# 12 at GCGC
Patrick:
I recall somewhat previous threads about Garden City's 12th, and your take on it. Is it that it was altered poorly, or originally designed poorly, or something else? I've looked at the aerials, but having never played it, can't honestly tell what the ? is.
Phil,
It's grotesquely out of context with the flavor of the golf course. It's an abrupt intrusion, a shattering break in the beautiful continuity of the golf course that causes even those who ignore architecture to notice it immediately and ask, "what happened here? ".
The putting surface is a departure from all others.
The approach ..... strange, in that balls hitting the front left, stay on the fronting slope on the green, while balls landing on the front right of the green, and sometimes just short right, can't stay on the green. And then, there's the surrounding bunkers, which are designed to thwart function. Of the 4 surrounding bunkers, the front right bunker is probably the least offensive with the right flank bunker and the left rear bunker presenting "unique" recoveries, in that sidehill and downhill lies are prevalent. The left front bunker is adequate.
In it's component features and collectively, the hole has few redeeming qualities when compared to the other holes.
# 2 is a terrific short par 3 and # 18 is a wonderful version of the Eden par 3.
When you view the ground level and aerial photos of the old 12th, you can only imagine what must have been one of the greatest collections of par 3's anywhere.
It's restoration is long overdue.
I hope that helps