Does difficulty equate to higher ratings?

[Patrick_Mucci]

Phillip,

The easy solution to bringing the features in the DZ back into play is to lengthen the hole for those where those features are no longer interfacing with their game.

The hard part is from the DZ to the green.

I don't know that you can ever replicate the original design intent on the approach shot.

While I understand your position, it's a very delicate one since it requires the alteration of existing features or the introduction of new ones, and I think that process is fraught with danger.

[Ian Dalzell]

Here's the thing - when one looks at the top-100 rankings in any magazine and just look at the slope/ratings of these courses, it is clear as day that difficulty is part, and I stress part, of the equation when identifying a top-100 facility. As I have indicated in an earlier post, the slope/rating AVERAGE of the top-100 in the 2005 Golf Magazine rankings is 74.11/138.94 from the championship tees.  This is way above the average course, and that is part of the recipe for making it an above average golf course.

In my mind, a great course must possess the following attributes;

Great architecture
Great Conditioning
Great experience (vistas/location)
Degree of difficulty/challenge

I am not advocating that if I built the hardest course in America it would instantly find itslef on the top-100 lists, but I am saying a course has to possess adequate challenge to be considered great.

Thus, the question in the thread is - does difficulty equate to higher ratings (rankings) - - I say yes, no question, as long as you have the other ingredients (architecture/conditioning/experience) to go with it.

Happy New Year to you all.

Ian

[Phil_the_Author]

Patrick,  

As you so eloquently stated, "it's a very delicate one since it requires the alteration of existing features or the introduction of new ones, and I think that process is fraught with danger..."

I can't agree with you more! That is why I also believe that proper restoration is very rarely achieved and should therefor be rarely attempted.

Renovation is a different matter and many of the great architects had/have no problem with doing so in order to create a better hole than what is/was there.

This too though should be done with great care and planning.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Ian,

The statistics would seem to prove your point, despite the contradictory opinions of others.