Anyone used an abandoned railroad track as an in course hazard?

[Jason Topp]

Driving from Minneapolis to Tucson over the holidays, I spent much of the time on roads with train tracks running alongside.  Given the ample opportunity for the mind to wander, I kept envisioning par fours like the Pit at N Berwick using tracks rather than a wall.  I also could see several alps type holes and perhaps even a dell sprinkled in.

I cannot imagine that this idea is original, especially given the close relationship between golf course and railroad development at one time.  Although I know of many ocassions where railroad tracks form an important part of the course based on their location along the edge of the course, and I am aware of the railroad sheds at the Old Course, I am not aware of tracks being used in the manner I imagined.

Anyone seen it?  Would it make for an interesting hazard?

[John Moore II]

I have never seen it, and I am not sure if I ever will. Generally the land that the tracks are on is owned by the railroad company, Norfolk Southern, etc. And typically when they shut down a track, the rails and ties are pulled up due to the money that can be made from selling the old ties and either reusing or selling the rails. So the cost to keep those on site would be likely very high.

Now, I think Old Works has some rails that used to be attached to a mine shaft in view of the course, but they are not directly in play.

I have never seen railway tracks in play on a course, at least not abandoned ones.

[Rich Goodale]

Hi Jason

As you may  remember from this past June, Lundin Links (and Leven Links) are bisected by an abandoned railway line.  The old line now constitutes an in-course OOB, which while not technically a "hazard" certain acts as one.

As for railway lines in play, I'm always fascinated by the fact that the Leuchars-St. Andrews railway line used to be in play when it was also in use!  Braid famously got entangled in the sleepers, gravel and wrought iron to the right of the 16th fairway on the way to one of his 5 Open wins.  Those were the days......

Rich

[Eric Morrison]

abandoned??? we don't need no stinkin' abandoned...!
Fun to try your flop shot in this situation.

[Jeff_Brauer]

I proposed it on both the first and 18th holes at the Quarry but they refused. On a routing for a course that never got built, I proposed using an active siding, but it was a long spur that is used for a once a decade removal of large equipment from a power plant.

I recall several courses in Wisconsin that had tracks crossing the course, but not the fw as above. My home club is Great Southwest - named after a switching railroad and industrial park, and their main line crosses the course, and could come into play on hole 2.

Ian Andrews can recall better than I, but there is a Toronto course where the fw plays under a huge viaduct.

[Bill_McBride]

The NLE course at Pensacola County Club, replaced in 2006 by a very good new Jerry Pate course, had a rail line that right across the middle of the 425 yard 18th hole (i.e. about 210 yards off the tee).   The line had been out of business and removed by the time I got to Pensacola 14 years ago, but there was still a depression running across the fairway that you could see and feel walking across it.

It must have been quite a hazard if the train to NAS Pensacola passed through while you were playing the hole!

[Pete_Pittock]

The intercity trolley ran between the 6th and 7th holes at Waverley in Portland. Vaguely remember tracks when they had the US Am. Parts of the RoW are still visible and the trolley barn is near the 12th green.

Royal Adelaide has an active track.

[Mike_Cirba]

Eric Morrison,

Thanks for those great pictures of what is certainly a charming feature.

What course is it?

[Richard Hetzel]

Ahhhhhhh....Shenny, one of my favorite walking courses.........

[Mike_Cirba]

Thanks, Rich...

Eric,

I went to the Shenecossett website and read that marvelous little history.

Is the club aware that the first nine holes that was built in 1898 was designed by Tom Bendelow?  I ask because I didn't see that bit listed in the history.

Thanks!

[Brad Tufts]

CC of Greenfield in Central MA has some (it appears) active rail line in play on one of its back nine holes....its gives it a cool old-time touch.

[Jaeger Kovich]

Hey Eric, has Mark and Tim started construction yet? I know we drew up some plans to change that hole a bit. Drawing those train tracks on CAD was a pain in the ass!... I was the "kid" who came to see the course with Tim in the spring.

[Jason Topp]

Thanks everyone for your input.  I particularly like the pictures.

[Jamey Bryan]

Camden has an active line bisecting the course which comes into play on two holes (3 on the original Travis routing).

Originally the opening hole, the line runs along the outside of the short, dogleg par5 13th.  For member events and the CGA FourBall, it's played as internal OB, with the roadbed right of way ONLY being OB.  Blow it over the tracks into #14 corridor, and you're back in play.  When we've hosted USGA events, they've played the roadbed as an immovable obstruction from which relief is allowed (I don't like either option.....  I think it should be played as OB on shots in the roadbed and beyond).

The 1923 Travis routing had this hole playing as a mid-length par 4 (the green was 70 yards short of the current site), with a short 4 second where the tee shot was played over the rail line.  Donald Ross eliminated this hole in his 1939 renovation, expressly stating that the intent was to eliminate shots over the railroad.

At one time I had an old article describing a match which was being delayed by "an especially slow moving freight."  One competitor became frustrated with the delay and decided to hit over the train......  He hit the shot thin and watched in dismay as the ball clearly wasn't going to clear it, only to be amazed as it passed through a boxcar with both doors open. 

I've hit a moving train several times, with both good and bad results (going the right direction, I got an unbelievable "turbo boost).

Jamey

[Forrest Richardson]

There is an interesting truss in our Bunkers book. Ian Andrew was kind to share it. I believe a Toronto course.

About 15 years ago we had a site with old railroad spurs. We had designed a fairway where the tracks would have been preserved, elevated on new trusses. The par-5 had some options with the 20-ft "aerial hazard" as one could run a ball under the trusses or carry them...the idea was to have people gauge their drives to set up the second shot.

Eventually the property was leased to a developer who created none of our vision — instead hiring Nicklaus to craft one of their Golden Bear designs. The course in in Chandler, Arizona. Every once in a while a get to fly over it and get to recall what "might have been."

[Dean Paolucci]

Great Gorge (Rail) in Vernon has a tressel in one of the bunkers.

[Matthew Rose]

I recall several courses in Wisconsin that had tracks crossing the course, but not the fw as above. My home club is Great Southwest - named after a switching railroad and industrial park, and their main line crosses the course, and could come into play on hole 2.

Indeed - the Janesville muni I grew up playing had a railway line very much in play on the first five holes, although you never actually played across it directly. I had a dreadful tendency to hit dart-hooks in my teens, and the proximity of the tracks (in-course OB) to the left hand side of the first tee made my glutes tighten up during many a competition.

[Eric Morrison]

Mike,
Through my research this off-season, I did find in the American Golf Guide that Bendelow was listed as the architect of the original 9...that is the only place I found that info...do you have any other places I can look to find more info?
Jaeger,
Once the snow clears, we will be working on rebuilding the 12th tee...a much needed improvement.
Eric

[Mike_Cirba]

Mike,
Through my research this off-season, I did find in the American Golf Guide that Bendelow was listed as the architect of the original 9...that is the only place I found that info...do you have any other places I can look to find more info?
Eric

Eric,

That's my source, as well.   I'll check some others.

Thanks!
Mike

[Mark_Rowlinson]

We in the UK have a few much older hazards such as Roman roads and even earlier fortifications/roads. Bath, Berkhamstead, Prenton and Painswick come immediately to mind. Probably someone will remind me of others