[Rick Shefchik]

When I think of a tricked-up course, I think of target golf. Forced carries, island fairways, island greens and steeply contoured greens that create three or four specific tiers for hole locations. In other words, if you ball isn't exactly where it's supposed to be, you're dead.

[Michael Dugger]

When I think tricked-up it mostly has to do with pin placements.  Ridiculous slopes or super close to the apron.  Cutting the hole on the smallest little finger of a green.    

[Matt_Ward]

Jeff:

I am a firm believer that something is "tricked up" when ANY outcome from a shot played is dealt with in the same manner. Quality design is about differentiating the manner by which shots are played.

If you hit an absolutely "perfect" shot and the outcome is always the same (i.e. the ball bounding over the green and into the water or high rough or other Indiana Jones adventure) then you don't have golf you have gooofball.

I've personally attended 25 of the last 30 US Opens and can say the USGA is getting quite good at preparing set-ups so that the situation I described above doesn't happen. However, let us not forget Meeks-Gate when in '98 we had Tom Meeks of the USGA use a back pin placement on the 18th at Olympic's Lake Course. The outcome was preordained because the slope made "fair play" impossible.

I don't doubt it's possible to make something very hard and demanding. But, there must be some sort of way in which a superior shot is accounted for and rewarded in some consistent manner. The aspect of "tricked up" is that there is no consistency and it's even possible that the "lucky shot" will receive a better and far more likely result than the well played one.

When that happens you don't have golf you have silliness. Hope this helps ...

[Tim Taylor]

Some examples of tricked up that spring to mind:

Fairways elevated above the level of everything around them so that a shot that is slightly off line catches the side slope and bounces out of bounds.

Severely sloped greens that are too fast for the slopes.

Grotesquely artificial features like the hole at Heather Glen with the huge mound that is backed by a bunker supported by railroad ties. http://www.heatherglen.com/third-hole4.html

Difficult does not equal tricked up. Southern Dunes was very difficult with lots of hazards and obstacles but was not tricked up.

TimT

[Rick_Noyes]

It would seem by the replies that "tricked-up" is in the eye of the beholder.  The Pit usually gets tagged with the "tricked-up" moniker, often times by those that don't like it.  The same could be said of Tobacco Road.  If you like the courses they're a "challenge".  Don't like it and it's "tricked-up".

The Pit is not a long course, so one might say it's defense is in it's requirement on accuracy.  Are good shots rewarded and sometimes punished? yes.  Are bad shots punished and sometimes rewarded?  Without question.  That's golf.

Jeff,
To me, "tricked-up" is one of those catch phrases that falls in with "championship" course or "signature" hole.  They have been thrown around so long, about so many different courses and golf holes, they have become virtually meaningless.  that is to say, One man's tricked-up hole is another's signature hole.

[THuckaby2]

Some examples of tricked up that spring to mind:

Severely sloped greens that are too fast for the slopes.
TimT

Maybe you better not play Pastiempo, Tim.  

TH

[Tim Taylor]

They don't call me Tim "Three Putt" Taylor for nothing. I've got a reputation to uphold.

TimT

Maybe you better not play Pastiempo, Tim.  

TH

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