[Jeff_Brauer]

I am consulting at a course with some power line issues, and got wondering just how many holes we know of that have power lines in play.  If you know of any from your experience, I would appreciate it as I am compiling a partial list of courses, holes and brief descriptions of HOW they come into play, such as over the green, in front of a tee, across the fw, or parallel to a fw.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!

[David Stamm]

Oakmont CC in Glendale,CA (Behr with Curley redo). The par 3 11th. Powerlines are a factor over some of the rest of the course, but it comes into play the most on this hole as it crosses right at the apex of the required ball flight, at least mine anyway.

[PCCraig]

Foss Park in North Chicago has power lines bisecting the entire golf course, many tees and fairways. Not the best golf course in the world but a prime example.

I think the rulling was that if your ball actually hit the lines or tower you were forced to rehit.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Jeff

Yes, hit the power lines twice in a round in Northern Nigeria near Jos. Power cables over the course.  Teed off on compacted termite hills about 3 M high on winter style mats (9 Greens 18 Tees) power cable approx 80 yards out across the course.  Course was red soil with a blade or tuft of grass ever 2ft, ground game became an obstacle course like a sailor tacking but every few feet or so. Hell of a great game that was, but power lines interrupted play.

Melvyn

[Niall C]

Bothwell Castle GC near Glasgow had them and the ruling was that you could retake your shot without penalty. Not sure if it was optional but the amazing thing was that over the years you very rarely hit the wires and therefore didn't really notice the big ugly steel tower and the wires hanging from it.

Niall

[David Neveux]

Jeff,

In East Lansing I can think of a couple examples.  At College Fields, a relatively new course they have a MAJOR problem on one hole, and its not so bad on another.  On the fourth, a shortish Par 5 there are not only lines but poles that run directly parallel to the entire hole.  It's a nightmare on the tee, particularly the back tee.  Think 18 at Augusta only the right side is a giant ugly pole.  It keeps me from playing there and seems to me that whoever routed the course either thought those poles would be moved (quite expensive I imagine) or completely neglected the fact.  Put it this way, if you're a righty playing a hook, you've got to start it right of the pole!!  

Another example I can think of at a course that gets some decent recognition and one that I do really like is Eagle Eye.  The seventh has almost the same isssue I described except for the pole sits some 250 yards to the right off the tee about 10-15 yards into the rough.  Not nearly as in your face as the former, but certainly in play and definitely an eye sore.  I think it reallys hurts the feel of the hole / course.  However, from this pole the lines cut diagonally across the fairway at about 100 yards and although I've only seen it happen once in about 30 rounds it's possible to hit them on your approach.  Not sure this helps, but there you have it.

Nev

P.S. I wish I had a photo of the tee shot at College Fields, It's worth a good laugh!!  

[Tom Huckaby]

My beloved home course - Santa Teresa GC, San Jose, CA - has a HUGE power line with several towers running right through the middle of the course.  The holes effected are:

#6 - wires cross in front of tee, app. 100 yards from back tee markers.  They don't get hit all that often, but it can be done.
#9 - huge tower to the right, about 200 yards off back tee.  Wires can be hit but they are very high.  Tower gets hit all the time -makes a great DONG sound when this happens.
#12 - wires cross about 175 out.. they get hit all the time....

here's a very high up aerial of the course... the wires go pretty much straight across  the bottom part of the pictured golf holes.... you can see the easement line in the shadowed part of the course... extend to the left from there across the sunny part....



In reality I think the architect - the great George Santana - did one HELL of a great job getting these massive lines to NOT be in play all that much.  There's no doubt the lines pre-dated the golf course.  Quite seriously if you want an example of doing this well... my home course is worth seeing.

TH

[Jamie Barber]

I've played at least 3 courses with power lines across holes in the UK (Silvermere*, Etchinghill* and Sittingbourne), and seen them hit twice (marked with asterisks).

Local rule is to replay your shot as per Niall's post.

[Scott Szabo]

The 17th at Heritage Hills in McCook, Nebraska has power lines crossing the fairway at about 100 yards from the green on the par-five.  I've hit them a time or two when going for the green in two.

[Mark Smolens]

Chick Evans, a Forest Preserve District course located across the street from the Glen View Club has a par-5 that you drive through power lines crossing the fairway.  Not much of a course, but in college we used to throw wedges up to the power lines.  If you could hit the line, it would stick for several seconds, making a cool buzzing sound.  Wonder if that's why some claim detrimental health effects from proximity to the lines?

[Paul OConnor]

The 14th and 15th holes at Chick Evans Golf Course in Morton Grove, near Chicago, have two huge high tension power lines running right across them.  Local rule, if you hit the wires, reload, unless they help! 

[Garland Bayley]

My understanding of the rules is that you must replay the shot without penalty after hitting power lines. Any rules expert that can verify this?

Rock Creek Country Club in the Portland area has them not far off of the 9th tee. I have hit them twice in about 4 plays. In one case I would have been much better off playing the ball that had hit the power lines.

In my youth, I played Lead Country Club in Lead, SD. The power lines were 260 to 270 off the third tee. I regularly hit them, but didn't know applicable rules. I could accept the 260 yard drive, because it was usually in the fairway and didn't worry about the lost 40 or 50 yards.

[Kalen Braley]

SkyWest in Hayward, CA has these.

Same as the others indicated, if you hit them, you get to reload.

[Richard Choi]

There are several holes at Echo Falls in Woodinville, WA that has power lines running through it. I have hit the powerline on my drive before. Doesn't bother me much and since most people don't want to live near those powerlines, a golf course underneath would be a pretty good use of the land.

Here is a neat trick when you are playing under a high-power line. Balance your titanium driver by the handle pointing straight up. You will feel the vibration that is generated by the electrical current from the powerline. Pretty cool!

[Tom Huckaby]

It's not you GET to reload, you HAVE to reload.  Not sure if this is a USGA-approved local rule.. but it does make sense.. takes all guesswork out of it.  Though I do kinda like the way they play at Chick Evans!

 

It's interesting at Santa Teresa #9... it all turns on SOUND... hitting a wire makes a distinctive PING.. reload.  Hitting the tower makes the aforementioned DONG... play it as it lies.  We've had interesting times explaining this to match play opponents.

[Lou_Duran]

You have a couple in the area, Glen Garden and one of the holes near the lake at G.P.'s Prairie Lakes.  I've hit the wires on the former.  On the latter, it is unlikely, but it is possible and plays on your mind.

[Tyler Kearns]

Jeff,

I've played two courses in Canada (Bel Acres in Winnipeg, MB & Riverside in Saint John, NB) with power lines running 50 yds. +/- in front of tees, and while I never would have thought they'de be a big problem, I've seen them both hit, and I've only played each course a handful of times.

TK

[Steve Pozaric]

Greenbriar Hills Country Club - No 10, a short par 3 has power lines parallel left of the hole. Like others, rule is shall rehit if the lines are struck.

[Nick Asbrock]

Along with a boring layout, La Costa has many holes with power lines in play (hole 2 and 5 on north if I remember correctly). I can remember numerous pros having to re-tee after hitting the lines when they used to play the tournament of champions there about 10 years ago.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Candlewood GC, New Milford, Ct.-  power lines cross several holes at various distances from tees and greens and are parallel to others

Sharon CC, Sharon, CT. - one crosses in front of the green on a downhill par three. A really low shot could hit it (I have).

[Mark Manuel]

Troy Country Club in Troy, Oh has them running across the 10th fairway and they come into play on the tee shot.

[John_Conley]

Golden Valley CC in Golden Valley, MN has a power line on the tee shot of #6.  A well-struck shot down the middle can hit them as they run at a right angle to your target.

Bent Creek (f/k/a Edenvale) in Eden Prairie, MN has them, but I'm at a loss for which hole since they've flipped nines back and forth.  Like Golden Valley, in play for a tee shot on a par 5.

Old Memorial in Tampa, FL has them running through the property, but not in play on any hole.

I'll try to think of more.

[John_Conley]

In my youth, I played Lead Country Club in Lead, SD. The power lines were 260 to 270 off the third tee. I regularly hit them, but didn't know applicable rules. I could accept the 260 yard drive, because it was usually in the fairway and didn't worry about the lost 40 or 50 yards.

Good heavens, how far could you carry it in your youth?  Even if the lines are low to the ground 270 out that is a carry distance of 280 or more.  I have no idea how old you are, but if this is with mush balls, steel shafts, and wood heads that is almost unheard of.

Courses with power lines in play generally have players that know the re-tee provision for hitting them.  You hit them regularly, but no one you played with ever told you?  Weird.

[Kevin_Reilly]

16th at Orinda Country Club:

http://www.orindacc.org/html/16th_-_gibraltar.html

Until some time in the 80's, the 8th at SFGC had a line across the fairway that was in play.

[Ian_L]

Tilden Park holes 2 and (I think) 3 have power lines crossing the fairway.  I have never seen anyone hit them in probably 60 rounds played there.  No pics, sorry.

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