Makefield Highlands by Rick Jacobson in Bucks County, PA is pretty damn good, on a decent rolling property. It has some superb short par fours, but I found the earthworks there both unnecessary and distracting.
I’ll preface this post by saying that Makefield Highlands is now my home course which I have played approx. 20 times.
I definitely think the design should be considered in the Best New category for 2005, but there is one thing about the course that still bugs me and I’d love to get your thoughts on it:
I can’t stand the #13th hole. This par 4 measures 284 yds. from the tips but is most often played from the blue tees by low handicappers at 268 yds. It is slight dogleg left, flat to slightly down hill to the green and plays less then the yardage if you go right at the green. The lay-up landing area is a blind plateau, and the mound also blocks your view of the right hand side of the green. Over or right of the green is dead – a severe slope runs downhill at least 30 feet below and away from the green.
Here’s why I don’t like the hole – it tempts the player to try and attempt the heroic shot to the green but doesn’t reward the player, even if the shot is hit well. Driver / 3 wood shots never hold the green, you can rarely see the balls land on the surface, and are usually lost balls if they go over. The smart play is to lay-up to the blind plateau with a mid-iron and have a three quarter wedge downhill. No ground game options on the approach, bland green, bunkers don’t come into play. Throw in the safety hazards of not being able to see groups in the fairway or on the green (no bell either) and it is not a good hole in my book.
I wish they would lower the plateau, move the tees up and slope the green from right to left creating a nice redan. Sure it would mean back to back par 3’s but that has worked at Cypress and Bandon, (though I am not comparing MH’s holes to those).
Interestingly enough, at first glance the design of #13 is very similar to #5 which plays 317 yds from the blue tees. However, I love #5 because it addresses all the issues that #13 does not. You can hit driver over the hazards and still keep the ball near the putting surface. A wonderful small bunker and a tree left of the dogleg guard the green, causing havoc for those who attempt to drive the green, less so for those who lay up. The green is also fairly narrow and diagonal to the lay-up area, requiring precise approach shots for those who lay-up but rewarding the heroic shots.
As far as the rest of the course goes, there are some wonderful holes (in addition to #5). You’d be hard pressed to find a better stretch of holes than #14 (par 3, 207 yds) & #15 (par 4, 407 yds) and #16 (par 5, 462 yds) – all yardage from the blue tees. #14 plays over a creek downhill into almost a natural punchbowl. #15 has a forced carry uphill to a dogleg left. The approach then has to carry a pond to a shallow green (I think it’s the best hole on the course). #16 is a very reachable par 5 that is just fun to play and comes at the right time in the routing. I don’t see many holes made like this one anymore.
Finally, I wish that the 18th was about 40 yds longer or shorter. From the blue tees it measures 423 yds. with the downhill fairway running out at the 150 yd. marker into 30 yds. of wetlands. Assuming you play the appropriate tee, you can never hit driver and carry the hazard which forces a lay-up and a long uphill approach to the green. I don’t like the lack of options off the tee after a wonderful stretch of holes starting at #14.