THM! Alps Region - 2nd Round - #2 NGLA 3rd vs #7 Lahinch 4th

[Richard Choi]

Here we go again! You have till the end of the day Fri to cast your votes.

Seed #2 - NGLA 3rd

Tale of the tape: Par 4, 426 yards

Why: From Ran – “Macdonald’s homage to the Alps at Prestwick is an improvement on the original as the drive holds more interest. The approach over the top of a fescue covered hill is one where it is difficult for the golfer not to look up and sneek a peek before he has completed the downswing. The35 yardwide (!) green has some twenty yards of fairway in front of it, just enough room and margin of error for a long approach. The vast green is fiercely contoured and four putts can occur. The author considers the approach the game’s finest blind shot.”

[Richard Choi]

Seed #7 - Lahinch Golf Club 4th – Klondyke

Tale of the tape: Par 5, 475 yards

Why: From Ran - The Klondyke is one of the best par fives in a country not associated with good par fives, with an exhilarating tee shot followed by a classic links shot up and over a massive sand dune (interestingly enough the hole was originally a par four, before the green was moved well back).





Best Comment:

Lahinch - it makes no sense, violates any principle I would ever create regarding golf hole construction except one - it is fun to hit a ball over a hill and see what happens.

Lahinch.  The Klondike Hole is representative of what an Alps hole is, a total visual obstruction of the green which makes you second guess angle and yardage.  I surrendered a big number to this hole  after my approach few over the road behind the green.  That tall dune screws with you visually, something that cannot be said of the Bandon Hole.

[Sean_A]

I have never seen NGLA's Alps, but not being a fan of Lahinch's I vote for the unknown quantity: NGLA.

Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

I haven't played either but this looks like a no-brainer.  NGLA.

[jeffwarne]

While I am not opposed to the par-5 for the Alps, I think this one is NGLA in a landslide.

NGLA

[Mark McKeever]

NGLA.

Mark

[Mark Saltzman]

Having never seen NGLA and always been amazed by 4 and 5 at Lahinch, I'll be the odd man out and give Lahinch a vote (though it seems like NGLA is going to win in a landslide).

Lahinch

[J Cabarcos]

I have seen NGLA, but have not had the privilege to play it.  Played Lahinch, great experience, even better if you stay away from the fescue.  My vote goes with NGLA.  NGLA gradual slope which obstructs a direct view to the green somehow appears to tempt the golfer even more to look up.  At Lahinch you are confronted with a mini mountain at the end of a fairway which minimizes the golfer's curiosity by comparison to NGLA.

[Richard Choi]

NGLA leads 6-1. The voting ends Friday night!

[Kevin Pallier]

Am sorry to see Lahinch go out - up against a formidable hole such as that on offer at NGLA

[Richard Choi]

And NGLA advances after an easy win and will face Rye next.