Ballina Golf Club

[drunken]

My home course. Fairly standard country course that seems to lack a bit of something...variety may be the word.

Anyway, we're undergoing major renovations at the moment. Two greens & bunkers out of action for redisign/additions (the 2nd and 6th). 4 holes have already had fairway mounding added.

Hoping to get down to the course this afternoon/tomorrow morning and take some pics of the place. In particular the massive fairway bunkering on the 2nd and it's green. I actually think the 2nd might be an issue, it's got alot of shape happening with 3 tiers. But there doesn't seem to be any flat areas on it, alot of the green would out of the question for pin positions.

Anyway hopefully I'll have some pics a bit later.

[Fishman Dan]

I thought the 2nd was a pretty good, straightforward hole. You think it's overkill trying to trick up one of the easier holes on the course? Having said that, get into the trees either left or right and you're in trouble.

Which is the 6th? It would be one of the (long?) par 4's - with a bend to the right?

I wouldn't have thought Ballina needs much in the way of a redesign.

[drunken]

Didn't get out for pics yesterday, going to head out there shortly. Fish the 2nd is no longer going to be easy, fairway bunkers at about 200m out and the green now has 4-5 bunkers around it.

The 6th is the 2nd of the 3 long Par 4's on the front 9. It's the one going back up the hill, it would have had a new tee box last time you played? It has had fairway mounding added which tightens up the fairway somewhat and a new green which adds a bit more slope & accentuates the tier. the bunkers have been deepend too.

[AndyP]

Would like to play there one of these days.

[drunken]

Well I was going to organise an ozgolf day...But don't really want to get all you guys down here when there's lots of work happening.

[Fishman Dan]

Drunky - the work sounds good, but does it really need it?

The 2nd is a short 'breather' hole, but tricking it up sounds like they are fiddling for the sake of fiddling.

The par 4's are a challenge and shouldn't need 'mounding' to punish people who find fairways. I've always found that Ballina was honest golf, because if you get into the tree-line or the wrong fairway, the trees are big enough to penalise you for your misdirection.

Other holes such as 15 (easy par 5) and even the 18th could be better served being fiddled with in my view.

[Jarro]

we'll have to have an Ozgolf day there Drunky-poo .... i've heard from mates at work that it's a nice little track.

What's another nice course nearby ?? maybe we could play 2 courses while we're there.

[Fishman Dan]

Here we go again....

Ocean Shores, Byron, Murwillumbah, Casino, Lismore............

[Jarro]

what do you mean here we go again .......

[Fishman Dan]

There's been a number of threads from memory about Northern Rivers courses.

[enter AP with the results of some search he's found the time to perform]

For what it's worth - Easter or June long weekend. There's enough time for you to plan for a trip to Casino It's only 2.5 hours through Beaudesert / The Lions Road!

[drunken]

Fish, the plan is too much the course alot tougher. The ACR & CCR is too low & they can't make the course any longer. Areas of trees have been removed on certain holes & I believe that over the next few years there will be more trees to go.

I don't think the approach they've taken with the 2nd was the right one. It is simply too harsh, there is no longer any fairway from about 60-70m out. I took pics yesterday arvo but am at work now so will have to post them this afternoon.

[Fishman Dan]

Drunky - the point in all of this is that a large percent of the members there are older, 120m 5w hitting types. They wouldn't be too chuffed i'm sure.

[drunken]

Exactly. But there's been a change the last few years. Alot of the older guys aren't really involved anymore. The older ones who are getting involved now have retired from Melbourne & Sydney, so are used to playing tougher courses and aren't afraid to make changes.

I agree with you though, I think the 15th should have a couple of fairway traps, one on the right hand side at driving distance and the other on the corner of the dogleg.

And the 18th...well if it's not about the most boring finishing hole I'll give up.

In the long run I think it will make the course alot better and add more variety to the holes. I also believe most of the changes are aimed at attracting more members into the club.

[Jarro]

pics please, let us all see what you two are crapping on about.

[drunken]

Yeha yeah ok...I'm at work, and left the laptop at home. So I'll post em about 3pm this arvo.

[Jarro]

get your hand off it son, pull your finger out !!!!

[drunken]

Ok pictures. Sorry they're so large Photoshop isn't working for some reason this afternoon....

View From 2nd Tee



2nd Fairway From 150m

[drunken]

Hey how do you do the thumbnails that you can click on to open fullsize in a new window??

[Jarro]

pretty impressive bunkering they've put in.

How long is the hole Drunken?

[AndyP]

Hey how do you do the thumbnails that you can click on to open fullsize in a new window??

Upload the photos to imageshack, and they will supply the thumbnail code.

[drunken]

pretty impressive bunkering they've put in.

How long is the hole Drunken?

It's about 285m from the back, so the fairway bunkers are about 200m out I'd guess. By far the shortest Par 4 on the course. There's a number of Par 4's around the 400m mark. And then a couple of par 5's that are only slightly longer....

[Jarro]

It's about 285m from the back. By far the shortest Par 4 on the course. There's a number of Par 4's around the 400m mark. And then a couple of par 5's that are only slightly longer....

so the play is a long iron or so off the tee. Those bunkers only come into play for the approach anyway don't they?

Looks like a nice hole, and those bunkers should help to stiffen it up a bit ..... can't have you guys peppering the flag all the time you know

[drunken]

Yeah the play once it's open would be a long iron or 5 wood off the tee. before the changes it was an easy drive or 3 wood to 60-70 short (the hole is slightly uphill). It previously had a VERY open front to the green that you could just roll your second onto. The old greens weren't very receptive to most approach shots, so short and roll up was usually the play. It will be interesting to so how the two greens play once the open (the 5th I belive is on track to be opened in about 6 weeks).

[markTHEblake]

I hope they are not going to be idiots and leave thick sand right up to the edge of the lips. like they do at my track. anything that lands near a lip just goes straight under.

[drunken]

Blakey I think the plan is to make the lips fairly hard, so that all shots funnel back into the centre of the bunkers.