Camargo #12 (Channel) Question

[SPDB (Guest)]

I have a quick question about this hole.

How has this hole been changed? There have been some postings that indicate that this hole used to have an alternative fairway. It doesn't seem possible to me that there actually was another fairway that no longer exists, so where is the alternative fairway? Is the following theory correct?

It seems to me that the only way this hole has been changed is that the original tee is now only used as a ladies tee. This would seem to account for the alternative fairway theory since from this tee, the cross bunker could be carried by the aggressive player giving himself a shorter more direct line to the green, albeit at a greater risk. This would also seem to square with the channel hole strategy. The way the hole sets up now the cross bunker is fairly irrelevant.

Is this what is meant by the original "alternative fairway"?

[SPDB (Guest)]

Thought I would bump this one back up. :-/
Somebody has got to know the answer - George B.? Tom D.? Bueller?

[Ran Morrissett]

Sean,

My understanding is the big alternate sweeping fairway to the left was never built. The "island fairway" is the one in play today and perhaps it evolved into being so big (i.e. its present size) that the whole Channel concept was scrubbed during construction.

Cheers,

[SPDB (Guest)]

OK.
So then has the tee been moved as well? Because it would seem there would be absolutely no motivation to go for the planned fairway since it would take you further from the hole (probably over 230). Or was it a par 5? I'm just trying to figure all of this out because I just can't conceive of how this hole would have set up.  I thought my theory seemed plausible, but maybe not.

Coincidentally - How many Channel holes did CBM/SR build (other than Lido).

[Ran Morrissett]

Correct - it was initially going to be a par five.

As to how many did they actually build, I wonder if the answer is indeed one.