[Michael Dugger]

Does anyone have any information or images of the new holes yet?

How good does this course become with the addition of these spectacular new holes?

[Tom_Doak]

It will be better.

My understanding is that they've had a very tough grow-in, and they might have to come back and sod large portions of the new tenth hole along the clifftops in the spring.  The new par-3 holes have fared much better.  The new routing won't open officially until 2013 ... we have to build a couple of tees and change the fairway of the current 12th hole late next summer ... but the holes we built last fall should be looking ready for their close-up by mid-summer.

[Sean Walsh]

Tom,

From memory it was a pretty big drop in elevation down to those holes.  Any concerns about how tough the walk becomes? Was the quality of the three holes worth just about any price?

 

[Tom_Doak]

Sean:

It's a bit of a hike back up the hill after you play the new #10, though you'll probably get a bit of a breather at the top if there's a group in front on the new par-3 11th.  But I can't imagine too many people will be complaining about the walk after playing the new tenth.  And the rest of course is pretty flat, so it's not like the one climb is going to kill you.  I'd guess it's not any further than going up the hill for #7 at Dornoch.

[Eric Smith]

Here's a link to Fife-based photographer Mark Alexander's website with a few pics of the new holes.

http://www.markalexanderphotography.co.uk/Renewholes/

[Bill_McBride]

Sean:

It's a bit of a hike back up the hill after you play the new #10, though you'll probably get a bit of a breather at the top if there's a group in front on the new par-3 11th.  But I can't imagine too many people will be complaining about the walk after playing the new tenth.  And the rest of course is pretty flat, so it's not like the one climb is going to kill you.  I'd guess it's not any further than going up the hill for #7 at Dornoch.

Ha ha, there are benches along that hike to #7 Dornoch for a reason!

Better question, how do the new holes fit in with the original holes we had the pleasure of walking with you in 2007?

[Benny Hillard]

I really like the new 10th great looking hole!
When I was there the slope on the right of the green was being shaped and looked like heaps of fun. But perhaps it may be grown in as rough?

I will miss the current second hole, thought it was really nice three!

[Ally Mcintosh]

Sean:

It's a bit of a hike back up the hill after you play the new #10, though you'll probably get a bit of a breather at the top if there's a group in front on the new par-3 11th.  But I can't imagine too many people will be complaining about the walk after playing the new tenth.  And the rest of course is pretty flat, so it's not like the one climb is going to kill you.  I'd guess it's not any further than going up the hill for #7 at Dornoch.

Hi Tom,

From the above, the routing may have changed again from the first two configurations I knew of...

Is it current 11th (as new 8th), then new par-3 9th towards the cliff / sea, then new par-4 10th along the sea edge... Then par-3 11th?.... I thought this was a 4 going back down towards the current 12th tees and then you were combining 12 and 13 from 12th tees to current 13th greensite?... finally new par-3 after current 15th and 16th extended to par-5?... I presume the new 11th does the same job but just as a par-3 rather than a 4?

Another top notch course with five par-3's... five par-3's is the new black...

Looking forward to finally seeing them in the ground anyway...

[Tom_Doak]

Ally:

You have the new 9th and 10th correct, although the new 9th hugs closer to the original course than what we were originally thinking ... the green is just on the other side of the wall from the old 12th fairway.  That leaves a 150-yard walk back to the men's tee and back tee on #10 ... unavoidable due to environmental issues [mosses and lichens that had to be preserved].

So, there's not enough room for the par-4 we'd originally envisioned going back down the hill from #12 green.  Instead, we built a drop-shot par-3 with the green in a little pocket up against the wall, just on the other side of the trees that were on the left side of the old 12th fairway.  It's a cool little hole, that won't be little when the prevailing wind is blowing.

After that, you go out to the old 12th fairway and play a par-4 to the old 13th green.  That transition worked out a lot better than I first thought it would.

[Niall Hay]

Here's a link to Fife-based photographer Mark Alexander's website with a few pics of the new holes.

http://www.markalexanderphotography.co.uk/Renewholes/

so the new holes are labeled "Re: new holes" on that site?

[Simon Holt]

There are cool construction pics and some words from George Peper on our website.

Link below.

http://www.trcaa.com/the_course/the_new_holes/


We also have a pretty cool course tour section in the Course tab. 

[Simon Holt]

As you can see from the pics on our website the 9th has the backdrop of the water, the 10th is as good as it looks, and then the 11th will be the sleeper hole that no one talks about but is actually very cool in it's own rite.

The views at every part of the new 3 hole stretch will be incredible.  The walk back to the top is not that bad at all now the path is in.

All the holes bar the new 10th have a good amount of grass on already.  We seeded everything but just after that we had the spell of ridiculous wind.  Its very exposed out there so we will seed again in the Spring and maybe sod.  Our owner is now cursing himself for not sodding but the super wants to seed.  We have waiting this long I dont mind waiting a little longer but its not my course!

The clubhouse will be finished by the end of the year too.  We have had a great winter so it has really jumped out of the ground- I have been away in the US for a month and there is now a huge structure there.

S

[Ally Mcintosh]

Thanks for you reply Tom... and Simon - thanks for the photos...

I see now what will be a really cool little feature with the two par-3 greens seperated by the wall... 9th will be hanging I guess?... If I remember rightly, when I first saw the site, the 9th green (or 11th as it originally was) looked like it was going to be backed by a rock formation out in the water...

[Tom_Doak]

Thanks for you reply Tom... and Simon - thanks for the photos...

I see now what will be a really cool little feature with the two par-3 greens seperated by the wall... 9th will be hanging I guess?... If I remember rightly, when I first saw the site, the 9th green (or 11th as it originally was) looked like it was going to be backed by a rock formation out in the water...

Ally,

Yes, the rock formation is an island called "Eyebroughy" for its long, skinny, curved shape ... it's on the local maps. 

Originally we were going to play up to #12 first, and then a par-4 back down parallel, and then the par-3 you mention.  But there was really no room for the tee of the par-4 back down the hill with #12 green still in play, and then there were issues with mosses in the proposed fairway of the new par-4 and in the tee area of the par-3 ... the par-3 would have had to be a 140-yard blind hole if we were going to build it, and that's when I pulled the plug.

We were allowed to clear away the buckthorn before we had our permits, because it's an invasive, and when we did, we found that we didn't have to get as far out into the dunes with the par-3 to get what we really wanted.  The new 9th is a better and stronger hole hugging the wall, and it still has a spectacular view of the lighthouse on Fidra when you get up to the green.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()