For All GCA'ers: A Query ¬ 1?

[James Edwards]

For the Architects: An Architectural Query?
For the Historians : What would you suggest?
For the GCA'er :  What would you do?

An historic feature - crossing the fairway at 130 yards, a large earth mound shaped wonderfully with 4 bunkers in its face, completely out of play... would you push it forward to the equivalent playing distances achieved by todays players?

[Phil McDade]

James:

Leave it -- it's visually interesting, likely to provoke at least a thought or two on the tee, and it gives the high-handicapper a sense of accomplishment other than just hitting the fairway. See Lawsonia Link's hole no. 2 (Ran's profile on the GCA site, complete with picture) for an excellent example of this type of architectural feature.

[Chris_Clouser]

Leave it.

[James Edwards]

Phil, chris, thanks again, nice link... I had a site meeting yesterday evening with the club captain, the vice captain and the greenkeeper.

They said it catches the majority of the lady members and its thoroughly frustrating for them - they of course do not care for historically important architecture !  just whether they can beat the 1hr 30 minute round of 100 shots or less

[Jason Topp]

My vote would be to create a forward tee that allows one to avoid it and keep it.  I think it is fun to hit over things like this.

[James Edwards]

Jason, this is my view.

[Steve Okula]

James,

Could you just reduce a section of the mound, maybe eliminating a central bunker, to give the ladies a pass through the obstacle without eliminating it entirely?

[James Edwards]

Steve, another fine idea... wouldnt this be disrupting its historical importance/significance though?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

James, I say leave it as well and add a bunker at the right distance for the A player to keep the hole intact with original design for them.

[James Edwards]

Tiger, what do you think of the front tee idea?

[Steve Okula]

James,

Yes, I guess it would be disrupting the historical performance, but not as much as moving it 5O meters down the fairway. What is worse, sacrificing historical significance or living with unhappy ladies?

I would suggest thoroughly photographing, measuring, and drawing contours so there is a record of the original formation in case anyone ever wants to put it back.

[James Edwards]

Yes Steve, thats of prime imprtance - this golf club is from 1880's on the south coast of England.

[Garland Bayley]

Is there enough room to give the ladies a way around it? If so, then it becomes a risk/reward feature for them to try to take as short a route as possible, or play safe.

[James Edwards]

Garland, the feature is maybe 40 yards wide in front of the fairway.. there is limited space to move any tees apart from forward.

[ForkaB]

I'd vote for the forward tee, but that won't wash with the ladies, who, in my experience, like playing their "tips" as much as some of the men do......

[Mike Hendren]

Similar feature at Lookout Mountain's 17th creates blindness yet offers aiming points.  That, and it's really cool.  Keep it.

Mike

[Garland Bayley]

Garland, the feature is maybe 40 yards wide in front of the fairway.. there is limited space to move any tees apart from forward.

I was referring to widening the fairway, not to moving a tee to the side. What limits the space? Is there another fairway on each side, separated by rough? If so, can you eliminate the rough on one side and have the fairways join so that it is not in the landing area of the other fairway?

If it is trees causing the space problem (which I doubt), I suggest a chain saw.

[James Edwards]

Garland,

Thanks for the analysis - the fairway is actually the widest on the course  

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