Tom, Tilly’s REEF Hole design is, in my opinion, misunderstood for what is rather than what it was intended to be. Consider what Tilly was trying to address with this design.
He wrote, “It is generally conceded that any course must stand or fall by reason of the character of its one-shot holes. Not that the others mat be weak and the one-shotters alone claim distinction, but certainly uninspiring par threes will never lift an otherwise fine course above mediocrity. It is the thought of some that that the one-shot hole needs only to provide a teeing ground and a green with immediately surrounding hazards. But as a matter of fact the approach is of incalculable value when constructed to lend finesse to the play.”
Basically, Tilly was stating that par-threes had become holes played through the air, yet it was his belief that there must be a way to design them so that the ground game could still be properly involved.
Actually, as what tilly would go on to write shows, this was a hole type that was specific to his day and would actually prove itself outdated almost at the same time as he was designing it.
He continued, “My sketch generally describes a length of approximately two hundred and twenty-five yards (or with this playing length under normal conditions). A similar hole was originated by me at Newport, and variations to suit conditions have been constructed by me on other courses with gratifying results…
“The outstanding feature of the type, is provided by a ridge, graded naturally in diagonal meandering across the fairway, dividing it into distinct areas. The way to the green on the left is only for the courageous with a long carry directly over the large pit. On the right, the less ambitious may find a comfortable route well satisfied if a careful 4 goes on the card.”
So Tilly is stating that this very long one-shotter may be attacked by utilizing a ground-game with a shot that would sling itself off the downslope left and short that would rollout onto the green. That is why this works better for you on a par-five Tom, and why so few of them were built, because the day of a par-three played on the ground was nearly over at the same time that Tilly conceived of this hole type.
As for the 4 lines of play that Tilly shows in the sketch, he writes, “Four tee shots are indicated by dotted lines. Two are quite obvious, I think – the raking shot home and the careful two-to-the-green on the right. Another shows the deflection into a pit from a long, off-line shot on the right. The other may need a bit of scrutiny for it represents a kick to the green from a slightly pulled shot into the throw on the extreme left of the fairway, a dangerous chance, however, if the distance is not gauged nicely, for pits fore and aft wait for erring. This hole places a premium on accurate placement from the tee, with interesting grading of play. I named the type “The Reef’ because of the diagonal spine which suggested treacherous reef water outside the harbor.”
The reason I consider this hole design significant is because it represents in real life how technology has completely changed the game. Par-threes will never again be designed with a ground game in mind and so a potentially interesting hole type designed by one of the games great designers has been rendered obsolete.