[Scott Warren]

Each morning I drive past a hole that I don't believe I have ever seen the equal of in terms of sheer horror - playing characteristics or aesthetics.

It belongs to Hudson Park golf course in suburban Sydney. I'm not sure what hole number it is, because I've not played there, but my journey up Centenary Drive each morning takes me up the hill towards the tee, giving a great view of the hole.

It plays slightly uphill, measuring 192m. The gap between the trees 70m from the tee is 20m. Just short of the green that narrows to just 14m.

The road, as you can see, hugs the RHS of the tee, while a railway line flanks the left, beyond it - a graveyard.

Directly behind the green - and I mean directly - is one of those massive steel electricity towers, which because the hole plays uphill, is the major feature I can see from my vantage point behind the steeing wheel. I am guessing the view ain't much different from the other side of the fence on the tee.



I wonder if anyone can suggest a worse all-round golf hole?

[Mark_F]

I wonder if anyone can suggest a worse all-round golf hole?

Certainly, Scott.

There are 18 splendid examples of atrocious golf holes at The National Golf Club's Ocean Course, on the Mornington Peninsula.

5-10 is easily the worst six-hole stretch in the game.

[mike_beene]

no. it is much better than 17 at sawgrass and it's twin at PGA West.

[Greg Chambers]

Don't you think you should play it before you declare it "the world's worst golf hole"?

[Scott Warren]

We'll, I've effectively stood on the tee of it every day for the past two weeks, waiting in traffic.

It's a pretty horrific sight: six lanes of traffic, a power staunchon and a railway line with a sliver of golf hole running through it... My question was light-hearted.

[Kevin_Reilly]

May not be the world's worst visual from the tee...that might be #11 at Chippewa GC in Ohio.  This was posted on the board last year.

[mike_beene]

that is not the place for a thunderstorm.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Suggested tee shot shape: 

[Greg Chambers]

no way, that shot shape brings way too many wire stand thingies into play

[Norbert P]

  I certaainly don't want to get competitive with the best  "mediocre" but the concept of this construction irks me.   ...

  

  BTW It is NOT the most bizarro hole of the course.

[Kevin_Reilly]

The cart paths that go through the bunkers are very troubling.  What if carts get stuck in the bunkers? 

[Greg Chambers]

the flowers under the trees look nice

[Kevin_Reilly]

The versatility of the hole is nice...play it as a short par three from the forward tee.  That is tee box #6 if you are counting.

[Jason Topp]

 I certainly don't want to get competitive with the best  "mediocre" but the concept of this construction irks me.   ...

Why? 

[JLahrman]

What about this honey?



It's par 4 that basically forces you to hit 8-iron, 8-iron.  Space may have been tight, but of all the halfway interesting holes that could have been built, this is what we get.

I haven't played this hole since I was a sophomore in high school and I still remember its awfulness.

[Martin Toal]

Probably not a great or even good hole, but the worst hole is a very high bar.

I would generally prefer a hole that is quirky, even a bit bizarre or slightly stupid to one that is mind numbingly dull and forgettable, and there are plenty of those around.

[Dieter Jones]

Scott, as a Sydneysider have you had the pleasure of playing Northbridge? Pick a hole, Any hole. You could make a nice hall of shall 18 out of lower north shore courses alone (lane Cove, Chatswood).

My favourite was the golf /housing devlopoment posted on this site a couple of years back (looked like a Florida style design) which had a dog leg around (or over) 6 or 7 houses. Nice planning.

[Scott Warren]

Dieter,

I issued to play in an annual cancer charity tournament at Northbridge that saw you play four rounds in 24 hours. Perhaps not surprisingly, the most enjoyable rounds were always the ones in the dark!

[Ben Stephens]

Scott,

Have a look at Breedon Priory nr Derby. Its one of the worse conditioned course I have played. You cant see any fairways as they seem to cut it all semi rough!!

Hole 16 is a dogleg left par 4 - 450 yards. The drive is only 150 to 175 yards to the centre of the fairway and then a monster second shot of 275 - 300 yards to the green!! the corner cannot be cut as there is a line of 100 ft high trees close together in a line along the course boundary. I though it was ridiculous even though par 3 17th was straight on behind the 16th green. The better design would to have a 175 yard par 3 to the corner area and then a long par 4 to the 17th green.

Cheers
Ben   

[Brad Klein]

I'm impressed with two things about that amazing photo of the 11th at Chippewa GC in Ohio. The first thing is that you can also play the hole with a low draw off the tee, so it's at least strategically flexible. The second thing is that with all of the high tension wire towers there, they've bothered to assemble a wall of arbor vitae in an effort to hide something, probably an irrigation box. What landscape moron would think that's needed?

[john_stiles]

If the course is near your house, and fits your budget, you probably don't notice as much, and get on with playing golf.

It actually looks like the grounds are well maintained.

It looks like the staff is doing a great job with what they have.

Forget about berating everything and everybody for 1 nanosecond, and play golf.

[Gary Slatter]

well said John, some local people may have to play that hole, and they probably enjoy their experience.   

[Scott Warren]

Who's berating anybody? Certainly not I. It was a light-hearted laugh at an unfortunate hole. Of course some people will enjoy playing it, I don't recall ever suggesting otherwise...

[Terry Lavin]

I'm impressed with two things about that amazing photo of the 11th at Chippewa GC in Ohio. The first thing is that you can also play the hole with a low draw off the tee, so it's at least strategically flexible. The second thing is that with all of the high tension wire towers there, they've bothered to assemble a wall of arbor vitae in an effort to hide something, probably an irrigation box. What landscape moron would think that's needed?

LOL

[John Kavanaugh]

Who's berating anybody? Certainly not I. It was a light-hearted laugh at an unfortunate hole. Of course some people will enjoy playing it, I don't recall ever suggesting otherwise...

Scott,

Judging by your avatar you appear to have gotten a bit too big for your britches.  Is it possible to hook one into an oncoming train?  That in itself would make it a great hole in my book.

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