Interesting golf courses that have NEVER been mentioned on GolfClubAtlas????

[PCCraig]

This looks incredible    :

[David_Tepper]

http://www.newburghgolfclub.co.uk/index.html

[Thomas Dai]

I've been meaning to add some photos of Newburgh for a while (I'm a member there) but I've not had a chance to get to the course with a decent camera.  These photos are all a few years old:

I played Newburgh many times in decades gone by, the original-9 that is, not the new-9, back in the days when the clubhouse was a portacabin!

Is the photo above of the original 9th-18th hole? If so, I recall it being a real monster hole, famed as maybe the longest par-5 in the North East (?), doglegging r-l back into the prevailing wind with a severe kink left over rough ground maybe 75 yds short of the green. Fabulous hole. Some of the earlier holes, the ones at the back of the Udny Arms, I recall as being relatively shortish and with a few blind of semi-blind shots. Is there also a very short semi-blind par-3 along the river as well? A really lovely location, very peaceful and tranquil.

Great views over the River Ythan too, and those dunes on the other side of the river (Foveran?), wow, if there was ever a location for multiple 18-hole links courses.......it's a protected area/nature reserve isn't it though, mind that didin't stop a certain Mr T a few miles down the coast!

Great photos, thanks for sharing them.

Here's Newburgh's location - half way between Aberdeen and Cruden Bay - http://binged.it/1EobNta - check out the duneland on both sides of the river - amazing.

What's the new-9 like?

atb

[Michael Tamburrini]

Yeah, that's the current 18th (original 9th).  I think it measures about 550 yards, which is still a slog but not as intimidating as it once would have seemed.  It is certainly one of (if not the) best finishing holes in the north east.

There are a bunch of short par 4s on the course which keeps the course fun, even when the wind is very strong.  There's also a couple of shortish par 5s which can be reached.  At some point I'll take some decent photos and post them up.  As the course closest to Trumpsville, it's a cheap option for anyone in the area who has a few hours to kill.

The land across the river is utterly spectacular, a course there would blow Trump away although you're right, it is a nature reserve. 

The new 9 is up on the hill and has some great views.  A couple of the holes are a bit mundane but some of the slopes keep things interesting.  I've a couple of photos, but they're from my mobile and are not great:

1st




2nd


8th


9th tee


9th green


11th


Another view of 16 (semi blind par 3)

[Chris Pearson]

Interesting that the bunker on the 11th features stacked sod (which seems quite Scottish to me) while the one on the 16th looks more like a bunker you'd find in Texas.

[Tim Gavrich]

Two in Connecticut that I thought I'd bring up. No substantive discussion on either that I could find; just a few passing mentions:

Fairview Farm GC (Harwinton) - Pretty good effort on a piece of property that is ornery in places. Front nine features a trio of sharply downhill half-par holes--par-4 first, par-5 fourth, par-4 eighth. Enormous double-green shared by the tough uphill par-4 ninth and the par-5 18th. For the dollar, one of CT's best.

Manchester CC (Manchester) - Bendelow/Emmet/Tillinghast all had varying degrees of influence here, and the course is largely terrific, with a diabolical drivable par-4 10th and a number of other short par fours that can bite you. A bit of renovation/restoration would vault the course into the top echelon of public courses in the state (a few holes where the bunkering has gone from deep and more menacing to flat and unsightly).

[Rich Goodale]

Woods Hole Golf Club... Woods Hole, Mass. (Where you catch the Martha's Vineyard Ferry)

I've mentioned WHGC many times, as it was where I first played a proper golf course (and firstly (and lastly) met a proper NYC hooker, courtesy of my Uncle Ben) and where my father and grandfather were long time members.

[Niall C]

Newburgh - the original 9, if indeed what is there is the original nine, was designed by John MacAndrew who was the pro at Cruden Bay at the time. MacAndrew did a fair bit of tinkering with Cruden Bay and the 4th and 11th are by him. He also designed the original nine holes at Huntly, another course that Thomas mentions. Not sure whether the first nine that's there at the moment are the same nine holes but for a modest little course they are very good indeed, IMO of course. He also redesigned 6 holes at the Machrie so he got about.

Now, has anyone mentioned Forfar ?

Niall

[Thomas Dai]

The mention on the 'Your last 100' thread of 'Bala' reminds me of 'Bala GC', the one in North Wales - 10-holes and 1,000 ft of elevation above Lake Bala and the town of the same name.

This one - www.golffbala.co.uk



A splendid rural Welsh scenic location!

Atb

[Dan Kelly]

I've mentioned WHGC many times, as it was where I first played a proper golf course (and firstly (and lastly) met a proper NYC hooker, courtesy of my Uncle Ben) and where my father and grandfather were long time members.

Rich --

You're making me miss Tom Paul. Details, man!

Dan

[JMEvensky]

I've mentioned WHGC many times, as it was where I first played a proper golf course (and firstly (and lastly) met a proper NYC hooker, courtesy of my Uncle Ben) and where my father and grandfather were long time members.

Rich --

You're making me miss Tom Paul. Details, man!

Dan

We are talking details on the hooker,right?

[Dan Kelly]

The hooker and the uncle. Maybe Dad and Grandpa, too!

[JMEvensky]

The hooker and the uncle. Maybe Dad and Grandpa, too!

The hooker is important on general principle.

The uncle is important as the procuror of the hooker.

Who gives a damn about Dad and Grandpa?

NB--if this was a TEP personal history,even 3rd cousins twice removed would be important. Do we really want to give Rihc the same latitude?

[Michael Tamburrini]

Interesting that the bunker on the 11th features stacked sod (which seems quite Scottish to me) while the one on the 16th looks more like a bunker you'd find in Texas.

There's not many bunkers on the course - only about 20 or so (none at all between the ones on 11 and 16).  Most tend to have the stacked sod faces but the ones on 16 do make a nice change. 

One course I've not read about here (that I can remember) is Strathpeffer.  I played it once, about 20 years ago, and my jaw hit the floor upon seeing the opening tee shot.  The course is short - par 67, 5000 yards, but really beautiful and fun - http://www.strathpeffergolf.co.uk/photos

[Ivan Lipko]

Have recently played two of the La Manga Courses in Spain (near Murcia/Cartagena) - Norte and West.

Both are probably not too good from an architectural point of view as they are too tight and even from the member tees play very tough - too many forced carries. I noticed many elderly gentlemen playing it from the ladies tees.

Yet the conditions are wonderfully firm, the bunkering is interesting, many breathtaking carries (which I love) and diagonal hazrds.

I will post some of the pictures of the West from my IPhone.

[Justin Ryan]

Some in Australia

Alice Springs
Frankston
Peterborough





Binningyup

Westgate

Warrnambool

[BCowan]

Palatka GC (Palatka, FL)  This course is so much fun and great land movement especially in Florida.  This is the 3rd hole below, one of many great holes.

[Sam Krume]

I will nominate a course that will have never ever been mentioned on here. Epsom Golf Club in Surrey. Not the RAC but Epsom...a downland course on common land, all on chalk, next to the racecourse. It is a course with the most natural (some crazy)greens, just extensions of fairways, It's wonderful. If you can chip and putt at Epsom you can chip and putt anywhere, I kid you not.

[Tom_Doak]

I don't have time to look through this whole thread tonight but there was a course Darius Oliver visited in New York that went into our book that I'd never heard of ... Mahopac ... even though it's less than twenty miles from where I grew up.  Also, Granliden on Sunapee, the little Travis nine holer in New Hampshire, was another that I'd never heard of until Michael Moore mentioned it at dinner. 


And a third:  North Jersey CC, with a few of the wildest Travis greens I've seen, where a member came up to me after an MGA speech last year to ask if there weren't really SOME greens that were just beyond the pale.  I figured I'd better check it out before they destroyed it 


Ran's entry that I was not familiar with was Boonesboro CC in NC.

[Thomas Dai]

Three more -
Wigtownshire County - an 18-hole links in SW Scotland - http://www.wigtownshirecountygolfclub.com
Brecon - 9-holes by Braid (Mid-Wales) - http://www.brecongolfclub.org.uk/index.html
Knighton - 9-holes by Vardon (Mid-Wales) - http://knightongolfclub.co.uk


Atb

[mike_malone]

I try to mention gems from time to time so I can't think of any new ones to suggest.

[Blake Conant]

Maxwelton GC, Syracuse, IN - Langford (just a notch below Kankakee)
Brainerd GC, Chattanooga, TN - Ross (some good Ross stuff left, particularly on the front 9)

[Sean_A]

I will nominate a course that will have never ever been mentioned on here. Epsom Golf Club in Surrey. Not the RAC but Epsom...a downland course on common land, all on chalk, next to the racecourse. It is a course with the most natural (some crazy)greens, just extensions of fairways, It's wonderful. If you can chip and putt at Epsom you can chip and putt anywhere, I kid you not.

Epsom has been talked about by Lawrence....its on my hit list.


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,53011.msg1217634.html#msg1217634


Ciao

[Ian Andrew]

Not sure if I ever posted this, so here it goes:


Ashburn Old - Halifax, Nova Scotia Course History

March 7, 1922 knowing there was no room for expansion possible at the Collins Estate combined with a dispute with the owners of the land, lead to a committee being appointed to look into the matter of acquiring property for a golf course. They considered six different properties before settling on the Ashburn site.

March 7^th 1922, committee appointed to look into the matter of acquiring property for the golf course.

 
Stanley Thompson’s Involvement
 
May 15^th, 1922, secured the services of Golf Course Architect Stanley Thompson

June 13^th, 1922, report for Thompson that course will be 5,880 – shorter than club had hoped. The club had acquired 152 (142) acres of land for $33,600.

June 17^th, 1922, Halifax Golf & Country Club was officially incorporated.

CG (Canadian Golfer) June 1922, Mr Stanley Thompson, the Toronto architect is being consulted in reference to the new course.

CG July 1922, Stanley Thompson of Toronto has laid out a most attractive looking course of almost 5,900 yards. Plan for nine holes by spring.`

August 14^th, 1922, Work commenced with GJ Daniels as the on site superintendent of construction. Thompson’s crew consists of 150 men and thirty teams of horses

November 17^th, 1922, nine holes finished and seeded.The board decided to terminate the contract with Stanley Thompson, possibly because the course turned out to be 400 yards shorter than the planned yardage.

February 8^th, 1923 they paid Thompson paid his fee of $7,200. and Thompson ceases involvement with the club

Work definitely built by Thompson includes the current 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 16^th green, 17^th and 18^th.
The holes - original 1st, 2nd and 3rd - at the clubhouse - lost to expropriation - were Thompson holes too.
Some of the remaining holes were laid out by Stan, but upper three holes 13, 14, 15 are Cooke holes


The Second Nine Holes
 
1923, construction of second nine begun under the supervision of Mr. Cosman, but he ran into financial and the board then assumed control of the remaining construction.

September 1923, August 10^th (16^th) (17^th)1923 Governor General Baron Byng hit the very first tee shot over the first nine holes

Clubhouse finished in December 1923

CG February 1925: Further Construction work in August 1924 – four new holes finished and played on – three holes to go. Last two holes finished – should be ready for August 1^st.

CG February 1926 The 13^th and 14^th (old numbering) were completed finishing the 18

CG March 1926, Situated generally on high ground with attractive ocean vistas, they combine rare beauty of scene with rolling fairways and interesting hazards. To play the course in anything like par requires hard straight hitting, because every fairgreen, while ample in width, is bordered by woods. Distant glimpses can be obtained here and there over Bedford Basin, towards Halifax and its Citadel and far out to the sea.


Note: no plan, but decent early aerial

 

[Jaeger Kovich]

I don't have time to look through this whole thread tonight but there was a course Darius Oliver visited in New York that went into our book that I'd never heard of ... Mahopac ... even though it's less than twenty miles from where I grew up.  Also, Granliden on Sunapee, the little Travis nine holer in New Hampshire, was another that I'd never heard of until Michael Moore mentioned it at dinner. 


And a third:  North Jersey CC, with a few of the wildest Travis greens I've seen, where a member came up to me after an MGA speech last year to ask if there weren't really SOME greens that were just beyond the pale.  I figured I'd better check it out before they destroyed it 


Ran's entry that I was not familiar with was Boonesboro CC in NC.

I have been not mentioning North Jersey CC for precisely that reason    Those 7/8 are exceptional.