The most visually appealing green complexes

[Brian Joines]

What do you guys think is the most visually appealing green complex for your taste? Pictures are a plus.

Although I have never played at Sand Hills, this one is it for me. I think it is the symmetry of the green/bunkering that makes this green complex look so wonderful.

#8 Sand Hills


Of the courses I've played, I will go with #7 at Tobacco Road. This green didn't stand out as my favorite during the one round I played there but this picture really captures its beauty.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

TOC

[Mark_Rowlinson]

...to which I would add R Dornoch and, but it is almost 40 years ago, Ballybunion.

[Bryce Mueller]

3rd at PV is my fav of all time

[Jordan Wall]

#1 Kapalua  

[Mark Pearce]

Difficult to think of an absolute favourite but I was really struck by the 17th at Seaton Carew yesterday, I don't have a picture, I'm afraid, but a well played drive leaves a short iron into a pear shaped green, the thin end of the pear at the front with the fat of the green elevated from the front which itself is elevated from the fairway.  A mound of rough twenty yards short on the left will challeng a shot played from the left side of the fairway and bunkers left and right define the front of the green.  A really impressive hole on a badly under-rated course.  

[tlavin]

The answer to this question could provoke dozens of responses, but I really love the look of the green complexes that Doak did at Lost Dunes.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Mark, I am a fan of Seaton Carew.  I love it, and you very quickly forget about the surroundings because the course is so interesting.  Of course a lot of it is quite flat and featureles, but many links courses are, and most of those are none the worse for ir.

[Steve Burrows]

# 3 on the EAST course at Winged Foot

It's about 150 yards, downhill, to a cozy hollow, the green framed by bunkers left and right as well as a number of rock outcroppings that really provide visual character.  Challenging, fun, serene, beautiful.  

All that and I don't have a picture.  Sorry.

[David Stamm]

The 7th at PB, 10 at PV, 16 at CP.

[Tim Copeland]

Got a bit of history surrounding it also.......



I have been reading for a while....decided to jump in

[Patrick_Mucci]

Tim,

It's certainly a nice picture, if only they were able to remove TEPaul's house from the back of the green.

What began as a large cardboard box, when he claimed squatters right's, is now a larger structure due to his more recent claim of eminent domain and that the land was originally in his family until he claims it was seized years ago by some deranged individuals who wanted to build a great golf course.

The town even tried cutting off his electricity, but, he strung wires into his neighbors power lines until they noticed a tripling of their electric bill.  Then he bought a noisy old generator, which keeps the neighbors up all night.

You can also notice the fake chimney on top of the structure.
That's actually a dual gun mount for a twin .50 cal and a 105 recoiless rifle.  Every now and then, especially around the 4th of July he takes aim at hapless golfers.  When someone asked him how he can shoot at old women and youngsters, he claimed he just doesn't give them that much lead.

The chairs in the backround are where he and his dog Coorshaw sit and heckle and bark at golfers all day long.

He continues to yell at them as they're chipping or putting,  "have you heard of the "maintainance meld ?
I invented it"  " I taught Mucci everything he knows"
"Fast & Firm has nothing to do with mattresses."

He's become so annoying that the club has invoked an automatic two putt rule if a golfer's ball is anywhere on the green, in order to speed their members past this eyesore and uncomfortable confrontations.

But, that's not the worst of it.

On tuesday, Ladies Day, he waits in the bushes until women golfers approach the green, then he jumps into the creek, nude, pretending to bathe, while yelling, "have you seen this ?, it's the official stymie measuring device."

Fortunately, most think he's refering to his forearm.

[Tim Copeland]

Let me play there 3 or 4 times...I promise I can get rid of him

[Patrick_Mucci]

Let me play there 3 or 4 times...I promise I can get rid of him

Tim,

He claims that this "estate" is Happydale Farms East, his summer residence.

I'll see what I can do to arrange tee times.

[Brian Joines]

The answer to this question could provoke dozens of responses, but I really love the look of the green complexes that Doak did at Lost Dunes.

I couldn't agree more. Lost Dunes has some great greens. It's hard to really pick one but #12 comes to mind. (The big saddle green in the side of the huge dune.)

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Bethpage Red Course-18th green has a wonderful green complex, probably the nicest green complex in the park.  

I don't have a picture currently, Kyle has a reverse-angle one, but it sits at the bottom of a natural bowl/ampthitheater.  Lightly sloped, surrounded by four or five Tillinghast bunkers, the red and white of the flagstick makes a wonderful contrast to the greens and browns of the grass and bunkers surrounding.  

It's a pleasure to look at from the tee, 440 yards away, and even better to look at from 150 out in the fairway.  I'll try to get some pictures after next week's visit.  

[Jordan Wall]

#1 Kapalua  

Honestly, do those bunkers really fit?  They certainly are a nightmare for the resort golfer if the ball is not in the sand.

Or are they just visual candy? (since they are on the "hooker" side except for mollydookers)

Boston Golf has some wonderful green complexes, so does Pine Valley.

Bill,

They are 'visual candy'.

The question was for the most visual appealing green complexes, so I gave one, and naturally it ends up as visual candy.
 

[Kyle Harris]

Bethpage Red Course-18th green has a wonderful green complex, probably the nicest green complex in the park.  

I don't have a picture currently, Kyle has a reverse-angle one, but it sits at the bottom of a natural bowl/ampthitheater.  Lightly sloped, surrounded by four or five Tillinghast bunkers, the red and white of the flagstick makes a wonderful contrast to the greens and browns of the grass and bunkers surrounding.  

It's a pleasure to look at from the tee, 440 yards away, and even better to look at from 150 out in the fairway.  I'll try to get some pictures after next week's visit.  

Two Bethpage 18s have great Green sites.

The 18th Hole: Bethpage Green Course



I'll get a picture of BSP Red Course when I find the right SD Card.

[Pat Howard]

Still my favorite...

[M. Shea Sweeney]

Thought this was pretty sweet.
Now who can tell me where this picture is from?

[RJ_Daley]

There are enough photos available already on Ran's write up, and the official BallyNeal website photos by Dick Durrance, but I'd have to say that after seeing them in person this weekend, I haven't seen any set of greens complexes and surrounds more appealing than BallyNeal.... all of them!!!

[Michael Dugger]

Carlyle Rood captured Shinne's 11th quite well here, I think this is a gorgeous green & surroundings.




From Golf Club Atlas.com, Sutton's Bay:




Great shot from the Ballybunion website:




I love Pac Dunes.

[Nathaniel Amrine]

Hey everyone, this is my first post and it's great to be here. I have only played courses in West Michigan but certainly enjoy reading this board and studying course architecture. One of the most interesting green complexes that I have played is outside of Kalamazoo at Lake Doster Golf Course. Pictured here is the 3rd green - also known to many Michiganders as the "Little Monster." It is only 115 yards from the tips but drops about 80 feet to this green, an island. The green is about 30 yards from left to right, but only 12 from lower to upper, guarded by bunkers, water, and apparently two geese.




-Nathan
"Drive, drive on down the field, men of the scarlet and gray..." Go Bucks!

[Jordan Wall]

Michael,

Which hole is that at Pac. Dunes?
There is a skinny bunker on the left side of the picture which would make me think it may be 18..
(I hear 18 has a really skinny bunker)
It is a great picture!


Nathaniel,

Welcome to the site.
That is quite a hole!
I recently played a round of golf with another GCA'er at a little course near Leavenworth, in the mountains.
It had a 129 yard hole with a green less than 700 sq. feet, at least.
Behind the green there was a 35 foot drop off
 
With the downhill nature of the shot, your hole description reminded me of that hole.

[Ted Kramer]

#4 Spyglass is one of my favorites.

-Ted