[Emile Bonfiglio]

This shot is from Langdon Farms Golf Course in Aurora OR. Plays 304/White : 356/Tips. It can range anywhere from 215 to 260 to carry the lower fairway (I call it a fairway though I'm not sure why anyone would want to play it short and down there) but if you do make the carry you are a S wedge or less into the green. The bunkering continues up the right side up to the green. The green is has some movement right to left but not too severe. I should add that there is all the room in the world to miss right but you are dead if you go left. What do you like or dislike about this from what you see? This link will provide a Bing map to allow different views http://binged.it/wQrfzP

[PCCraig]

Yeah...I do. That looks like a really fun hole. A pretty obvious strategic choice (riskier route = shorter approach & lack of bunker fronting) but it looks like there is a reasonable reward for the risk. How high is that ridge/berm/whatever on the left side? How long is the hole in general?

[Frank Pont]

I like the idea of the strategy of the hole. Hole would look a lot better if you removed the first 10-15 m of trees on the hill left, and had rough grass there instead. Shaping and planting on the right of the hole looks rather uninspired.... Also is there enough danger right next of the green, we cannot see from this angle

[Brian Potash]

Emile,

Can we see a picture of the green from the fairway?  Otherwise it would seem criminal to attempt anything other than a safe shot out to the right for what looks like a short approach to the green.  The picture looks like the tees aim you out to the right (on the line you want to be).  
Are you asking for an opinion based only on the limited information you are intentionally giving?

Brian

[Anthony Gray]

  It is certainly memorable. Which a golf hole should be. I like the well maintained creek on the left. That bunker looks like a bear.

  Anthony

[Michael George]

I don't like the hole.  

The risk of the hole should be to tempt the creek to get a better angle to the green - regardless of how long you hit the ball.  Problem is that only the long hitter has this option.  So the shorter hitter has to hit out to the right and then is forced to hit their long iron or 3 wood over a severe greenside bunker.  Also, it is built to be a sort of cape hole but is actually straight, which is really odd.  Lastly, it looks completely artificial where it did not need to be.  

Recommendation:

You have a great feature in the creek.  Use it. Play the hole along the creek for the risk taking golfer.  Allow the less risk taking golfer to play to the right, but leave more difficult bunkering/sloping at the green for shots coming in from that direction (the current green may be ok but cannot tell from the picture).  The real short player can lay up just short of the green left.  Move the green to the left so it plays as a slight cape (does not need to be dramatic but slightly to give the creek a greater effect).  Lastly, remove the trees to the left so that the creek is fully exposed.

The natural features of the hole could be very similar to the 12th at Cascades, which also needs to remove a lot of trees.  Imitating Flynn is never a bad idea.
  

[Emile Bonfiglio]

How high is that ridge/berm/whatever on the left side?

15 feet above your feet. If you land in that bunker you either plugged or rolled into it, either is no good.

[Kalen Braley]

It looks cool, but in reality has it backwards.

It looks like you take all the risk of going left, but there is no reward.  And to boot, it appears you have a blind approach to the green from down there too.  Sure you gain a slightly better angle to the green, but not near enough to justify intentionally trying to hit that teeny strip of fairway.  Perhaps a better idea would be to make it so if you play safe to the right, you have a totally blind approach to the green, and going left gives one a view of the green and a green that slopes directly towards you instead of at an angle.

[Ronald Montesano]

How far to the tree on the right side, just inside the line of the ripples? Trying to get an idea of the layup zone distance.

I like the idea that, eve if you don't make the carry, you still have a shot from fairway grass, albeit a tough one!

The hard tug left gets what it deserves.

What is the punishment for a wide-right miss?

[Pete_Pittock]

I have been involved in searches for many a ball in the tall rough just right of the trees. Most were found, and I've driven a few players back to the tee, hitting 3. The play is towards the right edge of the bunkering unless you have the game, or the tee box, to carry straight at the green.

I like the design of the 4th hole. The more you take on off the tee, the shorter and more visible the shot. If you approach from the right edge of the fairway you cannot see most of the green surface.

[Garland Bayley]

  It is certainly memorable. Which a golf hole should be. I like the well maintained creek on the left. That bunker looks like a bear.

  Anthony

Anthony,

You want memorable, get on a mower and try to mow that slope!

[Anthony Gray]

  It is certainly memorable. Which a golf hole should be. I like the well maintained creek on the left. That bunker looks like a bear.

  Anthony

Anthony,

You want memorable, get on a mower and try to mow that slope!

 

  I love to mow

[Mark McKeever]

I imagine that fairway at the bottom is pretty soft and would be tough to mow also.

Mark

[Garland Bayley]

I imagine that fairway at the bottom is pretty soft and would be tough to mow also.

Mark

They definitely have gone through their stages of mowing and not mowing on that hole.

I think CBM would like the hole. He wanted to tempt people to overreach, and I think this is a prime candidate for getting golfers to overreach.

I'm kind a partial to the hole myself if they mow it all out.

[Tim Nugent]

I don't know why anyone would want to even mess with that left side. Besides, you'ld need a Sherpa.

[Emile Bonfiglio]

I don't know why anyone would want to even mess with that left side. Besides, you'ld need a Sherpa.

As I originally said, the left side is not really an option one should ever consider. If you are going to lay up just aim right. What I think is interesting is that if you are a high hcp player that slices but at times hits a good ball straight, there is actually not much to worry about on this holes tee shot, unless you land on that slope in the middle...then you are screwed.

[Grant Saunders]

I like the idea of the hole but feel the shaping lets it down.

From the aerial you have linked, it certainly appears that the further left you can keep the ball on the fairway you are rewarded with a much more supportive angle to the green.

From the photos you have posted (I could be wrong, its hard to see exactly) it appears that the top of the slope on the left is actually crowned and would in fact make it very difficult to hug the left hand fairway edge and probably kick balls to the right into the middle of the fairway.

Also in the aerial, I am a little mystified as to the need for the 2 bunkers further up on the left.

It reminds of this hole at Arrowtown golf club:

[Josh Stevens]

I like the concept, but not necessarily the execution

Those regular ripples along the bank look a little too regularlly spaced and thus artificial
Is the lower fairway wide enough to stop a ball that hits the bank and kicks left?

But otherwise - the lower fairway isnt something anyone but a madman would aim at, but for those that try to get as close to the left edge of the upper fairway as possible to get a good line, missing a bit is not certain death, it simply kicks down and you have tougher but not impossible shot - perhaps a 1/3 shot penalty.  Thats more sporting than just being wet.

[Josh Stevens]

And I possibly would have preferred the end of the drop off to be at fairway level rather than humped up, so that you could actually get close to the edge.  As it is, it seems to either throw you left down the hill or throw you right to the middle of fairway - takes away the advantage of having a go.

[Ross Tuddenham]

Not sure the left carry would be an option any player should take as it hardly gives you a significant advantage over going for the long iron/wood up the right hand fairway.  You would have to take a massive risk (trees/creek/deep bunker) all for the sake of a SW/pitch compared to hitting a solid PW.

The hole does look interesting however and anyone ending up on the left “fairway” would be faced by quite a unique shot.  This could be a hole where the pure logic of what strategy is best comes second to how it actually plays.  It has a unique look and features which may be more important to the enjoyment of playing the hole?

[Mike Hendren]

No.  The theatrics down the left side are unnecessary given the proximity of the creek.  The bunker at the end of the depression is also unnecessary as it's otherwise unlikely a ball landing in that area would climb out of the depression,resulting in a very blind second that is  penalty enough.   The fairway cut in the depression only enables the poor snap-hooker to find the water whereas rough down there might brake the ball.   The approach angle is irrelevant with a wedge in hand and a green that appears to have accomodating depth.

Looks cool.  Would have made a helluva 220 yards redan.

Boguero

[Jimmy Cavezza]

I'm not sure if there is any benefit to challenging the left bunker.  It would open up the green and allow you to run one in but it looks awfully green for that to be an option.  If the hole was longer the risk/reward would be greater.  I think the bumps along the slope are way to busy and they don't look like they tie-in with any other features.  This makes them look out of place.  I would have to play the hole to know if I liked it or not.  The picture has sparked my interest enough to drive a couple hours to play there.  Ugh too many golf courses and not enough time!

[Bill Brightly]

I like it. The hole almost certainly should be played with rescue or 3-wood, depending on your length, leaving a fairly straightforward wedge or short iron to the green. All the "theatrics" on the left side are a distraction to the golfer standing on the tee, but I like that. It is the golfing equivilant of crazy fans screaming at a basketball player attempting a free throw... The shot is pretty simple, can you block out the distractions and execute?

[Jud_T]

Like it.  Agree that the hole could be greatly improved by significantly cutting back the trees on the left.  This would tempt more guys to be overly aggressive and end up shortsiding themselves, not to mention the aesthetic improvement to the hole...

[Greg Tallman]

Remove the left trees, push the upper fairway down filling the lower sloping it toward the creek and it would seem to be better and more natural, not to mention beautiful.

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