Ben says:
2) "Kickplates" or "sideboards" or whatever else you want to call it. I understand and agree that Ballyneal #7 may be the coolest second shot in golf for the different options it provides with that huge mound. But we pay too much attention to external contour around here like it is the sign of architecture genius. Sometimes, it's just the right place to put a green and not rocket science.
Ben, your leave sojourn to DR to assist the crew on floating and seeding the Doak course... does that inform your opinion that 'sometimes, it's just the right place to put a green and not rocket science'?
I really can't agree that external contour is over-rated. I'm not talking "Rees'es peices" willy nilly manufactured mounding, but either locating a greensite to take advantage of a natural and interesting surrounds of hummocks and hollows, ala Ross, or shaping a greensite and surrounds to present interesting external noses, humps and hollows. This sort of design does not seem to me to be over-rated, IMHO.
In fact, I wonder if you have been watching the TGC telecast today (or see the rerun tonight) where they have Brad Faxon talking about the changes to #18 green, where they shrunk it some 60% from the edges right up to the pond and the entire left side, to a series of graded out noses and hollows playing up to a raised green pad. Hanse and Faxon apparently collaborated on making this approach on the final hole much more interesting. They telestrated the scope of the work done to design-reshape (as opposed to find a natural situation) and in my opinion shows the real value of great GCA using the external green surrounds shaping to present some of the best of GCA attributes.
So, in my opinon, one can't over-rate green surround shaping by design, or siting as a fortuitous find where one can locate an interesting green. Then, it all comes down to the maintenance meld and HOC of how the interesting surrounds can be accentuated to add more to the fun factor. That is why I love Wild Horse and its ilk so much.