Diagonal Tee shots

[Scott Warren]

Those that stick in my mind are:

3 and 14 at NSWGC

6 and 16 at Pine Valley

4 at West Sussex

EDIT - How could I forget #2 at North Berwick West Links?! A little benefit over the Crail holes below in that the beach is in play, rather than OOB.

10 and 12 at Hankley Common - 10th below:


4 and 5 at Crail (Balcomie) - 4th below:

[Dave Herrick]

What came to mind for me is the 1st at Ballyneal. Since there are no tee markers, the first decision is whether you want to wander over to the diagonal teeing area rather than tee off straight ahead from the shorter teeing area(s). Having decided to use the former, you may then decide to what extent you want to challenge the left-side fairway bunker and native terrain.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Scott,

What a difference a few trees have on how to play two similar holes. They don't seem necessary at all.

[Scott Warren]

Absolutely, Jim.

In in my couple of plays of Hankley, that little grove was right where I wanted to drive the ball. I am not long enough to carry them (or I'd have been able to go right of them), but having to go left forced me to try to cut the ball around them.

Still a really enjoyable hole, IMO and a fun drive trying to pinch every last possible yard out of the shot, but the Crail example is better for the reason you point out.

[Keith Phillips]

The 4th and 5th at Balcomie are great choices!  A favorite of mine is #9 at Bayonne...visually very intimidating but a well-played shot on an aggressive ine is definitely rewarded!

[Jeff Doerr]

I love #4 at Bandon Trails. If you hook it through the angle you can end up unplayable or bunkered. Go right with a slice and you end up with a blind approach. Just great fun to try and guess the right target and pull off the shot. If you do, you are rewarded with a short iron approach to a visibly receptive green.

[Doug Siebert]

My home course's 9th is a good example of this from the back tee, which is offset well to the right.  The main teebox has a small offset, and the senior & women's teebox aims pretty much straight down the pipe.  Its a pretty tough tee shot from those back tees, the hole plays into the prevailing wind and the fairway is something like 50-60 feet above the level of the teebox.  When they built it, very few could carry those bunkers on the right, but with today's equipment its not that difficult (they were starting to add some new teeboxes last fall, so I wouldn't be surprised to see another 20-30 yards added here)

A power fade is ideal for this shot, because the fairway is effectively 5-10 yards wide for someone playing a straight tee shot, due to a series of moguls on the left, and overhanging trees on the right.  But that's kinda risky into the wind, since hitting it into the trees on the right makes even a bogey difficult.  Much better to miss left amongst the moguls, even with a nasty lie or a line blocked by trees you can chop it to where you have a wedge to the green.  If there's much wind, just about anyone doesn't feel too bad taking a five here.

[Sean_A]

A course which has a lot of diagonal tee shots, but it isn't really recognized for it is Burnham.  Most are elevated which may give a false sense of security as to how much one can bite off.  

#3


#4


#8


#11 from the right tee and #16

#18 for the flat bellies - take dead aim at the light house


I also admire Rye's; #s 6 and 16.  The raised tee gives some hope of added bravado of feeling that the left can be cheated a little despite the uncertainty of the blindness.  A great thing at Rye is the 16th is the exact opposite with the tee well below the landing zone, but there is a beckoning aiming bunker to act as the temptress for this blind drive.

#16


Beau Desert has the classic double dogleg 12th which begs golfers to go over the trees on the right.  Another option is the vague landing zone straight out, but one must judge this layup well.   This is one of the few good uses of a stand of trees that I know of.  


Southfield has a good diagonal tee shot in #13.


Most of the time diagonal tee shots seem a bit more expansive, but the diminutive 16 at Portrush is non the less a great example of the type.

Of course Kiawah has the 2nd.  


Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

Some really good mentions here.  4 and 5 at Balcomie, 2 at NB, 8 at Burnham and Berrow are all really good holes.

Scott,

No love for 5 at Silloth?  That was the first hole that came to mind when I saw this thread.  One thing about that hole, which seems different from most of these mentioned is that the hole swings from right to left, rather than left to right.

The 16th at Northumberland was changed about 20 years ago to become a dead straight, tough as nails 430 yard par 4, playing straight into the wind.  Before then it was a great diagonal tee shot over the race course that is in and around the course.  Sadly it was changed because many old members complained they couldn't carry the race track.  Every so often we play a competition  from the old tees and it's a great hole.  A deep bunker lies on the safe line.  Try to carry too much and land on the race track and you will lose a shot.  Play too "safe" and you'll drive into shrubbery.  And you need to get down there to avoid having 200 yards plus for your second shot.

[Scott Warren]

8 at Burnham is a great drive - one of the best "ugly" holes in England!

5 at Sillloth, Mark? I'm surprised you've not blocked that hole from your memory! Can I post that pic again?! Seriously, it is a great suggestion - perhaps 2 as well? Jeez I wish I could jump in the car and go play at Silloth right now...

Interesting point that most nominations in the thread bend to the right.

[Mark Pearce]

Scott,

That bloody hole is burned into my memory.  2 is a good call, in fact a really good one because the choice there is much more than "where do I hit my driver?"  It asks far more strategic questions off the tee than most of the holes posted here.

[James Boon]

No 8 Royal West Norfolk. Someone posted photos of it recently.

Mark,

Here you go, aerial and tee shot photo of the 8th at Brancaster:




Scott,

You beat me to it with the 2nd at North Berwick. Here is a pic for the benefit of others...


Sean,

Yes, there are plenty of diagonal tee shots at Burnham, of which the 18th has to be the most difficult shot? Interestingly its the one that goes to the left, unlike most of the others at Burnham, or mentioned here as you pointed out that go to the right. (and I think thats the 12th at Beau desert you mention?)

Cheers,

James

[Ally Mcintosh]

Classic heroic design, isn't it?... Or even modern day Cape design?

Two favourites from this year are 5th at Strandhill and 2nd at Portsalon

Ally

[David Schofield]

Played quite a few of 'em this weekend. Two that stand out are #1 & #18 at Secession.
18.

Eric,

How in the world do they prevent folks from playing the 17th (or is it the 16th?) up the 18th Fairway?

[Adam Russell]

Look at that green on the 18th! Unreal...