The impact on the play of a hole of a single small, low, well postioned mound

[Adam Clayman]

The 13th at Pacific Grove near Pebble Beach California.


To bookend this fine feature, on the front right side of the green there's their own "Valley of Sin". A micro version of it's namesake, but still with it's own mojo.

[mike_beene]

I guess the old Mae West hole at Bel-air had to many mounds that were too large to qualify. Not such a great feature on a par 3.

[Sean_A]

atb

I am on record many times in favour of centre-park mounding.  Like others have written, its a terribly under-used feature.  I know many mainly think of good mounding as more natural looking as on links, but if done well and placed well, mounds standing proud in a flat area can look very good.  Walton Heath has a few examples:

Looking back to the tee, the back of the huge centre-line bunker is in the background.


This isn't a small example, but folks get the idea.  Anyway, I am all for an archie experimenting with alpinization 

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Thomas - No that mound is actually directly behind the green, the principle of the hole was as a short 4 you could go brave and drive it, its sorta the equivilant of 275 yards as it is quite downhill, miss the green and its a very hard up and down. Smart play is a rescue and 60-80 yard pitch. We created a number of 'fast areas' both short of the green and on the green. It is a hole you have to learn, if you get it right first time its almost by default.

Thanks for the correction and the insight into playing the hole at Cumberwell Adrian.

Some fine examples posted herein. The Pacific Grove one seems pretty neat what with the fall-off and hollows on the other side.

Always nice to have to play features that are thought provoking rather than simply bland.

Are small, low mounds easy to make with modern 'big machines' or are they better made/finished by hand?

atb

[BCrosby]

The mound on the 8th at ANGC.  It has a profound effect on how you play the hole.

Bob

[Niall C]

Thomas

This was a favourite trick of James Braid. Is the course you mentioned in your opening post a Braid course ?

Provided the course is playing fast and firm (big if) then it really doesn't need to be that large a mound or have all that steep a slope. The more run on the ball also allows the mound to be dropped short.

A couple of really good ones that I can think of off the top of my head include the 16th at Gullane No 3 (left front half of green) and also the second at Killermont which is definitely a Braid design.

Another good feature is doing the opposite which is a slight depression. A good example of this is 15/20 yards short and to the right of the 1st at Machrihanish. You probably wouldn't notice it these days as a good drive gives you a short iron to the front edge or on the green. Twenty years ago it came into play particularly when you'd bailed out to the right with the drive. Of course, like a mound it works best when the conditions are fast and firm.

Niall

[David Ober]

The "small, well-positioned mound" is one of my favorite design features for sure. Can really change how you play a hole--especially if you miss the green short.

[Thomas Dai]

Thomas

This was a favourite trick of James Braid. Is the course you mentioned in your opening post a Braid course ?

Provided the course is playing fast and firm (big if) then it really doesn't need to be that large a mound or have all that steep a slope. The more run on the ball also allows the mound to be dropped short.

A couple of really good ones that I can think of off the top of my head include the 16th at Gullane No 3 (left front half of green) and also the second at Killermont which is definitely a Braid design.

Another good feature is doing the opposite which is a slight depression. A good example of this is 15/20 yards short and to the right of the 1st at Machrihanish. You probably wouldn't notice it these days as a good drive gives you a short iron to the front edge or on the green. Twenty years ago it came into play particularly when you'd bailed out to the right with the drive. Of course, like a mound it works best when the conditions are fast and firm.

Niall

Niall,

I don't believe B&C is a Braid. Not sure who did lay it out though. Anyone know?

As to your point about firm and fast and the use slight depressions I go along with your thoughts. A slight depression can be ever so nice and subtle and play tricky too especailly when the pin is at the front of a green, and even more so if there's tailwaind to contend with as well.

atb

[Adrian_Stiff]

Bristol and Clifton is a bit of an unknown design wise: C K Cotton certainly did work after the war. Braid could easily have had a hand in its first incarnation of 1891. I don't think its lots different, I suspect 13, 14, 15 and 16 are newer holes. There were a few holes left of the current 6th I think pre war (but I am not 100% of the date).

[Thomas Dai]

Miss post! Whoops!

links to - http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,60261.msg1425862.html#new

atb

[ward peyronnin]

Check out the review of the Cal Club and look at the eight hole ; a long ~210 yard downhill par three with bunker left and just the sort of mound favored in this thread. A really subtle par three optimizing a flattish green site with this device

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

#6 green at Crystal Downs, the finest subtle mound on a green I have ever seen that tiotally changes where you have to hit your appraoch to have a decent putt for birdie.
One of the best holes in golf.
I am sure somebody has a picture somewhere