Greg Norman's Tribute to the Road Hole? (Parkland G&CC 12th hole)

[Mark Saltzman]

I was fortunate today to visit Parkland G&CC near Boca Raton, FL (a Greg Norman design).  Looking at the approach on the 12th, I found it quite similar to the approach to the Road Hole at TOC.  The tee shot, especially from the back tees (which unfortunately I don't have a picture of) is of reasonable similarity to the one at TOC, except there's no hotel and the OB is water.

It wasn't until I saw the darker, firm, crushed sand used over the green (the only place on the entire golf course) that I was convinced Norman was trying to recreate the road hole.  I suspect the members would not support/understand an actual road being built just over the green, and rock hard sand is a reasonably recreation for the playing surface.

What do you think, is this Norman's tribute to the Road Hole?


Tee Shot: Diagonal over hazard; left leaves really difficult approach angle to green




Approach: Bunker is placed exactly same place as road hole bunker






Green from back-left: Very similar green shape to TOC




From over green: Crushed sand mimics playing surface of the road

[Ronald Montesano]

What role do the bunkers short and right of the green play in the tribute?

[Scott Warren]

Looks interesting in the pics, Mark. How long is the hole?

Do the RHS bunkers end, as it seems from the pic, about 15-20 yards short of the front of the green?

[Matthew Sander]

What role do the bunkers short and right of the green play in the tribute?

Maybe they are there to combat the conservative front right bail out -AND/OR- to corral balls that are moving toward the water hazard? Obviously that aspect has no relation to the original. However, Mark has a good eye and this seems to have plenty of similarities. Good catch!

[Mark Saltzman]

Ron, none.  I am not 100% sure it's a tribute, but it has many similarities.  

Scott, it's about 420 yards from the back tees, and yes the RHS bunkers end where you say.

[mike_beene]

Dustin Johnson wants to know if that is a bunker.

[Matt Kardash]

Whether on purpose or not, it seems like a loose interpretation of the road hole.

[Ronald Montesano]

Mark,

I agree it has much of the trappings. I didn't see the 4th at Yale as being a reverse road, until it was laid out for me. The connection with this one is much more apparent.

[PCCraig]

I think it looks like an interesting hole and a good effort by Norman's team to build some interest into a typical Florida design. I would say the hole would actually be better without the bunkers on the left, but I suppose you need to "frame" the tee shot.

On a side note, how many road hole templates actually have a road behind it?

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Concur-it has the different shot requirements of the Road Hole.  Without playing the original (apart from EA Sports TW) (!) it appears to have the challenge on the tee shot and into the green.  Minus the fescues, which may have been a little much.  My miss is right off the tee, so I can't say how I'd feel if I pumped one in the water, but this looks inspired and interesting.  

[Anthony Gray]

  Great eye. That's a road hole Mark.

  Anthony

[Morgan Clawson]

I say yes. It's got most of the components.

Norman used a lot of that crushed sand at the White Course at Doral.

He used it as cart path/hazard areas a few times, so in his mind it could be conisdered a road.

[Terry Lavin]

I don't know that he'd call it a "tribute", but it is evocative of the Road Hole, in a blasphemous, Florida kind of way!  Nothing wrong with that.  It's only a game, after all...

[Steve Lang]

 

Looking at the whole place   http://www.parklandgcc.com/Course?ssid=240993

i wouldn't be surprized if a lot of those "waste areas" are simply drainge features, i.e., either planned low spots to flood and/or infiltration areas for runoff...

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