More critiques of Cypress Point! #15

[Dan Smoot]

There is "art" in golf architecture.  I wonder if AM, knowing the greatness of the location of 15 and 16, worried about not screwing it up.  There are a few books on Alistar MacKenzie and Cypress Pt that I have not yet read.  Is there any recorded comments concerning his thoughts about what he perceived and thought about as he was designing these two holes.  Did he consider this location any differently than any of the other locations on this great piece of property.

[Brent Hutto]

Praytell, what is that device on the tee in Pete's pic?

That's a camera. Our foursome probably took 150-200 photos that day.

[Doug Siebert]

Doesn't look like you'd need to move the green, if you wanted to create more intimidating pin positions you could extend that little bit on the right out to the seawall.  Of course in today's liability-ridden world you might need a sign there telling people to look behind them before backing up to line up their putts

Seems to me that the MacKenzie tee those guys are playing from would create a much hairier shot with the pin on the right (whether the green was extended or not) because of the angle.  With the "regular" tees you are essentially playing away from the water.  I'm surprised they'd move that tee, anyone know why it was done....Mr. Huntley, perhaps?

I gotta say, I love that bunker short left that is partially subsided....just looks like it has been there for 500 years....and maybe it has.  That is one great looking bunker!

[Eric Franzen]

Is there any recorded comments concerning his thoughts about what he perceived and thought about as he was designing these two holes.  

Dr MacKenzie on the 15th (source: Alister MacKenzie´s Cypress Point Club/Geoff Shackelford):
"It is not by any means ideal, as there are not a sufficient number of alternative shots neccesary to play it. It is at its best when the flag is placed on the little tongue of green that projects between the bunkers on the right. In this position one has the alternative of playing an extremely difficult pitch with the chance of a two, or playing safe to the center of the green and being content with a three. The hole owes its reputation almost entirely to the beauty of the green and its surroundings"

I am enclosing my photo of the 15th, shot from the left side of the green, to illustrate Dr. MacKenzies passage on his preferred placement of the flag.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

This is one of if not my favorite hole on earth from an Fazio view of golf, ie visual pleasure. I love it period though. I agree with Tom  Doak and others the hole is well placed to deal with nature for that man made wall is all that is keeping the ocean from swallowing up this hole during the winter storms.

[Brian Curley]

Having grown up there and having played and caddied many times, it was always my thought that the green was pulled away and the bunker right was built up to defend against the constant salt water that splashes up from the sea. Any green surface pushed to the edge would have a difficult time at best to grow decent turf.