Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Bruce Wellmon on July 23, 2009, 11:43:03 AM
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I was fortunate to play Castle Stuart on opening day on Monday July 13th on a sunny and essentially windless day. CS is very visual. Great conditioning and very playable. If Kingsbarns has the water, CS has the sky. It's "Americanized" but would I go back? Definitely. I'm a better photographer than a writer...................
Thanks to Ben for his help on posting the pics.
The opening tee shot:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/Opener.JPG)
Second tee shot:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/2.JPG)
2 green:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/2g.JPG)
The first 3 holes play along the Firth on a lower level:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/moray.JPG)
The third:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/3.JPG)
The fourth turns away from the water, and uphill:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/4.JPG)
The next holes play on an upper terrace including the 6th:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/6.JPG)
The 7th:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/7.JPG)
The 8th:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/8.JPG)
9 returns to the clubhouse:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/9.JPG)
10,11 and 12 return to the lower level. 10 has an alternate tee from this tee shot as well:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/10t.JPG)
10 approach has a hidden bunker:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/10a.JPG)
Short par 3 11th:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/11.JPG)
13 tee shot:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/13.JPG)
13 green has the "infinity pool" look where the green feel like it's in the sky.
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/13g.JPG)
Par 3 17th:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/17.JPG)
Par 5 18 approach:
(http://www.golfti.com/castles/18.JPG)
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Thanks for the pictures. Looks like you had a great day.
That clubhouse looks incredibly out of place.
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Carl -
The proprietors were going for an "Art Deco" look with the clubhouse, along the lines of Royal Birkdale.
The views from inside the clubhouse looking out are spectacular.
Bruce W. -
Great pics. Thanks for posting. I have toured the course a couple of times while it was under construction and you have captured the look of the course very well.
www.castlestuartgolf.com
DT
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I do not think I have ever seen that many "infinity greens" on a course - looks like there are five or six - even several on the upper tier of the course have that quality.
Great pics Bruce!
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Carl -
The proprietors were going for an "Art Deco" look with the clubhouse, along the lines of Royal Birkdale.
The views from inside the clubhouse looking out are spectacular.
Bruce W. -
Great pics. Thanks for posting. I have toured the course a couple of times while it was under construction and you have captured the look of the course very well.
www.castlestuartgolf.com
DT
I kind of like that nautical Art Deco look, very appropriate looking out to sea. Can't wait to see Castle Stuart. Was it playing as firm as it looks? Do all the caddies wear those red shirts? That's a pretty formal look for Scotland, where I've never seen any two wearing the same thing except the over bibs on the Old Course.
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That doesn't look particularly art deco to me, though I suppose it vaguely resembles a cruise ship. In any event, whatever they were trying to do, it doesn't seem to fit -- especially considering the other buildings you can see from the course (including what looks like a castle)
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OMG! Thts 2 die 4!
Anthiny Grey
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That doesn't look particularly art deco to me, though I suppose it vaguely resembles a cruise ship. In any event, whatever they were trying to do, it doesn't seem to fit -- especially considering the other buildings you can see from the course (including what looks like a castle)
That one hole, uphill with the eponymous castle in the backgrouind, looks spectacular.
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That doesn't look particularly art deco to me, though I suppose it vaguely resembles a cruise ship. In any event, whatever they were trying to do, it doesn't seem to fit -- especially considering the other buildings you can see from the course (including what looks like a castle)
That one hole, uphill with the eponymous castle in the backgrouind, looks spectacular.
Anytime your caddie can tell you to aim at a particular turret, you're playing a cool hole -- but this one looks particularly good.
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Bill -
The hole you are referring to (#4, with Castle Stuart in the background) is a slightly uphill par-3.
It provides the first real view of the Castle and it is quite stunning, as you do not see it the Castle at all until you step on to the 4th tee.
A hole or two later, the course also provides the requisite view of a cemetery.
DT
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The clubhouse does have incredible views from inside.
It's quoted as "art deco."
Since you don't see the castle and the clubhouse together.................Do you build a fake castle clubhouse which detracts from the real castle or ?????? Was THE nicest clubhouse of our trip inside.
The caddies were all in uniform.
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Bruce
Many thanks for the pictures.
I have had to look at them all a few times, but I still cannot see a Wow factor, perhaps need to play it but just judging on the photos, no its not as I expected.
I expect it is me, but something seem missing, something seems to have been forgotten but you just can’t say what. The photos with the castle are nothing special as we see them everyday of our lives, but can understand the affect on others. Perhaps that is it, the course is trying too hard to attract visitors and not enough to woe us other old GB wrinkles.
Given the course the benefit of the doubt, when I get round to playing I expect it will be on the list. Yet I still feel something is missing, weird.
Melvyn
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It has Distinctive Course Features.
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Melvyn,
I think most of the photos were too close up to give a good idea what is there. Past threads have shown longer views of the stunning topography and hole make up.
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It's "Americanized" but would I go back? Definitely. I'm a better photographer than a writer...................
Bruce: What do you mean by "Americanized"?
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Bill -
The hole you are referring to (#4, with Castle Stuart in the background) is a slightly uphill par-3.
It provides the first real view of the Castle and it is quite stunning, as you do not see it the Castle at all until you step on to the 4th tee.
A hole or two later, the course also provides the requisite view of a cemetery.
DT
Is there also the mandatory caravan park? I noticed that Kyle Henderson spotted one at nearly every course he played!
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The caddies were all in uniform.
At first,I thought it was a Texas Tech outing.
Thanks for the pictures.
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On my trip I played CS, Nairn, Dornoch, Kingsbarns, Gleneagles King's, and The Old Course.
By "americanized" I mean more user friendly. Guinness draft vs Guinness stout.
At Nairn, for example, the fairways are more narrow. More penal for a miss into the love grass.
Whether it was CS being new, and not mature in the "rough", I felt it was more forgiving. Less penal. More senic.
Get the tourists like me to come back.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it greatly.
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Bill M. -
Alas, no caravan park, but that in no way detracts from the experience. ;)
As you will recall, Dornoch, Brora & Golspie all have caravan parks adjacent.
DT
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I find the dichotomy of the two bunker styles interesting. Shredded bunkers seem to be in the periphery while revetted bunkers occupy the fairways. Both are remarkably crafted. And ya gotta love the "rumple".
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Melvyn HM -
I have been told that Castle Stuart has one of the most distinctive and unusual towers (pediments?) of all the castles in Scotland.
DT
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Thanks very much, Bruce. That's my first look at CS, and actually the first time I've read anything at all about it -- I guess I haven't been paying much attention for some reason. It looks just lovely to me -- if Sean Arble had posted these pics and told me they were of a course designed 80 years ago that flies a little under the radar, I would've believed him.
Peter
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Bill M. -
Alas, no caravan park, but that in no way detracts from the experience. ;)
As you will recall, Dornoch, Brora & Golspie all have caravan parks adjacent.
DT
Other than St Andrews and Elie, I'm hard pressed to think of a course that DOESN'T have one adjacent! The one at Crail is almost an integral part of the course!
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Slag B. -
Using the 2 different bunker styles (stacked sod and "chunked") was a very conscious choice by Parsinen & Hanse. There are also a number of areas on the course where railway sleepers are used to shore up bunkers and slopes.
They wanted to capture the period between the wars where all the styles were in use on golf courses in GB&I.
DT
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Slag B. -
Using the 2 different bunker styles (stacked sod and "chunked") was a very conscious choice by Parsinen & Hanse. There are also a number of areas on the course where railway sleepers are used to shore up bunkers and slopes.
They wanted to capture the period between the wars where all the styles were in use on golf courses in GB&I.
DT
David,
Thanks for that info...I was wondering why the various bunkering styles were used.
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David
The castle is actually not a castle in the true sense, it is actually a Tower House. This one comprised of two circular towers linked by a central block. The town house was built upon old ruins by Mary Queens of Scots half brother James Stuart when granting him the title of Earl of Moray upon her return from France after the death of her husband the King of France.
Melvyn
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Slag B. & Kalen B. -
Here is a link to an excellent 4-minute video where Gil Hanse (I think) discusses the various styles of bunkering used at Castle Stuart:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck8q8MsF1e8
DT
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David,
Very interesting video indeed and that a nice lesson on evolution of bunkers in the region. It certainly helps to have that piece of information to make sense of it all, and I hope it really comes across that way when interfacing the course 1st during play. Thanks for posting that.
Kalen
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Kalen -
If you go to youtube.com and search for Castle Stuart Golf, you will find another 4-5 video clips of similar interest.
There is also a nice video tour of the course at www.castlestuartgolf.com
DT
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Kalen and Slag,
First go to castlestuartgolf.com and get a proper indoctrination before searching youtube.
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I noticed the women golfers in the photos. How did the course play for them?
What would you change about the course?
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Scott -
I know the course GCA's were very conscious of how the course will play for women. There are very few forced carries and plenty of width. There is a "ground route" to play almost every hole.
My only concern is that the course sits in a windy spot and is very exposed to the wind. A noted above, that has been addressed, for both men and women, in the design of the course.
DT
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Bill M. -
Alas, no caravan park, but that in no way detracts from the experience. ;)
As you will recall, Dornoch, Brora & Golspie all have caravan parks adjacent.
DT
Other than St Andrews and Elie, I'm hard pressed to think of a course that DOESN'T have one adjacent! The one at Crail is almost an integral part of the course!
You've lost me there, Bill. I've spent the last 5 minutes trying to remember the caravan park at Crail. I've even resorted to an aerial but I can't find one. Where is the park you're referring to? Is it possible that it was removed to build the Craighead course?
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I thought I remembered seeing it from the Craighead course out near the water, close to that neat par 3 out there.
Just did a Google aerial of the Craighead and there is a bunch of what looks like manufactured houses on the point. Not sure this qualifies as a caravan park, but it does look like a bunch of trailers to me!
Here's the link, I don't know how to post a screen capture. >:( Anybody?
<http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=56.278868,-2.5883&spn=0.001394,0.004823&t=h&z=18>
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Bill,
The houses out on the point are the Coastguard station. There are some holiday cottages out there too, but only a small number. There's the old airfield to the right of the 6th and 7th on the Craighead (the 7th is the par 3 you have in mind). You'll hear go-karts and there might occasionally be some trailers for the go-kart racing but I don't think you'll see caravans.
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Mark & Bill -
Golspie GC has a caravan park and a go-cart track nearby, but no cemetery. Two out of three is not bad! ;)
DT
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To elaborate on several points: My use of the term "americanized" referred to slightly wider fairway landing areas and not bunker styles. I simply felt CS was more forgiving off the tee, as Kingsbarns, as oposed to, say, Nairn. Most Americans, I would assume, are not used to playing in potential 20 - 30 mph winds. I caught CS on a windless day. On my trip or 2 into the deeper grass, my ball was playable back to the fairway whether it was maturity of the deep stuff or planned to be that way.
Someone asked about women in the group. My 14 year old daughter played and had no problems with forced carries by any stretch. I thought the course played very fairly for her as well.
As discussed in the other photo thread, I never felt "over bunkered." To be honest I never noticed the "sleepers" except all around the clubhouse/driving range area. Whether it was I never hit the ball in one,or not, but they never showed up in any of my pictures.
IMO, CS is a keeper. I thought it was one of the most beautiful courses I have ever played. Challenging but fair, well conditioned. I'd go back.