Favorite fairway

[Curtis Woods]

How about:
       Prairie Dunes #8
       Shoreacres #15
       Prestwick #15

[Tim Fenchel]

Never played it...probably never will.


But. I saw a photograph of a fairway, I believe in TD's Confidential Guide of a fairway from Askernish.  Makes me want to sell everything I own and go right now.

[Jason Thurman]

8th at Prairie Dunes has my favorite movement.


5th at White Bear Yacht Club has my favorite flair for movement.



13th at The Prairie Club - Dunes has my favorite bunkering.


13th at Ballyneal was the site of my best drive ever, so it gets an honorable mention for the downslope that sent my ball rolling an extra 100+ yards.

[John Sabino]

I would add to the chorus on Prairie Dunes #8 with the rumpling, wavy uphill fairway





And add in Durban #17 for the same reason



And the ninth at Royal County Down and the finishing hole at the Old Course with the Valley of Sin!

[PCCraig]

The fairways at White Bear Yacht Club are probably worthy of discussion as well.

Well said Brian.


The 2nd, 5th, 9th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th are all really neat fairways with a ton of movement. Yet despite the seemingly random movement there are some very particular spots that a player will start to aim at after a few plays. For example, on the 15th, on the right side of the fairway there is essentially a small catchers mitt in the hillside. If you can get your ball there, you're left with a flat lie, a shorter approach, and one where you can generally see the green. If you don't, your tee ball will roll backwards and the approach is very tough (but not as tough as from the left side).

[Thomas Dai]

The sixth at Westward Ho has fantastic moguls... But it isn't a patch on the fifth at Strandhill.

When viewing this short Youtube video from about the 1 min 35 secs mark I can see why you highlighted the 5th at Strandhill!


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LsjjOHsOknw


atb

[Sean_A]

Ally


Good call on Strandhill's 5th.



Ciao

[Matt Glore]

#2 at Ballyneal!  The slope is so strategic with the lack of established tee boxes. 

[John Kirk]

I've thought about this for a few days.  My first thought was the 13th fairway at Pacific Dunes, and I haven't thought of one that fits my current ideals any better.  While I appreciate the rumpled fairway look, and the way they offer different stances for slightly different shot results, my tastes have evolved over the years to appreciate a bit more subtlety in design.

The 13th fairway has almost everything one would desire.  The best line of attack is down the left side, guarded by the largest water hazard on Earth.  Down the left side, the fairway crowns gently, insuring that players are sure to face uphill, flat and downhill lies for approach shots.  The fairway is perhaps 100 yards wide at its widest point, and the ball tends to fall down the hill, resulting in shorter approaches from an inferior angle.  And there's lots of micro-contouring out there which changes one's stance just a bit.  The fairway also features a significant rise (false front) short of the green.  Approach shots must fly up to the green or greenside bunkers.  Finally, the hole usually plays significantly upwind or downwind, so players will regularly face different challenges and strategies.

This photo was taken from The Obsessed Golfer website, www.theobsessedgolfer.com.  If there are any problems, please let me know and I will remove the picture.

[Buck Wolter]

3,4 and 6 at Kingsley basically play parallel across a valley I suppose with the left edge of 3 and the right side of 6 being the high points. Some of it may be over the top for traditionalists but I think they are all difficult but great driving holes --you have lots of options but you better commit. If I had to pick one 4 would be my favorite.

http://www.kingsleyclub.com/course-tour/3rd-hole.html

[Ben Voelker]

Ian may have beat me to it, but the first that came to mind for me was #16 at Highlands Links.  #13 at Highlands Links would be high up my list as well.

[Peter Pallotta]

The 8th fairway at Crystal Downs is a very big part of the reason why that hole is one of only a few par 5s I've ever even liked, and certainly the only Par 5 I've ever loved.

Because of that fairway (in two dimensions) the 2nd shot at CD actually *means something*; and because of that fairway (in three dimensions) that 2nd shot can be a very challenging one, and thus provides great satisfaction when you pull it off successfully 

Peter

[David Stamm]

18th at Santa Anita springs to mind.  It has to be seen to be believed.

14 at Pasatiempo, 6th at Cypress Point, 14 at San Diego CC, 8th at La Jolla CC, 5th at Marine Memorial,  5th at San Clemente,  and there are few more I could throw in.

[Jason Thurman]

3,4 and 6 at Kingsley basically play parallel across a valley I suppose with the left edge of 3 and the right side of 6 being the high points. Some of it may be over the top for traditionalists but I think they are all difficult but great driving holes --you have lots of options but you better commit. If I had to pick one 4 would be my favorite.

http://www.kingsleyclub.com/course-tour/3rd-hole.html

4 at Kingsley immediately came to mind to me as well, but I eventually decided it was a little too over-the-top. In the 8 or so plays I logged back in 2013, including that round where Pete Pittock carried you to victory against Jones and me, I got the feeling that almost every ball would end up in one of two spots by the time it finished rolling - right, or left. I never quite got a feel for an ideal position to shoot for, and the fact that I was swinging like a jackwagon all week probably didn't help.


What's your intended play from that tee?

[Tommy Williamsen]

Number two (par five) at Ballyhack gives all kinds of options.





Play safe to the left of the far left bunker. Big hitters can hit it over the far left bunker. Hit it over the middle bunker but risk bounding down the right side of the fairway. I try to hit it between the two left bunkers. I can hit a speed slot and have the ball kick forward so I can hit the par five in two.

[Peter_Collins]

Another vote for the 8th at Prairie Dunes

[Buck Wolter]

3,4 and 6 at Kingsley basically play parallel across a valley I suppose with the left edge of 3 and the right side of 6 being the high points. Some of it may be over the top for traditionalists but I think they are all difficult but great driving holes --you have lots of options but you better commit. If I had to pick one 4 would be my favorite.

http://www.kingsleyclub.com/course-tour/3rd-hole.html

4 at Kingsley immediately came to mind to me as well, but I eventually decided it was a little too over-the-top. In the 8 or so plays I logged back in 2013, including that round where Pete Pittock carried you to victory against Jones and me, I got the feeling that almost every ball would end up in one of two spots by the time it finished rolling - right, or left. I never quite got a feel for an ideal position to shoot for, and the fact that I was swinging like a jackwagon all week probably didn't help.


What's your intended play from that tee?

Jason -
About 50% of the time I end up in the valley to the right short of the bunker -- 20% on the flat in the center and 30% running out to the left. The left side has more variation on where you end up I think and missing right is user error though  I have gotten comfortable with the blind shot over the bunker from the collection area to the right. I also think given the fact that the green is a HUGE punchbowl having the fairway be a little over the top is OK

The new tees low and to the left of the originals add some interest to the drive I think--I probably play them half the time (longer walk but more interesting drive). I haven't played the new tips but heard its a good hit just to get to the fairway from there.

[Philip Spogard]

Perhaps the 4th at County Louth GC, Ireland could be included here as well (despite the hole being perhaps slightly too short these days).


Personally the teeshots played to the fairway on the 1st/18th at TOC are among my favourite golf shots in the world. Despite the deceptively wide landing area, positioning is crucial and the roads never far away from a sliced teeshot.

[James Brown]

Sandwich #10

[Will Lozier]

Like Sean A., Pennard was the first course that jumped to my mind!

The 3rd at Deal is a specific hole which to me is the best "flat" (in terms of no elevation gain/drop from tee to green) fairway. The 15th and 16th are special as well.

Per Ian's shout for Highland Links, I think the 2nd, 7th and 15th are the real gems out of a fabulous set.

[Ally Mcintosh]

The sixth at Westward Ho has fantastic moguls... But it isn't a patch on the fifth at Strandhill.

When viewing this short Youtube video from about the 1 min 35 secs mark I can see why you highlighted the 5th at Strandhill!


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LsjjOHsOknw


atb

Thanks for posting that, Thomas - that shows the moguls off really well.

We actually intend to change that hole slightly, playing it as a long par-4 with a softened dogleg using the ladies tee as the new back and re-routing the first 150 yards of the fairway. That way the first part of the hole will be as bumpy as the second half. Very little construction. Just mow what's there and bring on as fairway.

[Thomas Dai]

Ally,


I'm very much looking forward to playing Strandhill in early Sept, like a few others posting herein I'm sure. Shame you arn't able to be there as well.


I shall have a look at a satmap to view the change to the 5th you mention. I noticed the other day a short video on Youtube showing the bunker work that has been going on. - I posted a link to it on the post-Buda thread. If you wish for any particular photo angles while I'm there let me know.


Atb