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Caledonia #9

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Tim Gavrich:
Mike W--

My father and I have played the course a few times, and my father and I have each made at least one birdie.  But it's not a regular thing.  I hear what you're saying, and I agree.  My father has the dissenting opinion.  He can't seem to understand that 'half-par' holes add good color to golf courses.  Ah well.  I suppose the "Golf Course Architecture appreciation gene" came to me. ;D

Yannick Pilon:
I personnaly don't see any problems with the ninth.

IMHO, the land begged for a short par three of this type to be built there.  The setting is just so nice with all those oak trees surrounding you....

I just wonder if some of them had to be removed to build the hole, or if the hole is there at that length simply because there was just enough room to fit a short par three in there....

The 17th, in my mind, is the weeker hole at Caledonia.  Wedged between two great holes, it just seems like Stranz did not know what to do with this large area and just decided to shove a long tiny bunker in front of an otherwise ordinary green....

But its still one of my favorite courses....  Definitely one of the top courses in the Myrtle Beach area by a mile!

Matt Kardash:
It's not bad, it's not great, it's certinaly not difficult. But I did feel weird using my lob wedge on the tee.  :o

Jfaspen:
I consider #9 to be one of the most intimidating holes I've played.

The tee is weird, it seems harder/more firm than the rest of the lush course.  The green, although wide, is very shallow.. And this makes sense..  Whereas direction shouldn't be as big of a problem with a 100 yard hole, distance could be if you put wind into play..
Of course, if you miss the green you're in a rather penalizing bunker and face a difficult shot to a shallow green.

It's really a hole that makes you "trust your swing" no matter what show you're taking.. I don't mind it, and only having had the chance to play it once, enjoy the hole, as well as the course (esp 18 playing into a sunset with people on the veranda).

jf

Michael Whitaker:
I have played Caledonia many, many times and have witnessed many more bogies (and worse) on #9 than birdies. Isn't it amazing how such an "easy" hole can create so much havoc. The combination of a wide, multi-leveled, and narrow green with a wide multi-position teeing ground provides #9 the opportunity for numerous angles and challenges. Its never been exactly the same hole twice.

I've always felt that par threes were the particular genius of Mike Strantz. Having said that, I agree with Yannick that #17 at Caledonia is not one of Strantz best. It is a good hole, but fairly ordinary compared to all of the others I have seen.

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