Cruden Bay: Changes to Hole 18

[ward peyronnin]

I haven't seen this mentioned here yet but for fellow CB admirers the latest Capt letter states that Tom McKenzie will be on site soon to discuss changes to the 18th hole.
Not sure of the nature of the work but I have generally approved of the changes made so far in this latest cycle.

[Jeff Schley]

Ward,
What do you think is needed or discussed most to change?

[Thomas Dai]

Be interested to know more.
Tom Simpson apparently thought highly of the hole.
Atb

[Ally Mcintosh]

I hope there’s no desire to “wavy” up the green.

[ward peyronnin]

Jeff
I have emailed Andrew Good , the Capt, regarding what they are considering and admit to posting this w/o this information in order to scoop others: mea culpa. I'll post his reply.

The only drawback to the hole I can think of is the proximity of the practice field netting now installed or perhaps the minor distraction of players commencing St Olaf trundling behind the green. I say so what to those.
I believe the alteration to No 1 primarily involved it's teeing ground so maybe that has crowded the 18 green?

But I am with you all as I think it is a cracking finish and doesn't need to be trolloped up for more drama and 17 is a stout hole as well tho mavbe less so in these days of big hotters

[ward peyronnin]

More information from the club indicates proximity of the putting green to 18 green, and the dynamic between the practice field netting, 18 tee , and 17 green has resulted in areas the club feels an increasing obligation to consider safety. Here is a summation of the changes towit:
We have therefore decided on the following:
a.   pull the Out of Bounds fences in more than they currently are,
b.   put a bunker in on the left-hand side to provide a visual deterrent,
c.   slightly realign tee markers on the 18th to face to the right hand side of the hole
d. pipe 24 metres of the burn to encourage drives to be aimed further right without fear of being penalised by going into the burn, unless the drive is really wayward
e.   create an attractive landing area on the right-hand side of the hole with grass cut to fairway height
f. cut back whins (as per a previous update) behind the 17th green to increase visibility of your drive which will now be landing further right than it is at present. These whins would be cut back by a maximum of 5 metres.
So thankfully no mention of altering the green

[Marty Bonnar]

Wardo,
Those sound like very sensible changes. Funnily enough, on my one playing last year, I played the 18th decently well, but my three playing partners had a fairly miserable time hacking it up the right. I couldn’t help feeling at the time that a bit of fairway over there might add a lot to the hole - kind of a low road/high road thing.
Cheers,
F.

[Kalen Braley]

I was thinking along the lines of Marty,

Widen the fairway out to the right,
Perhaps add 1 or 2 small centerline-ish bunkers to spice up the middle of the fairway play.

[Thomas Dai]

Terrific hole with a really lovely green site and contouring including the approach area.
Once upon a time there was a nasty wee pot bunker adjacent to where the end of the burn meets the 18th fairway of the Championship course.
Also worth considering is that the right hand side of the 18th on the Championship is also the right hand side of the 1st of the St Olaf.

Atb

[Jeff Schley]

Thomas good history there and memory.   Safety is a thing so while bot design demanding for improvement safety is a good thing. 

[Pete Lavallee]

I’m amazed at the logic of moving or adding OB stakes to provide safety! Wayward shots are not planned, they just happen. At one of my courses there is a practice green immediately to the right of the 18th green on a 200 yard par 3. Those stakes provided frustration not safety. Thankfully they were removed!

[Niall C]

Pete


I wouldn't say amazed but I would say I'm surprised you can't see the logic of OB as a means of making an area more safe, even if you don't agree with it. I'm aware of a few courses that have done it and while it's not full-proof it does lead to a change of behaviour with players either hitting a shorter club or aiming further away from the trouble. Neither prevents a bad shot but they do lessen the chances of the shot going into the trouble area. 


Niall