Kind of an interesting story about the yardage on #16. From the back tee there was a 208 marker towards the back of the tee. During the 1994 (?) NCAA Mike Holder from OSU made the comment to David Stone that the yardage was "wrong" and the distance was actually 8 yards shorter. FWIW it always played "short" and those that play the tips (or should play back there) often hit "normal five irons" on regular, calm days.
I'm convinced Holder was right although I don't think the marker has ever changed! The hole plays easier into a slight wind as the green can be difficult to hold although now even from the tips the stronger players rarely hit more than a 4 iron.
The tees the pic was taken from is right around 150-155 but the angle allows play more down the green and gives you plenty of depth. The exception and where you run out of room quickly from any angle is when the hole is front left.
Here are two pics:
#16 on the green looking away from the tees toward 17 tee:
#7 tee from up around the 400 tee (instead of the old back tee of 430 or the new 460 tee
):
I understand Bob's lake comment and I kinda agree. #7 is maybe the fakest looking shot on a naturalistic looking course. I think the lake holes on #8, #9 and #15 are very strong though. If you are speaking of the lake on #16 only, then I am at a loss since the only holes that share that lake are #9 and #16 and #9 without "that" lake #9 wouldn't be much of a hole.
There are only five "water holes" at the honors. Three of the shots consist of a wedge shot (second shot on #9), and two tee shots that if the player is playing the correct set of tees means a 7 iron. #7 and #15 do require both shots on longish holes to be very solid.
Anyway while I think #16 is a fine hole it would rank fourth on my list at the course. I REALLY like #14 the short par three surrounded by sand and native grasses, #8 is beautiful by the lake and allows plenty of bail out to the right and even short and my sleeper is OLD #3. I really wish they had left the front right bunker with the almost vertical wall (similar to #12). That bunker made the hole and since it was short and right saw a lot of action. Now with it severely softened the "dead miss" long and left is pretty much gone. Oh well, progress
