Royal Jersey Golf Club is a stunning links course founded in 1878 and the birthpace of the great Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. Incidentally they were both in the same class at school.

Tim Lobb visited the club this week to mark out some of the new strategic bunkering planned for holes 8 + 11.

Hole 11 and some of the new bunkering and mounding painted out on fairway

On hole 11 two new bunkers will be constructed to help strengthen the dogleg and encourage more strategic thought off the tee shot. The bunkers will be placed from 230 – 275 yards from the back tee. Some shorter bunkers off the tee will be removed for enable a fairer challenge for shorter hitters.

TPL marked out the bunkers, mounding and ridgelines to be constructed

Construction of this phase of winter works is to commence in the coming weeks. The construction will be completed in house and will use a revetted face on the bunkers.

We look forward to seeing these works completed and to continuing our work with this great golf club.

Thank you Dr Green for your observations and photos of the setup at Royal Mlebourne GC for the upcoming President Cup in November.

Words and pictures supplied by Dr John Green.

Royal Melbourne is preparing for the Presidents Cup to be held 14^th – 20^th November.

The layout to be used for the Presidents Cup in November is different to that usually used. One of the most important changes being that the 16^th East is to replace the 4^th East, largely at the request of the players, who regretted merely walking past this hole, and will be played as the fourteenth hole.

New 14th hole (16 East). Ti-tree was removed from behind this hole and a stand constructed.

The other significant change was that the 18^th East, which has always been the 18^th hole, despite several different arrangements of the holes, will now be the 16^th; the 1^st and 2^nd of the West will be the two finishing holes.  This is because many matches finish about the sixteenth, 18^th East has the best area for the gallery and stands, and is near to the clubhouse.

18th East green, which is to be used as the sixteenth hole. The proximity of the clubhouse and stands can be seen. The players approach this hole from the right hand side of the picture.

Stands have been erected at many holes especially the closing holes, but also at places where play is likely to be most interesting.

17th East, which will be played as the fifteenth hole. The stand at the left will also look back down the 1st West, to be played as the seventeenth hole.

That after last year’s breaking of the severe ten year drought, all the evidence points to the course being in magnificent condition for the event.

—–END——

Thanks to Dr John Green for being our first guest blogger. We at TPL have a long history of playing and enjoying this fine 36 hole golfing experience. Good luck to Richard Forsyth and all the ground staff at RMGC for the event.

For information on Dr Green’s book please see

www.royalmelbournehistoryofcourses.com

The annual Thomson Cup (TPL Golf Day) was played yesterday on the magnificent Red Course at The Berkshire Golf Club. With weeks of rain and sunshine preceeding the event the course was in great shape and the greens running as smooth as ever. Well done to Ian Morrison and all the ground staff at The Berkshire who presented such a wonderful golfing experience for us.

Sixteen invited guests from the golfing industry competed in the event and the pre game banter was strong as ever. An individual stableford event with the philosophy of ‘winner take all’ was adopted and part of our regular format.

Throughout the round there were a couple of very heavy summer rainstorms which only served to enhance the golfing challenge.

Some great scores were posted  including Keith Haslam 36 points off 5, Tim Mote 36 points off 7 and Hugh Knowles 38 points off 21. However defending titleholder Sir Rocco Forte reigned supreme in the competition with 40 points off 12 handicap. During his acceptance speech he was also quick to point out that his handicap had dropped 2 shots since last year, hence squashing any thoughts of a handicap review.

Tim Lobb presenting the Thomson Cup to Sir Rocco Forte

In addition to winning the Thomson Cup for the second year running, Sir Rocco Forte also won a prize of a fourball with lunch at the  Stoke Park Golf Club (represented by John McGuiness) which was kindly donated by the Stoke Park.

Participants of the Thomson Cup 2011

We love the gathering of our friends within the golfing industry at our Golf Day and thank The Berkshire Golf Club for their help with staging the event.

We are looking to host our event at The Richmond Golf Club next year where we will be able to all road test our completed re-bunkering programme undertaken to the course over the past two winters.

Till then – good golfing

Andrew Goosen TPL, Con Strydom ARUP, and Craig Todd

The golf day was a prelim event to the opening of the SA parliament and an opportunity for private and public sectors to rub shoulders.

The very successful day was closed by an address given by the SA Minister for Sport, Mr Fikile Mbalula, in which he stressed the important role sport can play in enhancing peoples lives and how golf in particular needs to break its stigma of being an elitist game and be made more accessible to all South Africans.

TPL endorse this need for change in the game as not only can the game reach into poorer communities, but it will play a significant role in the longevity of the game.

Andrew Goosen heads up our new Cape Town office. We look forward to a long and rewarding experience in Africa. Andrew can be contacted on agoosen@tpl.eu.com or tel: +27 (0) 21 812 2646 (office)

PRESS RELEASE

Thomson Perrett & Lobb to consult on improvements to historic Channel Island golf course

(London, England – November 26th, 2010) Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the international golf course architecture practice founded by five times Open Champion Peter Thomson with partners Ross Perrett and Tim Lobb, has been appointed by Royal Jersey Golf Club to carry out an audit of the historic Channel Island golf course and make recommendations to enhance the playing strategy.

The view from the Napolenic Fort that adjoins the first fairway

Founded in 1878, The Grouville Links, as the course is known, occupies Grouville Common which comprises about 70 acres of rolling, sandy heath land and is bordered to the East by the magnificent coastline which was so admired by Queen Victoria that she commanded it to be named the Royal Bay of Grouville.

Harry Vardon, the six-time Open Champion, was famously born in Grouville, as was another Open Champion, Ted Ray. So the appointment of TPL to review and upgrade the famous links, with its own five-times Open Champion, Peter Thomson, is entirely appropriate.

Coastline, gorse and great golf at Royal Jersey GC

Tim Lobb, TPL principal, said: “The history and traditions of Royal Jersey Golf Club are of paramount importance to us and they are sure to be a key consideration as we undertake our work over this famous links course.”

Among TPL’s objectives at Royal Jersey is the improvement of the bunkers. Design work begins this month with the team working closely with the club’s head greenkeeper, David Crawford.

Golf hugging the coastline. What drama.

David commented: “Thomson Perrett & Lobb are a natural choice for Royal Jersey Golf Club. Not only were they recommended to us and then, subsequently, gave a very detailed proposal, but there were also sentimental reasons attached to our decision.

“Our club’s history and its association with the Open Championship alongside that of Peter Thomson, who won the event five times, is a very good reason to be working together. It will be the first time in 35 years that an outside team of architects has studied the Royal Jersey layout.

Perhaps the most frightening first tee shot in golf.

“One of the key aspects of TPL’s work will be to ensure the course is still a fair test of golf, particularly when you consider how advancements in equipment and golf ball technology over the past 10 years have significantly influenced how far all levels of player hit their shots.”

We look forward to working with Royal Jersey Golf Club

For further information and videos about Thomson Perrett & Lobb, visit the company’s website at www.tpl.eu.com, or visit www.royaljersey.com for additional information about the Royal Jersey Golf Club.

ENDS

Press release issued on behalf of Thomson Perrett & Lobb by Landmark Media International Limited. www.landmark-media.com

MEDIA CONTACT

Gary Firkins

gary@landmark-media.com

Tel +44 (0)1780 752790

Golf in Finland is very much a family sport and shows how the game should be played and approached for more traditional golfing countries. Golf is still growing at 10% per year in Finland where as it is probably declining by that amount in tradtional golfing regions.  

Go and see Linna Golf for yourselves – www.linnagolf.fi

The family enjoying some practice putting before dinner. The greens were in superb shape.

The putting course is 120m long and alot of fun for all to enjoy.

Playing the 8th hole at 10pm. We were there on the mid summer holiday weekend with almost continual sunshine

Strong contours entering the 12th green

The clubhouse is a superb barn renovation. Just fantastic

The adjoining 'castle' style hotel oozes charm and class

Tim and father on 9th tee. A proud moment. This hole was voted best par 4 in Finland.

Linna Golf is golf how it should be – relaxed, in harmony with nature and a family activity.

www.linnagolf.fi

The original 18 hole course was laid out by Colt in 1908 and is set amongst a 18th Century Capability Brown/ Humphrey Repton Landscape. Additionally the magnificent 18th Century Mansion House has been the scene for many movies including Goldfinger (James Bond), Layer Cake and Brigitte Jones Diary.

Stoke Park is a great golfing adventure, subtly integrated into this important landscape.

See below some pictures of the journey undertaken:

Some of the interesting bunker detailing at Stoke Park

John McGuiness, Paul Thomas and Andrew Goosen in front of the splendid clubhouse

Looks like a newly built bunker. There were some disparities in the style and playability of the bunkering

Golf in a grand landscape. Perfect subtly and respect.

John putting on the short par 4, 20th hole. The new nine was done by Donald Steele and fits in well with the spirit of Stoke

Golf can be a great driver to create revenue and finance to help restore historic destinations. Lets hope that planning authorities can hear this

Stoke Park is a great golfing and historic experience. Go play and enjoy the afternoon exploring the Clubhouse, afternoon tea on the lawn and photos in locker room.

www.stokeparkclub.com

By the way. John and Paul beat Tim and Andrew 2&1.

PRESS RELEASE

Challenge Tour impressed with TPL’s Carya course

Players describe heathland course as ‘probably the best we’ll play all year’

(London, United Kingdom – May 06, 2010) European Challenge Tour players and representatives have lavished praise on Carya Golf Club, designed by Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the golf course design practice founded by five-times Open Champion Peter Thomson, after it staged the Turkish Airlines Challenge.

The European Challenge Tour event, the first to be held in Turkey for 11 years, was won by England’s Charlie Ford, who described Carya Golf Club as ‘fantastic.’

The short par 4, 4th hole offered a great strategic challenge

He said: “The course is only 18 months old – I couldn’t believe it when someone told me that. It’s in great condition, and it’s a course that makes you think your way round, instead of just getting on the tee and trying to bomb it.”

Englishman Ally Mellor agreed, adding: “It’s a great test – probably one of the best courses we’ll play on all year.”

Carya, a unique heathland inspired course on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast is built on undulating sand hills with holes cutting through pine and eucalyptus woodland, has only been open for play for 18 months.

The propagated heather has established so well after less than 2 years

But the course in the Belek region of Turkey proved to be a hit with all involved in the tournament and looks set to become a permanent fixture on the Challenge Tour calendar.

Alain de Soultrait, Director of the European Challenge Tour, said: “The first edition of the Turkish Airlines Challenge was a resounding success, thanks in no small part to the quality of Carya Golf Club. All of our Members were very complimentary about the course, which looked superb and played even better.

The par 3, 7th hole played as the hardest hole all week

“The first edition of a tournament is always the hardest, but the week went so smoothly because the course was so warmly received. It is less than 18 months old and has great potential to mature and improve even more over the coming years, so we are already looking forward to returning to Carya for the second edition of the Turkish Airlines Challenge next year.”

Prior to opening in late 2008, nearly one million heather sprigs were planted around the course, to give it its heathland feel, inspired by the classic courses in the UK, such as Sunningdale and The Berkshire.

In a first-of-its-kind project, TPL propagated the heather in specially constructed glasshouses on site.

One of the broad scale propagation poly tunnels set up for heather cuttings

TPL principal Tim Lobb said: “We are overjoyed with the response from the Tour players who competed on the course and with the feedback we have received from those organising the event. Considering the course is not even two years old it is a great testament to the team who designed and built the course to have it looking and playing so well in such a short period of time.”

What the players said:

John E Morgan

“The course is absolutely gorgeous and it’s in phenomenal condition. It’s just a joy to play – as soon as you’ve finished, you just want to get out there again. It could definitely hold a main Tour event in years to come, there’s no doubt about it. The par threes are all demanding, and the par fives are all good risk and reward holes. They dangle the carrot, and if you play the hole well, then you can make birdies or even eagles. I particularly love the definition of the course, which really stands out. It looks beautiful.”

Jamie McLeary

“The course is absolutely stunning – you really couldn’t ask for a better set-up. All the players have really enjoyed playing it – if we play on a better course all season, we’ll be very lucky.”

Raymond Russell

“You can’t really afford to force the issue round this course, because there are a few holes where it wouldn’t be wise to attack the flag, so you have to use the contours of the green. And the rough’s quite penal in places – you can really tie yourself in knots out there. But it’s a beautiful course, and it’s in fantastic condition – especially as it’s only been open less than two years.”

Carefully detailed bunkers provided a striking hazard for players

ENDS

16th Hole on Red Course during the early days at The Berkshire.

Tim Lobb said: “We are looking at incorporating the heathland elements, including heather, native grasses and rougher edges, into the bunker complexes, to give them an authentic look but with a slightly more modern feel. They will be constructed to the highest technical specification to ensure good playability, maintenance and longevity.”

“The goal is to refurbish all of our bunkers improving the way they play, their drainage and their shape, returning them to the heather-topped look that the original designer, Herbert Fowler, created,” said John Hunt, secretary of The Berkshire Golf Club.

Some of the lovely natural bunkering that is found on the Red course

An in-depth analysis and consultation with the club will take place for the remainder of this year, with work likely to start next year.

From our first visit to site it was our design intent to create a traditional heathland inspired golf course. Five years on from that initial site visit to walk the site it is pleasing to see our design intent growing into a strong golfing experience for players at the club.

Below are some pictures that the Club sent us of the golf course.

The propogated heather is establishing well

Alot of work was put in by our design team and Golf Med (contractors) to get the distinctive bunkering style

Drive off the 8th tee, over heather to well bunkered fairway

Short par 4, 4th with cross bunkering to navigate through

Love the sky in this picture. Par 3, 7th

The heather carry on hole 13 has come in really strongly in the past 6 months

Carya Golf Club is hosting a European Challenge Tour event at the end of April, 2010. Good luck to the Club and players for the event.