Photo Heavy Course Photo of the Day: Ballyhack Edition
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- #102
Push your drive too far right and you'll be faced with a very uncomfortable decision between laying up or taking on the carry to the elevated green.
Even from the end of the fairway you are faced with an intimidating shot to the green.
As with several other holes at Ballyhack, you have to trust the yardage and line the forecaddie gives you because the surface of the green is impossible to see from the fairway
Even from the end of the fairway you are faced with an intimidating shot to the green.
As with several other holes at Ballyhack, you have to trust the yardage and line the forecaddie gives you because the surface of the green is impossible to see from the fairway
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- #103
Hole 15 Par 5 Appalachian Tees 544 Yards
The fifteenth hole still has me scratching my head a little bit. You have this beautiful sweeping fairway with bunkering on both sides, and the first thing your forecaddie will do is to tell you to aim away from it. From above the hole could be considered like the letter 'D' - the main fairway is the rounded part, and the finger, ravine and apron in front of the green is the straight side. Taking the shortcut requires a controlled-distance tee shot of no more than 210-220 yards. From there you have a short carry across a naturalized ravine to a short section of sloping fairway curving around and into the green which is the other half of the thirteenth.
One of the challenges with taking the direct route is the fact that you can't see much of the landing area from the tee box.
The fifteenth hole still has me scratching my head a little bit. You have this beautiful sweeping fairway with bunkering on both sides, and the first thing your forecaddie will do is to tell you to aim away from it. From above the hole could be considered like the letter 'D' - the main fairway is the rounded part, and the finger, ravine and apron in front of the green is the straight side. Taking the shortcut requires a controlled-distance tee shot of no more than 210-220 yards. From there you have a short carry across a naturalized ravine to a short section of sloping fairway curving around and into the green which is the other half of the thirteenth.
One of the challenges with taking the direct route is the fact that you can't see much of the landing area from the tee box.
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- #104
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Not as bad as Stairway to Seven, but man that is awesome!
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- #106
Taking the direct route presents you with a landing area that is contoured and slopes onto the front edge of the green - coming in with a draw you can find the putting surface and have a look at eagle.
Or if you want a challenge you can play the hole like I did, which was to play the fairway "as intended", which presents you with this view when you reach your final approach to the green.
In retrospect, maybe the direct line ain't such a bad idea
Or if you want a challenge you can play the hole like I did, which was to play the fairway "as intended", which presents you with this view when you reach your final approach to the green.
In retrospect, maybe the direct line ain't such a bad idea
I love 15 so much.
I’ll pass on both of those routes!! Send it down 14.
15 for me led to a Ball In Pocket
mistakes were made
For whatever reason, 12 is definitely at or near the top of the list for me at Ballyhack. Something about the rolling hills nature of the fairway, especially looking back to the tee box, with the cottages/fire pits right there. Love that hole.
Thinking Outside the Box, I love it.
That (and 11) were the two holes that @robrandalgz and I couldn't conjure anything up. I don't think we hit the 12th fairway one time, so we were fighting for bogey most of the time. Would have loved for one of us to pipe one down the hill, but we were way left or way right most of the time. It is a gorgeous golf hole though.
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Yeah that was one that I really wanted to take advantage of. Probably why I never hit a good shot there. If I would have approached it like any other golf hole, we probably couldd have salvaged something respectable. But, you know, BOMBS AWAY. Whoops.
Looks like you'd be spending twice as much in Golf Balls than the 18 hole fee.
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- #115
Just looking at the satellite view, and that seems......... interesting? I never saw that option off 15 tee, nor was it suggested to us. So it begs the question - how did you navigate the tree at the end (start) of 14 fairway which appears to block the path to 15 green?
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- #116
Hole 16 Par 4 Appalachian Tees 402 Yards
While the sixteenth is not an exceptionally long par four, it does require two worthy golf shots in order to post par. Longer hitters have driver taken out of their hands as they can easily run through the end of the fairway, and shorter hitters are challenged by the extra length of the carry on their second shot.
The preferred line off the tee is entered between the cart path and the last tree on the right; if you can keep your drive on the right side of the fairway in the lighter shade of green your second shot will be easier. The danger with this approach is the second cut and drop off if you push your drive at all.
While the sixteenth is not an exceptionally long par four, it does require two worthy golf shots in order to post par. Longer hitters have driver taken out of their hands as they can easily run through the end of the fairway, and shorter hitters are challenged by the extra length of the carry on their second shot.
The preferred line off the tee is entered between the cart path and the last tree on the right; if you can keep your drive on the right side of the fairway in the lighter shade of green your second shot will be easier. The danger with this approach is the second cut and drop off if you push your drive at all.
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- #117
Given the angles on this hole, the more direct your line to the green the longer the carry becomes. And the penalty for coming up short is severe, with a really good chance your ball will never be found. Playing to the perceived safety of the second fairway is no bargain either, as the ditch crosses the entire width of the hole.
The good news? There are two bunkers to catch a short approach and potentially save it from the ravine.
A note to future event participants: I can neither confirm nor deny that I may have left a ball or two abandoned in this area of the course for you to find
The good news? There are two bunkers to catch a short approach and potentially save it from the ravine.
A note to future event participants: I can neither confirm nor deny that I may have left a ball or two abandoned in this area of the course for you to find
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- #118
Hole 17 Par 3 Appalachian Tees 128 Yards
The penultimate hole at Ballyhack is a one-shotter that requires the golfer to find the putting surface. Seemingly perched on the side of a mountain, missing the green here leaves a challenging bunker shot, a trick pitch or worse case a drop.
The penultimate hole at Ballyhack is a one-shotter that requires the golfer to find the putting surface. Seemingly perched on the side of a mountain, missing the green here leaves a challenging bunker shot, a trick pitch or worse case a drop.
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- #119
Hole 18 Par 4 Appalachian Tees 401 Yards
The eighteenth hole is as straightforward as a par four gets. Well, at least until you arrive on the green which from the nightly putting challenges you know is a bit of a beast. There is a massive swale that runs front to back segmenting the green into two halves. Being on the wrong side of the swale certainly brings a big number into play.
You want to keep your drive on the left side in order to keep the large maple out of the equation.
The eighteenth hole is as straightforward as a par four gets. Well, at least until you arrive on the green which from the nightly putting challenges you know is a bit of a beast. There is a massive swale that runs front to back segmenting the green into two halves. Being on the wrong side of the swale certainly brings a big number into play.
You want to keep your drive on the left side in order to keep the large maple out of the equation.
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- #120
One element I found interesting about the eighteenth was that standing on the green looking back down the fairway it appeared that the fairway was significantly below the level of the putting surface. While the hole plays gradually uphill for the entire length, arriving at your tee ball the rise to the green is not as severe from this side. Just be aware of the small false front that will prevent GIRs seven days a week.
I really liked hole 14. I aimed at that cart path 3 times and drew my hybrid right at the cart path 3 times. The first time playing the green was a lesson on the contours but then you know where to hit it. Par, par, birdie for me there.
@Nashtyone time to start strategizing...lol
