Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Greg Holland on January 16, 2009, 09:40:36 AM
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What are the best examples? Obviously, 14 at ANGC comes to mind, and as that is one of the wildest greens on the course, it is well defended without any.
What are other examples?
What are the major strategic elements that make the bunkerless hole work?
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This one's pretty good; a tee shot over a valley to a green tilted from back-to-front, left-to-right, with a large "don't-go-there" unmowed, grassy area front-left of the green, trouble back-left (a pond, if you really get a bad bounce) and something of a false front to the green. 181 yds from the tips; 155 yds from the white tees.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f385/troonster/Spring%20Valley/7fromtee.jpg)
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f385/troonster/7lookback.jpg)
Bunkerless holes hold interest, for my tastes, with outstanding greens, trouble nearby the greens (interesting terrain or slopes near the greensite) that can make for thought-provoking up-and-downs, and approach shots that demand some degree of precision.
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18 at St. Andrews immediately comes to mind...made par from the Valley of Sin!
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One of the best holes in the universe - never mind without a bunker - is "Foxy," #14 at Royal Dornoch.
Therefore it is the best in the universe without a bunker. Great 440 yard hole that is very hard to describe. Picture a valley with the green sitting beyond a number of rough-clad moguls off to the right. The green is elevated maybe 6'. I made two bogies and a par and was thrilled. Each time I played my tee shot up the valley - it wouldn't go anywhere in the rough to the right - and followed with a second long iron on the same line, then pitched down the length of the green from below left. Twice I two putted, once I holed the par putt.
It felt like a birdie! ;D
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Enniscrone 15 and 16 are terrific bunkerless holes.
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I think the 13th at Silloth is bunkerless and it's a great hole. An uphill par 5 with a tee shot played short of a gap, after which the hole plays up a hog's back with a green that falls away on all sides.
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7 at Inverness, Toledo, Ohio (D. Ross).
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Amen on 7 at Inverness, great golf hole. What I like is that you almost wish there was a bunker around that green to keep you ball close.
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Course I grew up on had 13 holes without a bunker... ironically enough I became a rather good bunker player.
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from the bunkerless pocono manor east hole
5-6-10-11-14
sorry no pictures
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#7 at Rolling Green >:(
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There are many examples.
One of my favourites is the 14th at County Louth / Baltray
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The 14th at NSW has always been one of my favourites.
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/Zarm/Others/NSW14th.jpg)
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/Zarm/Others/NSW14.jpg)
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/Zarm/Others/NSW14Overhead.jpg)
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Jeff & Mark,
On November 25th in 1935 Tilly visited the Inverness Club while on his PGA Course Consultation Tour and redesigned the 7th green.
According to his report, he was asked to help them find a solution for "The problem, which they particularly desired me to advise them about, was that of the Seventh hole, a dog-leg design of 316 yards. Here a badly contoured green, sloping decidedly from right to left, presented its most attractive approach after a drive to a section far to the left and altogether widely apart from the fairway as originally conceived (viz.- a drive to the right and an approach swinging to the green to the left). I gave to them a plan of recontouring the green, cutting down its size on the left (it was much too big for the short shot) raising the left front vigorously and fitting a pit into this. They agreed that this solution was exactly what they were looking for and expressed themselves as being greatly pleased by my suggestion..."
I am wondering first if the work was done and if the "pit" he recommended was ever put in? If so, who & when removed it and why?
Consider how the simple naming of this hole as an example of one of the "best bunkerless holes" shows that possibly at least three different architects had their hand on getting it to this point, one of whom, at the very least, having wanted to bunker it!
Here the fun of researching golf history is demonstrated by a single memorable hole. There must be a very interesting story here...
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I have to suggest the second hole at Highland Links. It has been given recognition as one of the world's best. It plays at 447 yds, par 4 with a dogleg right. During the summer you can run the ball on the green. Even at the distance of the photo you can see the interesting contours of the green. This hole
tumbles downhill with 110 feet of elevation change from tee to green. The 2nd fairway is littered with humps and bumps normally associated with the links courses in the U.K. In this case, the humps and bumps were created by man. According to Geoffrey Cornish, as the construction crew was clearing the property, Stanley Thompson instructed them precisely where to place stone and rocks in small piles. Thompson covered these piles with soil from the river silt and these random piles became an integral part of the hole.
>> Top 500 Golf Holes of the Millenium
Highlands Links - Hole #2, Hole #6 (Only Canadian Course to have two holes listed) - GOLF Magazine - December 1999
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3rd hole at Royal Adelaide
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Great call on 14 NSW.
Would it be a diversion to ask about the holes that could most easily be bunkerless and improve the quality of the hole?
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#6 at Wild Horse is a pretty good hole.....
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Phil:
The seventh hole at Inverness in Tillie's day was the second half of today's par-5 8th. In the 1970's Tom Fazio added two holes early in the front nine, eliminated a par-3 on the back, and combined two short par-4's (the old 7th and 8th) into a par 5 that Lon Hinkle later tried to short-cut because the original two holes wrapped around another fairway.
Today's seventh hole (the great bunkerless par 4 with a stream on the tee shot) was the fifth on Ross' layout when Tillinghast would have seen it.
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As for bunkerless holes, a lot of modern ones are something of a promotional gimmick ... Weiskopf and Morrish used to have one (and always just one!) on each of their courses. Amazing how it always worked out that exactly one holes would need no bunkers.
What makes a great bunkerless hole is other good natural hazards ... best of all contour.
There are two little bunkers up by the green of the 8th hole at Crystal Downs, but it is bunkerless for 550 yards from the tee and still one of the great position holes in golf. One well-placed tree really helps it, though.
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Seems like there are a lot of very good bunkerless par 3s, not many par 4s and even fewer par 5s. Linville has 3 bunkerless par 4s (#2, #3 and #10). The best of the lot is the 472 yard 3rd:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/2874912843_84ac80a8c7_b.jpg)
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Tom,
See I was right... there is a good story behind it! Interestingly, Tilly mentioned having examined and recommended various small changes on "many holes"without giving specifics and also redesigning the 14th green complex in particular as well.
It would be interesting to see if the club has his specific recommendations in their records...
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Without a doubt Foxy must head the class. As a new example and already pointed out, Enniscrone's 15th is very fine. However, I must always mention Kington when bunkerless holes are in question. Among 9 candidates of wonderful holes I always think of the greatest finishing hole in golf.
(http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff114/seanrobertarble/100_2934-1.jpg?t=1232184872)
Other particular favourites: Painswick's 6th, Formby's 8th, 3rd at Huntercombe (there are a few other crackers as well) and on and on and on.
Ciao
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Sean,
I love the look of the 18th at Kington. I’m hoping to head to Hay on Wye for some books later this year, so hopefully I’ll get a round in there to see it?
What makes a great bunkerless hole is other good natural hazards ... best of all contour.
As Tom Doak suggests, contours are usually required so to the linksland we must head… Foxy at Royal Dornoch gets my vote as number one hole without a bunker but here are a few more fine examples of bunkerless holes:
Royal Portrush has a number, 384 yard par 4 5th heading out towards the sea (named White Rocks due to the spectacular view at the green), 189 yard par 3 6th coming back inland to a wonderful green (the hole is named Harry Colt no less), the 8th is a par 4 of 384 through the dunes (and called Himalayas), and lastly the par 3 14th Calamity (as recently seen in Mark Rowlinson’s aerial thread, 201 yards of bunkerless heaven (if you hit the green) or hell (if you miss it).
At County Louth (Baltray) I liked the bunkerless par 5 3rd with the blind approach to the green, and the 14th is a nice little bunkerless par 4.
Royal West Norfolk (Brancaster) has the par 5 8th and par 4 9th without bunkers, and both great holes, though there is very little level change on the 8th, I recall Mr Doak rates it highly in his Confidential Guide.
Lastly, at Burnham & Berrow the 1st (par 4 through the dunes) and the 14th (par 3 to a plateau green) are two of my favourites.
Cheers,
James
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Sean,
I love the look of the 18th at Kington. I’m hoping to head to Hay on Wye for some books later this year, so hopefully I’ll get a round in there to see it?
What makes a great bunkerless hole is other good natural hazards ... best of all contour.
As Tom Doak suggests, contours are usually required so to the linksland we must head… Foxy at Royal Dornoch gets my vote as number one hole without a bunker but here are a few more fine examples of bunkerless holes:
Royal Portrush has a number, 384 yard par 4 5th heading out towards the sea (named White Rocks due to the spectacular view at the green), 189 yard par 3 6th coming back inland to a wonderful green (the hole is named Harry Colt no less), the 8th is a par 4 of 384 through the dunes (and called Himalayas), and lastly the par 3 14th Calamity (as recently seen in Mark Rowlinson’s aerial thread, 201 yards of bunkerless heaven (if you hit the green) or hell (if you miss it).
At County Louth (Baltray) I liked the bunkerless par 5 3rd with the blind approach to the green, and the 14th is a nice little bunkerless par 4.
Royal West Norfolk (Brancaster) has the par 5 8th and par 4 9th without bunkers, and both great holes, though there is very little level change on the 8th, I recall Mr Doak rates it highly in his Confidential Guide.
Lastly, at Burnham & Berrow the 1st (par 4 through the dunes) and the 14th (par 3 to a plateau green) are two of my favourites.
Cheers,
James
James
Speaking of Burnham, last weekend I made the 1st look like child's play. In the icey, frosty conditions I hit driver straight through the gap and to putting range - one of the longest drives I have ever hit - something like 360 yards. Not quite as far my 400 yarder at the 14th of North Wales (in what am sure you can guess were very dry and windy conditions), but this is winter afterall!
When are we gonna get a game at Burnham? I keep waiting for the long awaited email. Let me know when you are playing Kington - perhaps I can join you.
Ciao
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Another vote for 14 @ NSW.
MM
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I HAVE to throw in a little quiet vote for Kingsbarns #10. You wouldn't expect anything less, would you?
Playing this hole is always a splendid unfolding story. The combo of that fairly narrow fairway LZ then the steep uphill approach defended by two of those big lateral 'eyebrows' to a green with a massive two-tier front-right to back-left formation which is a scream to putt on really tickles my golf funny bone.
I love the hole, but it really divided opinions of players I caddied for. I'd like to hear the thoughts of other GCAers who have played it.
FBD.
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My votes are:
12th at Merion West
3rd/4th/5th at Cobbs Creek
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Ballybunion 11th is one of the great bunkerless par 4s and, if I remember correctly, the 6th and 7th are also bunkerless.
The whole of Royal Ashdown is bunkerless, so there are many great candidates there, the 7th an outstanding par 4.
I'd add the 5th at Royal Worlington to the list of great bunkerless short holes.
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14th, 15th and 18th at the Yahnundasis (Travis, New Hartford, NY).
14th is the best of the bunch IMO -- blind approach to a punchbowl green. Like a night landing in fog, this is a good example of how you need to trust your numbers -- the distance of the club in your hand.
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The 14th at Royal Dornoch is by far the best bunkerless hole in the world, even though it is only the second best par 4 at Dornoch. ;)
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I'll nominate the 12th at Medinah. very tough dogleg right par 4 with a great sloping fairway to a very difficult green. Always was my favorite hole out there.
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Seems like there are a lot of very good bunkerless par 3s, not many par 4s and even fewer par 5s. Linville has 3 bunkerless par 4s (#2, #3 and #10). The best of the lot is the 472 yard 3rd:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/2874912843_84ac80a8c7_b.jpg)
Ed,
I really enjoy Linville and will be a bit of a contrarian by preferring #2 to #3. The unbelievable crowned green on #2 messes so much with all levels of players even though the drive is often a lay up off the tee and the approach is rarely over 150 yards.
I've never seen so many scratch players miss a green with wedges!
#3 is prettier with the creek and elevation change but it is such a hard hole and plays so long that the terrain on the edges of the green is not as feared like #2 (most players end up well short of #3).
#10 is a green and hole that is not very good given today's green speeds. Very gimmicky.
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The 14th at Royal Dornoch is by far the best bunkerless hole in the world, even though it is only the second best par 4 at Dornoch. ;)
And the winner is?
#2?
#3?
#4?
#7?
#8?
#10?
#11?
#15?
#16?
#17?
#18?
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Grandfather's 15 is its only bunkerless hole...it also happens to be one of its best.
The creek provides an interesting and strategic hazard and the green is devilish and sited beautifully...here are a couple of pics in addition to the ones on Ran's profile:
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff197/mbbradley/grandfathernewyork093.jpg)
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff197/mbbradley/grandfathernewyork097.jpg)
For what its worth, I agree with Ed that the best of the bunkerless par 4s at Linville is #3 --what a natural gem of a hole.
Bart
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Ballybunion 11th is one of the great bunkerless par 4s and, if I remember correctly, the 6th and 7th are also bunkerless.
The whole of Royal Ashdown is bunkerless, so there are many great candidates there, the 7th an outstanding par 4.
I'd add the 5th at Royal Worlington to the list of great bunkerless short holes.
Mark,
I like your reply.
I second Ballybunion 11, although RPR5 and 8 are excellent as well, and as for par 5's (of which very few are bunkerless) I nominate Royal Ashdown Forest no 12, which uses a band of heather to defend the second shot, if laid up. Does anyone know of other good par 5's which are bunkerless (apart from already mentioned Baltray no. 3, which I haven't played yet)? To be complete: Calamity wins it for me in the par 3 category.
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Chris Cupit, the green on #2 at Linville is one of the most subtly challenging I have seen anywhere. But for me, the tee shot is a bit lacking. So I still give the edge to #3 since I think it is superior tee to green. That being said, I can't really argue with anyone who prefers #2.
Bart, I agree #15 at Grandfather is very good. Not sure I am ready to declare it the best hole on the course. But its definitely in the discussion.
Do crowned greens work particularly well on bunkerless holes? Not only do they fit the natural simplicity that is often endemic to bunkerless holes, they also provide a defense in the absence of other hazards.
Ed
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The 14th at Royal Dornoch is by far the best bunkerless hole in the world, even though it is only the second best par 4 at Dornoch. ;)
And the winner is?
#2?
#3?
#4?
#7?
#8?
#10?
#11?
#15?
#16?
#17?
#18?
4--partly due to the great bunkerless tee shot..... ;)
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Speaking of Burnham, last weekend I made the 1st look like child's play. In the icey, frosty conditions I hit driver straight through the gap and to putting range - one of the longest drives I have ever hit - something like 360 yards. Not quite as far my 400 yarder at the 14th of North Wales (in what am sure you can guess were very dry and windy conditions), but this is winter afterall!
When are we gonna get a game at Burnham? I keep waiting for the long awaited email. Let me know when you are playing Kington - perhaps I can join you.
Ciao
Sean,
Thats some tee shot on the first! Hopefully we will play Burnham soon (or Kington) but finding it difficult to get down to Somerset at the moment. Work, life etc etc... The 4th at Burnham is a bunkerless par 5 but while I wouldn't want to add any bunkers to change it, I'm not sure its a great bunkerless hole, a little bland off the tee perhaps though I do like the raised green. Speaking of which...
I second Ballybunion 11, although RPR5 and 8 are excellent as well, and as for par 5's (of which very few are bunkerless) I nominate Royal Ashdown Forest no 12, which uses a band of heather to defend the second shot, if laid up. Does anyone know of other good par 5's which are bunkerless (apart from already mentioned Baltray no. 3, which I haven't played yet)? To be complete: Calamity wins it for me in the par 3 category.
Cristian,
There was a brief discussion on bunkerless par 5s on here about 6 months ago...
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,35335.0.html
As we are finding on this thread, there dont appear to be many but there are a few other par 5s are mentioned and also a couple of photos (including 3rd green at Baltray).
Cheers,
James
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...
Speaking of Burnham, last weekend I made the 1st look like child's play. In the icey, frosty conditions I hit driver straight through the gap and to putting range - one of the longest drives I have ever hit - something like 360 yards. Not quite as far my 400 yarder at the 14th of North Wales (in what am sure you can guess were very dry and windy conditions), but this is winter afterall!
When are we gonna get a game at Burnham? I keep waiting for the long awaited email. Let me know when you are playing Kington - perhaps I can join you.
Ciao
Sean,
Thats some tee shot on the first! Hopefully we will play Burnham soon (or Kington) but finding it difficult to get down to Somerset at the moment. Work, life etc etc... The 4th at Burnham is a bunkerless par 5 but while I wouldn't want to add any bunkers to change it, I'm not sure its a great bunkerless hole, a little bland off the tee perhaps though I do like the raised green. Speaking of which...
I second Ballybunion 11, although RPR5 and 8 are excellent as well, and as for par 5's (of which very few are bunkerless) I nominate Royal Ashdown Forest no 12, which uses a band of heather to defend the second shot, if laid up. Does anyone know of other good par 5's which are bunkerless (apart from already mentioned Baltray no. 3, which I haven't played yet)? To be complete: Calamity wins it for me in the par 3 category.
Cristian,
There was a brief discussion on bunkerless par 5s on here about 6 months ago...
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,35335.0.html
As we are finding on this thread, there dont appear to be many but there are a few other par 5s are mentioned and also a couple of photos (including 3rd green at Baltray).
Cheers,
James
James
The 4th has really grown on me because the player has to go in search of the fairway (and do some guessing if there is wind about) rather than it just cozying up to the tee. Of course, the 4th also has the advantage of limitless angles off the tee. Though I do agree that it isn't a great hole, but it ticks a lot of boxes as a good reachable par 5.
Since you haven't been down in a spell things have changed. There are three new bunkers on #8 tucked into the fold of the left side dune. I am not sure about this change. I think the bunkers should start probably 25 yards further up as at the moment they don't really come into play for the flat bellies. Also, the two bunkers short and right on #11 have been shifted over to the left - narrowing the approach gap to the green. Again, these won't often trouble the flat bellies, but I like the change. Before they seemed just sort of hanging out there in no mans land ala Merion style. There is also talk of putting a bunker into the right dune at the gap on #1. As you know, its a sandy, scrubby waste area so I am not sure what a bunker accomplishes other than to practically eliminate any chance of reaching the green from there. I don't think its worth the money to this especially as the gap is so narrow anyway - anything right is already blind over the dune.
One more nomination for bunkerless holes and I think the best at Burnham, #12.
Ciao
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The one best bunkerless hole that I have played is No. 1 on Bethpage's Red Course.
Photo courtesy of the Bausch Collection:
(http://darwin.chem.villanova.edu/~bausch/images/Bethpage_Red_1100/mediafiles/l2.jpg)
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Ran's profile refers to the fifteenth at Harlech as one "with few peers" and I totally agree. Just about the best Par 4-1/2 hole I've ever played, here's Ran's photo of the fairway you're trying to hit off the elevated tee.
(http://golfclubatlas.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Harlech15t.jpg)
I guarantee any course built today on that bit of land would have a bunker either on the dunes long/left of the fairway (where you see the yellow bushes) or somewhere "guarding" the inside of the dogleg. Or both.
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#7 at Rolling Green >:(
I know that the bunkers about 50 yards short and to the right of the green are newer, but was under the impression that the greenside bunker on the left side is part of the original design (that, or it's been around for quite a while). Is this incorrect? That front left bunker seems to fit the hole well.
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Here's a few other than the 14th-Foxy at Royal Dornoch and the 1st and 18th at TOC to add to the mix -
The par-3 6th at Painswick - in fact, every hole at Painswick.
.....and every hole at nearby Minchinhampton Old.
Many a hole, most in fact, at Perranporth.
1st, 4th, 12th and 14th at Burnham & Berrow (Championship course)
8th/17th at Burnham & Berrow's Channel Course, actually just about any hole on the Channel Course (except the bunkered par-5 4th).
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th and now 17th at Enniscrone.
3rd, 6th, 12th, 14th, 17th and 18th at Carne
All holes (except the 3rd) at The Bann, Castlerock
17th at County Sligo/Rosses Point (don't care for the hole myself but it's bunkerless and others like it)
5th, 6th, 8th and 14th at Royal Portrush Dunluce
1st, 5th, 7th, 9th and 17th at Portstewart (Strand)
7th, 8th, 9th and 17th at Narin & Portnoo.
1st, 6th, 14th and 16th at Portsalon
5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 11th and 12th at Dunfanaghy
3rd, 8th, 15th and 17th at Rosapenna (SH)
7th (RH green) at Rosapenna (OTM)
5th and 7th Ballyliffin (Old)
1st at Brora.
7th at Golspie.
7th, 8th, 15th at Cruden Bay (Am I the only one who likes this hole?!) plus the 16th too.
1st at St Olaf (Cruden Bay)
All at Kington.
1st, 3rd, 12th and 16th at Aberdyfi.
4th and 12th at Tenby.
4th/13th and the amazing adverse cambered green 8th/17th at St David's City - anyone other than Neil W know it?
5th at Bewdley Pines - anyone played it? 'The Snake', aptly named. 290 par-4. Crazy hole.
atb
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On a visit to Barton Creek resort in Austin, Texas, last year, I played the Coore - Crenshaw course and made notes on my scorecard about each of the holes. When I finished the round, I recall noting that several holes on the front side had no bunkers. I've lost the card, so cannot say which they were. What was so surprising, however, was that while playing, I hardly missed the bunkers, as the rolling, undulant terrain and, especially, the large contoured greens were sufficient challenge that bunkers were unnecessary. I recall noting on my card that Crenshaw probably figured that his greens would create enough heartburn that the addition of bunkers could only be called cruel and unnecessary punishment.
Anyone have a scorecard that notes which of the front nine are without bunkers?
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Just for kicks I was recently going though some yardage books i had lying around. Unsurprisingly just about every hole had a bunker or twenty. The hole that stood out the most (that wasnt previously mentioned) was 8 at chambers bay. Most bunkerless holes i see are par 3s with a few 4s and even less 5s. The 8th at chambers is a straight forward par 5 (will play 614 yrds for the open) that runs from north to south at the highest point on the course. Although it kinda feels like one of those "get me back in the direction of the clubhouse" 8th holes i really do enjoy it.
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On a visit to Barton Creek resort in Austin, Texas, last year, I played the Coore - Crenshaw course and made notes on my scorecard about each of the holes. When I finished the round, I recall noting that several holes on the front side had no bunkers. I've lost the card, so cannot say which they were. What was so surprising, however, was that while playing, I hardly missed the bunkers, as the rolling, undulant terrain and, especially, the large contoured greens were sufficient challenge that bunkers were unnecessary. I recall noting on my card that Crenshaw probably figured that his greens would create enough heartburn that the addition of bunkers could only be called cruel and unnecessary punishment.
Anyone have a scorecard that notes which of the front nine are without bunkers?
No but I think it's 1, 3, 6, 8 and 9. One of my favorite courses, which I greatly prefer to the overrated Fazio Foothills course.
The most interesting thing to me about the course is the numerous greens that slope front to back, laid very naturally over the terrain.
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The 8th at Kebo Valley is laid beautifully over tumbling land along Kebo Brook. One of the best long two-shotters I know of anywhere. In the summer, when KV can get burnt out, it plays best, especially when the wind picks up. The tee shot needs to carry a valley to reach the fairway which has tons of movement. Too far left and your second is blind. Too far to the right and even a slightly pulled approach can easily be ushered into the brook by the right to left slope of the land. A properly played draw with a long iron, running onto the green and feeding to a left pin is one of the most satisfying shots I can think of. To boot, the view of Dorr and Cadillac Mtns. in the background and the little cemetery behind you makes that tee box is one of my favorites spots.
http://www.barharbormotel.com/bhm_images/kebo_8th.jpg
PS - stupid cart path!
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Liphook 1st, 2nd, 9th, 10th, 16th (?) and 17th. Take your pick.
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Askernish, with only four bunkers, has a pile of great bunker less holes. Take your pick from the seventh, possibly the most natural hole I've ever seen, the eighth, ninth and eleventh.
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And pick your favourite hole at Royal Ashdown Forest I guess.
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I played the Wolf Course at Paiute Resort this week, and I found myself musing about bunkerless holes. The reason being that I consistently like Pete Dye's quirky little ground features more than his bunkers. I would sign up to play a bunkerless Pete Dye course for sure.
This is a cool thread that I hope continues to grow, so I bumped it. I'll add two good ones from my experience:
Kingsley #12 - My favorite hole on the course (photo by Jon Cavalier).
(https://geekedongolf.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/kingsleyclub-joncavalier.jpeg)
Colorado GC #10 - A thrilling start to the back nine.
(https://geekedongolf.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/10coloradogolfclub10-tee.jpg)
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Unless my memory is failing me I'm pretty sure that 10 at Renaissance doesn't have a bunker.
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The 14th at Commonwealth National (Palmer) in the Philly 'burbs, my former club, is one such hole:
http://myphillygolf.com/uploads/bausch/Commonwealth/pages/page_80.html (http://myphillygolf.com/uploads/bausch/Commonwealth/pages/page_80.html) et seq
You will note the fairway slopes right to left.
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Has anyone mentioned the 12th on Course 3 at Medinah? I can well imagine someone has, but if not: blind tee shot, fairway canted left to right with a slight left to right dogleg, to a green guarded with a tree on the left and a huge slope to a pond on the right. So, tee calls for a straight or fade shot, followed by a very long (200+ yds) second shot that must be either straight or drawn. Like all of Medinah’s heavy par fours (4 & 6, 12 & 16), it’s nearly 500 yards from the tips. Also like nearly all of Medinah’s holes, it’s a penal rather than strategic design (there’s only one real way to play it), but it is gorgeous, especially in the autumn—and the green might be one of the most difficult to putt on the entire course. Philosophically, it’s opposed to many ideas described on this site, but so what? To say that strategic golf is the only possible philosophy is arguably a tyranny of another sort—I certainly wouldn’t want to play it every day, but I wouldn’t want it changed either.
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Yale 14
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The 8th at the Langford-Moreau Ozaukee CC in suburban Milwaukee -- a gently doglegging par 4 of 445 yards (from the tips; 425 yds from the regular tees) where the golfer on the tee is confronted with a creek to cross, and then a slowly rising fairway ending in an enormously deep, 3-tiered green (nestled in an old-growth set of trees) that might have five feet of elevation change from front to back. Just a really stern test from start to finish -- at U.S. Open qualifying there five years ago, it was the hardest hole on the course.
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It has only just struck me that my two favourite holes on the course I grew up playing (9 & 10 at Dewsbury) both are bunkerless. In fact, they are the only two without bunkers on the course. 9 is a short par 3 (130 yards) great due to a terrific, semi blind green and OOB just a couple of feet left of the green. 10 is a par 5 with a great open your shoulders drive followed by either risking cutting the corner and OOB with the second or playing short and left. Again the green was not visible and shown by a marker disc behind the green.
I would put the 9th as one of the best bunkerless holes I have ever played.
Jon
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Preakness Hills had three bunkerless holes, the 6th, 10th and 13th.
At one time, only one hole had a fairway bunker.
Great use of the land, great routing.
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The one best bunkerless hole that I have played is No. 1 on Bethpage's Red Course.
Photo courtesy of the Bausch Collection:
(http://darwin.chem.villanova.edu/~bausch/images/Bethpage_Red_1100/mediafiles/l2.jpg)
There are bunkers on the right in the landing area on 1. I guess you could argue they are part of 18 on Black.
I do think 6 on Red is a good hole and it has no bunkers. The green and surrounds undulations are very good indeed.
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There are bunkers on the right in the landing area on 1. I guess you could argue they are part of 18 on Black.
I do think 6 on Red is a good hole and it has no bunkers. The green and surrounds undulations are very good indeed.
6 Red does have bunkers. All on the left side of the green. Terrific hole, though, for exactly the reasons you said. I would say the bunkers on #1 are definitely part of the Black course but they certainly come easily into play on Red. We may need Phil Young to chime in with the history of that complex.
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Echoing others - the 14th at Royal Dornoch is a classic. Also really enjoyed the 8th at Cruden Bay.
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There are bunkers on the right in the landing area on 1. I guess you could argue they are part of 18 on Black.
I do think 6 on Red is a good hole and it has no bunkers. The green and surrounds undulations are very good indeed.
6 Red does have bunkers. All on the left side of the green. Terrific hole, though, for exactly the reasons you said. I would say the bunkers on #1 are definitely part of the Black course but they certainly come easily into play on Red. We may need Phil Young to chime in with the history of that complex.
I stand corrected! Never even noticed those over there.
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There are bunkers on the right in the landing area on 1. I guess you could argue they are part of 18 on Black.
I do think 6 on Red is a good hole and it has no bunkers. The green and surrounds undulations are very good indeed.
6 Red does have bunkers. All on the left side of the green. Terrific hole, though, for exactly the reasons you said. I would say the bunkers on #1 are definitely part of the Black course but they certainly come easily into play on Red. We may need Phil Young to chime in with the history of that complex.
I stand corrected! Never even noticed those over there.
You don't have to rub it in ;)