Photos for discussion: Conservatory at Hammock Beach

[Kevin_Reilly]

Andy, what hole is this?

[Kyle Harris]

It could get to be very boring if it became a template but once in a while it might be ok.   (Still looks like overkill).

That hole did become a template... we call it a "cape"

[Matt_Cohn]

Andy, what hole is this?

That looks like the photo of the par-3 #2 above.

[mike_malone]

 Needs more bunkers.

[Rick Shefchik]

That hole did become a template... we call it a "cape"

My immediate thought, too, Kyle. It would be a much cooler hole without the sand -- or even without the water. Both is overkill -- why not put a few trees along the water's edge, too?

[Matthew Hunt]

It seems clear to me that Watson simply replicates the landforms he loved in Britain while replacing heather and gorse with sand.  It is the best of both worlds given that sand is easier and more exciting than either of the aforementioned.  

John, sand has not nearly as much aesthetic quality as heather, or does it as ask as much questions of the golfer not mention the added ‘Fun Factor’. Don’t you agree?  

[Andy Troeger]

Andy, what hole is this?

Kevin,
As Matt said above, that appears to be the 3rd hole, just better lighting than in my photo.

Kyle Harris,
I actually don't think that's a cape hole, at least not my definition of one. There's not a bite off how much you want element to it at all, its a relatively easy carry to go left, and there's not much point in going right of that easy carry line from what I can tell. It does look a bit like a cape from the photo but I would say that's deceiving IMO.

Kyle Henderson,
I would guess they spend a LOT of money on maintenance and also spent a lot of money building the course as well. It is very well taken care of for sure.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I played there last month. 3 is a very good hole. The course in general is over mounded, bunkered and probably clubhoused. I found it to scream most of the things which give Florida golf a bad name.

[PThomas]

I have played Watson's Course at Kiawah and loved it. I thought the idea of playing #4-#6 differently every other day really neat. There is usually a lot of talk on here about building a great and interesting course on a flat piece of land....that is a good example.

Pat

Pat, is his Kiawah course similar to this one?   I haven't played either , but the pics of the former remind me a lot of the first one posted here

[Mike_Cirba]

How does Watson do Cassique at Kiawah Island and then do this? I felt that Cassique was a pretty good offering....

Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt.
Colonial CC
Ft. Worth, TX

Tony,

Two words...Charley Arrington.

[Kyle Harris]

Andy Troeger,

I've come to understand that the cape hole actually refers more to the green than the tee shot. Cape holes feature greens that are surrounded on 3 sides by hazards in the form of sand/water and can typically jut into a pond, a la a cape. The tee shot's oblique allows the golfer to challenge a hazard to gain a closer, and therefore higher trajectory shot into the well-guarded green.

[Andy Troeger]

Kyle,
That's more in depth than I've ever taken it. I still am not sure this really qualifies though as there's no way to try to challenge the hazard to gain a closer approach to the green. Depending on the pin the green is guarded on all four sides with only a portion of it unguarded in front. Most of it is sand, with the water on the right not that much in play save for an awful approach.

[Kyle Harris]

Andy,

I think the two do go hand in hand - the pictures are deceiving to me. I assume you've played it?

[Andy Troeger]

Kyle,
Yes just the one time but I spent some time with it since I knew I wanted to start a thread on that hole when I stood on the tee and looked at the mine-field of bunkers out there.

Its an odd hole. It looks like it could be intended to be a cape, or a split-fairway hole, or even a driveable par four, but fails to really accomplish the general idea of any of them. Maybe its intended to be unique, in which case it works