As we were playing, I did not think Minchinhampton had many weak holes at all. #1 and #2 were both long testing holes, full of interest around the greens, hardly what I would call weak even if you could hit away without much concern. #3 was a bit of a lull, as was #5 ... after that it was all good to very good. I guess #12 was kind of weak, but after a poor drive I had to get my second shot up over 15-20 cows lying at rest all over the fairway and rough, so that was memorable, anyway.
Some Minch' Old thoughts - note: the course has only 2 greenkeepers and no irrigation system -
1st - very open aspect from the tee but angle is important, lots of interesting humps and hollows near the green - I remember a recent quiet "wow!" from a playing partner as this green appeared.
2nd - good hole, blindness, dead ground, earthworks, interesting green
3rd - a hole easy to take for granted, alignment from the tee not easy, green looks bland but is a gentle dome shape
4th - bit of a sleeper hole. Diagonal crossing earthworks. Usually downwind and difficult to stop the ball on no-irrigated green, easily misjudged
5th - not a favourite hole of mine, 'luck' needed around the green
6th - fine hole, would have been terrific when played over the road and quarry before the H&S changes. Nice use of high banked diagonal crossing earthworks
7th - a very under-rated hole IMO. Needs positioning from tee and care into green. Huge deep hollow close on left side of diagonal green. Old hole before H&S changes must have been a bit special.
8th - super par-3. A hole not easily forgotten.
9th - first class hole. Pretty open from the tee but positioning to the left is key to get an angle to a very, very good greensite
10th - nice little small green par-3 as is. Pre-H&S hole over quarry to green by road must have been pretty epic
11th - sunken green is unusual/memorable but there are other par-4's at M-O that seem less interesting but actually provide more challenge
12th - very open aspect from the tee, need to miss "Tom's cows!". When played over the high banked earthworks to the pre-H&S greensite this would have been an really epic par-5
13th - strong hole with high diagonal crossing earthworks plus road on the right. Green a bit bland
14th - bland par-3 unless hit left over earthworks. Former hole was par-4 played over high diagonal earthworks and two roads.
15th - a better hole than it first seems. Tee used to be back over the road on a different angle. Now played over the earthworks from the tee, a surprisingly long carry into a decent wind, need the correct angle for the shot into a green that slopes away
16th - delightful par-3 over a quarry with the road behind. Very sloped green. Miss the green anywhere or be on the green but at the rear and is probably going to be a bogey that's written on the card
17th - nicely angled tempting short par-4 over quarry workings. Pre-H&S the tee used to be back over the road. Surprisingly long carry into a decent wind, left side looks best but gives no shot as green is over slight mound and falls away to the rear.
18th - straightforward uphill par-4, some humps and hollows around the green
Summary - 4 blandish holes - 3rd, 5th, 14th and 18th - whilst the others all seem to have something to offer.
Atb