Highlands Links Update

[Ian Andrew]

I just wanted to update the people who care a great deal about Highlands Links. We may not make the progress that others would like to see or are used to with private facilities, but we still do make yearly progress.


Latest Tree Work

Right Side of the 18th hole - from the green to the 150 yard marker, the ocean now in view, since the ocean side of the road had been cleared a few years ago

Left side of 18th hole - opened up left side at landing to expose the original rock wall that was buried in the dense alders. This wall runs from about the 200yd mark down to behind the chipping green. The one large Pine tree remains.

Right side of 1st fairway - cleared all trees between the fairway and ocean for the 1st 100 yards - to be continued next fall. That means from the 200 yard mark on the 18th you can now see Ingonish Island and North Bay.

7th Green - removed more trees around the green and going up the hill to 8th tee. This was done to increase sunlight and air flow to a tough growing environment - they are hoping to go back in April to do some more.

Right side of 5th hole - started just behind the 4th green in fall and plan to go all the way to 5th green - snow ended work, hope to have time to do most of the work in April.


Drainage

Entire 6th hole was drained last spring - still floods, but drains in about 6-8  hours rather than 3 days

Installed quite a bit of drainage in the landing area of the 2nd hole

Bottom of the hill in front of the 16th green

Right side of 18th hole near the 200 yard mark.

Now have equipment to do in house drainage work


Tees

Levelled and re-grassed:
17th - all
back two tees on 7th
forward tee on 10th
12th main and forward tee
built new forward tee for 18th hole

River

12th - left its banks again this winter - some repairs to come in spring
11th - did not leave its banks - creek work done to create more capacity through that stretch of river worked

Work at the 12th is now being considered


There is also a rumour that the owner of Bell Bay is making a run at the course...

http://canadiangolfer.com/g4g/2014/02/06/bell-bay-owner-makes-play-for-highlands-links/

[Adam Lawrence]

Glad to hear it Ian. Must get back there this year. Post some pics of the views revealed by the tree work if you have them.

[Ian Andrew]

http://highlandslinksgolf.com/18hole/18hole.htm

You could never see the ski hill before...

[Charlie Gallagher]

Ian,
   I played this amazing course last summer. The fairways were cut about the same length that I used to play as a kid in the mid 1970s, ( that was fine with me)  and there were some maintenance issues, but the Highlands is by far the best mountain golf I have yet seen. How Thompson figured out the routing is well beyond my understanding, but there are so many great holes there it is astounding.
    Mountain golf can often be pretty bad, as there are usually holes that don't play particularly well due to steep elevation changes that cause compromises in strategy and playability. Those issues are not present at Ingonish. Any architect considering work on a mountainous site should not put pen to paper until they have visited  Thompson's superlative Highlands. By the way, the photography I saw of the course before I visited really didn't  do it justice.
   Thanks to you for your restoration oriented effort there. I can't wait to get back. It's a priority.

[Paul Jones]

+1 on Charlie comments.  Keep up the great work and updates.  Once Cabot Cliffs is completed, I will have to go back and play Highland Links and Cabots again.

[Shane Wright]

Ian, thank you for posting this update.  I was able to get to Highlands Links for the first time in July 2013.  It has been said many times before, but it is a masterpiece in routing.  

Charlie brings up an excellent point, the pictures on their website do not do the course justice.  I know that the educated golfers of this website (and its followers) do lots of research before choosing locations to spend the time and money to travel to.  It would be a huge mistake to travel to see Nova Scotia/Cabot Links and not make the effort to get to Cape Breton.  It does take an effort, and it is very much worth it.

Ian, I continue to be a big fan of this project and appreciate the efforts you have made.  Excellent move with the trees on the right on #18 as the views are stunning.

I look forward to following the updates.  

[Tom_Doak]

Ian:

Glad to hear things are moving forward at Cape Breton.  Have they resolved anything as far as finding someone to manage the property?

[Jason Topp]

Thanks Ian.  Definitely on my bucket list.

[Charlie Gallagher]

Shane,
   I thought I would amplify your point about the trip being worth it, in spite of the effort required. The highway running from Ingonish to Cheticamp is one of the most scenic on the planet. It's about a 3 hour run between Ingonish and Inverness where Cabot is located. I found the lodging at Keltic Lodge, pleasant and the views off the scale. When you combine the visit with a stay at Cabot Links and a couple of rounds there, it's a super one two punch of great golf, and that is only going to get better when C and C are done with the second course at Cabot. If you enjoy seafood, it gets no fresher than on the northern coast of Cape Breton.
   I spoke with a gentleman from Boston while I was visiting Cabot last summer and he told me that he could drive up from Cambridge in a little over 11 hours. If that doesn't suit you, you can fly into Halifax and drive from there, about 3:45 minutes to Inverness from the Airport.

[Ian Andrew]

Ian:

Glad to hear things are moving forward at Cape Breton.  Have they resolved anything as far as finding someone to manage the property?

Tom,

I shared a link at the bottom to a Robert Thompson article that suggests the owner of Bell Bay is going to submit a new proposal.

Otherwise the RFP went nowhere because each firm required the Park and the Province to invest further into the course and hotel. Now they are unlinked and the course is stand alone, there is a greater chance someone will give it a go.

[Michael Whitaker]

Ian,

This is a photo looking up the first fairway... are you saying most of the trees on the right are gone? If yes, what a great view that would be!!!



For those who have not been to Highlands Links... in the left background of this photo you can see the beginning of the 1st hole and the water view beyond. How great that view will be with the trees removed.
 

#6 will be much improved with additional drainage. It was definitely mushy when Ace McBride and I visited in June 2013.


And, the view across the right side of 18 will be fantastic with the trees gone!


I definitely plan to visit again after Cabot Cliffs opens. One trip to Cape Breton is just not enough!

[Charlie Gallagher]

Michael,
   Thank's for sharing your photos. Boy, are you right about the vistas that will be opened by tree removal.
    For those who have yet to visit, Highlands starts on higher ground and works its way down hill in a counter clockwise orientation. If memory serves, the 6th hole, the first of two back to back par 5's is the lowest point on the course. From the 6th green you jog inland and back uphill, and then work your way up and down the last of the front 9 and the beginning of the back nine before tacking back to the point of beginning on higher ground. The holes roller coaster along mountain valleys and secondary bench ridges; just when you  think your going up, you go down again.
    It's the best routing I've seen on a gnarly, tough, piece of land.

[Guy Nicholson]

Another view of the first hole, with a hint of the kind of views hiding behind.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guynick/3816371374/in/set-72157610577915489

[Ian Andrew]

... are you saying most of the trees on the right are gone?

Yes from the edge of the photo (around the knoll) and back - you can see the bay.

The plan is to continue clearing all the Alders leaving just the original grove of Spruce on the right of the landing.
This will take a few years of picking away at it.

[Greg McMullin]

This photo was taken Nov. 2013 and shows the tree clearing taking place behind the practice green with 18 on the left and 1 on the right.

[Gary Slatter]

Ian, thank you for posting this update.  I was able to get to Highlands Links for the first time in July 2013.  It has been said many times before, but it is a masterpiece in routing.  

Charlie brings up an excellent point, the pictures on their website do not do the course justice.  I know that the educated golfers of this website (and its followers) do lots of research before choosing locations to spend the time and money to travel to.  It would be a huge mistake to travel to see Nova Scotia/Cabot Links and not make the effort to get to Cape Breton.  It does take an effort, and it is very much worth it.

Ian, I continue to be a big fan of this project and appreciate the efforts you have made.  Excellent move with the trees on the right on #18 as the views are stunning.

I look forward to following the updates.  

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO BEN:   when you make the effort to play CABOT LINKS you really HAVE to play HIGHLAND LINKS too, whosoever is operating it in 2014.  Wish it was Cabot Links.....

[Ryan Coles]

This photo was taken Nov. 2013 and shows the tree clearing taking place behind the practice green with 18 on the left and 1 on the right.

So the cart path stays but the trees have to go.

[Ian Andrew]

Further Update

Looks like more River Work might take place along the 11th and 12th holes this Spring
The 12th is covered in large ice chunks and is likely in need of Spring repairs again.
(This can be seen on the Park's Camera)
The green floods regularly EVERY year, so now the Park is looking to solve the issue.

The current plan would involve raising the grade of the entire 12th green area to contain the River in its banks.
If this goes forward, I will survey, map and replicate the green surface - just at a new higher elevation.
Tees and Fairway would also come up to keep the hole playing the same.

The original green sits very low and is subject to flooding from the river and constant run off from the Mountain.
Because it is a low point, the ice damage on that site is pretty much a given every Spring.
While I cringe at the thought of touching a green, it will deal with the growing environment and drainage issues.

We'll see if this goes forward.

[Ian Andrew]

So the cart path stays but the trees have to go.

Ryan,

I had nothing to do with the paths and hate them too!
The fescue will hide most of it come summer.

We have plans to remove most, but that's down the list from tree removal and drainage issues.

[jeffwarne]

So the cart path stays but the trees have to go.

Ryan,

I had nothing to do with the paths and hate them too!
The fescue will hide most of it come summer.

We have plans to remove most, but that's down the list from tree removal and drainage issues.

In that climate and soil, how can you remove those paths-if nothing else it would seem maintenance would need them?

[Ian Andrew]

Jeff,

The paths are continuous from 1 tee to 18 green - they aren't always necessary - some definitely are and will stay.
Yes there are wetness issues, but drainage can be added to address the fairway issues.
The low holes would still require a dedicated path.

As for the soil, some of the course is on sand, there are large gravel moraines, much is a beautiful sandy loam - the only problem areas are the locations where the peat occurs. Around 16 and 2 is the worst stretch.

Most of the major problems are drainage lines that no longer work or an outlet that was cut off and needs re-establishing (17th).
Part of me wishes I was in a position to just move there and get on with it.

As for the staff, there is a circulation route, separate from golfers between holes that services more than half the golf course
It's actually quite extensive because it services more than just the golf course - there are fire roads, access point for the river, boat access from well back, the town's water supply is in the golf course lands, a full secondary maintained trail system for hikers and Park access points for other properties.

It's a great place to regularly meet Moose...

[jeffwarne]

great answer Ian!

[Dan Herrmann]

Thanks for all your work up there!

I visited in 2002, and remember it like it was yesterday.

[Ulrich Mayring]

... but the Highlands is by far the best mountain golf I have yet seen.

What makes this a mountain course? Is it not right next to the sea, so presumably pretty much at sea level?

Ulrich

[Dan Herrmann]

Ulrich - it's an amazing golf course.  You start at the sea and by #10, you're in the mountains.  You then turn around and head back to the sea.