[Tim Bert]

Mike Hendren listed Vanderbilt Legends North #8 as one of his top 3 driving holes.  In addition to the landing area and design of the hole, he mentioned an off-course church steeple as an aiming post for the perfect drive.

When I played the course last weekend, I noticed that the steeple was no longer there.  Since I usually use it to aim, I don't think it has been gone for long.  My understanding is they are doing some renovation work on the church, so it should return.  Still, the disappearance of the church heightens one's awareness of a cell phone tower looming in the distance and I can't help but use that as my aiming new post.

Does it change the hole?  No, but aiming at a cell tower sure feels less cool than aiming at the church.

To the point:

What are your favorite off-course aiming points from the tee?

Mike Hendren - does the disappearance of the steeple drop the hole from the top 3 or does it stand on the rest of its merits?

[Joe Hancock]

Tim,

I don't have any specific examples, but I often aim at objects on the horizon, far from the golf course. It could be a power pole or a hill top, a building or a tree.

Of course, the way some of my tee shots go, you would swear I was aiming at a passing plane.....

Joe

[Peter Nomm]

The Acuity Insurance Office's flagpole is a good target on several of the Blackwolf Run tee shots.  Also, Holy Hill's steeple at Erin Hills. 

The Phoenix area has several distant mountains that serve well as aiming points in the Valley.  One of note is either the 7th or 8th at Troon CC.  The hole is named "Gunsight" because you tee off between two small mountains and aim at a distant one - from the tee it definitely resembles a gunsight!

[Philippe Binette]

The New Course at Stonewall paid the painting job for the church steeple behind the 4th green. Target line of the 4th tee and visible from almost everywhere on the course

[Philippe Binette]

Also the churches steeple on the Old Course... the problem is, there are about 4 or 5 of them so sometimes you aim at the wrong one

[Dan Herrmann]

The New Course at Stonewall paid the painting job for the church steeple behind the 4th green. Target line of the 4th tee and visible from almost everywhere on the course

That steeple is also very visible from French Creek.    Don't need to aim at it, but it is beautiful.

[David Mulle]

Depending upon the wind, on the 13th hole at Inwood  I sometimes use the empire state building as my aim line.

[Pete_Pittock]

A residence in the distance when playing the 8th at Pebble Beach. The house is probably on the 14th. Mr Huntley can probably tell us the owner.

[Dan Herrmann]

There is a spot on a famous Philly-area course where the perfect target is the fairly new high-definition TV tower at the Roxborough tower "farm".

[D_Malley]

seeing this topic, i automatically thought of the radio towers on 4 T at merion.  i think these towers may be in roxboro (about 10-15 miles away from golf course), but they have been there for many years.

[Ray Richard]

The big bay window on that big white house on the 18th at PB. My caddie said on the tee" try to put it in that guys living room, with a little right to left action."

[Tom_Doak]

Philippe:

If you aim at that steeple off the 4th tee at Stonewall you had better hit it 350 in the air ... it's behind the green for the second shot.  You do aim at it off the seventh tee though, and yes I did design it that way.

There are a couple of chimneys on the clubhouse at The Legends which are good aiming points for holes coming in, but that's a coincidence, as the clubhouse was built well after the course was finished.

[Dan_Callahan]

One of the new holes at Hanover Country Club (16, maybe?) gives you the cupola of Dartmouth's Baker Library as an aiming point.

[Agman]

The clock tower on top of the administration building behind the  eighth hole at Glen Mills is a pretty good target, but my favorite is the line off the ninth tee at Newport: Hammersmith Farm, which rises beyond the treeline on back of the 10th green. The house was Jackie Kennedy's summer home growing up, and more than a few of the NCC old-timers who grew up with her have been  known to counsel: "Aim for Jackie's window."

js

[Mike Salinetti]

One of the most famous ever is the lighthouse at Harbour Town on the 18th hole there.

[CJ Carder]

IIRC, one of the big hangars at the Prestwick airport is a good aiming point for the tee shot on #7 at Troon.

[SPDB]

Hard to believe that no one has mentioned perhaps the most famous -
the Old Course HOtel

[JSlonis]

On the 17th hole at Garden City GC, there is a neat steeple tower in the distance that is a great aiming point for the tee shot.

[tlavin]

My favorite example is the El Royale Hotel sign which is used as an aiming point for a hole (9th, I believe) at the very underrated Wilshire CC in Los Angeles.  Legend has it that Ben Hogan asked his caddie what he should be aiming at.  He was told "the El Royal Hotel sign", to which Hogan allegedly replied: "Which letter?"

It might be apocryphal, but it sure is a good story.

[Mike Hendren]

Tim,

Without the steeple it doesn't crack the top 5000!

Heck the radio tower on the 8th hole of the South course is even better as an aiming point.

Mike 

[Brendan Dolan]

What about the 9th at royal County Down, and the steeple of the hotel behind the clubhouse. 
Brendan

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