In reverse, 75% of the amateurs would start out their rounds with a ritual sacrifice of a couple Top Flites into the drink on the right. Of course, Phil took an 8 yesterday playing from the correct direction, so maybe Lefty would like the hole better the other way.
The holes that might actually be improved are:
#18., with a green hanging over the edge of the rocks. I can see a Sunday pin right next to the wooden fence and envision the 3rd shot being a bit scary. Going for the green in two would actually be more exciting than what is there now.
#14. could be reversed and nobody would notice. Both directions have a reverse-camber fairway and the tee shot might be more interesting from the current green.
#13. would be improved. I see the putting surface tucked in an intimate corner of the trees, much like #4 at Cypress.
#11. is a little nutty right now because the green has shrank and the front portion has fallen at least 2 degrees since I was a kid. The new hole would ask for a hard draw from the tee (which fits my eye of course); the backdrop for the approach (to the current 10th green) would be stunning.
#6. I'm on the fence about this, but if the wall of grass was shaved so shorter hitters could run their tee shots to the fairway below, it would be a reachable par-5 for at least 1/2 the players.
#5. There would be no difference in either direction given the topography, so I would not object.
#4. Definitely drivable from the tee, so there would have to be a horrendous collage of pots waiting for those who dare and miss. One could always scoot into the Beach Club for a drink after a triple-bogey I suppose. The bartenders don't spare the booze in there.
#2. As long as you dig a trench (which only affects amateurs), it would be similar - aside from losing much of the view from the green.
The rest of the course would be a bit of a slog, especially given the prevailing breeze. #9 and #10 would be more difficult and not as enjoyable, #7 would just plain suck. #12 is a duck at best in either direction. Maybe a slightly uphill modified-Biarritz given there is plenty of room to set the tee as far back as you want.
Spyglass would also be an interesting exercise. It is my father's favorite golf course in the world - and the old bird has seen enough on both sides of the pond to make that determination.
I love it myself - having played it quite a bit since childhood - but also see its many shortcomings. My best friend went to RLS, so every afternoon visit was running around the whiskey route. The world was more relaxed before the golf craze took hold. We had this game all to ourselves . . . . selfish thought, but still a shame.
If I had unlimited money, I would not reverse Spyglass, but move the clubhouse to the bottom of the hill and route the course in and out of the dunes. #1 would be an astounding finishing hole; let's work around that and see how things shake out. The current #17 and #18 are sort of marginal and (here I go with heresy) I'm arrogant enough to believe that Neal and I could drastically improve the golf course. #4 stays as it is of course, but with a little imagination Spyglass could stand up to Pebble.
In its current configuration - assuming you play from rational tees - I think Spyglass is actually easier than Pebble in many ways. Even when I was younger with a quasi-healthy back, I could not hit the ball up there with my peers. The beauty of Spyglass is that most every hole has a specific route that - if taken - keeps you on the par trail. Birdies are tougher, but if you dissect each one, there is a magic code to open the door.
Let's take #7 as an example. Everybody tries to blast a driver over the corner and then get to the green in two, right? Don't tell me that is not how you attacked it, because we both know you're lying. Now, standing there with 3-wood in hand, you did not want to yank it into the lake, so you hung it out to the right a bit and found your ball in the rough with a brutal pitch to a green sloping severely away.
"Whatever you may be sure of, be sure of this, that you are dreadfully like other people." - James Russell Lowell
Now, instead, let's take a 3-wood off the tee and hit short of the bunkers on the left. Pull out a 4-iron and hit it SHORT of the lake on the LEFT side of the fairway. Hmmmmm, now you have a simple, 90 yard pitch and can use the slope as a backstop to feed the ball right next to the pin. Most every hole offers a specific series of shots to insulate you from a train wreck - you just have to be disciplined enough to never, ever take the bait.
I could not figure out why the Pros used to whine about Spyglass; one would think the ability to dissect and analyze each hole would be 2nd nature, but maybe their egos got the better of them. As a matter of fact, from 6400 years (I cannot move the ball anymore), Spyglass is easier than Cypress by a long shot.