A couple of days ago, we played a very decent track in a team comp. The site was naturally beautiful, but very hilly, with aged olive trees all over.
After we had reached the highest point of the front nine, with some fine uphill holes behind us, we come to the long par 3 5th hole.
It is built into a sideways, right-to-left sloping hill, and the left side is defended by a small lake (maybe 80x30 yards).
As the water hazard is built into the hill, obviously there is lower ground in the immediate surrounding area to the left.
For me, that is the biggest architectural no-go. I absolutely hate it, especially as the course had a nice, natural flow until we came to that hole.
Waiting for the group in front of us to finish the hole, we sat on the very well manicured tee.
I said to my mates: "Why on earth did they built that water hazard. You'd never ever see a lake or a pond above the surrounding ground in nature."
One of them pointed to the finely groomed grass on the tee and said: " Well, you'd never see grass like that in nature either."
I had no idea what to say.
What should I've said?
Isn't any golf course in the world that regularly cuts greens, tees and fairways unnatural?
Sorry I didn't take any photos, I was busy playing one of the best rounds of my life
.