Loch March - Just Noticed This...

[3Jack]

Friday afternoon at work, and I'm obsessed with google maps again...

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...10064&t=k&om=1

Check it out - looks like 'holes' have been cleared to the left of the parking lot... I remember hearing about a second 18 there a long long time ago, that never came to fruition. Wonder when these trees were cleared or if there are still plans to build the second 18?

Also, who else hates the 'new' 18th hole? The old 18th was a great finishing hole, you can see it just to the right of the road the enters LM. Tee was up high on the ridge (by that house - which I think is why they needed to abandon the original 18th). The green was nestled above the fairway and was tucked nicely into the trees...

[3Jack]

Actually, now that I look more closely, it looks more like room for just an extra nine, but still...

[fireice]

Definitely looks like 9, you see alot more courses doing this to try to make some more $$$ in some cases just to break even. Still haven't played Loch March yet will put it on the list.

[spidey]

Also, who else hates the 'new' 18th hole? The old 18th was a great finishing hole, you can see it

The old 18th hole sucked big time! After walking 17 holes in the blistering sun, I don't want to walk up the biggest hill on the golf course. It was looney.

However, that said, the new 18th isn't great either, but it's a lot more practical for not having a 911 phone in the middle of the 18th fairway, when all the old farts keel over from the climb.

I'm not entirely sure about the cut out holes, but I think they've been there since day 1. It looks like they roughed out a bunch of holes and then decided where the actual course was going to be. I remember the news articles at the time... pictures of mountains of rock blasted out... can't remember the caption... something about tonnes of dynamite used... something.

Anyway, the house at the top is/was the owners', the Fullers. Fuller Construction.

[3Jack]

The old 18th hole sucked big time! After walking 17 holes in the blistering sun, I don't want to walk up the biggest hill on the golf course. It was looney.

I don't think a finishing hole should be rated by the fitness level, or lack thereof, of a player. It was a strong finishing hole. Stronger than the current hole - talk about looney! Nutty split fairway... oddly canted green. I don't hate the current 18th there, but the old one, in my opinion, was better. But of course, you are entitled to your opinion.

Maybe the original 18th hole was / could still be the finishing hole for the unfinished 9... otherwise, the routing on the unfinished nine would leave the golfer in the middle of nowhere...