Bayonne

[Greg Gilson]

I'll admit that I thought of Whistling Straits as soon as I saw these pictures.... still do. I really liked the Straits Course although I know it catches some flak here. I'm certainly going to give Bayonne a run if can get on next time I am in NYC!

[Richard Choi]

That is a very interesting question...

Shadow Creek is different from Straits and Bayonne because the latter two, even though they are completely artificial, look natural in their surroundings. There is nothing that ties Shadow Creek to the desert. The large body of water around straits and Bayonne makes the linksy course plausibly natural.

Bayonne takes that one step further than Straits by creating a links course that plays like a links course. At least when I played it, Bayonne grounds were firm and fast enough for a variety of ground shots. The same cannot be said for Straits.

[Patrick_Mucci]

So, what's the difference between Bayonne, Shadow Creek, and Whistling Straits?

The golf courses.

WW

I'm asking because the GCA knock on Shadow Creek is that it's fake.

Regarding Whistling Straits, GCAers often say something like "It's really interesting but too contrived to be taken seriously."

Bayonne gets lots of love.

My real question: Couldn't any of the three courses have been created on any of the three sites?

Wade,

Maybe....... Maybe not.

Bayonne benefited from millions of cubic yards of dirt/silt/muck dredged from the bay/harbor at no cost for the dirt/silt/muck.

I'm not sure that SC or WS could avail themselves of those resources at that cost.

WW

[Jeff Spittel]

It's an excellent track and the layout on that piece of property is genius. As long as you're hitting it reasonably straight off the tee, the approach shots are the teeth of the course. If you don't get the ball on the correct tier of the greens, don't be ashamed to rack up a bunch of three puts. Enjoy the day, it's really a cool place.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Well I cleaned the camera and even bought extra batteries. The weather looks good, I just hope my driver shows up and I can keep it in the shorter stuff.

Looked all the pics last night and , to me, it looks alot like The Island Club in Dublin. The height of some of the dunes there made you feel like you were alone on the course. The same feel looks very possible at Bayonne.

Cannot wait.

[Bill Brightly]

Well I cleaned the camera and even bought extra batteries. The weather looks good, I just hope my driver shows up and I can keep it in the shorter stuff.

Looked all the pics last night and , to me, it looks alot like The Island Club in Dublin. The height of some of the dunes there made you feel like you were alone on the course. The same feel looks very possible at Bayonne.

Cannot wait.

The Island Club is a pretty good comparative. Stunning dunes but don't miss the fairways!

I wonder if you will have the same unsettling feeling that I had playing Bayonne for the first time. You might think you are in Ireland while walking through the dunes, yet when you make the climb to a tee or green and look at the surrounds, you are instantly reminded that you are in Bayonne. On a couple of the walks your view alternates between "city-look" then "Ireland-look." Cool, but almost disconcerting if you know what I mean.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Bill  I spend much of my life disconnected. Played in SC and I was not allowed to drive the cart since I am always looking around at course fearures.
I will let you know if it happens up there too.

ed

[Mark McKeever]

Well I cleaned the camera and even bought extra batteries. The weather looks good, I just hope my driver shows up and I can keep it in the shorter stuff.

Looked all the pics last night and , to me, it looks alot like The Island Club in Dublin. The height of some of the dunes there made you feel like you were alone on the course. The same feel looks very possible at Bayonne.

Cannot wait.

The course plays wider than it looks in my opinion.  A lot of shots at the edges of the fairways tend to bounce back towards the intended line of play. 

Mark

[Ed Brzezowski]

Well played it yesterday and cannot possibly say enough good things about the course and staff.

It was a very nice day with a bit of wind. We played it at 6700 yards so it was a test for me.  Started on the back nine because of the event I was attending. So it opened 446 par four and 223 par three. The feel is very much like The Island Club in Dublin. Towering dunes that give the course the three d feel I read about here. Greens were recently punched but putted very well. Fairways were generous on the longer hole and required accuracy on the shorter par fours. Some of the undulations looked right out of Prestwick. You can tell the owner spent some time overseas since alot of the holes will remind you of holes played across the pond. The 12th at Kingsbarns came to mind on the hole near the harbor.

The views are fantastic, I went through two sets of batteries and took about 500 pics. Going to start thinning the herd tonite. I have to ask Joe B how to post.

After dinner had the pleasure of talking to the owner who designed the course. Very interesting on how it was constructed and what had to be done to appease the EPA. Very nice gent.

I hope I get invited back because they had the best showers ever, the beer shelf helped too. You have to love mint scented hair conditioner?

[Keith Phillips]

Great stuff, Ed.  I was a Bayonne member for several years and love the place, though 10 and 11 may be my two least favorite holes - they make for a tough start!!

[Steve Lapper]

Ed,

  Did you play in the Compher Cup? If so, who did you face?

  I'm glad you met Eric Bergstol. He's a passionate and intelligent man who has created something very special. Did he let on about how he was actually paid to dredge the harbor?

  Glad you liked the showers, however, they lag behind, by some margin, over another modern in the NY golf scene. !

[Ed Brzezowski]

Thanks Keith, I opened 5-3 and thought I got away easy.  Eight and nine are just great holes. Loved the place,
ed

[Ed Brzezowski]

Oh good Lord no Steve, I am on the Exec comm of The Golf Assn of Philly. The club let us play ahead of the matches as a perk of being on the Competitions Comm.


Well it must be a hell of a club to have a better facility. Talking to the manager about the wood interior and she said it came from some little county in Pa., she bet I never heard of it. Chester County. Now I know where all the old barns went from my neighborhood.

I cannot possibly say enough good things, only bad part was the last 500 yards driving into the club on what was a road at some point. Small price to pay for the experience.

[Mark McKeever]

Finally someone else appreciates the Bayonne showers!!!   

Mark