3 Sets of 6-Holes

[Paul Jones]

I was reading a magazine (I think an interview with Jack) and he mentioned the idea about 3 sets of 6-Holes.  That way people could play 6, 12 or 18 Holes depending on how much time they have.

Does anyone know of are of any plans for a course to be built with 3 Sets of 6 Holes?

Thanks,
Paul

[Paul Jones]

I would think this would be harder to design since each 6 holes would have return to the clubhouse.

[James Bennett]

It is not too hard to achieve on some courses if one set of the greens/tees (ie 6/7 or 12/13) can be 200 metres or so from the clubhouse  You may need to change the order of the routing to do it, which will change the way the holes interact with each other.  With a returning nines course, and a nearby '3rd' green, if you can switch a 3 hole loop from one six to another, you might be able to achieve it.

Watch for the anguish from the members who lose the 'returning nines' - they will probably prefer two 9's to three 6's.  Irrespective of the quality of the holes or the flow of the routing, the returning 9's will have greater immediate appeal to golfers.

[Peter Zarlengo]

My home course returns to the clubhouse after 6 holes. Perfect for after work, kids, or old people (if im allowed to call them that).

I think an idea of three sets of six would work well, space permitting. I know people who feel that nine holes are too few and eighteen too many.

What do you think about a possibility of six sets of three holes each. I would think that this would take advantage of varying wind conditions and hole directions?

[Gary Slatter]

Toronto Ladies (Stanley Thompson) wasn't designed with six hole loops but they have members who only play 3, 6, 9, 12 holes.  It's great to see women, from 10 to 99 years old,  carrying their clubs and scooting around their course.  They are the most knowledgeable golfers in the city.  My wife was a member for awhile, the last male pro was Frank Mann and I used to nominate him for Pro of the Year every year.
It really is a wonderful golf course and yes men can play.

[Bill Satterfield]

The new Rope Rider course at Suncadia in Washington state is featuring that type of layout.  In fact they take it a step further saying there are six distinct three hole loops so you can play anywhere between 3 and 18 holes.  They call it "family friendly" so I'm sure there won't be staggering architecture there, but not a bad concept at a facility that already features Tom Doak's private Tumble Creek course and Arnold Palmer's public Prospector course.

[Jim Nugent]

Several holes at St. Louis CC come back to or near the clubhouse.  So from time to time members used to play shorter loops, e.g. 5 through 13 (finish and start with par 5) or occasionally 14 through 18.  I would think this could be done (and probably is) at many clubs.  

[peter_p]

   The nine hole course in Weiser ID had three three hole loops. The beverage shack does a brisk business, especially on hot summer days.
    The recent Links issue mentioned Davis Love III's Origins course at the Water-Sound community in the Florida panhandle. It is a six hole 1800 yd course which can also be played as a nine hole executive course ot a ten hole par 3 course with alternate tees and greens. The traget audience is families and beginners.
    Sounds like a winning proposition IMO

[Edwin Roald]

I thought I broke a routing deadlock once by coming up with a layout that had 6 holes coming back to the clubhouse and then another 12 hole loop. This was in a competition for a contract and I thought this was quite interesting.

I didn't win.

[Adrian_Stiff]

By luck, a course I did has the 13th returning to the clubhouse as well as the 5th fairly close (200yds). The 9th (by design) also returns, this allows both nines to split into a 4 and a 5 hole sequence. The club has found that with early morning frosts, you can play catch up by using a 4 tee start, this is useful instead of shot gun starts as well, you can get everyone off in just over an hour. It also allows a golfer the choice of 4, 5, 9 or 13 holes. Summer evenings 13 is very popular number. The downside is whilst this type of sequencing is a good thing it could ruin a potential design by actually trying to accomadate it.

[Scott Witter]

I believe there is a course in the Syracuse NY area with 6 par 3's, 6 par 4's and 6 par 5's designed by John Yuhas.  Sorry, can't remember the name of the course.  Not 'exactly' what you described, but the closest I know.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Paul, I think all of us who are club Members have figured out short  loops to play. I play 1,2,8 and 9 and 1,2,3,4,7,8,9 as well as 10,11,12,16,17,and 18, or 10,11,12,13 and up the hill to 18 at Oakbourne.

[Tyler Kearns]

Paul,

My home course very nearly returns to the clubhouse at the 5th green, which adds a great deal of flexibility to sneak out and play a short loop of holes, or get out in front of a busy period if you need to play quickly. Over the course of the last few years, I have played my home track in likely a dozen different sequences.

TK

[Ken Moum]

IIRC, George Thomas, in "Golf Architecture in America," proposed that golf courses should have the third and fifteenth greens near the clubhouse so you could 1) catch your match if you were late and 2) Never have to walk in more than one hole for the matches that close out on 14-18.

My home course, one of the few Donald Ross courses west of the Mississippi, not only includes those features, but the 5th green is near the 9 tee meaning that there are six-hole loops on both nines.

Because it's a country club, with relatively light play at times, the members can and do play the following loops:

1-3
1-5 + 9
4-9
4-5-9
10-15
16-18

In addition, it's easy to play 10-12 then make a ~100-yard walk to the seven tee to play 7-9. Although the course is only 6600 from the back tees, three times around those six is over 7,000 yards.

A seven-time State Am champion used to play be a member, and he's reputed to have played those six holes as preparation.

K

[Kalen Braley]

I'm sure all kinds of interesting loops can be made/invented at Riviera CC with all the holes that return and leave from the general vicinity of the clubhouse.

[Paul Jones]

I guess what I was asking is this something that would be part of any future designs, even for Public Courses?  

Has any owners requested this when talking with the GCA?

[Jason McNamara]

I guess what I was asking is this something that would be part of any future designs, even for Public Courses?  

Has any owners requested this when talking with the GCA?

Paul, I think there's been some discussion here of High Meadow Ranch, a daily-fee NW of Houston with three loops of six.  You want to check that thread as well.

[PCCraig]

I think I remember reading in Daniel Wexler's book about many of the classic GCA's designing 6 hole courses in the backyards of wealthy Americans

[Bill_McBride]

Cuscowilla - scene of the 2007 Dixie Cup October 4-6 - has holes 6, 9, 13 and 18 returning to the clubhouse.

[Tom Roewer]

Haile Plantation in Gainseville, FL. has 6 holes of each par, and is a very enjoyable Gary Player design.  The first six have 2 of each par, the other two don't, but each 6 hole section would be good to play as they are.  

[Andy Hodson]

Jason
You are correct about HMR. Except the middle loop "kinda" gets close to the clubhouse. Easy if you are in a cart, but not so much  if on foot.

Good golf course, HMR.

BTW, I think 6 hole loops is a great idea. Should be persued more often, where possible.