Approach to 8th green at Castleknock
from the green. Many courses could be dramatically improved with a re- bunkering programme and made to be much more challenging to play for all. I don’t think there are any formulas for what should, or shouldn’t be, an ideal par 3, par 4 or par 5. However, there are holes I have played which I would consider to be my favourites. I prefer to play an iron approach into a par 4 hole than a wood, so I’d say a shorter par 4 would be more ideal for me - say 350 to 390 metres. I think I prefer a dog-leg to a straight hole in general terms, however, a dead straight hole which has a carry over a ravine from the tee and has a water hazard placed left or right of the green is more interesting than a dog-leg hole that is completely flat. I create
11th green at Ramside Hall
designs that are not formulaic. If the site dictates that the par 4 hole is a short 250 metre left-right dog-leg through dense woodland, then so be it. If it is a dead straight 430 metre downhill par 4 with a backdrop of the sea or mountains, then it can still work. It is not an individual hole that make a course but all 18 holes! It is difficult to get 18 classic holes on a site, but each hole must have something about it that is memorable and challenging.
Saying that, one hole I really like is the 11th at Castleknock. It is pure ‘risk and reward’ stuff over a lake to a subtly undulating green; all in view from the lounge of the hotel. Pure drama. Invariably, all of my resort projects have buggy tracks designed into them
and the more prestigious the project the more emphasis is placed upon having playable and maintainable high quality surfaces year-round, so irrigation systems get more complex to deal with this. I enjoy playing my own designs to see
where there is room for improvement. I am always willing to learn something new and playing your own courses, with friends, clients and family, gives you good feedback on what might have been more appropriate. Of course, I always enjoy playing courses designed by others because I like to see what my competitors are up to or just to pick up a few ideas. Playing golf on properly designed golf courses is always a pleasure. Playing golf on courses that have been just ‘built’ is always depressing, and there are so many
23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100