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Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Laudable LUNDIN GC New
« on: June 28, 2016, 06:55:03 AM »
A general view of the links with the railway and station still in operation.


A view of the links looking back to the house and station. Perhaps it is the Dyke Hole in the foreground.


The links prior to the split.


Building a sustainable membership after forming a new club in 1868 was slow going for Lundin Golf Club (originally known as Lundin Mill).  However, the club did hang on and a new house was built in 1896 when it was decided that the club could survive. Unfortunately, several clubs shared the Leven Links and the club members on the far side of the links far outnumbered the Lundin GC members.  Hence, congestion on the links became a serious issue and consequently, it was no longer feasible to start play at both ends of the links. More is the pity because a reformed 18 hole links would probably give other contenders a run for their money as the second best course in Fife.  It is thought Colt likened Leven to Rye.  Mile Dyke was the logical dividing line between Lundin and the Leven clubs and in 1908 Lundin called in the great James Braid to design holes on the Lundin end of the links.  A railway line split the property, but by 1912 this section of the line was closed down.  The strip where the tracks existed remain an integral part of the design to this day. The new holes are a mix of parkland and links of varying quality with holes 6, 7 & 10 being the best of the bunch. These three holes fit seamlessly with the original holes including the Old Tom Morris contribution of 1, 2, 17 & 18. As the famous Trows hole (the name of the burn and originally the 7th of Leven Links) prior to the intervention of Old Tom Morris, I don't know who is responsble for its design.

Lundin commences with great promise as the opening seven holes are of a very high standard.  Given the era of the design, it isn’t surprising that four of the holes are par 4s of less than 360 yards.  There are two stout holes to break up the wedge party and at 403 yards the opener is of this type.  The hole is quite similar to Cruden Bay’s second with its valley fairway.  Although, Lundin’s first is very attractive with its shared fairway with #18, beach and Leven in the distance.




On the second we encounter a crossing hazard (near the golfers) for the first of many times.  Many will choose to lay-up as the hole isn't long.


While not exactly a dogleg, the brave player can be rewarded by using the tight left line on the 3rd.


After a gentle, but interesting handshake, the fourth is a white knuckle ride.  Dead straight with the beach too close for comfort on the left and patchy rough right, only a true drive will do.  The troubles don't end there as the long second is all carry over a Mile Dyke offshoot to a plateau green.


The first short hole of the round...and an excellent one at that.


More to follow.

Ciao
« Last Edit: February 26, 2023, 09:43:06 PM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Marty Bonnar

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC 1-5
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2016, 07:44:28 AM »
Sean,
The one day a year when we get to play those original 18 holes is worth the membership fee alone! As you say, would probably be the second best course in Fife.

Cheers,
F.
The White River runs dark through the heart of the Town,
Washed the people coal-black from the hole in the ground.

Peter Pallotta

Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC 1-5
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2016, 08:44:49 AM »
"....the long second is all carry over a burn to a plateau green"...

A succinct description of all the challenge any golfer, or at least this golfer, will ever need.

Thanks, Sean. Carry on

Peter

Rich Goodale

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC 1-5
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2016, 08:53:45 AM »
Sean,
The one day a year when we get to play those original 18 holes is worth the membership fee alone! As you say, would probably be the second best course in Fife.

Cheers,
F.


Agreed.  It probably would have been the best course in Fife if Kingsbarns hand't been built 15-20 years ago.....
Life is good.

Any afterlife is unlikely and/or dodgy.

Jean-Paul Parodi

Tony_Muldoon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC 1-5
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2016, 10:55:49 AM »
Sean,
The one day a year when we get to play those original 18 holes is worth the membership fee alone! As you say, would probably be the second best course in Fife.

Cheers,
F.


Agreed.  It probably would have been the best course in Fife if Kingsbarns hand't been built 15-20 years ago.....

Anyone want to buy my copy of "Experience The Old Course"? What with Brexit and now this, there goes my pension...

http://www.abebooks.com/Experience-Old-Course-St-Andrews-Links/16618066127/bd
Let's make GCA grate again!

Adam Lawrence

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC 1-5
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2016, 11:07:19 AM »
HOW MUCH????
Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC 1-5
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2016, 11:21:47 AM »
Sean,
The one day a year when we get to play those original 18 holes is worth the membership fee alone! As you say, would probably be the second best course in Fife.
Cheers,
F.
FBD,
Sounds interesting.
What's the length of the course you play in this event and do you play all the way from one end of the links to the other and then back again?
Atb

Rich Goodale

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC 1-5
« Reply #7 on: June 28, 2016, 12:04:43 PM »
Sean,
The one day a year when we get to play those original 18 holes is worth the membership fee alone! As you say, would probably be the second best course in Fife.

Cheers,
F.


Agreed.  It probably would have been the best course in Fife if Kingsbarns hand't been built 15-20 years ago.....

Anyone want to buy my copy of "Experience The Old Course"? What with Brexit and now this, there goes my pension...

http://www.abebooks.com/Experience-Old-Course-St-Andrews-Links/16618066127/bd


Hiya Tony (and Adam).  Welcome to the fantasy world of internet commerce.....


All my books can be bought used at 10-20X the price I would sell them new, if I had more than just a few lying around.
[/size]
[/size]All the best
[/size]
[/size]Rich

Life is good.

Any afterlife is unlikely and/or dodgy.

Jean-Paul Parodi

Marty Bonnar

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC 1-5
« Reply #8 on: June 28, 2016, 12:39:27 PM »
Sean,
The one day a year when we get to play those original 18 holes is worth the membership fee alone! As you say, would probably be the second best course in Fife.
Cheers,
F.
FBD,
Sounds interesting.
What's the length of the course you play in this event and do you play all the way from one end of the links to the other and then back again?
Atb

Thomas,
Rather than choke up Sean's thread, here's a link:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,58607.msg1376374.html#msg1376374

Cheers,
F.
The White River runs dark through the heart of the Town,
Washed the people coal-black from the hole in the ground.

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC 1-5 New
« Reply #9 on: June 28, 2016, 07:29:43 PM »
Lundin Tour Cont.

The next pair of holes are short 4s with a combined total of 591 yards.  As is often the case with Braid holes, length isn't the primary concern.  Both holes are blind off the tee and feature OOB down the right.


There is a big advantage to successfully using driver in reducing the effect of the upturned saucer green, however, this is a bold play.


The 6th is one of Lundin's many excellent greens.


Technically a par 3 yardage, however, few would suggest these 266 yards on the 7th should be covered in one blow.


If one is going to lay-up its best to do so properly. Play is from right of the photo.


The good run of holes comes to an abrupt holt at 8 & 9, but the back nine commences in fine form.  The 10th & 11th, running in opposite directions, share a fairway.   




The 11th is an attractive and straight-away long par 4.


More to follow.

Ciao
« Last Edit: February 26, 2023, 09:49:42 PM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC 1-11 New
« Reply #10 on: June 30, 2016, 06:05:22 AM »
Lundin Tour Cont

We now head for high ground near the Largo/Elie Road to play the 12, a steeply uphill short hole of high quality. 


I usually like holes played along ridges, but the 13th did little for me.  There is, however, a bit of quirk with the fairway slicing through a stand of trees.  It is fairly easy to get caught out left.  On the positive side of the ledger, the club gets the mix of rough and trees right so that a bold recovery is possible.


The 14th takes us back down to the links proper with an indifferent drop shot par 3. The green could do with some visual sprucing up.  Leven is on the other side of the wall.


Although Lundin can feel cramped at times with loads of OOB and water, in the end it was probably a good decision to retain the old railway line.  Next door, Leven removed their section of track to the detriment of the course character. 

Without question Lundin loses it way a bit on the back nine, but the 15th is a corking 400+ yarder playing along the old railway line.  On the day we had a northeasterly wind so reaching the cross bunkers was never going to happen. 


McDonald's template "Leven" hole follows.  This is a strange short par 4 with an aesthetic mess of water and sand at the turn of the dogleg (fish hook) left.  The hole would probably be improved by removing the bunkers because the green site and green are very good.  One can see in the photo the close proximity of tees and greens for much of the course. 


With a northeasterly wind, the drive for the 17th is very challenging.  One must carry the high broken ground with lost ball territory right and OOB left.  The area left of the fairway was the location of the old station; presumably called Lundin Links. 


The home hole is one of the best on the course.  Again, playing into the wind this uphill 427 yard beast was unreachable for me.  The drive is very strange as suddenly there seems to be loads of space.  OOB lurks on the left, but its not as if there are naked women and coffee in that direction. 


However, the approach is an entirely different matter.  There is no getting around the boundary fence being four paces from the green.  For those who can't reach the green there is the small matter of a centreline bunker to cope with.


Many will have noticed the large Scottish Golf van parked in front of the house.  That is because the East of Scotland Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship was due to start the next day.  That may explain why Lundin was the best conditioned course of the trip!  Lundin GC initiated the championship in 1973 and is the annual host of the event which counts toward world amateur ranking.   Behind the green.


That then is Lundin.  Old Tom Morris designed several courses in Fife and the highlight holes at Lundin are among his best in the Kingdom.  Lundin is a tightly packed links with generally high quality and interesting greens.  The wily set of short two-shotters can easily unravel a card when a loose swing or two is unleashed.  There are a few longer par 4s which offer a combination of brute force challenge and thinking man's golf.  Perhaps the lack of more short holes, a good par 5 and more holes crossing the predominate play along the coast are missed here, but that isn't too much hardship when we consider the quality of the terrific opening seven holes and 10, 12, 15 & 18.  2016

Ran's Review.
http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/scotland/lundinlinks000197/

Ciao
« Last Edit: February 26, 2023, 09:56:22 PM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Tony_Muldoon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC
« Reply #11 on: July 03, 2016, 05:08:03 PM »
 
Thanks Sean.
 
I really think a first time visitor to these shores should consider 2 weeks in Fife (or the next place south ) this is another course that in any sane world would be a must play. Second time round I enjoyed my trip up the hill because it demanded good golf of me.  Why spend hours driving when you could fit this and Leven in on the same day.
 
Absolutely should be on more itineraries.
 
Let's make GCA grate again!

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Laudable LUNDIN GC
« Reply #12 on: July 03, 2016, 06:41:23 PM »
Spangles


I liked Lundin without thinking it is an exceptional course in any way (Elie is superior).  In truth, its not the quality I have doubts about, its the green fee...Fife prices..heavy sigh.  I won't rush to go back, but would certainly keep Lundin in mind as a trip filler because like you...I think Fife and East Lothian are awesome areas to visit. 


Ciao
« Last Edit: July 03, 2016, 06:52:22 PM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

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