Abrupt Fairway Contour Change

[Kyle Harris]

Another of my incessant doodlings has given me the idea for the use of an abrupt change in fairway contouring. This seems especially suited for a short drivable par 4.

I like the idea of an gateway to the green between the small knuckle and the bunker. It gives the option of a golfer threading the needle for the green, or holding back into the bail out area. Even better if the grond just beyond the end of the fairway is "broken" with rough terrain, light fescue, or small mounds. I'd probably set up some contour in the green to make the bail out approach a bit "awkward" but again, not impossible or even unreasonably difficult. Try for a birdie, or I'll make you earn your par.

The idea in MS Paint.

[Kyle Harris]

That's better.  

[Paul Payne]

There is a par three on the front nine at Galena Illinois on the North course (I believe it is 7 or which is a mirror image of your scetch. The abrupt contour is a shale cliff that almost gaurds the right side of the green, the other side contains a greenside bunker and then a slope that turns into about a 30 foot ravine. I think it played about 185. It is a very fun hole, you need to be accurate when the tees are on the right side of the tee box.

[ForkaB]

In principle, that is the design of the 12th at Dornoch, a short (500 yd) 5 which requires either a high fade over the "knuckle" or a slinging hook through the gap to hit the green in two (both assuming a long and accurate drive to get to position A).  The green was a relocation in the early 20th century with the knuckle ("Sutherland's Hump") a manufactured feature.

[Phil_the_Author]

Kyle,

It also would make a great design for a lounge cgair for the golfaholic!!!  

[Tom_Doak]

Looks a bit like the 11th green at The Rawls Course, too, although there is a swale instead of a bunker at the left front.  It's 350 yards, but downwind so some of those kids try to drive it.  However, it's also very difficult to stop a pitch over the front right bunker when the wind is blowing hard from behind.

[cary lichtenstein]

Looks similiar to the 15th green at the Ritz in Jupiter which is actually a little more severe cuz of the fall off on the right side and left rear as well.

Toughest green on the course to hit and hold.

The green is long, narrow and angled right to left, but I bet the "hit and hold area" is no more than 2000 sq ft.