[CJ Carder]

Watching the Verizon Heritage yesterday, the announcers made a comment that I found very interesting.  Expressing a little bit of surprise that Boo was hitting driver on one of the holes, I believe Faldo made the comment that it doesn't really matter what you hit off the tee, just get it out there and on the correct side of the fairway. 

I found this comment to overly simplify what have been my own experiences at Harbour Town - that the course really requires a player to work the ball in different directions more so than a lot of courses on the PGA Tour.  The small greens and unique short game options are nice, but I've always thought it was the course's ability to force players into hitting "shots" that really set the course apart from so many other "modern" courses. 

Yet Faldo's comment almost seemed dismissive of that feature which caused me to question whether Harbour Town is really a shotmaker's course or is it simply a course that only allows for one avenue to the hole? 

[David Stamm]

Interesting question. I've never play HT, but I heard on more than one occasion during the telecast that "this is a second shot course".

[Tom_Doak]

CJ:  Don't the two go together?  If you hit it right off the tee when you should have hit it left, then you're going to have to carve the second shot a bit.

[Rich Goodale]

Personally, I cannot think of a golf course that is not a "shotmaker's" course.  Can anybody else?  If you can, why?

[Mark_Fine]

I would not classify Harbour Town as a "second shot golf course".  Yes the second shots are demanding, but so are the first ones.  Second shot golf courses are those where the tee shot is not all that difficult and/or important (compared to the next shot the golfer will face).  That is not the case with Harbour Town.  The tee shot must be carefully placed or you will be all but dead at times for your approach.  I didn't hear Faldo's comment but I'm guessing he was implying that for a pro, it doesn't matter as much if they are approaching the greens with a short or mid iron, if they are blocked out on the wrong side of the fairway, they are in much more trouble.  

[JESII]

CJ:  Don't the two go together?  If you hit it right off the tee when you should have hit it left, then you're going to have to carve the second shot a bit.

And this is really the problem, isn't it...

...in separating Strategic from Penal?

How on earth can the common wisdom (on here) of strategic ever hold its head above water with The Tour in town?

Recovery Options in the realm of Golf Club Atlas equates to No Penalty on the PGA Tour.

[Jason Topp]

Harbour Town is an interesting example.  It is pretty much a penal course in the sense that it dictates where you hit most shots. 

Nonetheless, I think it is a really enjoyable course and a terrific tournament venue that tends to reward a different type of player than the typical tour stop.  The giant trees are really memorable and I found it fun to be on the wrong side of the fairway and try and curve it to reach the green. 

It also seems like long hitters do well there even though it is a short course.

Is this a course that has gotten more difficult with the ball curving less?

[Wade Whitehead]

A number of holes at HT require the ball to work a specific way, if the player is going to have a reasonable chance at birdie.  Ten is an example; from the wrong side of the fairway, which isn't that wide to begin with, the player has no chance at a right pin location.

16 is another hole that requires a carefully-placed tee shot, though it makes little difference when you get it up and down every time (as Weekly seemed to).

WW

[Clyde Johnston]

I've lived on Hilton Head for 28 years and played HT more times than I'm allowed but it's very true that you have to hit the tee shot on the correct side of the fairway or you will have to "carve" the next shot to the small green.

[Allan Long]

I have always thought that there is as much of a premium in driving the ball at HT, as the approach shots. Calling the course a "second shot" golf course is trivializing the tee ball, and that is far from the case.

As far as a commentator saying it doesn't matter what you hit off the tee as long as you get it on the correct side of the fairway, no kidding! However, that is easier said than done on some of those tight driving holes. Holes like 9, 13 and 16 are proof that correct placement off the tee outweighs taking the chance of being 40 yards further on the wrong side of the fairway with no shot.

[CJ Carder]

CJ:  Don't the two go together?  If you hit it right off the tee when you should have hit it left, then you're going to have to carve the second shot a bit.

Yeah, they do go together somewhat... but now that you mention it, I'm not sure I asked my question like I wanted.  I was trying to get at the idea of how HT seems to dictate one single line of play with forcing you to be on the correct side of the fairway, but that it really gets a reputation as a shotmaker's course (true or false).

[Mark_Fine]

CJ,
The reputation comes from the fact that you can't just stand on every tee and grip it and rip it and expect to score well.   I agree that the narrow lines of play limit lateral options.  However, you do have to think about each tee shot and place it properly as you carefully work your way around that golf course rather than trying to overpower it. 
Mark

[JESII]

Mark,

Would you agree that tee shot distance control is a form of strategic play?

[mike_beene]

I notice a lot of houses. Is there a lot of out of bounds? How close does it get? On a side note, are there more alligators there than people?

[Andy Troeger]

Mike,
One thing I thought Harbour Town did really well was make the golfer fairly oblivious to the houses (as much as one can in a residential type area). The trees are so dense generally that while one might be able see some of the homes through them, they rarely are anything but an afterthought and you'd have to have amazingly bad luck to hit it out of bounds in most spots from what I remember. There's a few holes where it gets a little closer.

I really liked the course while only playing it once. It does require shaping shots and its not a wide-open "options" type of golf course which might not make it everyone's cup of tea but it has some neat and unique features (#18, the green on #9 and 13) along with good par threes and small but fun greens.

[Richard Choi]

OK, maybe someone around here can explain to me what "strategic" means because I don't see it when I look at Harbour Town. It may be penal, but I don't see a lot of strategy.

As many have already mentioned. There is DISTINCT good landing areas and bad landing areas. There is no strategy involved - either you hit where you are supposed to or you have a very very difficult shot (if you are lucky enough to HAVE a shot).

To imply "strategic" I think you would actually have to have OPTIONS. To me, strategic means, based on my strength/weakness, current condition, etc, I may play the hole in different ways. When there is really only one way to play, I don't know how you can count that as strategic.

Watching the tournament on TV, practically every player plays every hole the same way. Sure, many of them do not hit the correct side of fairway and they ended up with some impossible shots, but that does not mean that they "strategically" hit it there on purpose.

Which is why I think links courses like Pacific, Bandon, and Chambers are so much more strategic. Most holes have 2 or 3 different (all legit) ways to play them - which REALLY makes you think. I don't think Harbour Town with its narrow fairways surrounded by trees and many approaches to the greens blocked by tall trees, makes you think at all.

[Jason Topp]

OK, maybe someone around here can explain to me what "strategic" means because I don't see it when I look at Harbour Town. It may be penal, but I don't see a lot of strategy.

As many have already mentioned. There is DISTINCT good landing areas and bad landing areas. There is no strategy involved - either you hit where you are supposed to or you have a very very difficult shot (if you are lucky enough to HAVE a shot).

To imply "strategic" I think you would actually have to have OPTIONS. To me, strategic means, based on my strength/weakness, current condition, etc, I may play the hole in different ways. When there is really only one way to play, I don't know how you can count that as strategic.

Watching the tournament on TV, practically every player plays every hole the same way. Sure, many of them do not hit the correct side of fairway and they ended up with some impossible shots, but that does not mean that they "strategically" hit it there on purpose.

Which is why I think links courses like Pacific, Bandon, and Chambers are so much more strategic. Most holes have 2 or 3 different (all legit) ways to play them - which REALLY makes you think. I don't think Harbour Town with its narrow fairways surrounded by trees and many approaches to the greens blocked by tall trees, makes you think at all.

I agree with your definition.  To me it is a penal course. 

Nonetheless, I really like it both when watching a tournament and playing the course.  I'm not sure I can put my finger on why. 

[Mark_Rowlinson]

World Atlas of Golf 1st edition (1976) stated that 'the landing areas of its fairways are forty-two yards wide, far above USGA standards. The course has only fifty-six bunkers, eight of which are off the fairways. Every bunker lies absolutely flat: not one is banked, so it is almost impossible to get a buried ball. Fully a third of the bunkers are set up behind or to one side of a green, simply to make the green a better target. There are a dozen bunkers at Harbour Town that nobody has ever been in.'

Is that description still vaild?

[Jason Topp]

World Atlas of Golf 1st edition (1976) stated that 'the landing areas of its fairways are forty-two yards wide, far above USGA standards. The course has only fifty-six bunkers, eight of which are off the fairways. Every bunker lies absolutely flat: not one is banked, so it is almost impossible to get a buried ball. Fully a third of the bunkers are set up behind or to one side of a green, simply to make the green a better target. There are a dozen bunkers at Harbour Town that nobody has ever ben in.'

Is that description still vaild?

I'm sure the fairway width is still correct.  The trees there are huge so even if you are in the fairway, you have to curve the ball around them to reach the green if you are not on the correct side of the fairway.

[CJ Carder]

Every bunker lies absolutely flat: not one is banked, so it is almost impossible to get a buried ball.

Ask Anthony Kim what he thinks.  Granted, it was a fried egg and not buried.

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