Tillie's best short hole

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

This is the 300 yard 15th at Fenway.  The hole will just as easily give up a 3 as take a 6.  In the Metropolitan Stroke Play (the Ike) a few years ago, there were some 2's, but quite a few 7's and higher. 
 

[Bill_McBride]

Ping pong pitching looks to be a threat!

[Alex Miller]

Is that one big false front or can you out a pin at the bottom of the slope?

[Ron Csigo]

Rob - What's the line off the tee?  Over the pine on the left?

[Ian_L]

Looks like a really fun hole, but the green complex looks a little goofy to me.

[Adam Clayman]

Having not sampled much, I'd say the 10th at Winged Foot is tough to beat.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Thanks for posting your photos, Robert.

Fenway's 15th has to be one of the coolest greens in the world. You really have to give club members over the years credit for resisting blowing that thing up. I mean, as cool as is it, it's a green we all would have expected to have been redone.

Thank goodness it wasn't... and, hopefully it'll be preserved well into the future. 

[Robert Thompson]

The 7th at Scarboro has to be one of his all-time greats.

I don't have a great shot -- Ian Andrew surely does -- but it is about 285, with a postage stamp green that slopes steeply back-to-front.
 

[Ian Larson]

Thanks for posting the pictures I do think that is one of his most interesting greens to say the least. But his "Five and Dime" at Ridgewood will always be my favorite.

[Ronald Montesano]

The Canucks among us will admit that the narrowness of that Fenway Tilly green is somewhat reminiscent of the 4th I think (short par five) of Travis at Lookout Point.  If you hit it, you can putt it, but if you miss it, you might three-chip it.  Did Tilly produce many sausage greens like this one, long and narrow?

[Bill_McBride]

How many square feet is that rear tier?   It looks to be the only pinnable area on the green.

[Ronald Montesano]

Depends on green speed, Bill, doesn't it?

[Bill_McBride]

Depends on green speed, Bill, doesn't it?

Not much gets pin locations today over 2-3% regardless of speed, that almost looks false frontish! 

Having only seen the photos, I am just surmising that the front is steep.  What's the reality?

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

You can barely see the green looking through the pine trees.   The front section of the green does have pinnable spots even at speeds of 12 which the club likes to keep in the late summer and fall.  I happen to love the Five and Dime, but believe that this hole is greater because of its lack of elevation.  Very, very few players can reach the Five and Dime, whereas, a low snap hook rocket can even reach.  Most players stand on the tee thinking that they can reach and make a birdie or even eagle--interesting recoveries lie ahead for almost every failed attempt.  The upper section of the green has quite a bit internal movement, so laying back and hitting to 10 feet is not such an easy play.

[Jaeger Kovich]

Robert, its been a while since I've played Fenway. I find most of the attention in terms of short 4's always goes to the first hole, glad you reintroduced me to this one. My personal favorite Tillinghast shorty is WFW #6.

[Bill_McBride]

Thanks for the clarification, Robert.  Does the front slope have flat spots for pins, or is the overall slope pinnable?

[Jeff_Mingay]

The 7th at Scarboro has to be one of his all-time greats.

I don't have a great shot -- Ian Andrew surely does -- but it is about 285, with a postage stamp green that slopes steeply back-to-front.
 

Rob,

The 7th at Scarboro is cool, but it doesn't compare to Fenway's 15th... visually, especially!

[Patrick_Mucci]

Having not sampled much, I'd say the 10th at Winged Foot is tough to beat.

Adam, # 10 at WFW is a par 3, # 15 at Fenway is a par 4.

The green at Fenway is 1/2 to 1/3 the width of the 10th green at WFW.

The line off the tee is not over the pine, unless you're a gargantuan driver. 
A little right with a draw is the prefered shot.

It's a great little hole.

[Jim Nugent]

Robert, how do you play the hole?