Around the Back

[Matt_Cohn]

The Road Hole has an interesting feature that, when the pin is back-left, players can choose to play long and left of the green, around the back of the Road Hole bunker.

It seems to me that very few holes in the world can be played this way - that is, approaching from past the green rather than in front of it.

It seems like a good concept for a half-par hole: you can reach the green easily but it's dangerous; you can lay up short; or you can play past the hole and out to the side for better angle of approach.

What other holes allow players to purposefully approach from around the side or behind the green?

[George Pazin]

Holes with greens that slope front to back.

[Tom_Doak]

Matt:

The Redan at North Berwick is the same ... take enough club to get past the bunker on the left, and then chip back on a gentle uphill grade.

The 12th and 14th on the Old Course offer similar plays.

[Matt_Cohn]

George,

Agreed but they're not all designed for that purpose. Take 1, 10, 12 at Oakmont. None of those holes offers a reward (or a route) for playing a 20 yards long and off to the side. Everybody will at least try to hit and hold the green.

[Kyle Harris]

I remember talk on here about designing an ultra-short par 5 with a green that accepted the shot from behind the green. This way, the player either had to attempt to hold the green to reach it in "two" or go way long to have a reasonable approach.