What are Lehigh CC's weaknesses?

[Jim Franklin]

Love Lehigh, love the 11th hole. Can't think of a hole there I didn't like. It would be a tremendous club to be a member. And Mark, please tell Gregg I said hi.

[Bill Brightly]

First and foremost, Lehigh is an excellent course, with a bushelful of cool shots, ok? I could play here every day and love it. But this website is supposed to be dedicated to open and frank discussion about golf course architecture...

I have reviewed the old aerial photos and the tee box has not shifted since 1955, the oldest aerial. So I highly doubt that the longest hitters could reach the green in two when the course opened. Even with no irrigation and hard packed fairway conditions, I doubt players could loft a log shot to the green. To build a green so close to the Little Lehigh River might appear cool on paper, but an architect who does so leaves future superintendents with an inevitable problem.

The fact that John Burnes went for the green in two, missed the green in two but got a free drop for an embedded ball does NOT imply good gca. To the contrary, this is a weakness in design.

I've noted the high number of divot marks in the small second shot short of the river.This landing area is now about the size of a large green. ( Ib et 98% of the players target this area, so a large divot field is inevitable.  (I think there were no trees or cart paths when the hole was built


The fact that greenside bunkers can't be built due to the inevitable flooding speaks volumes from a design perspective. Why are you building a green in a flood zone? You might get away with this in the early 20th century.

Cool hole, but still connector hole in my mind.

[Mark_Fine]

Bill,
The landing area is massive!!!  You need to play there again.  Call me to play anytime.  We tend to forget how far a golf ball used to roll without irrigation.  By the way you never commented about #7 at Pine Valley which was Flynn's inspiration for #11?  Also the ball rarely imbeds in the grass hollows and I play with golfers who go for that green all the time.  As I said before, sand around that green would make the hole much easier and much more predictable.  I like a hazard that creates uncertainty and the grass hollows work well there especially with the stream so close.  I suggest we agree to disagree on this one.  One thing is certain though, hitting that green from the top of the hill is the most exhilarating shot on the golf course hands down.  Ask Ran who did just that and made eagle there 😉

[Jim Sherma]

Even though it has been many years since I've had the pleasure of playing Lehigh I have always loved it. the only tournament I ever won outright was the short lived Lehigh and Northampton County Golf Association's Junior tournament held there in 1984 or 83. I remember shooting a 78 to win my age group.

In the few times I played the course more recently I always tried to go for 11 thinking I would rather have the wedge out of the rough around the green instead of the chip over the stream from a soft and tight fairway lie. This simply plays to my dislike for hitting wedges off of softer turf and having a fairly good short game.

The first couple of times I played Lehigh was back around 1983 or 4 and the reputation of the course around the Lehigh Valley was akin to Northampton Country Club being a distinct step below Saucon Valley. Saucon's old course (I can only speak to the course as it stood through the mid 1990's and have not played it since the revisions) is also wonderful and it would be difficult to choose between the two. Outside of that there is not a course in the Lehigh Valley that is even close in my opinion.

Perceptions abouyt Lehigh have certainly changed since then. Absoloutely a wonderful course with a scale that perfectly fits the land.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Bill,
The landing area is massive!!!  You need to play there again.  Call me to play anytime.  We tend to forget how far a golf ball used to roll without irrigation.  By the way you never commented about #7 at Pine Valley which was Flynn's inspiration for #11?  Also the ball rarely imbeds in the grass hollows and I play with golfers who go for that green all the time.  As I said before, sand around that green would make the hole much easier and much more predictable.  I like a hazard that creates uncertainty and the grass hollows work well there especially with the stream so close.  I suggest we agree to disagree on this one.  One thing is certain though, hitting that green from the top of the hill is the most exhilarating shot on the golf course hands down.  Ask Ran who did just that and made eagle there

Mark,

I believed every word you typed, until you stated that Ran hit the green in two and made the putt for eagle.

I"m sure it must be a "Ran" other than Ran Morrissett, who possesses neither the talent nor the tactical awareness to go for the green in two

[Mark_Fine]

Hard to believe a short knocker like Ran Morrisett could reach that green in two let alone make the putt but yes I did witness the unlikely event 😊😊

[Tom Ferrell]

Mark Fine - how the hell are you, my friend?  Please tell John Chassard I said hello as well!

All - Lehigh CC is one of the finest examples of authentic Golden Age architecture I have encountered.  The property provides great interest - the hogback on #2(?) for instance.  The integration of the river's bends on #12 and #13 is absolutely masterful.  And even on the less inspiring parts of the property, Flynn used visual elements to great effect - several skyline-type greens mess with depth perception.

The drop-shot par-3s are fun to play, and I personally loved the 11th (went for it in two, made the greenside bunker if I remember correctly).

Of course, I was lucky enough to play Lehigh with Mark and John, so I really got a good first-hand look.  But the presence of and use of the river really make this course come alive.  Fantastic club and fantastic course.  Unquestionably a Top 100 Classic.

[Bill Brightly]

Bill,
The landing area is massive!!!  You need to play there again.  Call me to play anytime.  We tend to forget how far a golf ball used to roll without irrigation.  By the way you never commented about #7 at Pine Valley which was Flynn's inspiration for #11?  Also the ball rarely imbeds in the grass hollows and I play with golfers who go for that green all the time.  As I said before, sand around that green would make the hole much easier and much more predictable.  I like a hazard that creates uncertainty and the grass hollows work well there especially with the stream so close.  I suggest we agree to disagree on this one.  One thing is certain though, hitting that green from the top of the hill is the most exhilarating shot on the golf course hands down.  Ask Ran who did just that and made eagle there

I played PV two years ago but do not know Hole 7 well enough to comment.

The landing area on Lehigh's 11 is massive? I seem to recall that balls landing on the downslope will feed down to a flat area that was about as big as a large green. Maybe I am mistaken.

But in looking at old aerials photos it seems that the fairway was indeed much wider. In fact, it looks like there was a shared fairway with the adjacent hole. Is that true? Obviously, the advent of golf carts required a path for safety reasons, which created separation. But was there always a rough separation?

[Mark_Fine]

Tom,
Nice to hear from you. All is well and busy as ever!  We'll have to catch up.

Bill,
The shared fairway with #11 might have been with #15.  I'd have to look at some old aerials to see.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Hard to believe a short knocker like Ran Morrisett could reach that green in two let alone make the putt but yes I did witness the unlikely event


Are you sure that wasn't Bubba Watson ?

They look very much alike and every now and then, Bubba plays righty.