9th at Harbour Town -- What a Hole!!

[Robert Kimball]

Watching on T.V. and having played there one time before, I always enjoy surveying the 9th hole at Harbour Town GL.  Pete Dye really got it right -- only 330 yards, with that incredible green complex -- make the golfer not only think twice off the tee, but work the ball as well.  And with today's back left position, one really needs to play some golf shots.
I know that Harbour Town gets some flack for being over-rated, and there is some truth to that given the amount of play it gets on a daily basis, but overall, Mr. Dye has done a great job with the property.  -- your thoughts. . .

p.s. and how much credit does Jack Nicklaus deserve for the design??    

[Evan_Green]

I think the green complex is spectacular on #9- however I believe the hole is too narrow like many other holes at Harbour Town. I am convinced that the removal of less than 100 trees would make Harbour Town a significantly better golf course and #9 is a hole that I would widen- the challenge should come from the green complex, not hitting a 2 iron down a bowling alley.

Incidentally, the 5th at Long Cove just down the street is another great short par 4 that really makes you think- if you challenge the water off the tee you get a clear shot at the green, however if you bail out right you are forced to hit a very scary blind shot over an enormous mound.

Great designs both of them.

[George_Bahto]

The original pot bunker located between the "wings" of the inverted horseshoe green was originally a lot deeper than it is now which made the middle pin placement really a problem to a point where you might wish yourself into the front bunker instead of attacking the middle pin.

The problem of the left and right pine trees short of the green can really be a problem for us mortal golfers if you are off-line off the tee.

[scott_wood]

and the answer is.......

[Robert Kimball]

I'll take a stab and guess MacKenzie.  A good example would be the original 9th green at ANGC.
 Would some of the double green complexes at the Old Course be considered somewhat "boomerang?"  

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

I am convinced that the removal of less than 100 trees would make Harbour Town a significantly better golf course ....

If you want a huge fight on your hands, try to remove even one tree (even our state weed, the Palmetto Tree, which is actually a member of the grass family and grows virtually everywhere) and you'll have every imaginable goverment agency all over your back side.  They don't care about making better golf courses, they care about saving every last tree, leaf and weed...