Photo Heavy Course Photo of the Day: Ballyhack Edition
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- #77
Hole 10 Par 5 Appalachian Tees 508 Yards
In similar fashion to the ninth, the tenth hole has a lot of features that make it one of my favourites. It's deceptive off the tee; you put your peg in the ground and take aim at the cart path in the distance, expecting to fly the right hand corner of the first bend in the fairway. You take the club back, through and..... your ball lands about 50 yards short of the unkempt area. If you've hit it really well and have length you could be in it, which you will soon find is not ideal. Teeing off last on the first day I had the opportunity to watch everyone else tee off, and the majority of shots wound up in or left of the fairway - there is room to the left for pulled tee shots.
What is not immediately evident to the player is just how far the second cut extends into the corner; if you're going long you want to be left of the cart path to ensure fairway grass is found. Aiming at the small bunker left of the path is actually the line to the centre of the fairway.
While the bunkering along the right side of the fairway is nice to look at, you do not want to be in there.
In similar fashion to the ninth, the tenth hole has a lot of features that make it one of my favourites. It's deceptive off the tee; you put your peg in the ground and take aim at the cart path in the distance, expecting to fly the right hand corner of the first bend in the fairway. You take the club back, through and..... your ball lands about 50 yards short of the unkempt area. If you've hit it really well and have length you could be in it, which you will soon find is not ideal. Teeing off last on the first day I had the opportunity to watch everyone else tee off, and the majority of shots wound up in or left of the fairway - there is room to the left for pulled tee shots.
What is not immediately evident to the player is just how far the second cut extends into the corner; if you're going long you want to be left of the cart path to ensure fairway grass is found. Aiming at the small bunker left of the path is actually the line to the centre of the fairway.
While the bunkering along the right side of the fairway is nice to look at, you do not want to be in there.
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- #78
This will be your second shot view after a drive of approximately 210-220 yards.
The landing area for your second is quite generous, the more left you are the slope will direct you back towards centre while the right side is fairly level. The opening to the front of the green appears very, very small from the fairway. Most pin placements will ask you to fly the bunkering front right.
If you've been fortunate enough to find the left half of the fairway on your approach, you will find that the opening is larger than you thought.
The landing area for your second is quite generous, the more left you are the slope will direct you back towards centre while the right side is fairly level. The opening to the front of the green appears very, very small from the fairway. Most pin placements will ask you to fly the bunkering front right.
If you've been fortunate enough to find the left half of the fairway on your approach, you will find that the opening is larger than you thought.
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- #79
This look back from the fairway reveals what is waiting for those who try to cut the corner off the tee.
Search parties can be a common theme at Ballyhack
Search parties can be a common theme at Ballyhack
Loving these pics, John! Really great to revisit this course through these!
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- #82
One of my top three favorite holes on the course!Hole 9 Par 5 Appalachian Tees 530 Yards
The ninth hole at Ballyhack is one of, if not my favourite hole on the course. It reminds me of courses that I have played formed out of old quarries where you feel like you're playing along the edge of a cliff. And the cliff here was traversed by multiple THPers and forecaddies during the event, including myself
From the tee aim at (or just right of) the silos in front of the clubhouse and hit it as far as you possibly can. Do not go right. Right is no good. Even if you manage to find it.
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Finally made my way through this and it brought back sooooo many good memories. Appreciate you doing this!
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- #84
Hole 11 Par 4 Appalachian Tees 322 Yards
Now this is a unique golf hole! On paper it seems relatively straightforward, and then you drive to the tee and see what you're actually dealing with. An elevated tee box to a steep fairway that is sloped toward you and also toward the left side leading to a massively elevated green complex. It's difficult to scale it, but I would speculate that from the start of the fairway (which is close to 25 feet below the tee box) the elevation change to the green is close to 75 feet. It literally feels like you're playing up the side of a mountain. And as this golfer found out, hitting the centreline of the fairway is no guarantee that you will stay in the fairway.
Did I mention that mishits off the tee will likely never be found?
Now this is a unique golf hole! On paper it seems relatively straightforward, and then you drive to the tee and see what you're actually dealing with. An elevated tee box to a steep fairway that is sloped toward you and also toward the left side leading to a massively elevated green complex. It's difficult to scale it, but I would speculate that from the start of the fairway (which is close to 25 feet below the tee box) the elevation change to the green is close to 75 feet. It literally feels like you're playing up the side of a mountain. And as this golfer found out, hitting the centreline of the fairway is no guarantee that you will stay in the fairway.
Did I mention that mishits off the tee will likely never be found?
Sweet, delicious Vienna Lager on the 11th. Sneaky great hole. A little different vibe from the rest of the course. I feel like 11 and 16 are secluded - super nice change of pace.
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- #86
How steep is the fairway? This photo from about 130 out has not been tricked up in any way and you can barely see the top of the flagstick. Did I mention it feels like you're playing up a mountain?
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- #87
That definitely seems appropriate for this hole. It looks so simple but plays so fun. It's not often you get to play such a steep fairway as this one. And I agree to the feeling of seclusion. We started on the back nine the first day, so imagine rolling up to this tee with it being only the second hole you've played at Ballyhack. I think it was more intimidating to hit this fairway than it was on the first.
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These are great
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- #91
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- #92
Hole 12 Par 4 Appalachian Tees 400 Yards
Another one of Ballyhack's super-interesting holes: you can't see the landing area from the tee but the hole can be played multiple ways. You can take driver and go at the cart path in the distance with a draw and if everything falls into place your drive will find the flat spot at the bottom. Too far left and you're playing off an uneven lie in the rough. Not far enough and you're probably going to have an uncomfortable down/side hill lie trying to hit a shot to an elevated green. I'm not sure why anyone would, but the other option is to lay up to the flat plateau you can see from the tee.
Another one of Ballyhack's super-interesting holes: you can't see the landing area from the tee but the hole can be played multiple ways. You can take driver and go at the cart path in the distance with a draw and if everything falls into place your drive will find the flat spot at the bottom. Too far left and you're playing off an uneven lie in the rough. Not far enough and you're probably going to have an uncomfortable down/side hill lie trying to hit a shot to an elevated green. I'm not sure why anyone would, but the other option is to lay up to the flat plateau you can see from the tee.
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- #93
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- #94
The good news for the player is that aside from one small pot bunker protecting the right corner of the green the apron is open for your approach.
I can already feel my Swing on this Tee shot, holding my rotation so I don't hook it left.
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- #96
Hole 13 Par 3 Appalachian Tees 178 Yards
Welcome to your first look at Ballyhack's double green, which is shared with the 15th.
If this isn't the definition of a sucker pin I'm not sure I know what is. The good news is you can use the slopes of the green to play safely to the middle of the green and direct your ball back leaving yourself a reasonable look at birdie. A word of warning: playing this half of the green you need to be cognizant of players approaching from the 15th fairway - although there is a significant swale to differentiate the playing surfaces we were putting out on 13 when not one but two approach shots came screaming through
If you happen to find yourself in the front bunker like I did you can easily be ten feet below the putting surface staring at a wall of sand. Let's just say it's not where you want to be.
Welcome to your first look at Ballyhack's double green, which is shared with the 15th.
If this isn't the definition of a sucker pin I'm not sure I know what is. The good news is you can use the slopes of the green to play safely to the middle of the green and direct your ball back leaving yourself a reasonable look at birdie. A word of warning: playing this half of the green you need to be cognizant of players approaching from the 15th fairway - although there is a significant swale to differentiate the playing surfaces we were putting out on 13 when not one but two approach shots came screaming through
If you happen to find yourself in the front bunker like I did you can easily be ten feet below the putting surface staring at a wall of sand. Let's just say it's not where you want to be.
Are the Bunkers friendly? If Fluffy I'd aim for them 24/7
Another fun hole, plays entirely different depending on the wind.
First day it was downwind. Hit a 330 yard drive and had a wedge left. Second day a heavy wind was into us. Hit a 232 yard drive and had a 4H into the green, haha.
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- #99
I spent some time in them, and I found them playable. I wouldn't call them fluffy, they're a good density which is expected for this caliber of course. The main problem with them is the depth; I hit several shots that barely cleared the top lip. But on the plus side I can't recall leaving it in the bunker after my first!
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- #100
Hole 14 Par 4 Appalachian Tees 344 Yards
While the fourteenth hole isn't terribly long at only 344 yards, it is frought with danger depending on how you decide to play it. As the forecaddie will tell you, the ideal play is a tee shot at the cart path with a draw. But understand that the further right you go the longer the carry across the hazard becomes.
While there's a good chance that you will find your ball should you come up a yard or two short, it certainly amps up the difficulty of your next shot. The ball will be severely above your feet so you are almost forced to hit a 30-40 yard shot just to get a clean lie in the fairway. Of course, if you run through the fairway your lie will again be sidehill, but I'd rather be through the fairway than short of it here.
Feeling adventurous? There's always the direct line to the green....
While the fourteenth hole isn't terribly long at only 344 yards, it is frought with danger depending on how you decide to play it. As the forecaddie will tell you, the ideal play is a tee shot at the cart path with a draw. But understand that the further right you go the longer the carry across the hazard becomes.
While there's a good chance that you will find your ball should you come up a yard or two short, it certainly amps up the difficulty of your next shot. The ball will be severely above your feet so you are almost forced to hit a 30-40 yard shot just to get a clean lie in the fairway. Of course, if you run through the fairway your lie will again be sidehill, but I'd rather be through the fairway than short of it here.
Feeling adventurous? There's always the direct line to the green....