"And now #6, I know you will have some comments on the fairway cut on the right side near the big mound. All in all a wonderful hole, the distance of the 2nd shot is quite deceptive."
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,30677.0.htmlHole #6:
brad:
I probably would suggest that something be done with the fairway cuts on #6 but I'm far less sure about it than some of the others.
You've asked me to do a hole by hole analysis of PD, and I think I understand why you asked but at the same time I hope you recognize that I've only seen that course one time (even if it was over a period of 3-4 days playing it, and I sure did go out there for the express purpose of really analyzing the architecture) so clearly I cannot know the nuances of the course and certainly some of the holes as well as you or others.
I think that will show big-time with the 6th. I basically understand what's going on with this hole on its various shots and strategic options and even how they may work together in various ways but I suspect there is some kind of really nuancy balance or equilbrium involved in how those various strategic options work together or even against one another (if you don’t know what I mean by that I’ll explain it later in more detail) and I doubt I have enough experience on that hole to understand all of it.
First of all, I am aware of that seemingly really effective contour just over that bunker fronting the green that flows out left on I think a diagonal and what-all it may do to approach shots particularly from the left, but I doubt I have enough experience with it to understand all its ramification regarding tee shot and approach shot choices and shot values.
In other words, I approached that hole from the left every time and on purpose, and I thought I hit some good approach shots but a couple of them got sort of eaten up or perhaps spit out by the left front in various ways. That really surprised me but it’s pretty blind from over there and I couldn’t really see what happened to what I thought were some decent approach shots in both direction and distance---I just saw the results when I got up there.
In other words, I think I recognize that if you go left off the tee, it’s seemingly shorter but you’re inheriting some blindness and deceptive complexity from that angle certainly at the green.
I never tried to go right on the tee shot but others did and it looks to me like it may be a tad longer but you’re coming at that green from a better angle and with more visibility to the green given what is on the left and front near or at the green.
Given all that I sure would suggest they take out those rough swaths on both sides of the tee shot and really give the tee shot a lot of left or right fairway latitude because I think from either side (that is now somewhat in those rough swaths) it has some pretty interesting and important second shot strategic and optional ramifications that probably work in something of a really good “equilibrium” or “balance” for most golfers, if you know what I mean.
All in all this one just may be one of the most interesting and sophisticated architectural/strategic arrangements I’ve ever seen, even if pretty nuancy, and is another example of why I’ve always been so high on Perry Maxwell; but again, I haven’t played #6 enough to understand it all or how much it may be that way.
So, I’m very interested to hear your take on this one.