18 holes or one golf course ?

[Philippe Binette]

I just wrote about how some courses are built hole per hole and other as an experience over 18 holes...

Designing for a continuous experience leaves more freedom in the design ? or maybe it doesn't.

Outside the Old Course, which course you know involves continuity as a design features ? and how is it expressed ?

http://binettegolfarchitecture.blogspot.ca/2012/11/playing-18-holes-or-playing-course.html

[Mac Plumart]

I think all the really good ones are designed as a total 18 hole experience.

You mention The Old Course, but you could easily add NGLA, The Golf Club, Old MacDonald, Sand Hills, Seminole, etc.

On these courses I feel like I am engrossed from start to finish with no interruptions from the engagement with the course.

[Philippe Binette]

I've been fortunate to learn to play on a golf course where 12 holes out of 13 (6th to 18th, and 13th the exception is a par 3) has OB to the right. Some holes its 25 yards from the fairway but the last 4 holes it's more like 12 yards...

The course, even if short (6100 yards), is a game of survival. You can't let one shot loose on the right... Let's put it this way, it's a hard corse to defend a 6 shot lead at the club championship... It's a fight over 18 holes.

[Mike Hendren]

For me the obvious answer is Ballyneal.  In my sublime round their with AClayman several years ago I felt as though I teed off at the first and next thing I knew retrieved my ball from the cup at 18.  Even had a hard time remembering specific holes, something that typically comes easy.  I have used the term "seamless" to describe the golf course.  I attribute this to the disciplined consistency of the architecture and the easily walked transitions from green to tee.

Mike

[Mac Plumart]

Bogey...

I find your post to be excellent and interesting.

People bag on courses where they have trouble remembering each specific hole, but if all you can recall is what a sublime and engrossing adventure the entire course was...what is wrong with that? 

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