Should #16 be lengthened?

[Matthew Rose]

The 1975 thread and #16 being listed once as 190 yards, but now 170, got me thinking.

These guys today were going at 16 with 9-irons. Is it time to maybe add 20-30 yards to this hole? Is there actually room to do it?

[CJ Carder]

I actually like the hole much better with the shorter irons involved.  Those greens are (usually) so fast and that shot turns into a test of placement as well as spin control.  How many times, with the pin in the back right, do you see guys spin it back down the hill? 

[Carl Rogers]

I will subtend to what others say, but let's say a 6 iron length (190-205 for these guys), the green speed, firmness and slope may render the green un-holdable and hole un-playable.

[Tom_Doak]

There is plenty of slope in the green, so holding a longer shot is not much of an issue.  It would make shots to the upper plateau that much tougher, but those guys can handle it.

I have no idea exactly why it was shortened and whether it's about infrastructure and crowd control issues that overrule the shot values.

However, I will say that the knee-jerk reaction of "when in doubt, lengthen," is not the direction we need to keep going.  One of my favorite quotes on design was from Dr. MacKenzie, which I'll have to paraphrase a bit:  "If you have a bad hole, don't lengthen it; shorten it and get it out of the way."

[Brent Hutto]

I think as well as some of the hole locations work at the current length, it's worth leaving it "short" just because it's a rare hole that doesn't force the extra length when the big boys come to town. I think it's pretty special that the hole is as interesting as it is with the best players in the world hitting 9-irons. There aren't many Par 3's you can say that about. With a 6-iron or 7-iron it's not as rare to have an interesting hole.

[Mike Schott]

Based on the average score, which I've read is 3.16 and being the 9th hardest hole on the course, there's enough contour to the green that proper placement, even with a 9 iron is difficult.

[Jim Nugent]

Are they hitting 9 irons to the back left Sunday pin?   

I read here on GCA that ANGC shortened the hole to build bleachers behind the tee. 

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