[David Stamm]

I received this photo in the mail that was part of an ad in regards to a membership offer from a club close to my home. I've played this course several times and it's in the running for the worst course I've ever played and this is the worst hole on said course. Strangley, this is hole that they picked for the ad! A bunker before a water hazard?? The hole is an extremely downhill 369 yd par 4. BTW, love how much the greenside bunker is in play, don't you?

[Steve Pieracci]

C'mon David, that water is in play!  It looks like the angle on that rock face might ricochet your ball into the pond.

[David Stamm]

C'mon David, that water is in play!  It looks like the angle on that rock face might ricochet your ball into the pond.

Bumper pool golf? Hmmmm...You may have something there!


BTW, the water can easily be carried with driver or 3w. The tee is at least 70 ft above the fw.

[JohnV]

It looks like a lifeguard with mirror shades, zinc oxide on his nose and a Madonna like mole.

[Stan Dodd]

Atta boy John You must have got into some of the local Norcal crop.

[Pete_Pittock]

I'd name the water feature Lake Kilroy.

Just playing for second place.

[Tony Petersen]

Would this be an example of the geometric hazards that were the rage back in the day of tarred greens? 

I would imagine it's a 250 carry over the water and you end up with a bump-n-run to the pin?

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

There is no such thing as bump and run on this course.  At times it has set a new standard for sogginess.  Several years ago, we had trouble finding a plugged ball on the 16th green at a time when it hadn't rained in several weeks! 

[Jon Spaulding]

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo

So when are you going to join?

[Jeremy Rivando]

The worst feature I've ever seen has some similarities to this hole.

I played for 4 years at the New Mexico State University golf course and they (not sure who exactly, the super at the time I think played a role)  decided to turn greenside bunkers on two of their par 3's, #8, #14, into water hazards.

Seriously, 500ft2 water hazards.

The NMSU course was once a great course, it hosted the 68 NCAA championship and Trevino used to play there quite often when he was around El Paso.

[Jeff_Brauer]

I recall going to a club for a master plan and before the course tour, they told me that there was only one "sacred feature" - a pond in front of the 15th green.  I figured "how bad could it be?"

When I got there, I saw a shallow pond, with an aqua marine bottom that could pass for a kiddie pool, but was put in by a much loved, but obviously architecturally lacking member.  We left it in in that master plan, but the plan was never executed.  I always felt the member should have been!

[Jon Spaulding]

DS, after a night's sleep, I'm thinking Red Hill's water bunker might be worse....especially when we consider the glory of the original Thomas hole which was a downhill 300 yard par 3.

[Lou_Duran]

Jeff,

What do you think about the cement pond fronting Colonial's #9 green?

David,

Everyone is a critic!

Do you think that perhaps the poor guy who topped one might find some refuge in the offending bunker?  Doesn't a shot in the bunker provide greater challenge and excitement on the subsequent shot than one from just short of the water?

Does the bunker/rock/pond combo not require greater precision from the tee and adds strategy to the hole?  Is placing a shot between the bunker and the rock on the left a lesser strategic option than going between the trees and the ocean on CPC's #17?

It seems to me that this might be a connector hole and the architect chose to introduce something for the golfer to tackle rather than just a bomb and a pitch.  Naturally, this could very well be just plain bad gca on a course that is not well-designed.  Kind of par for the course in SoCal wouldn't you say?

For me, the worst form of double jeopardy is a fairway bunker guarded by trees in the direction of the green (Cog Hill- Dubs has a few as I recall).  The next is narrow fairways with high rough and low-lying tree limbs (Fort Ord- Bayonet).  

[Joe Hancock]

Isn't there a cement pond on Merion? #8 or so?

Joe

[David Stamm]

David,

Everyone is a critic!

Do you think that perhaps the poor guy who topped one might find some refuge in the offending bunker?  Doesn't a shot in the bunker provide greater challenge and excitement on the subsequent shot than one from just short of the water?




No, I think the arhictect needs to make up his mind on how he wants to punish a bad shot. Either make it a big water hazard or a cross bunker. And add some decision making off the tee so the player can decide of trying to fly it gives he or she an advantage. There is no advantage on any angle in regards to this green. It's only 369 yds and and about a 70 ft drop from the tee to the bunker. I flew the water with a 3w and I'm not a monster off the tee. And there isn't any excitement around the green as you can see. It's wide open and the only bunker on the left side is so far out of play it might as well not be there. That bunker was placed there to keep balls from running into the water for players who play short which tells me the arch is second guessing his decision to put the water there to begin with.[/color]


Does the bunker/rock/pond combo not require greater precision from the tee and adds strategy to the hole?  Is placing a shot between the bunker and the rock on the left a lesser strategic option than going between the trees and the ocean on CPC's #17?



What strategy, Lou? Look at the green. Do you see a down side to approaching the green from the other side of the fw? And to answer the CPC analogy, yes! [/color]

  Naturally, this could very well be just plain bad gca on a course that is not well-designed.  Kind of par for the course in SoCal wouldn't you say?



For the most part, sadly, yes.[/color]



 

[David Stamm]

Spaulds, I'd have a hard time choosing, but I still think this hole at Lake San Marcos CC is worse.

[Bradley Anderson]

Sometimes a pond has to be dug on golf hole for compensatory water storage issues. I have seen a few cases where a club will then place a bunker along the pond to stop balls from running into the water. But in most of those cases they would be better off by converting the fairway turf to rough - healthy rough stops a ball just as effectively as a bunker.

But in that second shot, where the pond is next to the green, and clearly at an elevation where water couldn't possibly pool or gather naturally - that's just really really odd. 

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