Lack of diversity in Armchair Architect contest winners

[George Pazin]

It seems to me the driving area is way too stern if the whole  concept is based upon the excitement and strategy of the second shot.  I would think you might make the tee shot one where a player has some freedom to let loose so that the opportunities for excitement on the second shot are more frequent.  The tee shot area for the average player looks particularly narrow and difficult.  I would think with some experience with the hole the smart player will learn to lay up with the tee shot.  We have all fallen into this trap where it seems the entire hole is just way over designed.

That's precisely why I like my design better!

[Kelly Blake Moran]

Excellent point George.  I went back and looked at yours and from a graphics standpoint it doesn't win any beauty contests which is not the point, it does have beauty in its simplicity but that does not fit the norm today.

[Mark_Fine]

Kelly,
I agree with you.  It looks like it could be a exciting hole from the back tee for a good player but from the middle tees  
Mark

[Garland Bayley]

When I first looked at this thread, I thought Steven Bauer's entry looked very familiar. I finally got out Hurdzan's book and note that the shape of the fairway is very close to that of the strategic example on page 129. It looks like Mr. Bauer stretched the example par 4 into a par 5. Actually, the book continues to use and develope the example, so more drawings of it appear on the following pages of the chapter.

[Kyle Harris]

The primary reason I shied away from this contest was the blank canvas. I had a drawing done that involved oblique angles of slope - I thought it was decent.

However, I caught myself overthinking the concepts mostly due to the fact that I had nothing to work with other than a white sheet of paper. It all begged the question, "Would the landform ever exist?"

Everything about these designs seem so forced.

[Doug Braunsdorf]

The primary reason I shied away from this contest was the blank canvas. I had a drawing done that involved oblique angles of slope - I thought it was decent.

However, I caught myself overthinking the concepts mostly due to the fact that I had nothing to work with other than a white sheet of paper. It all begged the question, "Would the landform ever exist?"

Everything about these designs seem so forced.

Including the large, round bunker you created smack in the middle of the fairway, surrounded by five smaller, round ones from WNW to ENE ...    

Sort of looked like some sort of paw print...maybe some sort of cat?  I dunno.  

[Kyle Harris]

The primary reason I shied away from this contest was the blank canvas. I had a drawing done that involved oblique angles of slope - I thought it was decent.

However, I caught myself overthinking the concepts mostly due to the fact that I had nothing to work with other than a white sheet of paper. It all begged the question, "Would the landform ever exist?"

Everything about these designs seem so forced.

Including the large, round bunker you created smack in the middle of the fairway, surrounded by five smaller, round ones from WNW to ENE ...    

Sort of looked like some sort of paw print...maybe some sort of cat?  I dunno.  

That, and the "Coke Bottle Spectacles" bunker were a bit over-the-top.  

[Adam_F_Collins]

Here's what I submitted to the GOLF Magazine contest. I'm open to input and I hope to see TommyN post his redesign of it and his thoughts around doing so, as I found it very interesting.

[Adam_F_Collins]

Keep in mind that the topolines really don't have any real meaning other than to indicate contour - they represent no specific measurement.

My concept was in reaction to golfers always saying 'up the middle' like it's the only place to be. So I designed a hole where the middle was the worst place to be.


Thanks George Pazin, for putting up the image.