Evolution of a golf hole: Bonnie Doon's 12th

[Scott Warren]

Michael,

Understood on the hole numbering. Members are taking some time to get used to it too.

Looking at the hole before it opened, I felt the same way.

The old hole - same tee and green sites - I only ever hit driver once, in an ambrose/scramble.

But this hole is much more tempting, due to the increased width and short grass near the green, though the bunkers and green contours defend the hole admirably if placement and execution aren't precise.

Members tee is maybe 10m in front of the plates.

[Ben Attwood]

Greg,

You should have let me know you'd be there -- I was out there showing GCAer Ben Attwood around. We played 18 in the comp and then played the new holes until it was pitch black -- the third time since the new holes opened that only darkness has succeeded in making me go home from the course!

That 14th green has a heap of great pin positions and front left would really bring the separate LHS fairway into calculations -- haven't seen it pinned there yet.

Short game area is unreal. Lots of fun.

I'm interested to hear how you and your playing partners tackled #s 12 and 14 with that strong wind helping on the former and hurting on the latter.

Any time you fancy a game in future, just drop me a line.

Thanks again Scott for a superb day. You know you have a winner of a course when only the light forces you into the 19th. The excitement of deciding to go again and have one more try at getting those holes right was memorable.

It was really cool comparing the new holes with those that have yet to be re-designed. It's the same land but the holes played completely differently. The main difference was definitely the fun factor. With this hole, the 12th, you could see there was so much choice. As it was downwind it meant going for the green was the only choice off the tee but because you could miss it in a number of places it meant for fun rather than fear. Despite this the hole was far from a push over as the green defended itself well. I came up just short of the green on 3 goes at driving it. From there and with the pin at the back one could realistically hit just about every club in the bag to try and get it close. That was cool. It also balances very well with the tough 10th.

A couple of other thoughts: 11, 13 and 15 are excellent one shotters and a big strength of the back 9. All different lengths and all playing at different directions to the wind, I think they'll be a real highlight of the course. 14 was a strong hole, but I'm not convinced that the left fairway is big enough or advantageous enough to be in play. The green is awesome and, like the other new greens, dramatic but with multiple options for pin placements. If the rest of the course plays like the redesigns the members will have a course that is heaps of fun but still a good test. I can't wait to come back one day when it's finished.

[Scott Warren]

The rough is really starting to grow in and burn out.

[Ben Stephens]

The rough is really starting to grow in and burn out.

Scott,

Wow - the hole has really grown in very well and looks very much like a hole from the Golden Age of Golf Design!

Hope to play this one day with 2 balls of the tee one with a driver and another with a 7 iron!

Cheers
Ben

(PS your boys got a right drubbing from the French 2nd team!)

[Tom Kelly]

Looking really good, yet another reason to head back down under.

How are the rest of the new holes coming along?

[Randy Thompson]

Great stuff...I really feel we need more of this, I find it the most interesting! Congrats, looking good aut to be in hollywood!

[Mike_Clayton]

Scott,

The work here will make for an interesting comparison with The Australian. I am looking forward to seeing both when I'm up for The Open in a few weeks.
How is the rest of it?

[Scott Warren]

The rough is taking its time in a few places, but if we have a good summer then come March it should be really something to behold.

14th fairway has been much drier since the extra drainage went in.

Most of the kikuyu eradicated now as well... just have to keep it out now.

Let me know when you are up.

Really enjoying the 9th now it is open. Great hole.

Took lots of pics today, will post soon.

[Mike_Clayton]

Scott,

Thanks - I will be there the Tuesday of The Australian Open. Probably in the morning.

[Ian Andrew]

Scott,

Great thread and wonderful disucssion of the hole. Thank you.


Mike, Mike and not Mike (Ashley)

I really like the hole and would love to have a crack at it.
I also love the opening up of the property.
Well done.

One question ... no agenda, just pure curiosity

Is the fescue and addition of native plants intended to create areas similar to Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath?
I loved the fact that so many native species have been preserved and encouraged on those properties.
Or is this more an accent and something intended to be a little more sparse?

[Mike_Cocking]

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the kind words. 

The property has a few pockets of excellent vegetation.  It's known as eastern suburbs banksia scrub (ESBS) and it's awfully similar to the heathlands plants on the sand belt.  This is really where the inspiration for the ultimate look and feel of the course came from.  A kind of heathland come sand belt style course in Sydney - which it doesn't have.

The new plantings are concentrated around the bunkers (such as those on the 12th), some of the tee carries and some other interesting ground movement such as the ridge and big hill on the 14th. 

All areas (around 4ha) were initially sown with native grass but the results werent as we'd hoped so we ended up then oversowing with fescue into many areas.  Most areas have ended up a pleasant mix of the two.  The intention is that everything off the fairways stays unirrigated and only mown where necessary rather than having large expanses of 'maintained rough'.  Being unirrigation we hope that they naturally thin out with the warmer weather and only need very occasional cropping in the winter months.

In the short term the combination of the fescue and native grasses will give the holes a nice feel and a good contrast with the closely mown areas.  As time goes on and the plants start to mature we hope that many areas start to take on a similar look and feel to the parts of the Heath, Victoria and Royal Melbourne.

Mike.