Definition of "Line of Charm"

[David Wigler]

Can one of you who is a far better writer than me give me a layman's definition of "Line of Charm" so that I can make it make sense to a non-GCA type?

[THuckaby2]

I am certainly NOT a better writer than you, Dave.  BUT... I have come to believe one can find anything on the internet.  A google search on "line of charm" yielded this from an article on golfonline by Gary Galyean:

"For this reason, the most difficult of the world's great holes offer alternative routes to the same destinations. The obfuscation of the strategic line by the line of charm at Dorado Beach's zigzagging 13th and the eighth at Las Brisas, both Robert Trent Jones Sr. designs, are quintessential examples. At both holes, the strategic line (where you should hit it) is obfuscated by the line of charm (where you want to hit it)."

I'd say "where you want to hit it" is a damn good, brief summation of line of charm.  You likely want more than this but this is a start!

TH
 

[Mike Benham]

Obfuscation (twice), zigzagging and quintessential all in the same paragraph ... I'm sure that has hidden meanings to someone or to some form of life ...

[Jeremy_Glenn.]

Tom,

That's weird.  I always thought that the "line of charm" is where you should hit it, while the "line of instinct" is where you want to hit it.

Think of the dogleg left 13th at North Berwick.  A wall runs along the left side of the fairway, continuing straight in front of the green.  The green, 365 yards away, is just on the other side of the wall..  Standing on the tee, the "line of instinct" is that wall, straight at the green (or almost).  The "line of charm" is towards the fairway to the right, away from the wall.  Of course, the closer you can hit it to the wall, the easier is your approach, but that's a risky tee shot.

Basically, one of the architect's job is to dare the golfer to flirt with the line of instinct.

[Jim_Kennedy]

David,
TEPaul explains it well when he says that lines of charm are those along which golfers are.... "Allowed to express themselves in the playing of golf and experience a certain sense of individual "freedom" (of expression) in doing so instead of always being dictated to and sort of "shown the way" (architectural roadmapping)! His(Behr's) basically simple principle of "lines of charm" is no more than an architectural application of that very freedom and sense of individual expression!"

[ward Peyronnin]

Alister Mackenzie in his book The Spirit of St. Andrews has a wonderful definition of The Line of Charm. I am packing for a trip tomorrow but will quote it if you can't put your hands on the book. Let me know

[Ward P]

Sorry David,

Here it is"Analyze the holes on the OC at St Andrews. There is hardly a hole where the correct line is direct from the tee to green. We have pointed out before where Max Behr says the direct line is the line of instinct and if we wish to make a hole interesting we must break up that line and create the line of charm"(pg 122)

[TEPaul]

To explain Max Behr's ideas on the "line of charm" best, I think, is to properly call his concept the "line(S) of charm!

Certainly his ideas are to give the golfer what he called "freedom of expression" by creating multiple options for him to choose to challenge him in the way he perceives best for him!

But Behr believed the best and most multi-optional way to create "lines of charm" was to take away from the golfer what he called the "line of instinct" by placing a hazard feature at that point--ie, "line of instinct"! That point very well could be something like the middle of the fairway at the exact and ideal point where the golfer might instinctively want to hit the ball.

Taking away that point would logically induce the golfer to choose to hit the ball short off, left of, right of, or over that "point of instinct" (where the architect had placed that hazard feature) thereby creating for the golfer what Behr called "line(s) of charm".

Behr, in this way, believed, in a sort of "glass half empty/glass half full way, that a hazard feature (placed at that "line of instinct") was not really supposed to be viewed as something that was "penal" but something that was supposed to act a "sentinel" for the golfer to challenge it, to come as close to it as possible in some way for the ideal position for his next shot!

As hazard features (particularly bunker features) are architects' primary design expression to create strategy in golf Behr believed they were ideal to create his philosophy of "line of charm"!

As anyone could imagine, to create "line of charm", width was valued and because of this Behr also did not really believe in the use of rough in golf or it's architecture!

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Gee Tom, For a second there after reading, (your well rounded response) I started thinking of how Augusta National was designed to be played.

Funny thing it is the same thinking pertaining to play on the Old Course.

[David Wigler]

Thank you all for your responses.  It helped immensly.

[ed_getka]

I would describe the "line of charm" as the line you choose to take to make subsequent shots on the hole easier. The LOC generally involves challenging a hazard to obtain the reward of an easier shot. The secondary benefit of taking the LOC and challenging the hazard is, if successful, the sense of satisfaction in having gambled and won.

In a sense when thinking about the line of charm it is "pushing the envelope", going outside your comfort zone and challenging yourself.