Matt:
Let me try this and see how it goes. I still don't agree with you about Fazio's lack of interesting, unique holes.....This exercise may not work but it might lead to some education (mine and/or yours).
Ok this is the 16th hole at the Virginian Golf Club, a Fazio design where I am a member:
I think this hole is unique, interesting and challenging. I will describe the hole and maybe you can tell me in your vast Fazio experience where this hole fails or all the other courses that have duplicated it.
1. Longish par 4, slightly uphill with a dogleg fairway
2. The drive works best if you are long and down the right of the fairway...but there is a very penal bunker guarding the right side for a slight push/slice. Large slices/pushes will kick to the right and into the hay...lost ball
3. If you miss the fairway left the ball tends to kick left, further into the rough and you are blocked by the large tree on the left....even a drive in the very left of the fairway will require you to challenge the tree to go at any left pin position.
4. To the right of the green, there is a sharp fall off (probably 20 feet down and a tree guarding the area) making an up and down front the right almost impossible.
5. There is a swale and bunker to the left of the green.
6. The green is interesting and significantly contoured...the front is dome shaped so if you miss pin high you have a very difficult up and down...in fact, if the pin is in the right front many of us play for the fairway short of the green which allows for a much better chance of getting up and down. There is a ridge through the middle of the green and the left half of the green slopes hard from back to front and to the left helping to feed any balls toward a left pin position.
Ok lengthy synopsis and in my opinion, an excellent and challenging hole....visually interesting...lots of strategic elements and I have played no other Fazio holes like it.
Matt and others, what say you
?
Bart