Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
I accept your own answer to your own question.
New Rules w.e.f. January 2023
- Thread starter 3offTheTee
- Start date
Swango1980
Well-known member
Well, I'm glad you accept my definition.
Colin L
Tour Winner
I was careful enough to say that "some might go as far to say that a course with no bunkers is of inferior design." That allows me to exclude myself from "some".
Voyager is right of course: you can't generalise about all courses with bunkers and all those without. This isn't a loaded question, just curiosity. Do bunkerless courses, no matter how good they are in every other respect ever get chosen to host professional tournaments?
At a considerably lower level of golf - mine - I had a round a few days ago on a 9-hole course local to where I'm on holiday in France. It has bunkers but as you'll see from the first photo below there's no way they make the course superior to anything. At the most, it has been raked - by a machine judging by the tyre tracks. When you see what the "fairways" are like (2nd photo) you might wonder why they bother having bunkers. Put the two together and I wonder why I went there in the first place. In fact I paid for 18 holes and left after 9, frustrated and irritated. Tomorrow, I've booked a round at a resort course which I know is well maintained. I can't remember if it has bunkers but I don't care. It's further to go and considerably more expensive but a rubbish course doesn't turn into a gem by being closer and less expensive.
Attachments
DickInShorts
Newbie
Braemar at the top of Royal Deeside - Scotlands highest 18 hole course - has no bunkers. Their ‘hazards’ instead of sandy hollows are to have mounds with long-ish grass.
You are unlikely to get a good lie nor a level stance if you land on one of them which makes your next shot often much more difficult than if you were in a sand bunker!
You are unlikely to get a good lie nor a level stance if you land on one of them which makes your next shot often much more difficult than if you were in a sand bunker!
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
Just had a look at the images of Braemar on their website. Looks beautiful to me.
It appears to have a superior design to all courses that are less well designed than it is.
I acknowledge that this would apply to all but the worst designed course in the world.
It appears to have a superior design to all courses that are less well designed than it is.
I acknowledge that this would apply to all but the worst designed course in the world.
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
I don’t know why more courses don’t do this.
It’s a major hazard.
it would be for the pros as they don’t really class bunkers as a problem any more.
Much more cost effective work wise.
They look good as well imo. They really can frame a hole from the tee.
Colin L
Tour Winner
Just had a look at the images of Braemar on their website. Looks beautiful to me.
It appears to have a superior design to all courses that are less well designed than it is.
I acknowledge that this would apply to all but the worst designed course in the world.
Someone recently was praising Braemar to me. Sounded as if it belonged to the hidden gem category. Nearest I've played is Ballater, in 1962 I think, which I remember as a pleasant flat course alongside the Dee. It must be about 6 or 7 years now since it was a pleasant flat course under the Dee and must be well recovered by now. I wonder - if it has bunkers- if there were any salmon left stranded when the waters receded.
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DickInShorts
Newbie
Colin - Ballater is flat - does have bunkers - is beside the Dee ( having been under it as you say) and I’m playing there on Wednesday.
Like most of the Deeside courses it’s well worth a visit. You can also play Aboyne, Banchory, Peterculter, and Paul Lawrie’s 9 holer as well as at least 4 other 9 hole courses - Torphins, Tarland, Lumphanan and Inchmarlo.
Not forgetting the fairly forgetttable Deeside GC
Colin L
Tour Winner
I recollect Banchory and Aboyne but not the others. Also played Hazlehead and the Links in the city when I was a lad and a member of Murcar. Lived for 5 years in Newmachar, but there was no golf course there in those days, never mind two. Murcar was within cycling distance, though I preferred to time my games to coincide with my father's and get a lift.
When I played Ballater, I was 18 and it was the first parkland course I had ever played!
When I played Ballater, I was 18 and it was the first parkland course I had ever played!
CountLippe
Active member
I agree, the Deeside courses are in stunning surroundings, particularly Ballater. Whatever happened to the 18 holer at Inchmarlo? Played it a few times when Banchory was shut.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Vaul golf course on Isle of Tiree has no bunkers, it doesn’t need them, it’s built on the machair and nature provides its own sand hazards and the crafters cattle and sheep provide their own sometimes movable obstructions. It’s a cracking mostly dead flat little links track - IMO golf at its simplest and purest.
DickInShorts
Newbie
Inchmarlo went bust. Paul Lawrie took on the range and 9 holer for a year or two but now concentrates on his Golf Centre (previously Aspire). Not sure who owns Inchmarlo now but the Holiday complex was the cause of its downfall I believe
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Colin L
Tour Winner
Morning Smiffy. Don't shoot the messenger! I was being a bit tongue in cheek but I expect the statement's true. Just don't count me amongst the "some" who might go that far.
Piltdown looks beautiful but it is wonderfully ironic that in a thread headed New Rules w.e.f. January 2023, there's mention of a club whose Local Rules haven't even caught up with the "new" rules of 2019.
If it wasn't so far away I'd offer to re-write them in exchange for a four ball, bacon roll and lunch.
Thanks for starting my day with a laugh.
Piltdown looks beautiful but it is wonderfully ironic that in a thread headed New Rules w.e.f. January 2023, there's mention of a club whose Local Rules haven't even caught up with the "new" rules of 2019.
If it wasn't so far away I'd offer to re-write them in exchange for a four ball, bacon roll and lunch.Thanks for starting my day with a laugh.
D
Deleted member 30522
Guest
Yeah not a fan. They've made a great complex otherwise with the clubgouse and practice facilities, but it was at the cost of what used to be a decent 18, much worse with the "American" holes in play.
D
Deleted member 30522
Guest
It's now (still) owned ostensibly by the Burnett's under the Inchmarlo Land Co. Plan was the big hotel that they've never been able to get past planners, which would have funded the regeneration of the 18 holer. Now they're slowly selling off the former holiday houses and flats, many of which are then being used as Air BnBs
Steven Rules
Well-known member
I am finding it 'interesting' that in a thread headed 'New Rules w.e.f. January 2023' we are talking about the merits of golf courses without bunkers and about golf courses we like.
One rule change I'd like to see is extending the applicabilty of MLR F-5 to all abnormal course conditions not just immovable obstructions.
woofers
Medal Winner
It would be nice if the rules regarding when a ball is deemed “out of bounds” and when a ball is in a penalty area could be aligned and consistent. Anyone know why they are different?
rulie
Head Pro
Why do you think they are different?
- ball touching a penalty area > it's in the penalty area
- ball touching the course > it's on the course
