Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Fergal OLeary on April 15, 2014, 10:44:39 PM
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This past Saturday, I had the great honour of being the first golfer ever to play the newly designed 17th hole at Royal Adelaide Golf Club. As the guest of the Club President and Captain, and as part of my Top 100 course review, they asked the Superintendent to cut a hole in the green. The history lesson they gave me while standing on the tee box included insight into how the previous version of the hole was famously disliked by the membership and didn't fit with the rest of this fabled layout. With the entire rough cut away from either side of the fairway littered with new grass seed, and still behind the ropes, your attention is brought to the eye-catching bunker complex up the middle of the untouched fairway. The two front bunkers split the fairway and are very well positioned in the landing zone. This hole measures 440 yards from the tips and you immediately have to make a decision to go left or right off the tee. The left-side of the fairway is slightly higher than the right-side, and with a strengthen wind in my face, I struck the ball up the right fairway. As we walked down the short grass together, the turf around the bunkers was newly sodded and marked as GUR. I noticed a carefully shaped speed-slot down the left side of the fairway, which I hope that golfers will take advantage of - only if you can hit it far enough! The right side is tighter, but potentially more rewarding. If you hit the ball into a fairway bunker, you'll have to hit a career shot to make it on the green, otherwise, you'll be chipping out and then faced with a 165 yard approach shot. Architecturally, the hole now offers bunkers that fit with the rest of the sand-traps around the property, especially the 3 bunkers located 5 paces behind the back of the green which reduce the "noise" around the putting surface. They frame the hole so well, and I doubt will get much use, but still very effective. As nobody had played the hole before, they were all eager to understand the yardages I had, which helped their understanding of how the hole would be played by a scratch golfer, especially the decision making process that went through my mind. It was clear that the Superintendent really cared about the property as he quizzed me on the decisions I was making, and would make, depending on the route I'd take off the tee. Dr. MacKenzie was the expert at designing bunkers to frame a hole and give challenging perspective for your next shot. The bunkers behind the 17th serve that exact purpose. Most noticeably, the subtle green is surrounded by a huge chipping apron all around it. This feature is noticeable from down the fairway as the architect has given players of all abilities the option to run the ball onto the green. Despite the vicious looking new bunkers positioned front-right of the green, there is still an element of fair play as the left side of the green is accessible. You can't see the entire green surface from the fairway, and even though they placed the flag in the centre of the green, to the naive golfer, it looks like there is no room right of the flag and the putting surface appears to be the size of your kitchen table. Once again, you have a decision to make which I really enjoyed. Many of the approach shots at RAGC are played along the ground, and this spirit is incorporated into the new 17th hole. After we finished the hole, the Captain asked the Superintendent to remove the flag and fill in the hole - to the entertainment of the members on the surrounding fairways. After our round, the new 17th hole was the talk of the clubhouse and has been fabulously received by the membership. This hole isn't open for play just yet, but once the grass matures and binds together, this hole plays into a prevailing wind and will as legendary as the architects who have put their stamp on the land. It was a real honour to be the first golfer to play this new hole and I am excited for its future. Nice job Mr. Doak.
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In 2008, the 17th at Royal Adelaide Golf Club was a snaking par-5 of 473 metres with a fairway width that mostly measured 20 yards and which topped out at 30 yards.
An aerial of the 2008 hole:
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/RAGC%2017/ScreenShot2014-02-25atTuesdayFebruary25201473436PM_zpsd39b521b.png) (http://s1211.photobucket.com/user/SaltyLaw/media/RAGC%2017/ScreenShot2014-02-25atTuesdayFebruary25201473436PM_zpsd39b521b.png.html)
In his 1926 visit to Australia, Alistair Mackenzie visited Royal Adelaide and drew a proposed revised layout plan for the existing golf course. Mackenzie's 17th hole is reproduced below and called for a pair of centreline bunkers and the use of a small rise in elevation, which lay well out of play in the 2008 version.
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/RAGC%2017/DSCN5158-Version2_zps43bc6db9.jpg) (http://s1211.photobucket.com/user/SaltyLaw/media/RAGC%2017/DSCN5158-Version2_zps43bc6db9.jpg.html)
As part of their 2009 Master Plan, Ogilvy Clayton Design, inspired by and attempting to recapture Royal Adelaide's Mackenzie heritage, drew the following proposal for a new 17th hole:
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/RAGC%2017/DSCN5161-Version2_zps6fb4f330.jpg) (http://s1211.photobucket.com/user/SaltyLaw/media/RAGC%2017/DSCN5161-Version2_zps6fb4f330.jpg.html)
By 2010, the new hole was built. A 2010 aerial shows the completed version of the hole below. Note the yellow line, which marks the entire width of the 2008 fairway in the same spot. The change in width and scale is remarkable as the fairway now measured 105 yards wide and there was some 135 yards of corridor width. A remarkable change. I never did get to see the OCD version of the hole, but it's scale and style of bunkering was a radical departure from what existed before and what remains on the rest of the golf course.
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/RAGC%2017/ScreenShot2014-02-25atTuesdayFebruary25201473610PM_zpsede82ed4.png) (http://s1211.photobucket.com/user/SaltyLaw/media/RAGC%2017/ScreenShot2014-02-25atTuesdayFebruary25201473610PM_zpsede82ed4.png.html)
The membership must not have been pleased with the results of the 2010 renovation as Tom Doak / Renaissance Golf have since been appointed the Consulting Architect for Royal Adelaide. Aside from some minor tweaking, including expanded fairway cuts around the green, widened fairways, and removal of superfluous bunkering, Doak's first instruction was to re-work the 17th hole. Doak and Brian Slawnik have kept the idea of the centreline bunkers, but have considerably shrunk their scale, turning the pair of 'J' shaped bunkers into two pairs of more traditionally shaped and slightly offsetting centreline bunkers. The hourglass shaped and wildly contoured green has been moved back and to the right and replaced with a gently contoured front to back sloping green with a small kicker at the green's front left. Of particular curiosity are the trio of back bunkers, which very, very rarely make an appearance in the Australian world of golf course architecture. Perhaps they are a necessity to protect the 18th from approaches gone astray.
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/RAGC%2017/ScreenShot2014-02-25atTuesdayFebruary25201481614PM_zps0c079bcb.png) (http://s1211.photobucket.com/user/SaltyLaw/media/RAGC%2017/ScreenShot2014-02-25atTuesdayFebruary25201481614PM_zps0c079bcb.png.html)
17th Tee:
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/RAGC%2017/DSCN5251_zps72a6089a.jpg) (http://s1211.photobucket.com/user/SaltyLaw/media/RAGC%2017/DSCN5251_zps72a6089a.jpg.html)
Centreline bunkers:
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/RAGC%2017/DSCN5252_zps070a6d17.jpg) (http://s1211.photobucket.com/user/SaltyLaw/media/RAGC%2017/DSCN5252_zps070a6d17.jpg.html)
Approach from over bunkers:
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/RAGC%2017/DSCN5253_zpsc273ca75.jpg) (http://s1211.photobucket.com/user/SaltyLaw/media/RAGC%2017/DSCN5253_zpsc273ca75.jpg.html)
Green from left:
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/RAGC%2017/DSCN5255_zps2b2fbef9.jpg) (http://s1211.photobucket.com/user/SaltyLaw/media/RAGC%2017/DSCN5255_zps2b2fbef9.jpg.html)
17th from behind:
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc430/SaltyLaw/RAGC%2017/DSCN5258_zpsd330ced7.jpg) (http://s1211.photobucket.com/user/SaltyLaw/media/RAGC%2017/DSCN5258_zpsd330ced7.jpg.html)
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Fergal
I hope your day went as well as it seemed - and that the lunch was good. The prevailing afternoon wind is with you on that hole, and the morning wind is often against you, or quartering into you from the right. There was really barely a breath of wind on Saturday compared to normal play, although mornings are less windy than afternoons.
Fergal and others.
The hole opens tomorrow. I have a match to play there on Good Friday and a game on Easter saturday, so there should be some photos available. I emphasise 'should'.
I will have a particular interest in the bunkers and their shaping. Looking forward to seeing what there is 'behind the ropes'.
James B
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James,
Hopefully your walk down 17 on Friday is for photographic purposes only with the match safely in your pocket.
Fergal,
Good to meet you Saturday, hope Barnbougle went well. Mark Saltzman and I hit a tee shot at the bunkers on the day of his photos. To my knowledge he remains the only golfer to somehow bring his ball to rest on the tongue of ground seperating the two nearest fairway bunkers.
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Fergal - Glad to see you played Royal Adelaide and that they have re-done the 17th hole. The prior version of the hole stuck out like a sore thumb and was completely out of character with the rest of the course. It sounds like the new hole is a lot better. One of my favorite places to play anywhere. John
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Fergal - Glad to see you played Royal Adelaide and that they have re-done the 17th hole. The prior version of the hole stuck out like a sore thumb and was completely out of character with the rest of the course. It sounds like the new hole is a lot better. One of my favorite places to play anywhere. John
John,
Did you not like the character of the new hole? Or only the fact that it didn't mesh with the remaining 17 holes?
It was the first hole of a renovation plan, and more than likely, the entire course would have taken on the newer appearance over time. It is a shame the members didn't like it, as I personally found the existing course a bit stale.
TK
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I thought you were in Atlanta?
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Great photos Mark! thanks
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Tyler - Both. I didn't like the hole and it was out of character. Not sure how such a world class course could be described as stale. If this is stale then bring on old stale courses for me like this North Berwick, Prestwick, Myopia Hunt Club. Best to leave well enough alone when something is such a masterpiece. John
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I thought you were in Atlanta?
Nice!
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Tyler - Both. I didn't like the hole and it was out of character. Not sure how such a world class course could be described as stale. If this is stale then bring on old stale courses for me like this North Berwick, Prestwick, Myopia Hunt Club. Best to leave well enough alone when something is such a masterpiece. John
John,
I do want to get back to Royal Adelaide as I was quite underwhelmed by the golf course, particularly the contouring of the greens. I had just toured the best of the sand belt & Barnbougle which may have clouded my opinion to an extent. Regardless, the course sought advise to improve their course shortly after my visit, so safe to assume the membership felt a need to address some issues that were deemed in need of attention after so many years.
TK
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Well said - I think the greens are awful, but get slapped whenever I say that. People say all sorts of silly nonsense about how understated they are. No they are just dull.
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Fergal,
It seems the green that Clayton and Ogilvy had proposed was not actually built to their plans. Is that indeed correct? The hourglass green seems very small and extracting for a 440 yard hole.
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Nigel:
Not built to the plans? Are you referring to the small sketch of #17 as the plan for the green? I don't think anyone was looking at that too closely. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that Mike & company [and not Geoff Ogilvy who was not part of the firm at the time] built the green themselves. I'm not sure how much "input" they had from the green committee if any.
Whatever the last green was, it was not small. Relatively narrow, yes, but only by comparison to its 50-yard depth.
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Well said - I think the greens are awful, but get slapped whenever I say that. People say all sorts of silly nonsense about how understated they are. No they are just dull.
What makes them dull?
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Nigel
It was all our green - for better or worse!
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Um, at risk of appalling generalisation, most are pretty round with little internal movement. I didnt say they were easy but i never got sense a lot of time had been spent designing or building them.
An aussie site has some pics of the new bunkers doak has built on 17. "Interesting" seems to be the most polite comment so far.
Always premature to judge on the basis of a few grainy thumbnails taken out of context, but yes they do look interesting. Need to see how they look and play in the flesh.
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I suppose if subtlety's not your thing, you might conclude that the greens at Royal Adelaide are "dull". They're certainly understated, but a hell of a lot of fun and a good challenge.
2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 -- all great greens to approach, recover to and putt on.
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Nigel:
Not built to the plans? Are you referring to the small sketch of #17 as the plan for the green? I don't think anyone was looking at that too closely. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that Mike & company [and not Geoff Ogilvy who was not part of the firm at the time] built the green themselves. I'm not sure how much "input" they had from the green committee if any.
Whatever the last green was, it was not small. Relatively narrow, yes, but only by comparison to its 50-yard depth.
I'm sorry Tom and Mike, I guess I was. I thought the dark line on the third pic was Mike's planned green. The satellite photo looked different. I was just asking if the hourglass green worked well with the hole. I've never been to Adelaide or worked of sketches before. I'm just trying to ask questions nicely. I probably should have just kept my mouth shut.
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An aussie site has some pics of the new bunkers doak has built on 17. "Interesting" seems to be the most polite comment so far.
Josh,
They are possibly my photos and as a photographer I make a great footballer...... I should also point out that the hole has been put in play prior to the off fairway areas being anywhere near ready and that all grass areas on the bunker's edges are cut turf and well short of final condition.
What I posted in response to comments on those photos;
"The fairway, RHS and rear bunkers are excellent in form and function. They tie in with their surrounds very well and are strategically sound. Their scale is appropriate for the hole and course.
I'm not certain on the LHS form, shall await to see how the hole grows in around them (the off fairway areas are GUR and probably will be til late spring/early summer.
The aligning of the bottom and top lines of the bunkering is a delight as you look along the hole from each tee. It must have taken Slawnick hours"
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Its a tricky place to photograph well i would imagine, as if i had any idea. Its a big beautiful property but lacks the elevation changes of RM.
Nothing like a nice downhill hole to a pretty greensite to make mediocre architectur look better than it is. Flat is tricky.
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Tom,
It is hard to tell from the plans, but it looks the green is closer to the tee than on the Clayts design. Has the length of the hole been reduced from the hole Clayts created? If so, in choosing where to locate the new green, can you tell us why you choose a more forward location, other than pushing it further back to keep the length of the hole?
Scott
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Scott:
The hole is a bit shorter because the green is not as deep as it was. The front of the green is still in pretty much the same spot, but we reduced the depth to bring it more in line with the rest of the course. And, since the green now tucks back behind a diagonal ridge on the right, we didn't want to push it further back or less of it would have been visible from the tee and from the landing area.
It's still around 460 yards, not exactly a short 4.
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I have a match to play there on Good Friday and a game on Easter saturday, so there should be some photos available. I emphasise 'should'.
James, "should" to you normally means "won't". ;)
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I attach about 14 photos, which I hope complement and clarify some of the earlier discussion, and that it gives Tom Doak and Brian Slawnick some other feedback on the current status of grow-in. I am sure the club is providing some feedback as well.
The 17th tee was amended slightly, with the front of the tee 'supressed' a little lower, and the hard leading edge of the tee softened, with a small knob added. The tee now blends into the area surrounding 16 green, rather than being set abruptly as a hard edge with a blind surface.
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/17tee_zps186373d6.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/17tee_zps186373d6.jpg.html)
The hole sets out with a mix of bunkers (from the 390 metre front tee) at 210 metres carry left, short greenside left, 255 metres carry, behind the green and abutting the green on the right. A line of instinct can be seen, and a possible line of charm to the left of the fairway bunkers, although with uneven lies. Flatter lies are available right, but with more greenside hazards.
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/171_zpsa6538774.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/171_zpsa6538774.jpg.html)
The proximity to the adjacent 16 green can be seen here, with the amended widths of the 17th playing corridor. There is still some 28 yards left of the fairway bunkers, and 30 yards to the right, with perhaps some 20 yards of bunkered area in the middle.
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/172_zpse527173e.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/172_zpse527173e.jpg.html)
Attached are views from the left, the centre and the right for the second shot, followed by a short approach from the middle.
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/173_zpse7c3b9cb.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/173_zpse7c3b9cb.jpg.html)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/174_zps659708d8.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/174_zps659708d8.jpg.html)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/175_zps88136843.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/175_zps88136843.jpg.html)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/176_zps8f733a09.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/176_zps8f733a09.jpg.html)
Here is the green complex, starting with the left hand bunkers, the green, the right hand bunkers and the back bunkers.
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/177_zps7183599a.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/177_zps7183599a.jpg.html)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/178_zpse3f6fbf8.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/178_zpse3f6fbf8.jpg.html)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/179_zps446606fa.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/179_zps446606fa.jpg.html)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/1712_zps42fd7ca5.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/1712_zps42fd7ca5.jpg.html)
Here is the green, and a vista looking back up the fairway. The 'disappearing bunkers' (a ka Pasatiempo) have disappeared from view.
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/1710_zps6fcb2969.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/1710_zps6fcb2969.jpg.html)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/1711_zps95764dd9.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/1711_zps95764dd9.jpg.html)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/JamesBennett/1713_zpse26dd12e.jpg) (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/JamesBennett/media/1713_zpse26dd12e.jpg.html)
James B
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Tyler Kearns
If I recall correctly, you visited Adelaide in about 2005 or so. I recall Ed Getka and David Kelly visiting a year or two later. At that time, the greens were in a state of change for several reasons.
Most were being/been rebuilt for the 2008 Eisenhower Trophy (all were rebuilt except 15 and 18)
The water souce (underground water) was quite salty, perhaps over 1000 parts. Seaton gets perhaps 14 inches of rain a year, so irrigation with high salt was necessary. The greens were not able to be presented at the level which they can be for tournaments and major events.
The RA greens are subtle, but they could not have more significant slopes than they have when major events are on, as they always play very firm and fast when the weather allows.
Since that time, a ground water recovery scheme has been implemented, which recovers 200 ML of water from the surrounding area, cleanses it and then places that in the local aquifer. The club withdraws 200 ML of water during the year, now at half the salinity of previous years, with a corresponding improvement in turf quality, bit it surrounds, fairways or greens.
As a result, the greens are nearly always presented in a firm and fast manner, revealing the subtleties within. I say nearly always, as I played on Good Friday with uncut greens and a heavy morning shower. The greens were docile, slower, flatter and less interesting that day. I played the very next day and the greens were back to their regular level of presentation.
If you see the comments from Mark Saltzman above, he played on a normal Saturday in the middle of summer - a period where 5 years ago the greens may have been 'less interesting' for regular play. The water quality improvement is a most significant achievement for the club, enabling the regular presentation of the course in near championship condition.
I look forward to hearing other comments from those who have played the course in the last 2 years.
James B