Lost Farm’s 18th green)



Lost Farm also deviates from its sibling in having much wider and often flatter fairways, 20 holes (!!!) and a restaurant that sits 100 feet above the sea.


1st Hole, 467 meters, par 5
The opening tee shot offers a wide swath of fairway to encourage confident swings, but those willing to challenge the left bunker can bring the green within reach.


Par is still attainable for those that find the bunker, but birdies are unlikely.


Second shots that cannot reach the green will do well to travel far and left past the bunker in the foreground, leaving a simple approach.


This back/right hole location is well protected. Good luck stopping a shot near the pin from the greenside bunker.

[Tom_Doak]

Kyle:

Your photos of the first hole don't do justice to how difficult the tee shot feels into a strong prevailing wind, nor to the size of the green -- which is very small.  As an opening hole, I liked this one very much.  Into the wind, it gives you plenty of room to fidn your ball and hit it again, and downwind, getting on in two would never be easy because of the size of the green and the right front bunker which guards it.

[Kyle Henderson]

It was quite calm on the day I played Lost Farm, but your description sounds plausible.

I'm not really sure how I would go about taking photos that do justice to the influences of wind, especially given that I was shooting in broad day light between playing shots in a competitive match. Flat holes such as this tend to come across as being rather bland in photos, since it is so hard to offer perspective -- by the time I was close enough to shoot the contours of the green, I was too close to capture its shape.

I promise you the pics will get more interesting at the 3rd, even sans wind dipictions.

It is interesting to note that Friar's Head features similar potato farm terrain adjacent to seaside dunes, yet the holes here seem distinct, despite the similarities in shaping. I should also note that Friar's Head is even more difficult to photograph, as it is against club policy.

Kyle:

Your photos of the first hole don't do justice to how difficult the tee shot feels into a strong prevailing wind, nor to the size of the green -- which is very small.  As an opening hole, I liked this one very much.  Into the wind, it gives you plenty of room to fidn your ball and hit it again, and downwind, getting on in two would never be easy because of the size of the green and the right front bunker which guards it.

[Patrick Kiser]

I think I've said this before, but I notice how C&C will let you work into the round.  That's not to say the 1st and/or 2nd holes will be pushovers.  They just don't seem to beat you up out of the gate should you screw up.

No different here at Lost Farm.  There's an opportunity to play your way into the round it seems and that's appreciated from my standpoint.  Especially if there's no range time to warm up.

One thing I noticed at LF on the 1st is it's a fine line between the aggressive vs. the conservative line off the tee.  By aggressive / conservative, I don't mean to the extreme end of the spectrum here.  Drove comfortably the 1st round to only find my ball run through to the fairway bunker on the right.  The recovery was pretty straightforward and you can still score as Kyle mentions.  The 2nd round I took a slightly more aggressive line towards the left fairway bunker and barely cleared it.  The same kind of thing happens on the 5th for the margin between aggressive / conservative.  Did anyone feel this way?

Agreed we probably didn't experience this to the fullest with nay wind.  Same happens on the 16th I'll guess.

[Michael Whitaker]

Guys, the elevated tee and wide fairway make for a less than stressful beginning. LF was a very pleasant walk and this hole sets the tone for the day. 

[David_Elvins]

I really liked this hole.

The ground had some nice contour, the tee shot worked well for a first shot of the round, the bunkers were all perfectly placed in a way that made the angles work really well, and the green sat nicely.

the best of the holes on the 'flat land' IMO. 

[Kevin Pallier]

I agree with David - this is a very good hole particularly as an opener. Fantastic placement of bunkers.

On my second round I landed in the front left fairway trap and still could hit an easy 5I out of it. The size and lack of depth in the green is also a real plus for mine.

[Brett_Morrissy]

Kyle, straight back into it mate - admire your commitment - well done.
Again, I agree that is a charming opening hole, not too long, plenty of width, best line to the access the green is from the furthest left sides of the fairway - my favorite part of this hole ( with similar type shot on 10) was the opportunity to hit an agressive approach shot for 2 or perhaps 3 into the wind, down the left of the green even past pin high without fear of penalty and taking the deep green side bunker out of the equation.
I also liked the long black tee in front of the new clubhouse  - just to confirm - the building at the top of the dune is the restuarant, the building at the back of hole 20 will be the clubhouse, retail, bar, casual food.

[Kyle Henderson]

At 309 meters from the tips, the 2nd hole is a very short, wide par 4. The direct route to the green is down the very left edge of the fairway (the flag seen above on the right is for the17th hole).


With the prevailing wind coming in from the left, bold players can aim over the port-side marram grasses and let the air current bring their ball back into play. The conservative play is further right.


Viewed from the right/center fairway, these two central fairway bunkers must be factored into one’s choice of line when playing conservatively.


As seen from short and right, the 2nd green is defended by a bunker to starboard, giving an advantage to those able to keep their tee shots left.


This vantage point is from the 17th green, looking across the 3rd tee to the 2nd green.

[Patrick Kiser]

On this 2nd, straight down the middle seemed to work pretty well.

The approach is kind of cool.  Big green, but somewhat shallow.  You don't really want to go long here.  You can definitely go wide.

Luckily I did not end up to the left of the green, but that area appears to have some fun recovery shots.  There's a slight break / swale between this left area and the green that could steer your ball either way if you're not too careful on your approach.  I almost wish that left side could be used as a divided green option, but I think it makes the conservative shot off the tee to the right too appealing perhaps and too easy?

Anyway, those with the long ball can give it a go I'd think if there's no prevailing wind as the ball should run right on.

After this hole, you feel ready for what lies ahead.

[Sven Nilsen]

To me this hole is all about strategy based on the day's pin.  The green is essentially three conjoined areas from side to side, with the lower left side being separated from the middle by a small ridge.  There is a hill that runs from the back of the green that serves to separate the right and the middle.  With a left pin, the play is definitely to the left (shortening the hole and taking the ridge out of play), and a drive to the right sets you up nicely for a right pin (although a shot from the left to a back right pin leaves a good angle to play down the width of the green).  When the pin is in the middle, its pick your poison, either challenge the fairway bunkers for a shorter shot in or play to either side or short of the bunkers to ensure a a shot from the fairway.  With the wind predominantly into your face, the narrow run down the left is particularly daunting, although it takes a big tee ball to reach the second of the two fairway bunkers which is in direct line to the left side of the green.  

I really liked this hole.  For a flat setting there was a ton going on.

[James Bennett]

To me this hole is all about strategy based on the day's pin.  The green is essentially three conjoined areas from side to side, with the lower left side being separated from the middle by a small ridge.  There is a hill that runs from the back of the green that serves to separate the right and the middle.  With a left pin, the play is definitely to the left (shortening the hole and taking the ridge out of play), and a drive to the right sets you up nicely for a right pin (although a shot from the left to a back right pin leaves a good angle to play down the width of the green).  When the pin is in the middle, its pick your poison, either challenge the fairway bunkers for a shorter shot in or play to either side or short of the bunkers to ensure a a shot from the fairway.  With the wind predominantly into your face, the narrow run down the left is particularly daunting, although it takes a big tee ball to reach the second of the two fairway bunkers is in direct line to the left side of the green. 

I really liked this hole.  For a flat setting there was a ton going on.

Sven has it sorted pretty well. 

Terry and I played after Boomerang to a left hand pin, and coming from centre or right was difficult to get near the pin (the ridge made a downhill slope that had to be traversed), whereas left was easier and allowed some use of the ridge to your advantadge if you were a little right.

The ridge is a subtle penalty, not severe, which is perhaps in keeping with the second hole on a resort course.

When I played in November into a strong westerly, it was quite a fearsome hole.  At the Boomerang, the weather was more benign, and so the hole can look quite easy.

James B

[Tom_Doak]

I thought the second green was fascinating ... it reminded me instantly of some of the greens on The Old Course at St. Andrews, like it was just sitting on the ground that way the whole time.  I asked Bill Coore what he had done there to shape the green, and he said it was pretty much like that all along, that they really didn't shape it much at all.

I don't think anyone would identify it as one of the best holes on the course, but it is neat to encounter a hole like it, and it certainly adds variety to the course.

[Scott Warren]

Tom D:

I thought the second green was fascinating ... it reminded me instantly of some of the greens on The Old Course at St. Andrews

Likewise. It struck me a week or two after playing BLF that it was more like The Old Course than any other links I have played and the second green was such a big part of that.

[Tom_Doak]

Scott:

I really didn't think the rest of the course was much like St. Andrews at all ... but then again, people have made the same comparisons between Old Macdonald and The Old Course, and I really don't see that, either.  All three of them are wide and a lot of the green fronts are open, but neither Lost Farm nor Old Macdonald really give you scope for the running approach on half as many holes as St. Andrews does.

[David_Elvins]

my innitial impression of the second hole is that it is a bit of a dumb blonde. 

I like the hole, the green is cool, and the bunkers are in such great position with the tee shot.  For a flat site it looks like a really cool hole. 

But I don't think it all works together well enough to bamboozle a player the way it should.  Whilst the tee shot looks like it has options, I really can't see any advatnage in taking one more than the other,.  Even the time I put it in the bunker, it was a pretty easy wedge to the green. It would be really hard to find a position in the (left) bunker where the green couldnt be easily hit.   Maybe with the pin on the left side of the green, there is an advantage in going left off the tee, but otherwise just blast away, wedge in and away you go. 

Maybe a bit more wind would make the approach harder but this would be balanced by making the drive easier. 

I reserve final judgement until I have played it a few more times with different winds and pin positions but at the moment I reckon it is a hole that the archie buffs will love the first few times around but tire of over time. 

[Mark_F]

Even the time I put it in the bunker, it was a pretty easy wedge to the green. It would be really hard to find a position in the (left) bunker where the green couldnt be easily hit.   Maybe with the pin on the left side of the green, there is an advantage in going left off the tee, but otherwise just blast away, wedge in and away you go. 

It's a nice hole, but it feels like it should be 40 or 50 yards longer.  Maybe that way the shallowness of the green and the ridge within it would exert more influence.

[Bill Brightly]

I really like the first hole, I think is is as good a first hole as you will find because it is a perfect "introduction" to the round you are about to play. I first played this Thursday afternoon (the day Kyle spent in the airport ) in a 3-4 club wind. And while the wind eventually beat me down that day, in retrospect (time heals all wounds...), I think this was a great way to play my introductory round at Lost Farm because you can see that Bill Coore gave the player great width for just such days. It is almost as if the architect is saying: " I know, I know, the wind can be brutal, but look at how much room I am giving you to work width! Play smart conservative golf and you'll get around the course just fine."

Although the wind is in your face on the first hole, being a slight dogleg you really have about 100 yards of width to work with. Only an over aggressive line with a hook will get you in trouble. I hit really good drives and perfectly positioned 5 woods on all three rounds here, and made only one par. That is because I left myself with half with 3 half wedges off tight lies to a small, hard, and fast green. So here too the architect is saying: "Even though you've hit good full shots, you better be able to control the roll of your ball today if you expect to score well on this course." On a typical parkland course, I would have sand wedge in hand and fired at the pin, expecting at least one or two birdies and never worse than par. But when my first wedge hit near the (front) pin and rolled to the back of the green, I was quickly reminded that this is links golf. So the next two times I resorted to bump and run shots, leaving one short and the other rolled past the hole and off the green. Welcome to Lost Farm.

[Matthew Delahunty]

I agreed with Bill.  The other I like about 1 is that it gives you plenty of room to play left on the second shot if you don't think you can go direct at the green, but position becomes all important.  The green slopes from left to right so the golfer must make a decision whether to try to play close to the green, or play wide left and short, or wide left and long.  Pin position and the wind on the day will dictate where you want to hit to with your second and what type of shot (air or ground) you play for your third.

[Bill Brightly]

my innitial impression of the second hole is that it is a bit of a dumb blonde.  

I like the hole, the green is cool, and the bunkers are in such great position with the tee shot.  For a flat site it looks like a really cool hole.  

But I don't think it all works together well enough to bamboozle a player the way it should.  Whilst the tee shot looks like it has options, I really can't see any advatnage in taking one more than the other,.  Even the time I put it in the bunker, it was a pretty easy wedge to the green. It would be really hard to find a position in the (left) bunker where the green couldnt be easily hit.   Maybe with the pin on the left side of the green, there is an advantage in going left off the tee, but otherwise just blast away, wedge in and away you go.  

Maybe a bit more wind would make the approach harder but this would be balanced by making the drive easier.  

I reserve final judgement until I have played it a few more times with different winds and pin positions but at the moment I reckon it is a hole that the archie buffs will love the first few times around but tire of over time.  

David,

Taken on its own, perhaps you would not call this a great hole. However, I think you need to place this hole in context and keep in mind the very challenging holes that will soon follow in the round. I think it is appropriate that the second hole be a bit of a breather, even a real birdie hole for the better players, a place to "put one in the bank" because you wiill surely need it later. As a fan of central hazards, I really like the tee shot because  I think long left is a better angle to attack center and right pins, but the prevailing wind in your face requires that you have a good knowledge of how far you can carry the ball in the air. And while you can easily avoid this hazard by playing wide right, this will add 10 to 30 yards to your approach shot to the green, decreasing your acfuracy when you play your second shot.

[Kyle Henderson]

Even the time I put it in the bunker, it was a pretty easy wedge to the green. It would be really hard to find a position in the (left) bunker where the green couldnt be easily hit.   Maybe with the pin on the left side of the green, there is an advantage in going left off the tee, but otherwise just blast away, wedge in and away you go. 

It's a nice hole, but it feels like it should be 40 or 50 yards longer.  Maybe that way the shallowness of the green and the ridge within it would exert more influence.

When the wind blows, I'll bet it plays 50 yards longer. I find the hole is great for match play, where a 4 may not be good enough for a half.

Generally speaking, I think Lost Farm is a great place for a Ballyneal-style matchplay round, as I enjoyed with Derek, Brett, and Tyler. Winners chose the next teeing ground. Best of all, we often chose ground not marked (or intended) for use as a tee box *(e.g. just off the edge of the previous green).

[David_Elvins]

David,

Taken on its own, perhaps you would not call this a great hole. However, I think you need to place this hole in context and keep in mind the very challenging holes that will soon follow in the round. I think it is appropriate that the second hole be a bit of a breather, even a real birdie hole for the better players, a place to "put one in the bank" because you wiill surely need it later. As a fan of central hazards, I really like the tee shot because  I think long left is a better angle to attack center and right pins, but the prevailing wind in your face requires that you have a good knowledge of how far you can carry the ball in the air. And while you can easily avoid this hazard by playing wide right, this will add 10 to 30 yards to your approach shot to the green, decreasing your acfuracy when you play your second shot.

Bill,

I pretty much agree with most of your post.  I would never criticise a hole for being easy but I will if the shots don't seem interesting. 

On the 2nd, I am playing down the left every time.  Into the wind, the bunker on this side doesn't really even come into play.  Without wind, I am probably laying up short of it or hitting driver and not worrying about it (it is a very shallow hazard). 

My suspecion is that with time the shots on this hole will not hold as much interest as they should. 

[Bill Brightly]

David,

I see your point, and agree that once you have found the fairway, the second shot is rather straightforward. But I seem to recall that when you go left you have much less room than right, and you bring the marrum grass into play if you go too far left. Obviously, you are a far better driver of the ball than I am

[John Mayhugh]

I thought the second green was fascinating ... it reminded me instantly of some of the greens on The Old Course at St. Andrews, like it was just sitting on the ground that way the whole time.  I asked Bill Coore what he had done there to shape the green, and he said it was pretty much like that all along, that they really didn't shape it much at all.

Another look at the green.  Sure looks like they just started mowing.



Kyle,
Sorry not to contribute more on these great threads. You're moving too fast for me to keep up!

[David_Elvins]

David,

I see your point, and agree that once you have found the fairway, the second shot is rather straightforward. But I seem to recall that when you go left you have much less room than right, and you bring the marrum grass into play if you go too far left. Obviously, you are a far better driver of the ball than I am

Our one round together should be enough evidence that this is not the case! 

Left of the bunker is a bit tight but being right of the bunker is still on the left half of the fairway!  There is 'going left' and 'going left' i suppose. 

All the fairway out to the right and the right fairway bunker give the allusion that there are more options off the tee than there are, IMO