Let's Name This Template

[Bryan Izatt]

We're all familiar with the famous old template holes from the past - the Redan, the Biarritz, the Alps, Eden, etc.  There are, of course, other holes that have inspired modern architects to use the principles inherent in those holes in new designs, but those "template" holes don't seem to be recognized or named.

So, why don't we identify and name another template hole to add to the pantheon of template holes.

The 12th at Augusta National certainly seems to me to be a hole that has some specific principles inherent in its design that have have been used by modern architects in designing par 3's based on those principles.  The principles that I see in the hole are:

- a wide shallow green that is diagonal to the line of attack
- a diagonal angle sufficient that there is a clubbing difference between the left, centre and right portions of the green
- a hazard short that punishes shots that are pushed or pulled from the intended line
- a hazard to the rear that also punishes pulls and pushes from the intended line

The preeminent requirement of the hole is to properly club yourself for the distance required based on the location of the pin and then execute the shot on that line.  Directional failure will lead to hazardous trouble, as the club will either be too short or too long if the shot is directed to the right or left of the intended line.

Here is an aerial of the 12th.  The yardage to the left is 140, to the middle 150 and to the right 158.




Now, Golden Bell could be one possible name.  Or, possibly "Diagonal". Or, what others do you have in mind?


I think this "template hole inspired the creation of the 16th at my home course, the Club at Bond Head North designed by Hurdzan, Fry.  The angle of the green is very similar and the yardages to the left, right and centre are very close at 145, 153, and 160.  In this case the hazard in front is not water, but rather a 10 foot deep swale with imposing bunkers.  The hazard to the rear is a 40 foot drop off to a ravine that is death.  I think it incorporates the principles of the 12th hole template.

An aerial view.




From the tee.




From the fronting swale "hazard".




I'm sure that there are many other such par 3's out there that were inspired by the 12th at Augusta.  Can you identify more.

[Garland Bayley]

Lefty's dream three

Such a green in a two shotter would be lefty's dream approach.

Opposite angle would be righty's dream.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Bryan, the 12th (coincidence?) at Muirfield Village also includes the four features (I think...I have never played the course) that you listed.

http://www.thememorialtournament.com/golf-course/12.php

[jonathan_becker]

Bryan, the 12th (coincidence?) at Muirfield Village also includes the four features (I think...I have never played the course) that you listed.

http://www.thememorialtournament.com/golf-course/12.php

Yep, you beat me to it.  Like it or not, that has to be the most famous replica out there.

[Garland Bayley]

I would also note that architecture has something they call design patterns. I have advocated in the past putting together the golf course architecture design patterns. In reality, a hole can use more than one pattern. To me the predominant pattern of this hole is one where the lefty's pull/draw finds the green, his push/fade finds the green, therefore lefty's dream. Now the frontal bunkers would be another pattern, so the hole would be a composition of this pattern, the lefty's dream pattern, and others.

[Phil McDade]

From the tee.

Isn't this a NADER? Can it be played as one? I know the 12th at Augusta and Memorial can't be....maybe that's what distinguishes this type of/template hole -- the lack of a ground-based approach/bail-out area fronting the green, i.e, a totally aerial approach in which the choice is hitting it the green, but measuring how much danger you want to take on depending on the angle of attack.

[Sven Nilsen]

Is the 5th at Pebble a variation of this theme?

As for the template name, I vote for the Amen Hole.

[Ben Voelker]

The 16th at Cal Club is shorter and downhill, but has a similar green configuration and angle.

I do not know how materially this hole was changed by Kyle Phillips with the redesign, so it may have been there even before 12 at Augusta.

[Adam Clayman]

Oblique Sliver.

Or Gillette Silver for those in the know.

[John Kavanaugh]

Bigot

A tribute to the French tactician Sébastien Bigot de Morogues who helped develop 18th century frigate battle strategy.  Obviously the angle of the green creates a more difficult attack angle much like when a frigate would turn away from her opponent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigot_de_Morogues

[Bryan Izatt]

Garland,

The lefty dream would only be realized if you were aiming for the middle regardless of pin location, would it not? Of course, that may be be the way you play the game.     At least there's no water on my version.  I thought you'd like that. 

Phil,

What's a NADER? 

The front left at Bond Head is a bit of a bail out although it runs away from the green.

Adam,

Oblique - that's good.  Gillette Silver is a little too "in" for the general masses.  Surely it must be trademarked too. 

John,

Bigot, that's good too - as long as we can use the French pronunciation.  Also in keeping with the military theme of template names, such as redan and fortress.

[John Kavanaugh]

According to the book "A short course in the secret war", by Christopher Felix, BIGOT was actually To Gib backwards. Gibraltar was a jumping off place for the Royal Navy, and lots of secret men and material were ordered To Gibraltar, or To Gib. Bigot to conceal and confuse. Anyone ordered To Gib had already been cleared, so Bigoted became a synonym for cleared.

[Garland Bayley]

Garland,

The lefty dream would only be realized if you were aiming for the middle regardless of pin location, would it not? Of course, that may be be the way you play the game.    

I would think all average golfers would be advised to play that way. However, at least 2/3 of the dream is present no matter the position, e.g., straight and draw.

 At least there's no water on my version.  I thought you'd like that. 

Water being present is just another pattern in the composite. A stream fronting would be the "burned by burn" pattern. A pond fronting would be the "stinking pond" pattern.

[Phil McDade]

Phil,

What's a NADER? 

The front left at Bond Head is a bit of a bail out although it runs away from the green.

Backwards Redan -- which has the options of an aerial approach or run-up shot. The H-F one at Bond Head looks like it has an area that perhaps encourages a run-up shot if you don't want to take on those bunkers.

[jonathan_becker]

11 at Butler is another.  It meets the 4 criteria and it doesn't have a real run up opportunity.

[John Kavanaugh]

The eighth at Sebonack is a bigot.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Bryan,
Which "Template" is going to be named, the present day version or the original, as described by Daniel Wexler in his opinion piece about the course?

Mackenzie and Jones also said that they were using tried and true concepts (like the Road, Eden, etc.) and applying them in their construction of Augusta. I wonder what hole they used for inspiration when conceiving #12?  

Hole No. 12 - Golden Bell Par 3 1933: 150 yards 2009: 155 yards
Arguably the most famous par 3 in golf (and surely the most consistently dramatic) the 155-yard 12th has undergone several significant changes over the decades, most of which seem largely forgotten today.  To begin with, though a set of published drawings showed both this and the thirteenth greens as having been planned bunker-free (“It will be noted there is not a single bunker at either of these holes” – MacKenzie), the evidence is clear that the front bunker was indeed included during initial construction.  The two rear bunkers were added sometime later, carved into the rear hillside above a shallow, poorly draining swale that originally backed the putting surface.

With this swale’s seemingly permanent dampness causing numerous embedded ball issues (including a famous 1958 ruling that helped Arnold Palmer to win his first Masters), a substantial project was undertaken in 1960 to elevate the entire green area some two feet.  The net result makes for interesting viewing when comparing pre- and post-1960 photos: the rear bunkers, once carved into the back hillside at a level noticeably above the putting surface, are now drawn almost level.

Perhaps more significant are the changes that have overtaken the green itself, for today’s flattish, almost symmetrical putting surface belies a far more colorful past.  Indeed, prior to a 1951 expansion, the right side was considerably smaller than the left, requiring some major skill (not to mention guts) if one elected to have a desperation go at the traditional final round pin.  Additionally, as suggested in MacKenzie’s green sketch, this smaller right side was elevated significantly above the left – a substantial difference from the relatively flat surface in play today.

[Mark Chaplin]

4th at Deal fits the criteria but is a touch older than 12 ANGC.

[Jim_Kennedy]

4th at Deal fits the criteria but is a touch older than 12 ANGC.

That's what I was wondering, where BJ and AM may have gotten the idea.

[Peter Pallotta]

Jim - nice post, good point.  Bryan- you might have to just call it "The Augusta"...and then let people in years to come argue endlessely over whether or not holes x, y, and z are "true" Augustas.

Peter

[Jay Flemma]

How about "Mackenzie?"

[Anthony Gray]

Bigot

A tribute to the French tactician Sébastien Bigot de Morogues who helped develop 18th century frigate battle strategy.  Obviously the angle of the green creates a more difficult attack angle much like when a frigate would turn away from her opponent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigot_de_Morogues

    "The Finest Mind In Golf" comes in with the winner. A very well concieved name for the template. Who wants to buy some art?

   Anthony

[Bill_McBride]

4th at Deal fits the criteria but is a touch older than 12 ANGC.

That's what I was wondering, where BJ and AM may have gotten the idea.

I'm not sure what year the "Sandy Parlour" 4th at Deal was changed to the current configuration, which is similar in oblique aspect to Augusta's 12th.

The front nine par 3s at Augusta, 4 and 6, were Mackenzie's homage to the Eden and Redan.

[Bryan Izatt]

Jim,

Thanks for the information.  But, I think the question of which version of the 12th to name as the template is moot based on your description.  The basic principles are the same - the oblique / diagonal green and the fronting hazard that is Rae's Creek.  The creek configuration has changed too, but it was basically there, then and now.

Mark,

My memory of #4 at Deal is fuzzy, but from the aerial, the green doesn't really appear to be oblique or diagonal relative to the tee.  And the green does not appear to be wide and shallow.

Jay,

Templates don't appear to be generally named after architects.  Maybe we could try to keep to the tradition of naming them after locations (Eden) or features (Alps), or military parallels (Redan).

[Mark Pearce]

Bryan,

I think Mackenzie designed a few holes like this before he left the UK.  In particular I think I recall a short par 3 at Pitreavie that had some similarity to 12 at ANGC.  I know that 7 at Stoke Park is supposed to be the template for the original 16th at ANGC but it too has many similarities to 12 at ANGC.

As to a name for the template, how about "Creek"?