Donald Ross and the Volcano hole-Bedford Springs

[David Stamm]

Anybody know if this hole that Ross did at Bedford Springs had been done by him elsewhere? It's talked about in the T&L Golf mag that I mentioned on another thread. Unless I'm oblivious (I'm sure Spaulding will chime in on that!), I've never heard of this hole. Anybody played it and how did you like it?

[George Pazin]

There was an article in a New England golf mag about volcano holes in NE posted a pretty long time ago - a couple years at least. I'll try to see if I can find it in the archives.

[BCrosby]

There's one at Roaring Gap.

[Mike Hendren]

Here's the 4th at Memphis CC, playing 145 +/- yards.  The downhill nature obscures the extent to which the green is pushed up.  There is another 4-5 feet drop behind the two flanking bunkers:



From behind the green, the volcano is more evident:



BTW, the previous green to tee walk is exhausting:



Mike

[Clyde Johnston]

Wilmington Municipal in Wilmington, NC has one.

[TEPaul]

I wiill guarantee you the volcano hole at Bedford Springs is about five times tougher to par than any of the others you see in photos on this thread.

The tee sits way out on the flat near the creek bed and the green is almost 230 yards (from the tips) away sitting on the front of the natural prow of a steep hill with a relatively narrow two tiered green.

There is a little fairway in front of it in the flat before the hill rises steeply with rough grass to the green above. I was looking at it carefully the other day to see if there's any clever way of "sneaking up" on this mother and my conclusion is;

NOT MUCH.

(you pretty much just need to hit a long class A long and high shot to pull off a GIR on this one).  

[Mark Bourgeois]

I wiill guarantee you the volcano hole at Bedford Springs is about five times tougher to par than any of the others you see in photos on this thread.

Maybe, but get back to me when the Prince of Wales takes a 17 on it, as he did on this hole in 1924:

[David Stamm]

I wiill guarantee you the volcano hole at Bedford Springs is about five times tougher to par than any of the others you see in photos on this thread.

The tee sits way out on the flat near the creek bed and the green is almost 230 yards (from the tips) away sitting on the front of the natural prow of a steep hill with a relatively narrow two tiered green.

There is a little fairway in front of it in the flat before the hill rises steeply with rough grass to the green above. I was looking at it carefully the other day to see if there's any clever way of "sneaking up" on this mother and my conclusion is;

NOT MUCH.

(you pretty much just need to hit a long class A long and high shot to pull off a GIR on this one).  

Tom, how much room is there if you go long? I'm assuming there is a big drop off behind it. In the magazine photo I have, it only shows the hole from right behind what appears to be the forward tee. My gosh, but the hole looks tough if your short! No where to bail out!

[David Stamm]

I wiill guarantee you the volcano hole at Bedford Springs is about five times tougher to par than any of the others you see in photos on this thread.

Mark, good grief!!! Comparing the difficulty of these two is akin to picking your choice of poison. A 17!?! Wow! I believe it from the looks of it! Talk about do or die.
Maybe, but get back to me when the Prince of Wales takes a 17 on it, as he did on this hole in 1924:

[Tom Roewer]

There is one @ Bald Peak Colony that is close and actually names "Battleship" i believe.  It is a very good looking hole.

[Brett Hochstein]

if you were willing to add short par 4's, the 13th at Franklin Hills could be considered a volcano hole, though i prefer my own name for it, "cyclops hill."  it could also go under the recent thread about tiny greens, as its surface is only about 2500-3000 square feet. i'll load a picture if i ever figure out how to do so.

[Ari Techner]

if you were willing to add short par 4's, the 13th at Franklin Hills could be considered a volcano hole, though i prefer my own name for it, "cyclops hill."  it could also go under the recent thread about tiny greens, as its surface is only about 2500-3000 square feet. i'll load a picture if i ever figure out how to do so.

I grew up playing at Franklin Hills.  13 is one of my favorite holes anywhere it is the hole that sparked my interest in GCA at a young age.  At 300y +/- it can be one of the hardest pars on the course if it is windy or if you miss the green.  If you need help hosting pics send them to me at ari_techner@scratchgolf.com.  Do you have any pics of #9?

[Cliff Hamm]

The 4th at Shennecossett, a public Donald Ross in Groton, Ct. is very similar.  Sorry no pictures.  The slope is longer but a bit less steep with the height of the green looking similar.  In essence an island with steep fall off to the back.  It is a bit easier looking tho as there is no front bunker.

[TEPaul]

David Stamm:

There's no drop off behind the Volcano green at Bedford Springs, but there sure is in the front and on both sides. The green is built atop what appears to be a totally natural landform.

[Ray Richard]

There is one at New Bedford CC, in Massachusetts (Par #3)and at Cape Cod Country Club, Falmouth, Ma (Par #4).

[Michael Christensen]

Here is the mentioned hole at Bald Peak Colony Club....

[Dan Moore]

I am told by an authoritative source that the 14th at Lawsonia qualifies as a volcano hole.  I am also told the green has been lowered 3-5 feet from its original height.  There is a steep drop off behind the green of maybe 10-12 feet.  

[Doug Wright]

Here is the Bedford Volcano hole-in-reformation:
 


Here are links to previous threads on Volcano holes dating back to 2002:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=22769;start=msg415737#msg415737
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=2491;start=msg48959#msg48959
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=5413;start=msg103792#msg103792

[TEPaul]

DanM:

I don't care what the consequences will be---I will cover you no matter what but would you please assure me that every single tree in that photo of the cool hole at Lawsonia will be removed and rather quickly, thank you very much?

[Dan Moore]

TPaul

Ron Forse has done a terrific job seeing that many of the offending trees at Lawsonia have been removed in the last 10 years.  My photo was taken to the left of the line of play which distorts the view a little bit and makes the hole look less open than it actually is.  I agree though that there are now too many trees around that hole (probably why the green needed to be rebuilt and lowered in the process) but it is located on a section of the course where Langford and Moreau carved the 13th green and 14th hole into a little grove of trees so many of them (not the pines) were always there.  If you don't believe me take a look at page 195 of Shackelford's Golden Age of design for an early view of that hole.  

[TEPaul]

Dan:

Thank you for directing me to the photo of Lawsonia in "The Golden Age of Golf Design".

With that reference I'd recommend taking out about 10 trees on each side on the way to the green and a few to the immediate right of the green. That would seem to make the hole look more like it did in that photo.

I was talking to Ron Forse last evening (another one of our three hour phone conversations that only ended when the spaghetti water in his pot boiled down to nothing).

He did mention you and he also said he feared he may be turning into some kind of tree-hugger.  

Most of the conversation was about Bedford Springs but it did lapse into the subjects of cavemen, evolution, creationism, the exact age of mankind and the universe, lichen covered rocks in sublime pools and caves, love, redemption, the sum total of the scriptures and such and a man-made hammer found in a large vein of coal.

At least I think I was talking to Ron. When I picked up the phone he introduced himself as something like Dominic Del Soto but it sure sounded to me like Ron Forse.

[mark chalfant]

Tom
Im glad that you got my buddy Ron to open up, the last time
I spoke with  him he was driving back from the Anchorage, Alaska  airport. Later  in our chat he told me he was passing the Dunkin Donuts in Sewickley a few blocks away from  Le Corbusier's summer  cottage.



ps     then he lost me because his cell phone's charge was fading  

[wsmorrison]

I don't have any early photographs of Bedford Springs' Volcano Hole, but here is a write-up of the 14th hole and an early photograph:

[Dave Maberry]

Wayne,
 The diagram and picture look like new #14(old #2) which I believe is Tiny Tim hole. The Volcano hole I believe will be #4(formally #14). Check out www.bedfordspringsresort.com/golf/golf.asp
And look at course rendering and hole by hole descriptions.
Dave

[Ray Richard]

I believe Ron Forse is doing a restoration at Bald Peak Colony Club, NH this fall. I think he is going to work on the "volcano hole".