Ballyneal course update? Whose played it

[mattsam]

Going to Ballyneal this summer. I talked to a very nice gentleman at the club who was very helpful. The more I research it the cooler it looks.

Who played it last year and what did they think? Is one round enough or should I plan on getting in 36?

Thanks

[Sean25rp]

Just from looking at the pictures I would have to get in 36 holes. It looks fantastic!

[sabram]

As soon as you get off the 18th tee you'll want to go right out again. It is a special place, near the top of my top ten U.S. courses. Get there early and play more than 36 or stay overnight and play on two days if your host is willing to set it up. The accommodations and people are great. The greens are the coolest this side of Old Mac. When you get to the 4th tee you'll think you are in golf heaven.

Photo tour here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/collections/72157631938905759/

[DLiver]

I played it last year with some buddies. The consensus was that it was a great looking course, but the greens were too extreme. Out of 8 guys, 4 guys hated it, 3 guys didn't care for it and 1 guy loved it. It is a unique experience though.

The people were really nice and the food was good. The other guests we met there were also very nice. Accommodations on site were good as well.

[Sean25rp]

[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1361017868' post='6438999']
I played it last year with some buddies. The consensus was that it was a great looking course, but the greens were too extreme. Out of 8 guys, 4 guys hated it, 3 guys didn't care for it and 1 guy loved it. It is a unique experience though.

The people were really nice and the food was good. The other guests we met there were also very nice. Accommodations on site were good as well.
[/quote]

Is that as in too sloping?

[DLiver]

^^^Too many mounds for the size of the greens, and a lot of big ridges and runoffs as I recall. The whole course is pretty severely mounded.

[Sean25rp]

[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1361039670' post='6440479']
^^^Too many mounds for the size of the greens, and a lot of big ridges and runoffs as I recall. The whole course is pretty severely mounded.
[/quote]

Yeah it looked that way in the pictures from the link above.

[mattsam]

[quote name='sabram' timestamp='1361017228' post='6438977']
As soon as you get off the 18th tee you'll want to go right out again. It is a special place, near the top of my top ten U.S. courses. Get there early and play more than 36 or stay overnight and play on two days if your host is willing to set it up. The accommodations and people are great. The greens are the coolest this side of Old Mac. When you get to the 4th tee you'll think you are in golf heaven.

Photo tour here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/collections/72157631938905759/
[/quote]

WOW great photos! I now want to play at least two rounds. What time of year was that? The greens looked burnt in some spots. Were they rolling good?

[sabram]

[quote name='mattsam' timestamp='1361059737' post='6441961']
[quote name='sabram' timestamp='1361017228' post='6438977']
As soon as you get off the 18th tee you'll want to go right out again. It is a special place, near the top of my top ten U.S. courses. Get there early and play more than 36 or stay overnight and play on two days if your host is willing to set it up. The accommodations and people are great. The greens are the coolest this side of Old Mac. When you get to the 4th tee you'll think you are in golf heaven.

Photo tour here: [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/collections/72157631938905759/"]http://www.flickr.co...57631938905759/[/url]
[/quote]

WOW great photos! I now want to play at least two rounds. What time of year was that? The greens looked burnt in some spots. Were they rolling good?
[/quote]

That was July. Nothing was burned. The course prizes itself in playing firm and fast and is very "linsky" in the truest sense. They don't worry about looking bright green. Brown is beautiful. think British Open. Don't worry about the cosmetics, they roll great. You can spend an hour putting all different ways on number 7 which IMO is one of the greatest short par 4's I've ever played. I strongly disagree with the posts that thought the greens were too extreme. I will say that some of them require imagination. The greens are what make this course. If you like the greens in St Andrews or at Bandon, you'll like Ballyneal.



[u][b]Warning[/b][/u] this linked video has X rated language, but check out the putts on hole #7 at 50 seconds and 1:08. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A899MJ6NXBA&feature=endscreen&NR=1"]https://www.youtube....=endscreen&NR=1[/url]Those are as "extreme" as Ballyneal gets and they are fun putts. You will likely want to putt it several different ways and the beauty is there will likely not be anyone near you on the course so you will be able to try the putts several ways.

Here's a link to a G rated video that summarizes how I felt stepping to the fourth tee [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e80sygbYf6o"]https://www.youtube....h?v=e80sygbYf6o[/url]

By the way, there are no tee markers. Whoever won the preceding hole picks the teeing spot from among several large teeing areas on each hole. So, if you play more than one round you can experiment by playing the holes from different places to have a different look from each tee and to use different clubs and angles on the par threes. Pretty cool

Have fun

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Wonder if they'll change the name since Oneil helped them into foreclosure and the new buyer (his BIL?) gave him the boot?

Be prepared to walk as there are no carts and it can be brutally hot out here.

[mattsam]

Sabram,
I saw both those videos last week! I'm very excited. The brown doesn't bother me. I'll be there this July.

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1361017868' post='6438999']
I played it last year with some buddies. The consensus was that it was a great looking course, but the greens were too extreme. Out of 8 guys, 4 guys hated it, 3 guys didn't care for it and 1 guy loved it. It is a unique experience though.
[/quote]
[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1361039670' post='6440479']
^^^Too many mounds for the size of the greens, and a lot of big ridges and runoffs as I recall. The whole course is pretty severely mounded.
[/quote]

As far as I know, the "mounding" was created by nature. The site was chosen for its similarity to a seaside links and the course reflects the more primitive style and ancient sensibility where the course is defined by the land and not the engineer or the earthmover.

For sure, it is very different from the typical American-style course.

I must say, this is the first I've heard of someone "hating" Ballyneal. I assume these are the same guys that hated Old Mac? I do understand that golf is a personal thing and appreciate that life would be boring if we were all the same, but hate is such a strong feeling and quite surprising to hear it used in this case.

In my experience, I've discovered there are some who tend to embrace the familiar and reject the foreign while others seek out the curious and uncommon experiences and I assume this could be the case.

For me, this type of course is a welcome change from what has become the status quo in modern American golf course design and I am hopeful of a growing shift toward the throwback styles as more people discover the joys of places like Ballyneal, Sand Hills, Bandon, Rustic Canyon, etc.

[DLiver]

[quote name='teejaywhy' timestamp='1361110978' post='6444501']
[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1361017868' post='6438999']
I played it last year with some buddies. The consensus was that it was a great looking course, but the greens were too extreme. Out of 8 guys, 4 guys hated it, 3 guys didn't care for it and 1 guy loved it. It is a unique experience though.
[/quote]
[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1361039670' post='6440479']
^^^Too many mounds for the size of the greens, and a lot of big ridges and runoffs as I recall. The whole course is pretty severely mounded.
[/quote]

As far as I know, the "mounding" was created by nature. The site was chosen for its similarity to a seaside links and the course reflects the more primitive style and ancient sensibility where the course is defined by the land and not the engineer or the earthmover.

For sure, it is very different from the typical American-style course.

I must say, this is the first I've heard of someone "hating" Ballyneal. I assume these are the same guys that hated Old Mac? I do understand that golf is a personal thing and appreciate that life would be boring if we were all the same, but hate is such a strong feeling and quite surprising to hear it used in this case.

In my experience, I've discovered there are some who tend to embrace the familiar and reject the foreign while others seek out the curious and uncommon experiences and I assume this could be the case.

For me, this type of course is a welcome change from what has become the status quo in modern American golf course design and I am hopeful of a growing shift toward the throwback styles as more people discover the joys of places like Ballyneal, Sand Hills, Bandon, Rustic Canyon, etc.
[/quote]

Different group of guys. Hate is perhaps too strong a word. "Didn't care for" is probably better. None of them would pay to play it again if it was right next door.

You make a lot of assumptions in your denigration of my opinions. I think it is fine for you to love Ballyneal and me not to care for it. That's one of the things that makes life interesting. FWIW, Sandhills is perhaps the best course I've every played. It is wonderfully subtle and nuanced, and presents a great smorgasbord of strategic options. I find these things lacking at Ballyneal. Some of the courses at Bandon are world class. One is not in my opinion.

When designers today emulate the courses of the old masters, they have to be careful to take into account the changes in the game. The Old Course wasn't designed with today's green speeds in mind. To put 3 significant (4+% grade) mounds in a green that is less than 3,000 sf is extreme IMO, and you can easily find that excessiveness in greens at Ballyneal. That's why I said what I said.

I am not sure why you have to take to task people who's opinions vary from yours. The OP wanted an opinion, and I gave it. He asked for more details, and I gave them. When someone wants an opinion of a course I've played, I'll gladly give it. But I get no joy from these "you're wrong, it's a great course" sidetracks. You like it, I don't. That doesn't make you a dullard when it comes to course design, nor does it make me. Peace out.

[BG5]

Whats a round cost at Ballyneal?

[mattsam]

[quote name='BG5' timestamp='1361123424' post='6445655']
Whats a round cost at Ballyneal?
[/quote]
A day at Ballyneal walking only with Caddy, say 2 rounds tip and rounds would be around $300-400 depending on tipping. I think its $200 a day golf only plus, plus, plus

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1361120168' post='6445369']
[quote name='teejaywhy' timestamp='1361110978' post='6444501']
[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1361017868' post='6438999']
I played it last year with some buddies. The consensus was that it was a great looking course, but the greens were too extreme. Out of 8 guys, 4 guys hated it, 3 guys didn't care for it and 1 guy loved it. It is a unique experience though.
[/quote]
[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1361039670' post='6440479']
^^^Too many mounds for the size of the greens, and a lot of big ridges and runoffs as I recall. The whole course is pretty severely mounded.
[/quote]

For sure, it is very different from the typical American-style course.

I must say, this is the first I've heard of someone "hating" Ballyneal. I assume these are the same guys that hated Old Mac? I do understand that golf is a personal thing and appreciate that life would be boring if we were all the same, but hate is such a strong feeling and quite surprising to hear it used in this case.

In my experience, I've discovered there are some who tend to embrace the familiar and reject the foreign while others seek out the curious and uncommon experiences and I assume this could be the case.

[/quote]

Different group of guys. Hate is perhaps too strong a word. "Didn't care for" is probably better. None of them would pay to play it again if it was right next door.

You make a lot of assumptions in your denigration of my opinions. I think it is fine for you to love Ballyneal and me not to care for it. That's one of the things that makes life interesting. FWIW, Sandhills is perhaps the best course I've every played. It is wonderfully subtle and nuanced, and presents a great smorgasbord of strategic options. I find these things lacking at Ballyneal. Some of the courses at Bandon are world class. One is not in my opinion.

When designers today emulate the courses of the old masters, they have to be careful to take into account the changes in the game. The Old Course wasn't designed with today's green speeds in mind. To put 3 significant (4+% grade) mounds in a green that is less than 3,000 sf is extreme IMO, and you can easily find that excessiveness in greens at Ballyneal. That's why I said what I said.

I am not sure why you have to take to task people who's opinions vary from yours. The OP wanted an opinion, and I gave it. He asked for more details, and I gave them. When someone wants an opinion of a course I've played, I'll gladly give it. But I get no joy from these "you're wrong, it's a great course" sidetracks. You like it, I don't. That doesn't make you a dullard when it comes to course design, nor does it make me. Peace out.
[/quote]

I apologize. Sometimes I get a little grumpy because I do like to see the opinions fleshed out a bit and backed up with some detail. Your original comment was a bit brief as were the Old Mac offerings. There are too many here that offer up one-liners that a course is awesome or sucks, but without knowing that person or without substantiating details to help me understand how they are evaluating the course, it can be hard to decipher. As well, the opinions of buddies or caddies who aren't available to explain themselves don't have much meaning to me.

The additional info you have posted helps me understand where you are coming from and realize that I may have been off target with my comments. If you have played Sand Hills, Ballyneal, and the Bandon courses, then you have played the best of the best and while I may not agree with your opinion, I can respect it.

[DLiver]

No worries mate. We're all brothers in golf.

[g_double]

Course is in great shape and has been all winter (except when it's been covered in snow).

[deadsolid...shank]

Has anyone played both Ballyneal and the Prairie Club? And if so, how do they compare?

[MileHighGuye]

How do you get on to Ballyneal? I would love to be able to go there. It's driveable for me so it makes it worth it. Any thoughts?

[I_HATE_SNOW]

[quote name='bradleyguye' timestamp='1366151726' post='6860089']
How do you get on to Ballyneal? I would love to be able to go there. It's driveable for me so it makes it worth it. Any thoughts?
[/quote]

Act like you're rich and interested in joining.

[mattsam]

Ballyneal lets on limited play if you ask via letter or have a club pro call in

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='mattsam' timestamp='1366154898' post='6860401']
Ballyneal lets on limited play if you ask via letter or have a club pro call in
[/quote]

[url]http://www.ballyneal.com/non-members-play/[/url]

[mattsam]

I just got my reservation notice yesterday.

[vpd]

My son and I just returned from playing Ballyneal. The course design and layout are just incredible.
There is not a weak hole among the 18. Hole #7 a short par four is one of the best. Each of the par 3s are
outstanding. The course is in impeccable condition. Greens putt true and you get a lot of run on the
fairways from your drives due to the short fescue links type grass.

The food and lodging were first class. Caddies were excellent.

Now is the most attractive time to purchase a membership. They are looking for new members following the difficult times they have
experienced over the past few years.

I live in Denver. It's about a 3-3 1/2 hour drive to Ballyneal just outside of Holyoke but not a difficult drive.

Tom Doak has designed a masterpiece here--just as strong as his two Bandon courses.

[MileHighGuye]

I just sent my reservation notice in. How long does it take to get a reply? If you send in a request is it always granted?

[MileHighGuye]

One more question... How many holes can you realistically play. I would definitely like to play 36 two days in a row but didn't know if you could play more?

[mattsam]

I emailed in February and was emailed back in about two weeks while they were still closed. Everyone so far has been very polite and professional.

[g_double]

The gentleman that stated now is the time to look into membership is absolutely correct. I won't post what the offer is but if you're interested feel free to send a private message. The course is in tremendous shape and it is shaping up to be an awesome season.

Garen

[g_double]

[quote name='bradleyguye' timestamp='1369345896' post='7094520']
One more question... How many holes can you realistically play. I would definitely like to play 36 two days in a row but didn't know if you could play more?
[/quote]

36 shouldn't be a problem, you pay for the day so you can play as many as you can considering pace of play, endurance, caddie, etc.

Hope this helps,

Garen