Change One Hole on One of Your Favorite Courses

[Michael George]

One unifying theme amongst everyone on this site, is that we like to critique and analyze golf courses and holes.   Too often on this site we are either 100% in praise of a golf course or 100% in criticism of a golf course.  However, everyone has ideas on how to improve it. 

We all have our favorite golf  courses, but among those favorites, there sometimes is one hole or one feature that you would love to change.  How about providing the change that you would make to one of your favorite golf courses:

My change to one hole would be #18 at Bandon Dunes.  There is a wonderful ravine down the entire right of the hole, but it rarely comes into play, especially at the green.  I would love to see the green moved to the right along the ravine so that (1) it became more of a risk/reward going for two and (2) the approach would have more visible appeal.  Second, I would like the fairway to run more along the ravine (removing the brush in between the rough and ravine) so that the fairway played more like #17.  I absolutely loved Bandon Dunes and thought it did a great job of using the features on the course.  However, #18 just does not give it the dramatic finish that it deserves.

My universal change would be to Muirfield Village.  It is a marvelous golf course but the homes on the course really diminish the special feeling that it could have.  In particular, the homes on #6 and #15 (by the tee) and #17 really hurt those golf holes.  While there is not much that can be done other than buying the home next to 15 tee and leveling it.  On #6 and #17, I would add a lot of trees along the outskirts of the right of each fairway so that they are not so visible.  These trees would not be in play but would give a more excluded feel to these holes. 

Just my humble opinion.   

[Mac Plumart]

Fill in at least part of the pond on 18 at The Golf Club.  I LOVE that place, but I dislike the water carry on 18 concept.

[Chris Johnston]

Already did that at Dismal River.  We moved the 18th green and made a beautiful visual and playable finish.

[Mark Saltzman]

A couple of changes from a couple of my favorite courses:

Wine Valley - Fill in the ponds on 6 and 9

Dismal River - Cut the rough down right of 8 green to fairway height

Franklin Hills - Remove the bunker on the right side of 6 fairway; Remove bunkering on right side of fairway over water on 17

Shooting Star - Holes 6 and 7 are the worst 2 holes on the course and they are back to back.  7 could be improved easily, but I would leave it to TFaz to work out exactly how.

Bigwin Island - Shorten P3 17th; Move 18th fairway closer to water (though apparently environmental restrictions do not allow it)

Oakland Hills (South) - Get rid of the runway fairways and return them to the snaking fairways Ross designed, especially on 2 and 12.

[Mark Pearce]

Muirfield - cut the rough on the LHS of the 9th to fairway.

[Alex Miller]

Hole 7 at Rustic Canyon. Give me the old green which I've heard so much about!

At least they're expanding the fairway across the creek to bring another interesting option into the drive.

Edit: I would've mentioned LA North, but it seems they made all of the changes already. DARN! 

[Gene Greco]

Shinnecock Hills #7  Move the tee to the left a bit to adjust for the multiplying factors of the prevailing wind along with cant of the Redan.
 
Sand Hills #8  Restore the original depth of the guarding front bunker of #8 to recreate the DA effect.

Pine Valley #10  (See #8 Sand Hills)

   

[Joe_Tucholski]

It's been over 10 years since I've played the course but York Golf and Tennis Club, where I first started to play golf, opens with a 200+ yd par 3 (the ladies tee is 201 and the tips are 225).  There is OB left and if I recall correctly they put OB stakes on the right which is where the 18th fairway is.  I hated the hole as a kid and probably wouldn't enjoy it as an opener now either.  The course is relatively short at 6300ish yards so shortening the hole is probably out of the question.  It's not practical but because I disliked the hole I'd try and make it a short par 4 by moving the tees back and left and the green back and to the right a bit.  I don't really like the short par 4 opener but I'd take it over the long par 3 opener.

[Scott Stearns]

12th at Garden City--at the risk of losing my GCA password i will say i would NOT rebuild the original hole, as i think that hole was designed to be a drive and pitch par 4 and would play awfully as a 190 yard par three. 

I'd like to see doak come up with a hole that fits with the others, but allows both a run in as well as an aerial approach. 

[Tim Martin]

It's been over 10 years since I've played the course but York Golf and Tennis Club, where I first started to play golf, opens with a 200+ yd par 3 (the ladies tee is 201 and the tips are 225).  There is OB left and if I recall correctly they put OB stakes on the right which is where the 18th fairway is.  I hated the hole as a kid and probably wouldn't enjoy it as an opener now either.  The course is relatively short at 6300ish yards so shortening the hole is probably out of the question.  It's not practical but because I disliked the hole I'd try and make it a short par 4 by moving the tees back and left and the green back and to the right a bit.  I don't really like the short par 4 opener but I'd take it over the long par 3 opener.

Joe-I`ve played there a few times and I agree that I don`t like it as the opener. It certainly doesn`t ease you into the round as a long iron/hybrid/fairway wood is required. The OB on both sides makes it somewhat claustrophobic.

[Anthony Gray]

Cruden Bay is perfection when it comes to fun but I would change a few things. one would be to place the 14th tee overlooking the ocean. It would add to its charm and make it play a little more like a dog leg.                                                      Anthony

[Kevin Pallier]

Fill in the pond on #17 RCD

[jim_lewis]

Cut down the large tree blocking access to the left side of the par 3 seventeeth green at Wade Hampton. The very deep green is reduced to a narrow landing area. The green slopes right toward a creek, so any tee shot that lands on the right third of the green may run off the green into the creek. A draw is needed to miss the tree and leave the ball within 20 feet of a middle or left pin. The members I know pretend to like it. I don't believe them.

[Garland Bayley]

A couple of changes from a couple of my favorite courses:

Wine Valley - Fill in the ponds on 6 and 9

...

Amen to that!

[Garland Bayley]

I would like to see #8 at Chambers Bay change. I am not like many that want a combo change to #8 & #9, as I am quite happy with #9.

#8 right now is OK for the the finest players. However, it can be extremely penal for directionally challenged players. Therefore, I would narrow the fairway by perhaps a third, thereby allowing a step down to a lower fairway benched into the slope below the existing fairway. Hopefully, one could achieve at least 1.5 times the effective width of the current hole this way. The top players could all play the upper fairway as their skill allows, whereas the average golfer would not be faced with as narrow an uphill slog as currently exists. Furthermore, some strategic bunkers could be placed in the slope between the two fairways, and a bunker placed directly in front of the green on the preferred line of the upper fairway, whereas slopes could be created to bounce approaches in to the green from the lower fairway.

[Jay Flemma]

I'd fill in the ponds on #5 at PGA West Stadium and and make them deep bunkers instead.

[Philippe Binette]

I have not been to Cypress Point, but probably taking out the planted hedge in front of the 1st tee would be a good move

[David Cronheim]

Not quite an answer to your question, but I once heard someone say, "Pine Valley would be a great course if it weren't for all those sandy waste areas." Sort of like saying the Mona Lisa would be great if it weren't for all that paint. This acquaintance (dare I call him a friend?) followed this up by returning from a trip to Scotland and telling me that if only the greens were softer and the bunkers a little less penal, he'd have liked the courses better. Needless to say, he's not a GCA member. However, it is a good reminder that we view courses differently from 99.9% of the golfing public.

[Mac Plumart]

I can't find the thread, but I thought Chris Johnston had a great quote on this type of thing awhile back.

There was a thread about changing holes, design, or something and he made the point that it is these imperfections, areas of "quirk", or flat out flaws that make courses unique and memorable with their own specific character. (or at least that is what I think we was getting at).

I think he is right.

[Patrick_Mucci]

# 12 at GCGC has to be at the top of the list.

[Michael George]

Mac:

I agree fully that the "quirks" and other unique elements of a hole make them great.  For instance, the 18th hole at Pete Dye GC has a small hill in front of the green (where the green is a downhill roll from the hill).  The hill could not have been natural, but it really makes the approach shot unique as it is blind and you have to contend with an awkward bounce.  Also, these quirks are what make Old MacDonald a fantastic golf course.

I am referring to design that did not fully take advantage of the topography and other features available to the architect.  Even at our favorite courses, there is usually one hole that you say - man, if the architect would have done X, this course would be perfect.  That was my reference to 18 at Bandon Dunes.  

I had the same feeling on 18 at Bandon Trails.  You have these high dunes on the left and right of the hole.  There is no reason to have that huge ridge across the fairway.  Cut it down (sorry minimalists, sometime you have to move dirt) and make the hole play through the 2 high dunes (like you get at Ballybunion) and the course would have the dramatic finish that it deserves.  It would be a punchbowl fairway and the hole would still be hard because the hole is long and the green is challenging.

[Mac Plumart]

Michael...

Absolutely.  And I agree with you.  And I am probably the worst at knit-picking and criticing anything and everything.  I am not saying this isn't a great thread.  In fact, I think it is.  I just thought was Chris said was spot on.  Think 18 at Cypress.  I've never played it, but everyone says it is the best 17 hole golf course in the world.  But, from an outsider, I think the 18th at Cypress seems to add something to the whole picture.

[Bill_McBride]

I have not been to Cypress Point, but probably taking out the planted hedge in front of the 1st tee would be a good move

Why?  Having it there really makes you stay on that first tee shot with no warm up.   

[jonathan_becker]

Fill in at least part of the pond on 18 at The Golf Club.  I LOVE that place, but I dislike the water carry on 18 concept.

Mac,

The first thing I would do is soften the front/front right part of the green on 8.  Even a great shot can come back down towards the water.

[Sean_A]

I reckon I need three changes for North Berwick, but all centered around the first hole.  FIRST - make the opening hole a par 3.  SECOND - the 17th and 1st should be a double green.  THIRD - the opening hole plays to the inland side of the green while the 17th plays to the beach side.

Ciao