I've just seen the best short par four I've seen all year (for the 1st time)

[Adam_Messix]

Mike--

I rode into Odessa National while I was home for a wedding in April.  Looks interesting from the routing map and I liked the few holes that I was able to see from the road.  I noticed the same thing about the real estate developers never mentioning the architect of the course.  ON is near Middletown, DE where Jim Furyk and Allen Liddicoat are involved in a golf course project that should have opened by now.  I rode by there last year and it looked like a few of the holes were ready but I've heard nothing about opening. 

[Garland Bayley]

Mike,

Have you been out playing cartball again?


The drawings reminded me of KBM too.

So what is the best short par 4 you have played this year?

[Mike_Cirba]

Chris Avore,

Actually, this hole is almost the opposite of the 15th at Pine Barrens, although some of the bunkering styles look a bit similar. 

Instead of there being 2 separate fairways divided by water and sand, you actually have three potential fairways (way left, down the narrowing center cut between the "Scissors", or laying well back to the right.

Also, the aggressive path directly at the green, although tempting at downhill and just over 300 yards, is a full carry over sand the whole way to a shallow, diagonal shelf with death behind.   Attempting the direct carry at Pine Barrens one is helped by about 50 yards of fairway short and those who bail to the higher fairway have a more difficult second that's partially blind over the sandy ridge.

 
Adam,

The course you mentioned is called St. Annes and is part of the Allan Liddicoat series of golf courses that includes Back Creek and Frog Holllow.   I'm still waiting to hear that it's opened, as well.


Garland,

Yes, it is cartball...the sad mandatory necessity of most modern golf course development.

As far as the best short par three I've seen this year....let me think about it, but this one was right up there.

[Mike_Cirba]

Adam,

It seems it might be some time before we see the "Furyk Signature" design in Delaware, if ever.

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080814/BUSINESS/808140342/1003

[astavrides]

I played odessa national today.  The course was good, except for the par 5's 2nd and 11th where the tee shot from the whites (the only tee markers today) required either a 200 yard lay-up or a 280 yard carry.

I also didn't care for #4--Mike's favorite par 4.  There was no reward to taking the risk of the driver--no way to get to the green unless you want to carry the green and risking bouncing over and your ball becoming lost.  The play was a 200 yard iron followed by a simple 100 yard pitch.  no real reason to try and drive green high, considering the likely result of missing your target is a ~50 yard bunker shot. 

I did like the drivable par 4 12th though, by contrast, there was a bit too much reward and almost too little risk for going at the green.

The pro shop (trailer) has a hand written note near the register (presumably just for the staff) saying that the architects were hanse and weiman.  Maybe Hanse's routing is used, or maybe they want to get some of the good publicity from the hanse name.

also learned that frog hollow is now closed, and back creek and st. annes may follow.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I played Odessa today for the first time. The course was very soft after last night's storm that dumped 3.5" of rain on the course. Needless to say, it  was CPO. There was some roll in some of the fairways and the greens were soft.

I found both short par4s interesting- the 4th required a PW from the left side of the fairway and the 12th required a 9i from the right side of the fairway. I liked the 12 th better, probably because I birdied the hole from about 6'.

The course needs some crabgrass control as many tees were noticably affected. Cart path yardage markers were also needed if they're going to use CPO. Not all of us have Sky Caddies yet.The rough was also very spotty. The course needs more grow in time. I'd like to return in the fall with less humid weather and fast and firm conditions.

Note the similar logo to Stonewall.