[Dale_McCallon]

I know that one of the party platforms on this site is that width is a must--it creates angles, more fun, speeds up play; blah...blah..blah.  But shouldn't courses have some holes where you just get on the tee and know you have to hit one pure.  Forget bailouts--hit it straight or struggle.

My home course is nothing special.  Publicly owned, short and for the most part pretty open.  But one hole just jumps out and makes you stand up.  Narrow, saddlebacked fairway.  Out of bounds left, ditch and junk up the right.

I wouldn't want to play 18 holes like it, which I'm sure is the case on some courses, but every now and then I think driving should be put to the ultimate test.  Am I wrong?

[John Kirk]

I agree, except I don't like red, yellow, or white stakes coming into play.  Better when the ball can be played from a difficult position with no penalty strokes involved.  Even trees are better than staked areas.

[JESII]

Best example of this...that I have seen is at Palm Beach Par 3 down between the ocean and the inland waterway...

The first 10 holes are typical 60 - 120 pitch shots, but #11 is about 225 with water (BIG F***ING WATER) tight on both sides...Pucker up is right!

[Phil Benedict]

I agree.  The ability to keep the ball in play off the tee ought to be part of the challenge of golf.  Not relentless claustrophia mind you, but an occasional hole that demands a straight drive.

[Jason Topp]

I agree.  My course is relatively tight off the tee but has one serious pucker tee shot on which I need to hit driver.  

I would hate a steady diet but it is a fun change of pace that reveals whether I have control over my swing that day.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Best example of this...that I have seen is at Palm Beach Par 3 down between the ocean and the inland waterway...

The first 10 holes are typical 60 - 120 pitch shots, but #11 is about 225 with water (BIG F***ING WATER) tight on both sides...Pucker up is right!

[JESII]

BINGO!

My memory had water tight on the right also, but I guess not...how about that bear after a bunch of lob wedges?

[Mark Bourgeois]

Both times I played the course a strong onshore wind could push a high ball way out into Lake Worth. (In this pic as you know a right-to-left wind.) Brutal.

The best way I figured out to play it was to hit a bunt wood just inside the hammock down there on the right, landing the ball short and a little right of the green.

Of course a playa of your ability would have hit a screaming holder fade that reached a cruising altitude of 15 feet.

Did you play it under proper conditions, or in the summer?

[Forrest Richardson]

While there is a bail-out, the act of bailing comes with an even greater, and more delicate pucker shot.  

[tlavin]

I agree.  My course is relatively tight off the tee but has one serious pucker tee shot on which I need to hit driver.  

I would hate a steady diet but it is a fun change of pace that reveals whether I have control over my swing that day.

Whoa Nellie, get me a chainsaw!

[JESII]

Both times I played the course a strong onshore wind could push a high ball way out into Lake Worth. (In this pic as you know a right-to-left wind.) Brutal.

The best way I figured out to play it was to hit a bunt wood just inside the hammock down there on the right, landing the ball short and a little right of the green.

Of course a playa of your ability would have hit a screaming holder fade that reached a cruising altitude of 15 feet.

Did you play it under proper conditions, or in the summer?

Played it probably a half dozen times and never once pulled off that low fade you can see in your minds eye...usually ended up short right...pretty weak!

Definitely a PUCKER shot...


Forrest,

Where is the "bail-out" on that cool looking hole?

[Forrest Richardson]

Bunkers right...or worse, the hollow right of the bunkers. From either location, a flop that stops before the burn is an essential outcome. There simply is no other shot.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Man, the more I look at that Wigwam hole the more it does look like hit or hope.

It's a par 3, right? How long -- what about trying to miss it into the back bunker, or beyond?

Or about missing it short?

I have no ability to hit a green, though, so there's probably no reason to expect I could hit a miss, either...maybe the play actually is hit and hope.

Mark

[TEPaul]

"I know that one of the party platforms on this site is that width is a must--it creates angles, more fun, speeds up play; blah...blah..blah.  But shouldn't courses have some holes where you just get on the tee and know you have to hit one pure.  Forget bailouts--hit it straight or struggle."

Dale:

In my opinion, defiinitely.

I think the last thing fairway width, as an architectural feature, needs is any form of standardization of width. Of course that's pretty much the way it was in the old days and pretty much the way it is today on most courses.

I think fairway width should be tailor-made to correspond to any particular hole's concept and strategies.

[Bill_McBride]

Man, the more I look at that Wigwam hole the more it does look like hit or hope.

It's a par 3, right? How long -- what about trying to miss it into the back bunker, or beyond?

Or about missing it short?

I have no ability to hit a green, though, so there's probably no reason to expect I could hit a miss, either...maybe the play actually is hit and hope.

Mark

Nope, big dogleg left.  The tee ball goes either left or right of the tree, depending on your ballsiness and length.  The one time I played it, Forrest was waiting to have a drink.  I was playing with my brother and our sons.  Forrest said he knew it was us because the old guys were walking and the young guys were in a cart.  

I hit a very solid tee shot right in the middle of the fairway and landed in an area of inexplicable mounding.  Forrest says he was not permitted to level the fairway.  At least I think that's what he said.  I regrettably topped the mid iron second off an awkward lie into the burn and wound up with a double.

Good call by Forrest, that is definitely a puckering second shot.

[Ally Mcintosh]

sounds like good logical thinking to me, dale... variety an' all that... although we seem to be going off track with all of these par-3's... this is about having to nail a driver down the middle, isn't it?

[Walt_Cutshall]

I loved David Duval's comment about playing a tough golf course. He said something to the effect: "There are times on a golf course when you simply have to stand up and hit the shot. There's no bailout, no safe place to hit the shot. You just have to stand up and execute"

I love courses that, from time to time, force you to have to stand up and hit the shot. Especially in tournaments. Pete Dye seems to have the knack for putting one or two of these holes on his courses.  

[Jason Topp]

I agree.  My course is relatively tight off the tee but has one serious pucker tee shot on which I need to hit driver.  

I would hate a steady diet but it is a fun change of pace that reveals whether I have control over my swing that day.

Whoa Nellie, get me a chainsaw!

This is the view from the back tee so the trees on the left do not come into play nearly as much from the regular tees.  I would agree if there were many examples of this on the course.  There are not.  This is the one example where you are forced to hit it straight.  I like it as a tough challenge appearing once in a round.  (the gap from branch to branch is 18 yards about 75 yards off the tee).

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