Hole 7:Commentary
I initially did not recognize what a great case study Hole 7 would be. And, of course, it is much easier for me both to analyze and observe, but the transgression of this hole is truly multi-faceted. I thank everyone for their informed opinions and interests.
The Middle Tree:
A classical method of design was to position hazards in the center of the fairway or in the direct line of play. Consequently, golfers faced the strategic choice of playing either to the right or to the left of these hazards. Fairways were typically wide to accommodate such lateral options. Typically, these central obstacles were bunkers; however, Maxwell apparently utilized a tree in the same fashion here at Old Town.
In 1939, I contend that similar options existed from this tee. Choices such as this created mystery, variety, and strategy and further encouraged thought, decision-making, shot making from this tee.
Likely, Tom Macwood is right. The desired route of the hole was probably to the left of the tree; however, this route required a forced carry of some 175 yards over three cross-bunkers. One of our senior members conveyed that he always chose to go to the right of the tree, because he lacked the necessary length to go left. Today, the forced carry from the tee is about 200 to 210 yards with no options to the right.
The tree died last year guarding the right side of the fairway; however, the strategic character of the hole all but died years ago with the loss of our fairway widths.
The Fairway:
The fairway here has dramatically been reduced in size and position. Why? We all realize that through the years, fairways had an expensive per-acre price tag. In order to lower maintenance budgets, clubs sacrificed total fairway acreage. We also know that the average golf course loses several square feet of fairway area per year just through normal mowing patterns. That’s difficult to notice at the time, but over 70 years or so, it can amount to acres. We also know that fairways have been reduced in width intentionally to help defend par. Universally, green committee's perceptions have certainly been fine-tuned by the USGA's work with Championship venues.
In my opinion though, the installation of single row irrigation lines down the length of the fairways at Old Town contributed most significantly to the current fairway position and width on Hole 7. Because the preferred line of play was likely to the left of the tree, the installation of these irrigation lines favored the left side of this fairway as well, without any regard to design intent or strategic merit of the hole. The position of the current fairway, therefore, took form to the outer extent of the water’s throw, as the grass was naturally greener in this area. This eliminated the fairway space to the right of the tree and essentially purged this optional route from the hole.
Please note though, even if the irrigation lines were constructed running the center of this fairway (basically from the tree to the green) giving proper deference toward Maxwell's design intent, the strategic value of the hole would have been diminished as well, because there would have been little, if any, room to go laterally off the tree. In this scenario, the club likely would have had to remove the tree much earlier to gain entrance to the narrowed fairway. Thus, the single row irrigation line, regardless of where it was placed, destroyed the strategic character of the hole. Its placement simply determined the fairway position and effectively determined the life of the tree.
Our fairways widths were reduced in size and contoured even further in 2001. Because we are updating our fairways to Tifsport Bermudagrass this year, we consulted Cupp and Fuller again to establish some permanent fairway lines for sprigging. Tom Paul, you are accurate in that they don't seem to fit. These fairway lines are awkward, forced, and unnatural. Cupp's extensive art school training reveals itself in the visual flare of these contours. Hopefully we will be able to reclaim our ultra-fairway widths and simple lines prior to the process.
A wide fairway could still provide options on this hole, particularly since we currently have multi-row irrigation to support it. Because of the severe contours and slopes of the green on hole 7 and because of its diagonal shape, restoring the original fairway widths would prompt golfers to strategically play from different lateral positions to get the ball close to or to a particular side of a pin. As Chris Clouser mentions, the angle of approach in relation to the hump and the pin location is an important aspect to this hole.
As such, I wonder whether the tree was ever an integral facet of this hole to Maxwell afterall??
The Right Bunker:
This bunker was probably removed because it quickly became secondary and peripheral to the hole as the fairway evolved to the left of the tree. Memberships are often too ready to cover-up bunkers which are, in their minds, useless or "out-of-play".
Trees:
Please note the tree plantings to both the left and especially the right of the current fairway. As a matter of fact, the trees here encroach to the extent that the right green side bunker cannot be exposed, but it is still there. Most are silver maples or evergreens which were evidently planted to help define the fairway, frame the hole, and "beautify". If some are not removed, they will soon block vistas of the course and have an agronomic impact on the turfgrass. They have already contributed in transforming a hole with width and lateral angles into another vertical target hole where a good shot is restricted to the center and recovery options are limited.
Mounding:
Look carefully at the right side of the fairway! Can you see the bold row of containment mounding? Cupp added this lovely touch in 1996,
as he has the propensity to contrive creative landforms. At many of his other courses, Cupp champions the use of mounding to create light and shadow effects for the golfer. Designed to redirect wayward shots or visually frame the landing area in either case is undesirable. Such artificial and manufactured landforms totally divorce themselves from the naturalness of the terrain which Maxwell took great pride in preserving.