Double Blind Holes

[Andrew Summerell]

Many people complain about blind holes, but I've played many of them on the British links courses I have played & my home course Newcastle GC (Australia) has a few & I don't mind them.

The 10th at my home course is a double blind par 5. In other words, the drive is blind & the 2nd shot is blind. It's approx. 530y.

The thumbnails show the tee shot, 2nd shot & approach in that order.








What other quality double blind holes are there ?

[Matt_Sullivan]

Andrew, no input as to other blind holes. Just wanted to say that the roller coaster par 5 10th at Newcastle is a blast to play. Maybe the best hole on the back 9?

[JESII]

#2 at Royal County Down, if my memory serves. It may be that one side of the fairway offers a clear view and I missed that side, but I seem to recall a dune at the end of the fairway that obstructs most visuals of the green level.

I love blind shots and so RCD is one of my favorites.

[A_Clay_Man]

Tree lined corridor holes barely can qualify as blind, can they?

[Tyler Kearns]

Andrew,

The "double-blind" 5th at Portsea on the Mornington Peninsula is definitely a quality golf hole. The tee shot appears much tighter than it is in actuality (with plenty of room left). The fairway topography is severly undulating, and the degree to which your subsequent shot to the green is blind varies with your location in the fairway. A bunker complex built into a mound serves to conceal the putting surface, offering a nice sense of anticipation as you walk towards the green.

TK

[Robert Thompson]

The 14th at Cruden Bay is a good double blind hole. Tee shot up the hill to a crest, with the second shot to a sunken, bathtub green.

I sure hope this isn't one of the holes the club is planning on changing....

[Bill_McBride]

The CC of Fairfax (VA) has a lengthy par 5 - 585 yds I think - #5, which has a blind tee shot over a ridge and a blind second over another ridge.  During the 13 years I lived there and was a member, I don't think I ever heard of anyone being hit by a shot, but you did have to be cautious.

Typical terrrain for the DC area, several ridges cross the coursre property and the unknown original architect chose to play over the ridges with at least six or seven blind shots, rather than down the valleys which could be mucky with the clay soil there.

I haven't heard much good about the revisions Arthur Hills made a few years after we left in 1995.  It is a very solid course and worth a visit when in DC.

[Gerry B]

4th at fishers island anyone?

[Frank Pont]

The 6th hole at de Pan, a Colt course in Holland.

Robert, as you can read from my post earlier on Cruden unfortunately there are plans to change the 14th hole ...

[Wayne_Kozun]

If you can see the flag, but not the putting surface is that considered a blind approach?  If so then the 13th at my home course, Scarboro, is double blind but it is not considered one of our better holes by most folks.

[Andrew Summerell]

Wayne,

I've always believed that blind means you can't see the flag at all.

I understand how many of the members at your home course may not like the hole you spoke about, as many golfers do not like blind holes at all. At my home course they seem to be much loved, & the 10th is one of the favourites of many members.

[Andrew Summerell]

I am really struggling to think of a good double blind par 4.  Though I am told Machrie has a few.

Sean, you're right, it is hard to think of many. That's why I asked.

You may be correct about Machrie as well. I was lead to believe the hole course was blind.  

[Pete Stankevich]

Since I played there 2 weeks ago and it's a half hour from my home, I've still got Yale on my mind.  There are a bunch of holes that could be considered double-blind.
#3-you can't always see where your tee shot ends up and the 2nd shot is totally blind-not even the flagstick
#8-I hit a good drive and couldn't see where it ended up and couldn't see the flagstick for my second.
#10-Tee shot over the road to a blind fairway with an uphill second where the flag is visible
#12-Tee shot is semi-blind and second shot is definitely blind-no flagstick
#17-Totally blind tee shot and a large mound 50 yards from the green making the second shot blind from most of the fairway
#18-Blind tee shot except the left side of the fairway, completely blind second shot, and even the 3rd can be blind if you're in the wrong spot.

[James_Livingston]

Perhaps it is different up close and personal, but I don't think I've ever seen a top Australian course (including Commonwealth at its nadir) more in need of a visit from Mike Clayton's team of chainsaw and wood chipper operators than what is in that second photo.  It looks like the fairway slopes into scrub which practically hangs over the fairway on the right.  The LHS doesn't look much better.

[Mike_Clayton]

James,

I spoke at Newcastle's Centenary dinner and someone asked me what I would do to improve the golf course.

I suggested a little tree removal might be a good thing especially at 6 and 10.
A member who was a really good player wanted to argue and suggested 'that would make the course too easy"

Probably it would make it marginally easier but it would make a fantastic course even better.


Tyler,

I was going to mention  5 at Portsea which is a very good hole - there is a real advantage in driving down the tree line on the right to get the extra run off the slope.

[Andrew Summerell]

Perhaps it is different up close and personal, but I don't think I've ever seen a top Australian course (including Commonwealth at its nadir) more in need of a visit from Mike Clayton's team of chainsaw and wood chipper operators than what is in that second photo.  It looks like the fairway slopes into scrub which practically hangs over the fairway on the right.  The LHS doesn't look much better.

James, it's not quite as bad as it looks, but there does need to be a reasonable amount of tree removal throughout the course.

[Gerry B]

wayne;

the tee shot is blind - but the approach is not - you have a clear view for your approach

nonetheless a really good hole as is the 12th

[SPDB]

The 17th at Eastward Ho!. Come to think of it, I've often noticed that I've driven the ball in the fairway on a number of holes at E.Ho, and found myself in places I couldn't see from the tee, only to find a blind shot into the green.  

[peter_p]

The Machrie is the poster child. I remember three of them, but I'll have to dig through my photos or find the yardage book to remember which holes.

[ForkaB]

The poster child (and the template) is the Old Course--particularly holes 2-6.

[peter_p]

TOC may be blind on the tee shots on 2-6, but I don't remember blind approaches.

[ForkaB]

Semi-blind is probably more descriptive, Peter.  Unless you hit it as long as Tiger and as straight as Funk you are unlikely to be able to see the bottom of the flag, nor the contours in front of the green on these (and other) holes on the course.

[Wayne_Kozun]

wayne;

the tee shot is blind - but the approach is not - you have a clear view for your approach

nonetheless a really good hole as is the 12th

You're right 12 is an excellent hole.  There is a new tee that was just constructed which is a few yards shorter than the existing blue tee.  When the blue tee blocks are placed there it will be interesting to see if players try to drive over the creek - something which is rarely done today.

But I disagree on the 13th - you can see the flagstick but you can't see any of the putting surface - I don't call that a clear view!  If your shot is long enough you have no idea whether you are on the green or not.

[Tags:]

Tags: