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[JMorgan]

The original tee was located across Old Country Road on line with the water tower. 

Needless to say, a truly faithful restoration to that version of the hole is not going to happen.  There is no room.

IMO the existing hole does not reflect the strategy of either Emmet or Travis versions of the hole.  As a one-shot hole it could easily fit into the sequence of any RTJ course.

The second shot on the original hole played as a short iron or pitch to the semi-moated green.  Now it is locked into the card as a one-shot hole.   

If it were my candy store, I would restore the bunkering surround to Emmet, with front bunker deeper than in the rear, and the green to Travis with mounding that is a bit more subdued yet consistent with other Travis green complexes and contours. 

The green itself becomes the biggest challenge to all handicaps, true to the putting prowess of Travis, while the earthwork around the green punishes the player in one form or another... errant bounce, bad lie, buried egg, etc. 

Another picture:

[Thomas MacWood]

I agree, the hole is totally out of the character; the same is true with 5th green IMO.

[DaveE]

Tom Paul,

Do you see why I hesitate to post anything?

[Thomas MacWood]

JM
Are you certain this bunker is Emmet's? I've read early descriptions and seen early maps that show the 12th as bunkerless. One of the interesting features of that bunker, which can not be seen in this photo but can be seen in the aerial previously posted, is the mounding at each end of the bunker - invererted bunkers or sand covered mounds or whatever you want to call them, similar to the features on #1.

[TEPaul]

"Tom Paul,
Do you see why I hesitate to post anything?"


David:

Definitely! This site is certainly not the same as it was some years ago when you last posted on here. There were a number of people on here really informed on one area or another of this stuff back then who, like you, have been gone for a long time.

Would you care to weigh back in what your take is, at this time, on the subject of what should be done to analyze the restoration of the original 12th hole and the feasiblity maintenance and playability-wise of having it again?