Great architectural features that no longer serve their intended function

[Jason Thurman]

I signed on today and noticed that the discussion board’s Ignore List feature wasn’t working. Like an overwatered Redan with a kickplate too soft to bounce a ball toward the target, it’s a great feature and I was sad to see that it no longer serves its intended function.
 
What are some other specific examples of great architectural features that no longer work for one reason or another?

[BHoover]

Cross bunkers placed 20-30 yards short of greens.

[Dan Kelly]

Jason --


Not sure you'd call this a "feature," but ...


In an age when everyone can carry a range-finder, I'd think that architects' purposeful optical distance-illusions aren't very effective anymore.


I suppose people will say that, like a blind shot's being a blind shot only once, an optical illusion is an optical illusion only once ... but that wasn't my experience.


Dan

[Patrick_Mucci]

Dan,


I agree.


Brian,


I disagree.


They remain effective for less than well struck approach shot's.


In my most recent play of the 3rd hole at GCGC two golfers in my group found them quite easily

[MCirba]

I would agree with Patrick.   Perhaps the very best golfers no longer concern themselves with cross bunkers but for the vast majority of us they still get in your head and actually function to create strategy and sometimes dictate play.

I came across a sweet one at Alwoodley last month on the par five 8th hole.   The cool thing was that it is a dogleg left with danger all along the left.   However, bailing out the drive to the right REALLY brings the cross bunker into play for the second shot.   Here's a pic from Ran's profile.

btw...just as an aside, Mackenzie was a freaking genius.

[BHoover]

I meant that cross bunkers aren't an issue for me! 

Patrick, I'm sure your last round at GCGC was a lovely way to spend a weekday. I don't think cross bunkers are irrelevant per se, but they probably aren't the imposing obstacles that they were 100 years ago.

I think they are a great feature, regardless of how often one finds them.

[Tim_Weiman]

Brian,


I agree with Pat and Mike. For the vast majority of golfers, cross bunkers are very relevant.

[BHoover]

I have conceded that they are not irrelevant, certainly not for everyone. But I do wonder whether they are truly the hazards they were 100 years ago.

[Jason Thurman]

The "intended function" part of the question is important. Cross bunkers some 40 yards short of the green are always going to catch some errant shots. But if we believe they were originally designed as a hazard to be carried by just a few yards to allow a shot to run onto the green, they certainly don't serve that purpose anymore in a majority of cases.

[BHoover]

The "intended function" part of the question is important. Cross bunkers some 40 yards short of the green are always going to catch some errant shots. But if we believe they were originally designed as a hazard to be carried by just a few yards to allow a shot to run onto the green, they certainly don't serve that purpose anymore in a majority of cases.

This was my point, which I obviously forgot to state explicitly.

[James Brown]

Cross bunkers placed 20-30 yards short of greens.

Maybe for the pros, but on a course with deep rough there are still very much a factor.

[Patrick_Mucci]

I have conceded that they are not irrelevant, certainly not for everyone. But I do wonder whether they are truly the hazards they were 100 years ago.

Brian,

I think the more aerial nature of the game has made them less effective, as have range finders and GPS imaging, but golfers still have to traverse them by planning and executing well.

The cross bunker on # 6 at Mountain Ridge remains very, very effective.

[Patrick_Mucci]

I meant that cross bunkers aren't an issue for me! 


Brian,

Then you haven't played # 6 at Mountain Ridge.

Patrick, I'm sure your last round at GCGC was a lovely way to spend a weekday.


My last play was on a weekend, in fact, a good deal of my play is with my son on weekends.


I don't think cross bunkers are irrelevant per se, but they probably aren't the imposing obstacles that they were 100 years ago.

I think they are a great feature, regardless of how often one finds them.

[BHoover]

I meant that cross bunkers aren't an issue for me! 


Brian,

Then you haven't played # 6 at Mountain Ridge.

Patrick, I'm sure your last round at GCGC was a lovely way to spend a weekday.


My last play was on a weekend, in fact, a good deal of my play is with my son on weekends.


I don't think cross bunkers are irrelevant per se, but they probably aren't the imposing obstacles that they were 100 years ago.

I think they are a great feature, regardless of how often one finds them.

I have not played Mountain Ridge. I would be happy to put my theory to the test.

It must be awesome to spend the weekend (or any day of the week) playing golf with your son. My son is almost two and I look forward to the day he can play (and I can tell my wife that I have to go play golf so I can be a good father!).

[Keith OHalloran]

I meant that cross bunkers aren't an issue for me! 


Brian,

Then you haven't played # 6 at Mountain Ridge.

Patrick, I'm sure your last round at GCGC was a lovely way to spend a weekday.


My last play was on a weekend, in fact, a good deal of my play is with my son on weekends.


I don't think cross bunkers are irrelevant per se, but they probably aren't the imposing obstacles that they were 100 years ago.

I think they are a great feature, regardless of how often one finds them.

I have not played Mountain Ridge. I would be happy to put my theory to the test.

It must be awesome to spend the weekend (or any day of the week) playing golf with your son. My son is almost two and I look forward to the day he can play (and I can tell my wife that I have to go play golf so I can be a good father!).

Maybe when you do play with your son, you can put your arm around his shoulder while you guys are walking down a fairway as the sun sets and no one else is around, and tell him the story about how wrong you were about cross bunkers becoming obsolete.

[John Connolly]

I guess you have to define "intended function". If aesthetic enhancement represents a type of design function, I think cross/fore bunkers near the green continue to be relevant - and as such, always will be.

[Ronald Montesano]

Is the consensus that all great architectural features continue to work?


I'll nominate the Biarritz swale, as it is difficult to run a ball through a swale with a hybrid.


On that topic, it's interesting to find courses where the front part of the Biarritz is not mowed as green, and to listen to the rationale that it should not be cut tight.

[Tom_Doak]

I was thinking the first thing you'd mention was the bunker on the 10th at Augusta.  The green it defended is long gone, but the bunker was so cool they kept it anyway.  As far as I know, Tom Weiskopf is the only player ever to drive into it during The Masters.

[Mike_Trenham]

Landing zones on drives that were uphill and now players carry to a downhill area and get a turbo boost.

[Kirk Gill]

It seems like larger, flatter greenside bunkers don't provide much of a threat any more. I know a lot of players who would rather be in greenside bunkers than in greenside rough.

[Bill Brightly]

Is the consensus that all great architectural features continue to work?


I'll nominate the Biarritz swale, as it is difficult to run a ball through a swale with a hybrid.


On that topic, it's interesting to find courses where the front part of the Biarritz is not mowed as green, and to listen to the rationale that it should not be cut tight.

You beat me to it: I've come to believe that most Biarritz holes do not play as intended for any player who can carry the ball to the rear putting section. Almost all will choose to fly the ball to the pin and on most US parkland courses, the ball will hold the green. At my club, running it through the swale is almost never the player's choice, even though it will work. Personally, I choose to fly it so my misses are in the second set of bunkers, not the front set where even making a bogey is no easy feat. I simply cannot keep the low running shot straight enough.