Most Expensive Golf Holes

[Phil Benedict]

The television commentators said that 16th at Sherwood (the par 3 with all the waterfalls) cost $10 million to construct.  That's a lot money for a golf hole, especially a par 3.  Any other examples of really expensive holes?  I suppose all 18 at Shadow Creek.

[Kalen Braley]

I think the 18th at Tump National in LA cost more than that.  They had to rebuild it after it initially slid into the ocean.

[Jeff_Mingay]

$10 million for a single golf hole is (nearly!) impossible; other than perhaps the situation at Trump National (maybe!).

There's a famous story up here in Canada about the 1st hole at Devil's Pulpit costing an extraordinary amount of money to build; but I think that might have only been $1 million or thereabouts. Which is also unbelievable.

[Matt_Ward]

I would dare say any of the key holes at either Liberty National or Bayonne GC in NJ can make a good case.

If memory serves -- the 1st at Devil's Pulpit was not a cheap deal either.

[tlavin]

The seventh hole at Beverly cost me plenty this year when my ball got stuck in the crotch of a tree during the final round of our calcutta.

[Gene Greco]

       What about the new par 3 5th at Pebble Beach??

[Jud_T]

I thought Whistling Straights was quite pricey, particularly one section which had to hide a guy's house..?

[Peter Wagner]

The television commentators said that 16th at Sherwood (the par 3 with all the waterfalls) cost $10 million to construct.  That's a lot money for a golf hole, especially a par 3.  Any other examples of really expensive holes?  I suppose all 18 at Shadow Creek.

I don't know where the commentators got this 'fact' but it's not true.  During construction they had to move a lot of dirt at that end of the course but there is no way that $10 million was spent on #16.  There is some fairly elaborate plumbing for the water features on #16 and there are connecting pipes to the ponds at the other end of the property at the 3rd green.  The water recirculates in a closed system.  But even still that would be nowhere near $10 million.  

[Lou_Duran]

According to Tom Fazio (I heard him say it three times one day), he spent $1 Million to rip-open a canyon to serve as the corridor for the par 3 #17 at Dallas National.  He said that before the work, the developer was concerned that the hole was too ordinary, but was very satisfied with the results.  As always, Fazio did a great job of making the man-made look natural.  Say what you will, the man has a great eye for detail and getting things done for his clients.

[Alex Miller]

I think the 18th at Tump National in LA cost more than that.  They had to rebuild it after it initially slid into the ocean.

I think I heard Trump put in around 30 mil after he bought it, and construction had already been going on for a year or two. If you're counting headaches and time, Trump L.A.'s 18th wins in a landslide 

[tlavin]

According to Tom Fazio (I heard him say it three times one day), he spent $1 Million to rip-open a canyon to serve as the corridor for the par 3 #17 at Dallas National.  He said that before the work, the developer was concerned that the hole was too ordinary, but was very satisfied with the results.  As always, Fazio did a great job of making the man-made look natural.  Say what you will, the man has a great eye for detail and getting things done for his clients.

True, that!

[Kyle Henderson]

I think the 18th at Tump National in LA cost more than that.  They had to rebuild it after it initially slid into the ocean.

I think I heard Trump put in around 30 mil after he bought it, and construction had already been going on for a year or two. If you're counting headaches and time, Trump L.A.'s 18th wins in a landslide 

I recall reading a quote in which he boasted that an insurance company footed the bill to rebuild the 18th, as it collapsed before he purchased the project.

I'm sure the large waterfall he built to compete with the Pacific Ocean cost a pretty penny as well.

[Matt Bosela]

If memory serves -- the 1st at Devil's Pulpit was not a cheap deal either.

I've got to imagine that the 18th hole at the Doug Carrick redo at Bigwin Island would give the 1st at the Pulpit a run for its money as most expensive hole in Canada to build.

Perhaps Ian can shed some light on that one...

[JLahrman]

What about the moveable island at Coeur d'Alene?

[Tom_Doak]

According to Tom Fazio (I heard him say it three times one day), he spent $1 Million to rip-open a canyon to serve as the corridor for the par 3 #17 at Dallas National.  He said that before the work, the developer was concerned that the hole was too ordinary, but was very satisfied with the results.  As always, Fazio did a great job of making the man-made look natural.  Say what you will, the man has a great eye for detail and getting things done for his clients.

Lou:

Thank you for that story!  On the drive from El Saler back to Madrid today, my host Alfonso Erhardt was asking me why mentions of Tom Fazio draw such irate responses on GCA.  I tried my best to explain, but now I can just point him to your post!

I have not built nearly as many courses as Mr. Fazio, and am admittedly not as good at "getting things done for" my clients, if by that you mean spending their money in outrageous chunks.  I have designed 29 courses and have yet to feel the need to rip a new canyon anywhere at the cost of $1 million.

I guess the most expensive hole I've ever buillt would have to be at Stone Eagle or at Rock Creek, since they were all rock and the budgets were naturally higher.  My best guess would be that it was the sixth at Stone Eagle, or possibly the 13th or 14th.

[George Freeman]

Engh's Black Rock in ID looks like it cost a pretty penny, especially the par 3 with the waterfall running next to/under it...

[Mike Nuzzo]

Lou
I thought the canyon was more interesting than the golf hole.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

The par3 3rd at Ventana Canyon's Mountain Course(T. Fazio)

From http://www.thegolfchannel.com/tour-insider/beauty-surrounds-courses-ventana-canyon-11610/1/

Perhaps the most unusual hole, though, is No. 3 on the Mountain Course – a par-3 which requires a player to tee off on a cliff to reach the green built on a foothill over a 100-foot drop.
 
Ventana CanyonThe yardage is only 107 yards from the back, 104 from the normal tees. The climb up to the teeing area, though is significant – steps are made of rock and you almost get dizzy as you clamber up the side of the steep elevation.
 
“As far as the elevation from where you’re hitting the ball to where it should land, the elevation change is insignificant,” said Schneider. “However, the land between you and the hole – you can go down 100 feet. Then you go back up 100 feet to get to the green.
 
“The hole is in one large canyon with two very large mountains, I guess you would say. And you have to be very precise with your shot - the green is 50-60 percent surrounded by a ledge. If you do not make the putting surface, anywhere from short right to long left, you’ll go down a 30-40 foot ravine – hit it off the edge of the planet!”
 
The hole was reputed to have cost $1.5 million to build, making it at the time one of the most expensive ever built. And the green was a break-through in technology back in the ‘80s. Due to the fact that the hole is in a canyon and does not receive sunlight in the winter months, the construction superintendent placed heating coils within the green. That alone keeps the turf from freezing.

[Jay Flemma]

One of the originals record holders was 3 at the MTN course at Ventana Canyon

[David Stamm]

The most expensive hole ever built is the 18th at Trump National. $61 million to reconstruct.


http://www.trumpnationallosangeles.com/files/Ace_In_The_Hole.pdf

[Kevin Pallier]

       What about the new par 3 5th at Pebble Beach??

I've heard differing quotes on the figure re: it - anyone care to enlighten me from their POV ?

[Alex Miller]

Thanks for finding that article David,


My opinion a few things in the article:

When Trump says that he totally remodeled the course, that's BS. He added a couple tee boxes, a couple horrible waterfalls, widened half the fairways by at most 10-15 yards, and replaced already suitable sand with white sand so it would photograph better.

The course is NOT 7,300 yards. Half of the tee boxes that Trump added aren't actually the yardage the new scorecard says. Another hole, the 13th, is supposed to have a tee box that adds 80 yards to the hole, unfortunately if you go 80 yards back you're in the Pacific, but there's no new tee box anyway.

Perhaps it's time to start a thread on Trump LA itself, I know I could write alot about it. Also, I really feel sorry for Pete Dye; the course is/was not his best work, but it wasn't his fault. The site is absolutely world class and it's unfortunate that Trump owns it and is probably too proud to ever consider building a new one.

One last thing, if Trump really is advising on "how to cut the grass" as it says in the article, then that is another thing that he has ruined about that course. I played it 2 weeks ago and the greens and fairways were surprisingly long and slow. No doubt he wants it like that so the course looks "greener."

Sorry for the temporary hijacking,

I think that's the only hole that forced bankruptcy.

[Ally Mcintosh]

The most expensive hole in Ireland is likely the 7th at the K-Club Smurfit course... Estimates at €1m... Hollywood designers in to make the rock quarry look "real"...

Arnold Palmer Design

Worst excesses of the "Celtic Tiger"

[Peter Ferlicca]

I guess the most expensive hole I've ever buillt would have to be at Stone Eagle or at Rock Creek, since they were all rock and the budgets were naturally higher.  My best guess would be that it was the sixth at Stone Eagle, or possibly the 13th or 14th.

Mr. Doak,

I know that on hole #6 you had to use dynamite to flatten the slope of the mountain so that you could have a playable fairway, but on holes 13, and 14 they look pretty natural following the slope of the land.  What did you do to those holes that made them cost a lot of money.

Peter

[Jim Haley]

I would have to say the the Cal Club 13.8 millon