Strandhill Photo Tour and Commentary

[Ally Mcintosh]

I've actually just returned from Strandhill where we were doing some work on 6, 12 & 18... I haven't yet caught any decent photos and everything will look a lot better once bedded in but seeing as 7 was a big talking point, here are a couple... There are now 5 bunkers - it looks very tight off the tee but in reality we have a bit of deception going on with the fairway bunker left which is 50 yards past the other fairway bunker and acts primarily as an approach bunker that has to be hit over if the safe left side is chosen for the drive. We built a whole shoulder off the back of the 15th tee to house the right bunker and created 3 new bunkers at the green which helped angle the approach so that it was more open coming in from the right.


From 7th tee:



From 7th approach bunker:



The 16th was also mentioned previously... There was an opportunity to really make a visual impact with bunkers here but I opted for a simple strategy rather than promoting aesthetics at the cost of subtlety. Currently in the process of widening the fairway on both sides, you see the small centreline bunker and the new bunker front left of the green. Eventually we'll grow rough in on the right side of the green to give it some definition between the 5th fairway (which will also realign further away):



Mostly, we are placing more natural edge bunkers in the fairways with revetted bunkers where there is short grass all around. Here are a couple on the right side of 13:



12 is a hole that is in progress right now. We've replaced the 5 fairway bunkers to the left with one large carry bunker and another 50 yards further up the hill on the right for those that bail out. Here's the carry bunker nearing end of construction:



The green is skyline but all else was bland, it being popped up on an artificial pod with two badly placed blind flanking bunkers. So we placed new bunkers in to work with the fairway strategy and reshaped the edge of the green between these bunkers to give a much more natural false front. Photo in progress once some of the sod had been laid back down:



Ally

[Garland Bayley]

I have incorporated Ally's update post into the individual hole details.

[Ira Fishman]

This a thread that perfectly captures why I was so glad to stumble upon GCA.  No chance I would have otherwise heard about the course which looks as if it has bit of several of the courses we enjoyed so much in Ireland--a little Lahinch, a little Dooks, and a little The Island Club.  It also captures why GCA can be frustrating--my chances of getting back to Ireland are from certain; therefore, I may not have an opportunity to play Strandhill after Ally finishes his work.

[BCrosby]

Ira says it well. This and other threads about faraway golf courses I will never see keep me coming back to GCA. 


Bob

[Ally Mcintosh]

Working on the 6th hole last week...


Firstly, a photo showing a fairway bunker on the right side to give those long hitters who chose to cut the corner some pause for thought... Second, a photo showing the re-shaping of the entire left side of the green which was wide, flat and non-descript. The right side remains with natural kick-ins but we wished to give the left side some bold character to work in with the strategy of the fairway placement. Easy approach from right, hard approach from bail out left. There was a lovely ridge in the green already so we just extended that out in to an elongated shoulder and then created quite a bit of movement behind that (hidden) and brought the marram line nearer at the back.

[JJShanley]

I look forward to my next visit to Strandhill!  I think current 5 will work even better closer to the end of the round.


Ally has spoken about the issues surrounding it, but I hope the club gets to use more of the duneland behind the current 4th green at some point in the future.  Current 2-3-4 always struck me as cramped, with walkbacks that negatively affect the flow.  That may change as they shift to 11-12-13, but it always seemed as though the land had three holes, but only room for two.

[Garland Bayley]

Ira says it well. This and other threads about faraway golf courses I will never see keep me coming back to GCA. 


Bob

Careful Bob,

Once you go to Buda, you end up playing courses you never imagined you ever would.
At least that is my experience.

[Garland Bayley]

I have incorporated Ally's latest update post into the individual hole details.

[Garland Bayley]

Bump for people looking for places to play this year (Chuck ;0 ), and to see if Ally has an updates he could care to proffer.

[Garland Bayley]

Bump for people looking for places to play this year (Chuck ), and to see if Ally has an updates he would care to proffer.

[Charles Lund]

Thanks.  I booked a tee time for June 6th.

Charles Lund

[Garland Bayley]

Bump in hopes Chuck can give us impressions from his trip there.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Quick update from me:


The club are now on a small go-slow as they sort out a loan repayment. For that reason, it looks like we won't be back doing much construction work until February 2018 with a tentative fingers crossed to receive planning for the new holes for later that year.


At the moment, we are just working on mowing lines and a little bit of work that has been forced on the club around the 9th hole (due to be removed if new holes get built).


Ally

[Thomas Dai]

Somehow I missed these updates and photos so thanks for this latest reminder Ally.
Lots to like about Strandhill.

Atb

[Garland Bayley]

Since I updated the photos on the other thread, thereby bumping it as I can't edit a post by Ally, I thought I would bump this one two.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Thanks Garland,


Perhaps I’ll send the odd photo on to you for posting when I get them.


We were down for another two weeks in February, rebunkering the 2nd and 3rd as well as completely redesigning the 6th and 16th tee complexes.


New holes on target to start hopefully early 2019 if not later this year.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Update as of early 2019:


I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved down at Strandhill along with James Coughlan and Jason Kelly (Head greenkeeper).


For those that haven’t visited in a couple of years, they should notice a big difference.


15 of the 18 holes are rebunkered. (4,5 & 9 remain as before pending the new holes go / no go). I think the bunkering sits in beautifully, not too imposing yet very clearly there. It also really gets you thinking on many holes.


We’ve also worked on a few tees, altered the back of a couple of greens and done other bits and pieces.


Some of the most pleasing changes are the adjustment of the mowing lines, eradicating large swathes of semi-rough, widening holes, bringing fairways forward and so reducing hard paths (many more to go) and moving to a different mowing pattern. On a really small site, there is now a feeling of a much larger scale.


As for the new holes, we have done some work but have hit a sticking point on the tee for the new par-3 which is positioned deep inside the SAC, even though it is only 300m2 with no other disturbance other than path in and out. It is going to be a slow process if we are to finally get these holes - as intended - over the line.


Until that point, we are looking for interim measures (the 9th is unsafe as is) and a lot of tee work will have to hold until we know if the resequencing is happening.


It’s a cracking wee course. I love it more and more every time I head down there. If anyone is visiting, please let me know and I’ll see if I can tie in with one of my visits.


Ally

[Thomas Dai]

Good news Ally and well done. Good luck with progressing the rest of your plans.
Strandhill is a very fine course, one that should be visited by more folks and hopefully will be.
A few more pics from awhile back during a visit by 11 GCA-ers.
atb
1st green

From behind the 5th tee

From the rear of the 5th green

From the rear of the 7th green

[Victor Donnay]

I had the great pleasure of playing Strandhill as the first stop on a 10 day golf tour of Ireland in October 2015. I had learned about the course from GCA (thank you!) and was fortunate to be paired up with two club members who guided me around the course. Even though it was before Ally's engaging renovations, the course was still lots of fun. The undulating fairway of the 5th hole was a particular highlight. For someone used to the flat fairways of USA golf, it was a giggle inducing introduction to the joys of links golf.


My wife, although a non-golfer, enjoyed the trip as she would go for hikes while I played. She is also a very active Catholic and would visit various religious sites in the neighborhood of the golf courses. Just down the road from the Standhill golf course, at the end of the runway of the little local airport, are the ruins of an ancient church honoring St. Patrick and his lost tooth. She writes about the site in her blog Quantum Theology (http://quantumtheology.blogspot.com/2016/03/st-patricks-tooth.html). Looking for more adventure -  the beach in the town of Strandhill hosts one of the top surf schools in Ireland.

[Mike Sweeney]

My wife, although a non-golfer, enjoyed the trip as she would go for hikes while I played. She is also a very active Catholic and would visit various religious sites in the neighborhood of the golf courses. Just down the road from the Standhill golf course, at the end of the runway of the little local airport, are the ruins of an ancient church honoring St. Patrick and his lost tooth. She writes about the site in her blog Quantum Theology (http://quantumtheology.blogspot.com/2016/03/st-patricks-tooth.html). Looking for more adventure -  the beach in the town of Strandhill hosts one of the top surf schools in Ireland.

As a "Cafeteria Catholic" and "lousy surfer", this is appreciated.    Headed to Ireland on Tuesday and we are trying to work in Strandhill with Ally's assistance.

Slainte

[Victor Donnay]

Have a great time   Please post a report on how Strandhill plays with Ally's changes. If you go surfing, send a picture!

[V_Halyard]

Update as of early 2019:

I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved down at Strandhill along with James Coughlan and Jason Kelly (Head greenkeeper).

For those that haven’t visited in a couple of years, they should notice a big difference.

15 of the 18 holes are rebunkered. (4,5 & 9 remain as before pending the new holes go / no go). I think the bunkering sits in beautifully, not too imposing yet very clearly there. It also really gets you thinking on many holes.

We’ve also worked on a few tees, altered the back of a couple of greens and done other bits and pieces.

Some of the most pleasing changes are the adjustment of the mowing lines, eradicating large swathes of semi-rough, widening holes, bringing fairways forward and so reducing hard paths (many more to go) and moving to a different mowing pattern. On a really small site, there is now a feeling of a much larger scale.

As for the new holes, we have done some work but have hit a sticking point on the tee for the new par-3 which is positioned deep inside the SAC, even though it is only 300m2 with no other disturbance other than path in and out. It is going to be a slow process if we are to finally get these holes - as intended - over the line.

Until that point, we are looking for interim measures (the 9th is unsafe as is) and a lot of tee work will have to hold until we know if the resequencing is happening.

It’s a cracking wee course. I love it more and more every time I head down there. If anyone is visiting, please let me know and I’ll see if I can tie in with one of my visits.

Ally

Ally, visited StrandHill last week and could not have had a better time. The #3 Shelf and the 13th were the favorites. Thirteen is especially Game of Thrones, depending on the wind. First lap, it was windy and rainy and when I reached the 13 approach, I laughed aloud. "Gates of Hell", "Panic Room", "Suez Canal" all came to mind viewing the entrance. So much fun, the better half said, "Instead of going to ______ let's go back to StrandHill for another lap. She had a blast, which logarithmically enhances my GQOL. (Golf Quality of Life). So, with pleasure, we rescheduled another trip two days later for more laps. 

This time, it was 70F and sunny... for 7 holes, then 45F and rainy, for 6 holes,  then 72F and sunny.   Perfect day!!Your work is most enjoyable. The lines of play and landing areas are all most insane, on the most interesting of rippled dunes. The members and staff could not have been more gracious and welcoming and the conditioning could not have been better. The sole "I wish" was for some local knowledge aim hints (Such as the white stone on 13) as we went out for unaccompanied walk.  The second lap we charged like the locals we had become. We had learned about "Aim over the White Rock built into the dune" and figured out the perch on 13 was built to watch the ball land.  

Fully agree with the safety issues you say are to be addressed at the 8/9 but the bunkering on 9 did make you ponder and select specific clubs. Hoping there is a cart path relocation letter writing campaign I might join as the aesthetics of #2 in particular could be much improved if they were moved. Guessing there might be some maintenance or environmental issues (I will re-read the thread) but other than some local knowledge hints and the cart paths, not a compliant to be had. Given the multitude of space limitations, neighborhood, real estate and environmental constrictions, your work was that much more impressive.Great fun. Well done.

Congrats to you and the club. Going back and will alert you in advance. Did not get a chance to go surfing... Next time.

[Mike Sweeney]

Great fun. Well done. Congrats to you and the club. Going back and will alert you in advance. Did not get a chance to go surfing... Next time.

Great post. Next trip for sure and Ally is most generous.

[Garland Bayley]

About a year ago, Ally reported on starting the new holes. Am wondering if there has been progress on them. Perhaps Ally got some or all of it done before the pandemic so he could report on it.

Reports from anyone else that has been there in the last year since the June 23, 2019 report above.

[Garland Bayley]

Ally has provided me a picture of the new 4th green (eventually to become the 13th when the hole sequence is changed) that extends #4 into the dune, thereby turning it into a par 5.

IMG_4644

They are still working with authorities on placing a par 3 between the new green and the present #5 tee. This would allow the present #9, which is the weakest hole on the course, to be dropped from the routing.

Background information on the present #4 and the future routing of the course are included below for your convenience.

#4


The fourth is the last of the sequence of three holes heading west. It starts up the big dune in the west that has been in view from the 2nd tee on, and has its green benched into that dune.





...

... I also like the 4th becasue it is so stark - in your face - no compromise approach.  It does look quite manufactured, but I have given up on that being all important.  Indeed, sometimes the manufactured look is quite appealing.

...
At the end of these posts we will see a proposed routing from Ally that replaces four with a hole going over the dune. This gets me wondering if there is an alps hole in the future for Strandhill.

...

You may have noticed discussion of future modifications as you photo toured the course. Ally was kind enough to provide a routing for what they are working towards. Previous news I have read on this website says that the extension into the dunes behind the fourth hole are being looked on favorably by the permitting agencies.





I made an attempt to get the elevation profile of the proposed thirteenth hole by making a best guess of its location on Google Earth. The profile indicates that perhaps the approach shot would be blind, but probably not classifyable as an Alps Hole.





Let the commentary renew.