[Scott_Burroughs]

Sorry, Matt, I thought the additional pics sent to me were more of Lakota.

As it turns out, this is the 15th at Bully Pulpit in ND:

[Matt_Ward]

During a recent trek through the heartland I had the good fortune in playing a newly opened designed called Bully Pulpit in Medora, ND -- it's located immediately next to the Teddy Roosevelt National Park and the Badlands area.

The course really is quality design by Dr. Michael Hurdzan although the first 13 holes play in flat meadlow land that flies in the face of the unique topographical qualities of the Badlands.

The 15h hole -- it plays anywhere from 92 to 161 yards -- is one of the finest short par-3 holes I have ever played.

The green sits slightly below the teeing area (about a 40 foot drop from the tip tees) and the putting surface is prepared from a hillside that falls abruptly away on three sides.

The first photo is taken from the championship tee and at 161 yards you face a good deal of wind that can blow in any direction -- sometimes changing in direction and velocity as you swing. The green entrance is quite narrow and it falls away from back to front. You must by necessity hit it high and soft to keep the ball from releasing to the rear of the green and if hit too hard all the way off. This shot sounds quite E-Z but is far from that.

The angle from the middle and front tee positions is also first rate. On the 3rd photo you see the high green wall that you need to carry -- it reminded me of a Charles Banks style defense. The grass is not cut to fairway height but it's not 3-4 inch rough grass either to keep all shots in their landing position. It's likely a shot without any pace can bounce off the hill and finish further away than intended.

The green target by Dr. Hurdzan is really delicious stuff. You stand with a short iron and if the scenery of the Badlands doesn't grab you by the throat the nature of the hole will.

I have seen many short par-3's that max out the scnery but few wrap themselves around strategic qualities as well as the 15th hole at Bully Pulpit.

The green is big enough to handle the shot required but not more. The contour in the green does provide enough movement so that no shot that is 6 feet or less is a kick-in birdie. Like I said -- few short par-3's I have played in modern golf design can equal what this hole provides. Anyone venturing on I-90 through western ND should take the time and play it.

The first 13 holes are OK but it's the last five that will leave a definite impression.

P.S. Thanks Scott for posting the pics.

[Joe Hancock]

Looks like a fun hole for the single digit handicapper. I like it...

Joe

[Tyler Kearns]

Matt said: "I have seen many short par-3's that max out the scnery but few wrap themselves around strategic qualities as well as the 15th hole at Bully Pulpit".

Perhaps I am not grasping this hole properly, but the hole seems to be rather short on strategy. You either hit the green through howling winds, or struggle to get up & down to save par. Nothing wrong with that, it just doesn't seem strategic to me. Strategy = options in my mind, and there really aren't any here. It does look like a really exacting shot, especially if the wind is up. Proving once again that difficulty does not lie in pure length.

Tyler Kearns  

[Matt_Ward]

Gentlemen:

Once again -- people are weighing in on from ONLY what the camera provides.

The hole forces the player to make a proper club adjustment depending upon weather conditions and teeing ground you choose to play from.

One needs to stand on the various tee boxes and see the way the hole is angled from different yardages. I know what I have played in my lifetime regarding short par-3's -- this one forces you to deliver no less than the 7th at Pebble Beach and the 8th at Troon, to name just two short holes. You simply have to buckle down and hit the appropriate shot with plenty of juice to maintain its position. There's no luck involved here -- just pure skill.

The fall away green is more pronounced from the back tee because you deal with it on a more head-on approach and IMHO is fair game given the nature of the player who opts to tackle the hole from that distance. From the middle and front tees the "Charles Banks" like wall becomes more of an issue and you have to float a shot just over it but before you run out of real estate.

When people look at the hole and say it's possible for only the low handicap that's not so. The hole is as short as 92 yards and frankly if people can't handle that then it's time to adjourn to the range for some much needed practice.

When you play Bully Pulpit and you make the long walk / ride up the path from the 14th to the 15th tee you feel like you're playing up among the clouds. The pure expanse of territory -- free of any clutter -- is part and parcel of the hole. You feel when you stand on the tee that you are staring down into Dante's infernal abyss should you miss the green.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Below is the layout of Bully Pulpit.  It appears as if the 15th
above is in the brown section at lower right with two other
holes.  I see a number of holes with centerline fairway
bunkers and/or crossbunkers.

[Matt_Ward]

Scott:

Good post!

The brownish area to the far right deals with the holes that are actually abutting the Badlands area and they are well done by Dr. Michael Hurdzan.

Let me also mention that the two ending holes -- the par-5 17th at 503 yards is a great risk and reward type hole (with cross bunkers) and the uphill par-4 18th is a solid closer at 406 yards with an attractive bunker complex to the left of the fairway.

For those wanting to know the CR is 75.4 -- the slope is 133 from the black tees at 7,166 yards. The Gold tees are 73.1, 128 and 6,655 yards.

[Matt_Ward]

Dave:

Mea culpa --

How about I call the hole G-R-E-A-T ?

Few modern short par-3's I can say are in the same league with PB's 7th and the Postage Stamp. This is one of them IMHO.

[Matt_Ward]

For those who may be able to post I wonder what other examples of great short par-3's (under 165 yards) can be illustrated among modern designs (within the last ten years) and also are from public courses.

Thanks ...

[Brian_Gracely]

#4 Warren Course @ Notre Dame
#6 or #14 at Tobacco Road
#15 at Rustic Canyon

[Chris Kane]

Barnbougle Dunes #7

[Scott_Burroughs]

#15 at Rustic Canyon

Brian,

You can have #15, I'll take #8 any day.  

Other fine modern public par 3's 165 or less:

Pacific Dunes #11 and #14
Wild Horse #9 and #11


I've never played TPC@Sawgrass to say about #17.

[Matt_Ward]

Scott:

I've played Wild Horse and #9 and #11 and they can't hold a candle to the 15th at Bully Puplit.

I do agree with you on #8 at Rustic Canyon -- a very wise choice and clearly beyond the 15th at RC.

The two you mentioned from Pac Dunes are also not in the same league as Bully Puplit's.

Just a quote from Ron Whitten's assessment on the 15th at BP ...

"But nothing quite matches the dizzying angles of the par-3 15th, with five separate tee boxes strung along a Badlands ridge and a Raynor-like pedestal green (complete with strip bunker along the left) on the far side of a canyon. With distances ranging from 161 yards to 92, and wind conditions changing from tee box to tee box (and often swirling), the 15th is one of the greatest par 3s I've ever played."

Scott -- the TPC choice is more than ten years old as I previously specified.

 

[JohnV]

Too bad you put the 10 year limit on.  #12 at Witch Hollow is 12 years old now.

I wanted to list #7 and #16 at Barona, but both are just over 170.

[David_Elvins]

Matt,

If a player misses the green to the right, where would his ball end up?  How far down the slope would it role?  Is that a bunker or a cart path at the bottom of the grass slope?

[Matt_Ward]

David E:

If you play to the right there is a small chance you will kick back to the green and stay on the putting surface. There is a slope that is not too visible on the photos.

If the bounce is rather hard it's also possible you will simply continue to go further left and possible reach the fall-off on that side.

If you push it way to the right then you may need a hook and ladder to get back to the hole!

I have to emphasize the club selection is likely to be a very short iron or wedge depending upon tee position and wind velocity.

I didn't play the hole into the wind so if that were to happen the demands only intensify.

John VB:

You're choice for the 16th at Barona is a good one. I can remember playing the hole with a breeze behind me and the flag pushed all the way to the right -- nearly impossible to keep the ball on the green. A superb hole to demonstrate high level shotmaking skill.

I also think the green site at #7 at Barona is also quite fun and interesting.

Sorry for the cut-off yardage figure but there's a clear difference between a short par-3 and the beginnings of a mid-distance par-3 type hole.

[Mike Hendren]

Matt,

From the shorter tees with the grassed embankment head on, would you say this hole brings to mind one of Ross' volcano holes?

Mike

[Doug Wright]

From the shorter tees with the grassed embankment head on, would you say this hole brings to mind one of Ross' volcano holes?

Mike,

That was my initial impression...

[Matt_Ward]

Mike H:

I never thought of that but can see what you're saying.

I think this is one of those rare holes that playing it at vastly different lengths will not compromise the nature of what the hole requires.

Even from 92 yards the pitch across the Charles Banks like wall is not an asy play. Throw in some wind and things really get interesting.

From the tips at 160 yards you get a huge lump in your throat when the ball is hanging in the air. It's a really cool site given the background of the Badlands in the distance.

[Matt_Ward]

Dave S:

The 12th at WS is a good choice but there is a bailout area even if the pin is placed far right.

The 15th at Bull Pulpit possesses a more uniquely designed green that offers more than just one sensational pin placement.

Clealy, the wind issue can happen at either.

[Doug Wright]

For those who may be able to post I wonder what other examples of great short par-3's (under 165 yards) can be illustrated among modern designs (within the last ten years) and also are from public courses.
Thanks ...

Matt,

The 5th at JIM ENGH'S Fossil Trace GC of course!  

[Matt_Ward]

I deserved that!

Doug -- FYI -- Pradera opens up sometime next summer.

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