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Malcolm Mckinnon

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Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (All holes posted)
« on: September 06, 2014, 11:30:05 PM »
OK, so I spent the month of August in my daughters flat in Edinburgh. My wife, non golfer, spent two weeks enjoying the Edinburgh festival and the second two weeks I played golf.  Played in Fife, East Lothian as well as Northumberland, England. Took a few pics.

Many thanks to Tony Muldoon, Rich Goodale, Mark Pearce and Martin Bonnar who were all very kind to host me at their clubs during my visit.

For my first GCA photo tour I would like to present Bamburgh Castle Golf Club in Northumberland, England. You can purchase a coastal classic ticket for 90 quid which covers a round here as well as two other terrific seaside courses, Alnmouth Golf Club a Harry Colt layout as well as a James Braid in Berwick on Tweed, Goswick.

Bamburgh Castle was a huge surprise and delight. One of the sportiest courses I have ever seen with many, many blind shots while measuring  from the tips to 5645 yards. The views out over the beaches and out to the North Sea are spectacular.

To get there you have to cross the east coast rail tracks.

DSCN0607 by macmalc21, on Flickr

The road to the golf club winds past the castle and beach here...

DSCN0608 by macmalc21, on Flickr

and here

DSCN0608 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Et Voila!

DSCN0610 by macmalc21, on Flickr

1st tee/Dinkie/ Par 3/ 180 yards

DSCN0611 by macmalc21, on Flickr

View to the right of 1stt Tee

DSCN0612 by macmalc21, on Flickr

1st Green

DSCN0613 by macmalc21, on Flickr

1st Green looking back

DSCN0614 by macmalc21, on Flickr

2nd tee/ Picnic Bay/par 3/213 yards

DSCN0615 by macmalc21, on Flickr

View to the right of second tee

DSCN0616 by macmalc21, on Flickr

View to the left of 2nd tee including clubhouse and Castle

DSCN0617 by macmalc21, on Flickr

2nd green

DSCN0618 by macmalc21, on Flickr

View from the left of 2nd green and third hole past stone wall

DSCN0619 by macmalc21, on Flickr

View from behind 2nd Green back to tee

DSCN0620 by macmalc21, on Flickr

3rd tee/Quarry/Par 5/ 532 yds

DSCN0621 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Up and over the hill to 3rd green

DSCN0622 by macmalc21, on Flickr

3rd Green

DSCN0623 by macmalc21, on Flickr

4th tee/Cheviot View/ Par 5/487 yds

DSCN0624 by macmalc21, on Flickr

View to right of 4th tee

DSCN0625 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Approach to 4th green

DSCN0626 by macmalc21, on Flickr

View to right of 4th fairway

DSCN0627 by macmalc21, on Flickr

4th green

DSCN0628 by macmalc21, on Flickr

From left side of 4th green

DSCN0629 by macmalc21, on Flickr

5th green/Heather Cottage/ par 4/ 342 yards

DSCN0630 by macmalc21, on Flickr

6th tee/Plateau/ Par 3/ 227yds

DSCN0631 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Up and up to the green!

DSCN0632 by macmalc21, on Flickr

And here we are on 6 green!

DSCN0633 by macmalc21, on Flickr

7th tee/ The Rockies/Par 4/ 300 yards

An uphill par 4!

DSCN0634 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Climbing up to the green!

DSCN0635 by macmalc21, on Flickr

7th Green

DSCN0636 by macmalc21, on Flickr

More to follow later!

Ta ta!
« Last Edit: September 08, 2014, 04:15:05 PM by Malcolm Mckinnon »

Jon Cavalier

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (1-7 posted)
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2014, 12:54:28 AM »
Great shots, Malcolm. Thanks for sharing - looking forward to more. Glad you had a good trip.
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Adam Lawrence

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (1-7 posted)
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2014, 05:13:39 AM »
Very nice, Malcolm. The Northumbrian coast is one of the most beautiful, yet least discovered parts of England. There's more good golf too - I can recommend Dunstanburgh Castle GC, a lovely, simple old Braid links right by the coast. I had one of my most 'zen' rounds of golf ever there - returning from a meeting in Scotland on a gloriously cold but clear early spring day, I decided on a whim to stop and play. Paid my £22 green fee, slung a pencil bag with six clubs over my shoulder and walked the course on my own in two hours and ten minutes, a cruel wind whipping off the North Sea and a huge grin on my face all the way round.

Adam
Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Thomas Dai

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (1-7 posted)
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2014, 10:45:29 AM »
Very nice indeed Malcolm. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the course.

Bamburgh is a spectacular location what with its magnificent castle etc. There is also a most lovely cricket pitch just below the castle ramparts, plus surfing from the beach.

Just north of Bamburgh, across a small inlet, at what the map describes as near 'Ross', there appears to be a magnificent stretch of linksland. Oh to put a course there. See this Bingmap extract for more - http://binged.it/1qFvuZk. This linksland is just visible in Malcolms photos entitled 'View to right of 4th fairway".

Further north than Bamburgh is tidal bound Holy Island/Lindisfarne, where I believe there was once a course (is it still there?). In addition to those already named there are other under the radar seaside courses like Alnmouth Village (9-holes), Seahouses and Warkworth, which has a GCA thread about it - http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,44336.0.html. Warkworth also has a spectacular castle, a legacy of historical conflict and hassle between those north and south of the border - don't mention the referendum!!! :) - plus a few interventions from other folk, like the Vikings.

atb
« Last Edit: September 07, 2014, 10:57:40 AM by Thomas Dai »

Malcolm Mckinnon

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (1-7 posted)
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2014, 11:14:16 AM »
Adam,

Yes I have heard that Dunstanburgh Castle GC is very good. Perhaps next year.

Thomas,

Warkworth looks fabulous! Alnmouth Village adjoins the back nine at Almouth Golf Club and was the second nine of the original Mungo Park? course which I believe dates to the late 1860's,  Alnmouth GC being the 4th oldest golf club in England. When Colt made renovations in the 1930's he constructed nine additional holes which comprise the front nine now known as the "new" course and the back nine referred to as the "old" but I should save this for another thread on Alnmouth


Malcolm Mckinnon

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (1-14 posted)
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2014, 08:35:46 PM »
8th Tee/ Island/ Par 3 162 yards

DSCN0638 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Approaching the green

DSCN0640 by macmalc21, on Flickr

8th Green looking back towards tee

DSCN0641 by macmalc21, on Flickr

9th tee/ Newtown/ par 4/ 359 yds

DSCN0642 by macmalc21, on Flickr

View of castle from tee

DSCN0643 by macmalc21, on Flickr

View back to tee from fairway

DSCN0644 by macmalc21, on Flickr

9th Green

DSCN0646 by macmalc21, on Flickr

More 9th Green

DSCN0647 by macmalc21, on Flickr

10th tee/ Fox Coverts/ par 3/ 193 yards

A blind tee shot

DSCN0648 by macmalc21, on Flickr

But viewable with an assist

DSCN0649 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Approaching 10th green

DSCN0650 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Waterfountain on 10

DSCN0651 by macmalc21, on Flickr

10th Green

DSCN0652 by macmalc21, on Flickr

11th tee/ Shada Wood/ Par 4/ 358 yds

A Blind tee shot

DSCN0654 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Approach to 11th green

DSCN0655 by macmalc21, on Flickr

12th tee/ Lindisfarn/ Par 4/ 423 yds

A downhill par 4

DSCN0657 by macmalc21, on Flickr

12th green, good to land this approach well short and run it on

DSCN0658 by macmalc21, on Flickr

12th green getting closer

DSCN0659 by macmalc21, on Flickr

12th green looking back

DSCN0660 by macmalc21, on Flickr

13th tee/ The whins/ Par 4/ 411 yds

back uphill

DSCN0661 by macmalc21, on Flickr

13th Green

DSCN0662 by macmalc21, on Flickr

14th tee/ Farne Islands/ Par 3/ 164 yds

another blind par 3

DSCN0663 by macmalc21, on Flickr

14th green

DSCN0664 by macmalc21, on Flickr

More later...


« Last Edit: September 07, 2014, 08:54:06 PM by Malcolm Mckinnon »

Malcolm Mckinnon

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (1-14 posted)
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2014, 04:14:31 PM »
15th tee/ Castle's View/ Par 4/ 417 yds

DSCN0665 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Downhill approach on 15, note the chasm in front of green

DSCN0666 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Chasm and green on 15

DSCN0667 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Looking back

DSCN0669 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Tee on 16th/ Castle Keep/ Par 4/ 286 yards

The first of two drivable par 4's

DSCN0672 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Through the chasm and up

DSCN0673 by macmalc21, on Flickr

View of 16th green and castle

DSCN0674 by macmalc21, on Flickr

17th Tee/ Kittling Hill/ par 4/ 257 yards

Drivable, but mind the OB on right over the stone wall

DSCN0676 by macmalc21, on Flickr

17th green looking back

DSCN0679 by macmalc21, on Flickr

18th tee/ Harelaw/ par 4/ 338 yds

DSCN0680 by macmalc21, on Flickr

18th approach

DSCN0681 by macmalc21, on Flickr

Ahhhh...

DSCN0682 by macmalc21, on Flickr




David_Tepper

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (All holes posted)
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2014, 04:36:52 PM »
Malcolm -

Thanks for the pics & the tour. Are some of those greens as square as they look? Very old-school!

DT

Tony_Muldoon

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (All holes posted)
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2014, 04:53:45 PM »
Nice tour Malcolm looks lots of fun. 


Is it good enought to warrant an anual return?
Let's make GCA grate again!

Malcolm Mckinnon

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (All holes posted)
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2014, 10:50:15 PM »
David and Tony.

No the greens are not square and archaic, yet they are the weakest element of the golf course as well as their bunkering. If only Colt had come in with a revision this golf course could be absolutely world class!

None the less, the routing and views are smashing as long as you don't mind a bunch of blind shots. I loved it! Yes I would go back in an instant!

I would compare the course to Dunbar and Gullane 2 with unbelievable views but also, like them, without especially interesting greens or bunkering. The short yardage is counterbalanced by the the dramatic land forms and elevation changes. Still, the course is easily walkable.

My experience at Gullane #2 and Dunbar were wonderful but I would say that Bamburgh Castle could be the most fun to play of the three.

In American parlance it is "a hoot"!


Tom Kelly

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (All holes posted)
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2014, 08:40:40 AM »
I haven't had time for a full read yet but thanks for the tour. I played Bamburgh once a while ago and have been keen to see it again to refresh my memory. At first glance it looks just as good as I remember.

My main memories are of the wind, being confused by a par 3 being stroke index 1 on the scorecard (6th) only to then get there and have to hit driver, gap wedge to reach the green and the greenside rocks!

I also thought Dunstanburgh Castle was really fun and worth a visit. It's on a great spot next to the beach with the ruins of the castle on the headland in the distance. Simple old school golf and cheap too.


Frank Pont

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (All holes posted)
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2014, 02:43:25 PM »
Walked the course two summers ago on a glorious evening, followed by a warm welcome by the club and a few pints in the cosy club house.

Great landscape, superb views, pretty nice course that could be improved massively, but do you want to lose what is there now. Probably not, because this is what has always been there.

I would return for the charm, the views and the atmosphere, not so much for the architecture.

BTW, the course north on Holy Island was designed by no other than James Braid, who made the claim it was the best links he ever designed. Now thats a course I would like to reinstate...........

Adrian_Stiff

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (All holes posted)
« Reply #12 on: September 15, 2014, 05:15:22 AM »
Looks a really nice fun course.
A combination of whats good for golf and good for turf.
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Mark Pearce

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (All holes posted)
« Reply #13 on: September 15, 2014, 06:30:03 AM »
Looks a really nice fun course.
That's exactly what it is.  One of Tom Doak's Dumb Blondes in the CG.  Views as good as anywhere on a nice day and a course that is fun to play.  As Frank says, the architecture is nothing to write home about but this isn't a club about the quality of its course, it's about having fun playing the game.  I always enjoy my visits to Bamburgh.
In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

Andy Shulman

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Re: Bamburgh Castle Golf Club- Photo Tour (All holes posted)
« Reply #14 on: September 15, 2014, 07:25:18 AM »
I hope Malcolm had time to hit a few shots in between taking those excellent photos.  And, it does look like a fun course.  Which begs the question, pedestrian architecture aside, why have I never heard of this course before?