Most Thrilling Shot You've Had On A Golf Course

[Tommy_Naccarato]

All of this talk of the Old Course and looking for a quote in Golf Architecture In America has brought me to this question. I have so many.

Lets her some of your, and they can't have anything to do with an event, but more of a feature of a golf hole that time and time again THRILLS you.

I'll give you five of mine as an example-

1.-First tee shot on the Old Course. (Adrenaline alone makes it that thrilling, then you have to deal with the Swilcan Burn and OB right if you slice it in front of everybody. Or you can be like IB-F and pull hook it so bad that OB left comes into play!)

2.-Standing on the tee at Pine Valley #5. (Fear, Complacency, Insecurity, Arrogance, Ignorance--you name it. Every feeling imaginable shreeks through ones head, and you haven't even put a tee into the ground!)

3.-Standing on the tee at #18 Riviera. (For me, the really demanding tee shot at the Riv, and the only thing going through your head is to swing as hard as you can to clear that huge hill--what a thrill!)(No rhyme intended.)

4.-Standing on the tee at #11, the Old Course aka "The Eden." I feel that I have lots of experience here. I have only played it four times, but have seen countless others play it. It still confuses me to know end, and that is what makes the hole THAT GREAT. Thoughts-"Do I fly it or run it in?" "What slope of the green is going to get me closer to the pin?" "I now there is a God and he loves me, but why do I have to serve such a penance?" "Indecision, oh my the indecision!"

5.-Standing on the 18th tee at Merion.-While due to heat exhaustion, I didn't get to play the 18th, but went out afterward and looked with my personal guru--Redanman, and I can say with all untold honesty, that I fear this hole from beginning to end. It may be one of the GREATEST closing championship tests in the game that I know of simply because of the Quarry. (For some of you who can remember, please dig-up in the archives my Good Quarry/Bad Quarry thread from some years ago.) Can you imagine being in an Open championship or Amateur and being faced with a two stroke lead or worse yet, a one-hole advantage, and the let-down that could occur if you didn't make it or slightly mishit the drive? then you hae the thoughts of Hogan and that second shot going through your head?  FAHGEDABOUTIT!

Simply put, I don't think I could ever make that carry at Merion's 18th, and would probably be more at home trying to pull of some miracle shot off of some indescribable ledge of the Quarry.

Lets hear some of yours!

[ian]

Playing Ballantrae Golf Course (north of Toronto) for the first time. It was the first course that I designed and supervised. Playing a famous course does not have near the same rush. Playing it with my father makes it even more special.

As for other courses: nothing compares to #16 at Cypress Point. Nothing. Also with my dad.....hmmmmm.

[Lynn Shackelford]

Nicklaus called the 2nd shot on the 8th at Pebble the most dramatic shot in golf.
However there is nothing like having a 3 wood in hand and playing the 16th at Cypress.
But not far behind was Jan Stephanson bending over to tee it up in 1980.

[CHrisB]

Pebble Beach #8, 2nd shot--still the only shot I've ever hit where I found myself letting out a shout while the ball was flying over the chasm toward the green.

TOC #1 tee, and #17, both shots

Desert Canyon #15, tee shot--679-yard par 5 with extreme drop off the tee and 10000-foot crevasse left.  Ball stays in the air forever.

Waterwood National, #14, tee shot--225-yard par 3 over Lake Livingston to a clifftop green with no bailout!

Banff Springs GC, the old 1st tee shot--was one of the best opening tee shots ever.

[Jeff Goldman]

Single most thrilling shot by a twosome was mine and nephew's 2nd shots on 8 at Pebble.  Watching him clear was even better than doing it myself with a big 7 wood from the right rough.

Best shot we play again and again - 2nd shot on 16 at the River course at BWR.  After a big tee shot, going for the green is awesome, especially with a group on 17 tee.  Again, watching my nephew hit a bit 5-wood directly over the linden and draw within 10 feet or so from a back left pin, to a standing o from the group on 17 was the best.  

Hoping we'll be able to top it this weekend in Pinehurst.  Hope its still open after the storms.  Only saturday looks really bad so far (we'll be playing sat-tuesday).

Jeff Goldman  

[Mike Benham]

16 at Pasatiempo:  From the tee box, an uphill drive the begs for a draw but doesn't require it, with a downhill lie uphill second shot that requires more club than you want to believe, to a green nestled between a road, a house and barranca - and the hole is always in the back ... and then you get to putt ...

Just like the Giant Dipper at the Boardwalk, lots of ups and downs and a thrilling ride ... and you want to do it again !

Mike

[Joel_Stewart]

But not far behind was Jan Stephanson bending over to tee it up in 1980.

Now I know what Lynn studied at UCLA.


It seems like most of my thrilling shots are on par 3's?
5 and 10 at Pine Valley
2 and 11 at Shinnecock
15 and 16 at Cypress Point
17th at TPC Sawgrass

They are all very demanding.

[ian]

Joel,

I played 17 last week, it is quite a rush, and I was thinking originally of putting that one down.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Joel, Lets here some reasons why!:) (I'm want you to describe them in GREAT detail!)

[Patrick_Mucci]

Tommy Naccarato,

1.  The tee shot on # 17 at TOC as you decide your target
     letter
2.  The tee shot on # 1 at Merion as the din of the diners      
     goes to a polite, but intimidating silence.
3.  The tee shot on # 1 at NGLA as you begin your journey.
4.  The tee shot on # 1 at Bethpage Black as everyone
     evaluates your swing and game.
5   The tee shot on # 1 at Spyglass as you view what's in
     front of you.
5a  The tee shots on #'s 18 at TOC and NGLA as you complete
      your round.

1a  The second shot on # 8 at Pebble Beach.
2a  The second shot on # 18 at NGLA when you're going for it.
3a  The second shot on # 16 at Merion
4a  The second shot on # 4 at Seminole
5a  The second shot on # 10 at GCGC

1    The shot into # 16 at Cypress
2    The shot into # 7 at Pebble Beach
3    The shot into # 17 at Seminole
4    The shot into # 4-6 at NGLA
5    The shot into # 10 at Winged Foot West

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

My next one!

[B. Mogg]

Blading a greenside bunker shot at Royal Troon right towards the plate glass window there, where some crusty old member was slowly spooning his broth into his bibbed mouth.  I can still picture the look of horror on his face as my ball whizzed straight at him!!

The ball ended up hitting the bricks just below the green and bouncing back almost ending up on the green, saving myself about $1000 and much embarrasment.

[HW]

#1 At Merion; 12:00 high noon
Back Tees; Being left handed with a shank possible,
the Blue Hairs didn't know the danger they were facing....

#16 at old Penn State Blue Course
Playing golf with future father-in-law (and daily golfer) and future wife (PSU Golf Team), I am in my 2nd year of golfing and I scull a 187yd 3 iron, barely carrying the trap, hit the pin squarely and get my first (and only) hole in one--with witnesses!!!

[Mike Hendren]

1.  On Labor Day, 1976, a 4-iron from 190 yards to 5 feet in sudden death to clinch my second Rolling Hills CC men's championship at the age of 18.

2.  9-iron to 15 feet at TPC-Sawgrass 17th hole in my one and only attempt after seeing it so many times on the tube.

3.  3-wood from 245 yards out on the 2nd at Talking Stick North that covered the flag and rolled forever to 8 feet (my 4th shot after driving OB )

4.  3-wood to the 17th at Black Creek, the only Biarritz I've had the opportunity to play.  As good as I could hit it to a back pin, but the result always in doubt until the ball came to rest in the swale after leaving a pitch mark less than two feet from the crest of the second tier.

5.  My only ace, from 135 yards at Pine Crest CC in Trenton, TN.  In the flighting round of a 2-man scramble, my partner and I were a little too hot.  Accordingly, he instructed me to sandbag by hitting the ball to the back right of the green when the pin was front left.  I promptly hit a fat pull that one hopped into the hole.  The look on  his face:  priceless.  Please do not think less of me - at the time I wore a younger man's clothes.  I don't play with this fellow anymore.  

Precious memories - how they linger.

Regards,

Mike

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Although my last post was being philosophical (and I do believe it).  I guess to be technical to qualify as a shot I have "Had" I would have to say the last one I had.  Which was a softly curling right to left breaker from 3 ft this afternoon at Rocky River in Charlotte.  (Unfortunately it was for bogey)

Now having said that I will play along Tommy.

1st shot at TOC for reasons you mentioned.  I can still hear the starter saying "Play away please."

18th at Merion for some reasons already mentioned.  Ironically enough Tommy I didnt get to play the 18th at Merion either.  But for vastly different reasons.  During my round there I weathered wind, rain, sun, wind, more rain, sun, hail (enough to turn the greens white for about 5minutes while we hunkerd down in a shelter), more sun, then...  ...as we played the 17th the heavens absolutely opened up and as strong of wind as I have ever played in came up on 18th tee it was raining sideways and with a wind (that was literally probably 40mph) behind us I absolutely killed a drive, the best drive of the day, the ball quickly dissapeared in the blurr of wind and rain.  As we ran from the tee box the sirens went off again, and we called it a day.  I thought my ball was lost until we stumbled across it about 100 yards further than where I thought it would be.  I was on the left side of the fairway with only about 100yds left into the green, no doubt a lot of wind aid (maybe it was more like 50mph at our back).  But alas I picked it up and went in.  After that invigorating shower warmed me up a little, when I came out I noticed the weather had cleared again, so I went out and lust looked over the hole again in more calm conditions.  I look forward to having another go at this course sometime again.  Hopefully all 18.

17th at TPC Sawgrass.  One of those shots that no matter where you are on the course if you have a good round going, it is lurking in the back of your mind.  I once sat out there at the Players for the better parts of Saturday and Sunday and if you dont think those guys still are affected by the same things we are. I noticed a dramatic difference in percentage of Tour players who hit that green Sat as opposed to Sun in similar conditions.  I was amazed to learn later that something line only 7 balls were hit in the water on Sat, while like 25 were on Sunday.  The only difference being the name of the day.

Tee shot at the 8th at Musgrove Mill GC.  Ok so it is a homer call being my home club, but I cannot tell you how many great front nine scores have imploded on this tee box.  A very fair hole, and one that shouldnt be that tough, but the mental factor is high.  A lake requires a short carry off the tee but also guards the entire left side of the fairway, oh yeah and the entire length of the hole on the right is the Enoree River.  Now the hole is of mid length for a par 4 about 380 which gives you some options of club selection, and the fairway is wide enought to land a 747 on, but something about the intimidation of knowing that if you miss it either way you are dead creeps into you subconcious.  Like the rest of the course the holes play fair, but are visually very intimidating.  Many people I bring out there shoot better their first round than they do their next 10 as they start to let the intimidation get you.

Cant remember the exact hole # (maybe when I get home and can look through my scorecard scrapbook) on Colonial where the tee box is ajacent to the grill room and little veranda.  My playing companion explained that this is where Mr. Hogan used to sit and watch the swings of people playing the hole.  I swear I thought I could feel him watching me.

16th at Cypress, dont need to say any more.

17th at TOC picking out a line.

The Postage Stamp at Royal Troon.  I told my caddie that for such a short hole, I could barely bring myself to take the club back.  Both from intimidation, and anticipation.  My tee shot caught the right hand side of the green, but caught the slope and ended up down below the bunkers in a collection area.  From there I hit a career lob wedge just barely carrying the bunker lip that rolled across the green to about 3 ft.  Drained the putt for par.  As we walked to the next tee, my caddie made not only my day, but maybe my golfing life.  When he told me "I have caddied for some of the best out here, and I would have taken any bet that you couldnt have made par from where you were.  I have seen a lot of folks in the Open who couldnt."    Great memories.

[Justin_Zook]

OHHHHH IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The most thrilling shot I have ever played in my life wasn't even a good shot.

On the 17th at Bent Creek Country Club in Lancaster, a short par 4 of only about 300 yards or so.  A pond all the way down the left side, with a green that kind of juts out into the water.  I first hit a safety shot, but then I decided, "what the heck!  Why not just go for it for fun to see what happens?"  So I got my 975J and teed the ball up just right (it wasn't a Pro V1, "only" like a Maxfli.)  I hit it perfectly!  I know it calls for a draw, but I hit a fade anyway (youi never know when you might get lucky).  The ball sailed out over the water, and I can honestly say it was one of the most daring and thrilling shots I have ever seen.  Just seeing it out over the water knowing that there was no ground between my ball and the water was incredible.  It sailed over the green probably about 20-30 yards and hit a pump station (the pond on the left hand side is used for irrigation).  The ball bounced into the water, but who cares!  It felt incredible!

[Scott_Burroughs]

A few off the top of my head:

16th at CPC.  No explanation necessary.  17th tee shot is close behind, since is slightly more awesome setting.

9th at Yale.  Same.  Smoked a 2-iron to back pin position of Biarrtiz that landed on the up slope off the gully in the middle of green and stayed there.  If it had landed 5 feet shorter, it would have bounced to the back and been close.

3rd at Mauna Kea.  Thin 3-iron (too much club if I'd have connected) to 15 feet behind pin on Hawaii's most famous hole.

1st at Riviera.  Elevated tee, steps from the clubhouse, in front of whomever's walking by, then smoking one to within an iron's distance in, and having host's (who's a 1-2 marker) member friend nearby compliment him on his guests' games.  (I did birdie the hole).

10th at Tanglewood Park (Championship) during my only ever USGA round (Publinx qualifier).  In front of many players watching, on elevated tee (my first hole-double tee), smoked 3-wood to center of fairway.  Rest of round was pathetic (well, mostly the first nine).

An uphill par 4 at Whispering Woods near Pinehurst, 1995, 2nd shot.  With ball at inside edge of bunker, 165 uphill yards away, with one foot in bunker, one out much higher than other one, hit clean 5-iron that took at slight right bounce and promptly rolled in for first ever eagle on a par 4 (had 2 since), but this was easily the toughest shot.

[TEPaul]

TommyN:

Since you had a lot to say about Merion's #18 and that quarry let me tell you about one of my #18 experiences.

This was maybe 15 years ago in the PA State Am (probably the most oversubscribed Pa State tournament in my memory) and I'd had a pretty good first round and I'd been grinding my ass off all day and around #14 was just a couple over par which was going to be well within the 36 hole cut for the Wednesday 36 hole final day. Even birdied #16 and made a great working man's par on #17!

I've always been short off the tee so the thought of getting the ball into play on #18 had been in my mind since even before the round began! But I knew I was doing OK in the tourney well into the second round but that tee shot on #18 had been in my head for too long. I even thought to put another driver in my bag at the beginning of the day that was a bit longer just for that tee shot but I didn't.

So I got on #18 tee swung way too hard (which has basically never worked for me) hit the ball right, caught one of those trees to the right of the top of the quarry and bounced back down into the quarry.

It took me a couple of minutes but I found my ball down there, thought it over, took out a lofted club and swung. The ball hit a tree right in front of me ricocheted back and hit me.

Jeeesus! I hit it again and got it somewhere near where Hogan hit his second. Took something to go for the green, hit it right into a clump of small trees or bushes that used to be about 50 yards short and right of the green. Found it, tried to pitch it on--the ball hit one of the small trees and ricocheted back and hit me again. After that I can't remember that well what else happened but I scuffled around got it on the green and sunk about a 30 foot putt.

Worst hole score I ever had previously in competition was an 8 but that one there on Merion's Quarry #18th hole was a cool 13!

PS:

And somewhere along that 460 yd hole the cut was history! Oh, sorry, this thread was about a thrilling shot. Well, that 30 ft putt probably looked quite thrilling to some people standing around the green who didn't know what I'd just be through.

[Gib_Papazian]

It seems to be the cliche of this thread, but three come to mind.

#1: Redan at NGLA is the shot I look most forward to every year. Somehow, I seem to make a good swing there because I am not intimidated by C.B. Macdonald leering down from heaven. It feels like I have come home every time I stand beneath the windmill.  Through George Bahto, I have come to know him well and feel in my heart that his spirit is with me. After all, I have paid my dues through prose and homage.  Macdonald loved to be worshipped. . . . .    

#2: One was the astonished joy of watching my approach totter its way onto the putting surface on the 17th at St. Andrews my very first time. Driver, 4-iron to 7 feet. Elation. Unbridled joy at finding the green in front of the townspeople and God.

Sadly, I left my birdie literally hanging on the edge of the front lip, dead center. It haunts me to this very day.

#3: #18 at Merion, but it was my 3rd time around the golf course. Strangely, we had gotten the news of the Hawk's death the day before as we left Pine Valley on our maiden voyage to heaven. It was both a beautiful and horrible moment. I wish the radio had been turned off. It took the gas out of my balloon.

The next day at Merion I was having one of those rare days where I managed to play my "usual game." The birdie on #17 lipped out defiantly, but the tee shot at the last was a cathartic blast up the right side, over the wall of rock with a slight draw into the centre of the fairway.

It was as satisfying a walk as I have ever had on a golf course.    

My Precept was resting in the exact spot of Hy Peskin's famous photo of Hogan . . . . a walk in the path of history, a moment to remember with the green 210 yards away  on a windless day in the heat of summer.

And then I saw it.

The breath went out of my lungs, my hands turned numb and it was if the blood ran out of my legs, into the grass beneath my feet.

There it was, towering over the 18th green - a flagpole with Old Glory at half mast . . . . a haunting reminder of what had come before on that same fairway. Hogan was dead.

Now play the shot.

The rest of the hole was an uncomfortable blur. I vaguely recall pulling a shot into the left bunker, but cannot remember the swing. I think the next was left in the sand, and with Hogan scowling in disapproval, I made a six and slunk off the green in shame.

I know he was there. So did my clubs. So did the ball. Cowardice instead of guts; a meltdown from weakness and fear of failure in front of a symbol at the one moment where a memory of a lifetime might have been realized.

If only I had hit the putt at #17 a tick harder, or gotten ahold of myself before bringing the club back at Merion instead of shuddering in fear of ghosts.

But I did not, and there is never going to be a second chance in this lifetime to prove to myself I might have done it.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Those last two posts have left me agasp!

The fact is that for those of you that have never been to Merion, there are in fact ghosts all over the place. Probably not as many as the Old Course has running around on it, but pretty damn close.

Trust me, I'm telling you the truth!

In fact, this paticular thread deserves its own post.

[David Kelly]

Ten years ago I was vacationing in Carmel with my girlfriend and got onto Pebble Beach as a walk-on single (you could do that then).  I was put with three other guys who were the last group of a corporate outing that consisted of about 40 players.

On 18 with about 75 people from the outing hanging around the green waiting for the last group to come in I hit a pitching wedge for my third shot that took one hop, hit the pin and stopped 6 inches from the cup. Seeing this the crowd broke into mild cheers. We walked up to the green, one of my partners lifted the flag stick out of the cup while I calmly nonchalanted the tap-in to a round of applause, then I picked my ball out of the cup, acknowledged the crowd and hurled the ball into the ocean.  

Not many golfers experience the thrill of being cheered on while  birdieing the 18th hole at Pebble Beach.

[redanman]

The 485 yard drive at #8 at Eagle-Vail in Colorado?  Nah, not even close.  Length is over-rated.

Making the eight footer for birdie on #11 Shinnecock the first try at the hole?

I don't know if it was the 6-iron to 12 feet on the 17th at the Old Course the first time that I played the hole or the putt that I made for my fourth birdie of the day. Or maybe the next shot, a Driver from the heels and way out of synch that bounced off one of  the OB posts on the right of 18 which allowed me to hit the green with the next shot and then miss THAT putt! (That's three)

My best 18 Merion shot is only a 5-iron and a 2-putt for a par and 74 the first time around, hardly worth mentioning.

Best Thrilling Modern is the second shot into Inniscrone #15 as it goes and goes and goes.......certainly the most visually rewarding and thrilling in the length of time.

The most thrilling?

I'm with Daryl's first post here, the next one.  I used to play great memorable holes really well the first time out, but just now, I am really really looking forward to that next one.  It's been a looooooong time.

[JohnV]

Two that are side by side come to mind first.

The first at The Old Course.  Knowing that almost every great golfer in history has stood there and hit the shot.  Feeling the thrill and the fear.

Then the final pitch to the green at 18 a few hours later.   Everyone is watching as you try to bump it through the Valley of Sin.  Quiet nods of the head if you get it right.  Then knowing that it might be years if ever before you get to do it again.

16 at Cypress brings awe and fear to everyone I'm sure.

Hitting the perfect 8-iron downwind to the Redan at North Berwick, having it take the slope and end 4 feet from the hole.  Then missing the putt.

Hitting a great shot over the Himalayas at Prestwick and almost running ahead of my wife to see where it finished.  Then 3-putting from 25 feet.

Rolling in a 40 foot putt for birdie on the 18th hole at the Oregon Golf Association course at Tukwilla in the OGA Team Championship for my first ever even par round in competition.

[ForkaB]

I'm basically with Turboe (and redanman) on this.  I've tried to do this mental exercise before and always end up at the same place.  Even though I've had all sorts of memorable shots, for all sorts of reasons, the last "shot" (a conceded 3" putt on a temporary green on Tuesday) was the greatest, and the next shot, next time I play, will be even greater.

That being said, I will never forget the driver off the deck that I hit off a tight lie to about 15ft on a 530 yard hole on a slightly above average course in Florida with my financee-to-be watching me from the golf cart and smiling at me after the shot in the way only fiancees-to-be-who-play-off-11 can smile.  Needless to say, in addition to my Orlimar Persimmon there was another piece of "wood" that had to be "put back in the bag" after that shot.  First and only time that has happened to me on a golf course.  Hopefully not the last time......

[Philippe_Binette]

1) Playing the 18th at Royal Montreal blue thinking of Jack Nicklaus bogeying the last in the 1975 Canadian Open, he then lost in a playoff, it's the only champ he's never won...

 I hit a perfect 250 yards drive down the middle, avoiding the lake to the left and the trees right, thinking Jack would have kill for this shot....
 Second shot, a 205 yards uphill, into the wind 4-wood to 8 feet, the winning shot, Jack would have kill for this one too... but he would have made the putt dought....

2) A 65 feet chip and run to a foot to win my first club championship by a shot at age 16. That was after my opponent knocked his chip 3 feet close.

3) Second shot at the 290 yard par 4 at LE Dome in Hull, Quebec. It's the most nervous you'll ever get on a wedge shot. Playing from the top of the world on a small summit overlooking Ottawa, you're playing a 100 yard shot attacking a small green where long, left and right is dead the ball rolling 50 feet down the summit...

4) Nearly holing a 90 yard shot in the darkness and then making a 8 feet putt for birdie to win the last match of a ryder cup-style comp..