A Match Play Only Golf Course

[Paul Stephenson]

I recall someone saying on a post last week that "the soul of golf is rooted in match play."  It got me to thinking.

Hypothetically, if you were approached by a client to build a golf course that would be match play only (assuming it could be done...one big ladder match), how would you answer the following questions:

1. Are there any particular design strategies that you would try to incorporate more on a match play course than a medal play course?

2.  Are there any design strategies that you use designing a medal play course that you would not use for the mythical match play course?

3.  According to your answers of #1 and #2, what are some of the great "match play" courses in the world?  Are they the same as the ones we rank highly for medal play?

I realise that the land will dictate strategy, but seeing as this is hypothetical, assume you have the ideal site.  And what would that look like by the way?

[Jeff Doerr]

Paul,

I think the one thing you could really have on a match play course (and should have on all courses) are those tweener holes. Those 240 to 280, and 440 to 480 holes. Perhaps an extra measure of those on the "match play only" course.

[Steve Lapper]

Certainly, the best Match Play golf course built in the last few decades is Bayonne Golf Club. Everything about shot selection, degree of difficulty, and balance of risk v. reward is accentuated at BGC. More later...

[JLahrman]

Isn't it called The Belfry?

[Phil McDade]

A recent GCA thread on this topic had lots of folks thinking an ideal match-play course had lots of half-par holes -- shortish, gambling par 4s and 5s combined with very tough, long par 3s and 4s where par is a good score. I've always thought Augusta National was one of the best match-play courses, because of the range of scores that can occur on holes there, esp. on the back nine.

Shivas -- good call on Blackhawk. A fun course with several half-par holes, esp. some reachable and tight short par 4s on the back, and it ends unconventionally with an uphill par 3. A pretty good hole-by-hole description with a few pics here:

www.blackhawkcc.com

What the graphic doesn't tell you is the fairly extreme nature of some of the downhill, uphill and sidehall shots folks face at Blackhawk. The course clubhouse sits on top of a hill (with great views of nearby Lake Mendota) and many of the holes play either down the hill, back up it, or alongside of it. It's short, slightly quirky, and somewhat underrated. It keeps a pretty low profile around here, but is reputed to be a real golfer's club -- lots of good ones seek it out and become members.

[Rob_Waldron]

The Ocean Course at Kiawah is ideal for match play since considering from the back tees even Tiger would have trouble breaking 80. In match play no one cares what score wins a hole!

[Mark_Rowlinson]

If matchplay is to include Foursomes then some thought needs to be given to the numbering of the holes, that not all the par 5s occur, say, on even numbers or the short holes on, say, odds.  But there is more to it than that, with a need to ensure that you cannot hide a player with a particular weakness, although as a player with far too many weaknesses, I like being able to discuss with my partner beforehand who will take the opening drive.  At Conwy, although the 1st is an easy drive, it means you will also get the dreaded 17th drive, where 11 off the tee is not uncommon!  

[Paul Stephenson]

Good point on the foursomes.  I never even thought of that.

I also didn't think of match play where strokes are given; which must be the case in 99% of all matches.  Would you have to consider where the strokes fell as well? i.e not on the 9th or 18th?

[A.G._Crockett]

Good point on the foursomes.  I never even thought of that.

I also didn't think of match play where strokes are given; which must be the case in 99% of all matches.  Would you have to consider where the strokes fell as well? i.e not on the 9th or 18th?

Which may be one reason that so many Ross courses end with par three's?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Paul, You're right about where strokes might be taken.  At Alwoodley the hardest holes for most players are 13th-18th (395, 206, 409, 414, 434 and 439 yards respectively from the members' tees) yet they are ranked stroke 11, 9, 15, 4, 13 and 7.  

Aldeburgh, one of many predominantly match-play clubs in East Anglia, finishes from the 14th with holes of 361, 201, 457, 142 and 425 yards and stroke indices of 6, 14, 4, 18 and 8.  The 14th, at 361 yards is considerably better in reach than the 18th, but you can see why the index is slanted in this way - many a player would lose before having used up his given shots.  

Hunstanton, another match-play only course in East Anglia, finishes from the 14th 219, 478, 189, 445 and 398 yards with strokes on 18, 8, 14, 4, 12.  The 17th is a very tough hole, probably worthy of Stroke 1 rating, but you couldn't keep that so late in the round.  On the other hand, I cannot quite understand the 14th being stroke 18.  It is a totally blind hole played from a tee substantially below a big dune, over which the ball must be struck towards a distant oscillator (which is wiggled when the match in front leaves the green).  It also features a downhill run-in to the green off the back of which it is all too easy to roll.  In fairness, the 7th and 16th are first-rate short holes and ought to be ranked above it, and the 4th, which is the simplest short hole, comes in at No 17 - all the odd numbers being taken on the front nine (a fairly standard policy in the UK).

Yet another of the East Anglian match-play courses is Royal West Norfolk.  Again the odd number stroke holes occur on the outward half, with stroke 1 being taken at the famous 8th, a par-5 of only 492 yards.  It must be unusual among the top UK courses in having its stroke 1 on a hole which, on paper, is so eminently a birdie opportunity, but it is a great hole with a double water-crossing on the angle and umpteen decisions to be made about eaxctly how far one can hit on a particular line.  

Another upper-crust club with an unusual stroke index is Little Aston, on which the 1st stroke hole is the 317-yard par-4 4th.  Perhaps this reflects the fact that it is those half-par holes which are so exciting in match-play.  You can just imagine the good player, frustrated at having to give a shot away on such a tiddling hole, having a lash at the ball in an attempt to drive the green and pulling the tee shot out-of-bounds and having to try to do the same thing again in order to attempt to catch up with the lesser player who drove into the cross-bunker for net 0, pitched out for net 1 halfway to the green and topped the ball to the front edge of the green in net 2, putting to the middle of the putting surface in net 3.  Did the good player manage to drive the green, so equalling his lesser playing companion?  It is a fun hole and matchplay such a good game.