Glens Falls - 18 through 17

[Mike Hendren]

Is there any merit to playing the current one-shot 18th as the 1st?   It eliminates two unnecessary walks and yields a stellar finisher.   

Mike

[Ian Andrew]

Thought I would share the walk ...





Since I leave my clubs behind in both cases ... I never considered this a particularly bad walk.
... and yes it has been recommended by others before (but not by me)

[Brian Finn]

How long a hole is it?  If it required a long iron or more club, I'd be reluctant to play it as a 1st hole.  At my new home course, play often begins at the 3rd hole (200+) during the winter, as the 1st two holes take longer to defrost.  It's already the toughest hole (for me), and as the first hole of the day it is even more challenging.

Is the walk particularly onerous?  Is it a matter of flow?

All else equal, I would prefer a par 3 finisher to a par 3 1st hole (especially one that plays over water).

Either way, looks like a great hole.

[Adam_Messix]

Starting with a par 3 opener is not an efficient way to get play onto the course because you have to wait for the group in front to complete the hole to start another group.  Although with the clubhouse literally by the 18th tee, you'd think about it.  Par 5s...  and ironically that is what Glens Falls CC starts are better at getting groups away quickly unless you have a bunch of guys going for the green in 2 and waiting a long time to play their approach.

[Ronald Montesano]

That first hole...THAT FIRST HOLE!!!

[jeffwarne]

Starting with a par 3 opener is not an efficient way to get play onto the course because you have to wait for the group in front to complete the hole to start another group.  Although with the clubhouse literally by the 18th tee, you'd think about it.  Par 5s...  and ironically that is what Glens Falls CC starts are better at getting groups away quickly unless you have a bunch of guys going for the green in 2 and waiting a long time to play their approach.

I would much prefer players START on a par 3 because it creates the natural spacing that players almost always fail to build in when starting a round without a disciplined experienced starter.
Almost always groups hit as soon as the group in front is just clear and that puts too many groups out too fast, inevitably causing a log jam.
If a par 3 falls early in the front nine, almost always the pro shp phone is ringing early and  often.
Better to wait on one shot-the first--  and likely never again.

[Jon Cavalier]

I hadn't considered this, but I really like the idea of finishing the round on 17 above the clubhouse.


Here's a few gratuitous photos (because that's what I'm here for):


For those unfamiliar, the par-3 18th tee is bottom right, and the green is center of frame:



This shot give an idea of the walk involved - the 17th green is just out of frame bottom right:



Wide angle of the 18th green and 1st tee:



18th green, from 1st fairway:

[Adam_Messix]

Jeff


Your idea works if you are willing and able to have well spaced tee times or none at all with a patient membership.  In the normal progression of a round, a par 3 is going to take 10 minutes to play and given that the first tee usually takes longer (getting out a golf ball/tees, bets, stretch, extra practice swings and the like)  Once you get past the 1st hole, your comments are spot on.  The worst thing is a par 3 2nd or a long par 3 third where logjam often occur.


As an aside would someone help me with a question.  What part of the 18th green is original and what was added or is the while green original?

[jeffwarne]

Jeff


Your idea works if you are willing and able to have well spaced tee times or none at all with a patient membership.  In the normal progression of a round, a par 3 is going to take 10 minutes to play and given that the first tee usually takes longer (getting out a golf ball/tees, bets, stretch, extra practice swings and the like)  Once you get past the 1st hole, your comments are spot on.  The worst thing is a par 3 2nd or a long par 3 third where logjam often occur.

Correct,
All of the things you mention that take longer on the first tee-bets, ball/tees/stretch. practice swings-are going to happen anyway.
So why not have them take place while you wait for the group in front to putt out anyway-rather than when it's clearly your turn and the group behind and strter are pulling their hair out wondering why you won't play away.
Anything less than 10 minutes is going to create problems anyway with 3 and 4 balls.


As you say,especially with an early par three, tee times packed tight together are a recipe for early round frustration.

[Mike Hendren]

Adam, it's my understanding that the lower left portion of the green is original and that the back right plateau was added later.   I could be wrong.

My bottom line is that after finishing a slightly difficult walk, I prefer not to trudge 175 yards back uphill to an adult beverage or the trunk of my car.   One could also finish his warm-up on the range with the club that he'll play on the new 1st. 

What a splendid golf course. 

[BCowan]

I haven't played the course, though it is high on my list of importance. I think Mr Bogey and Warne are spot on.  I think Pace of play issues are cultural anyway.  It makes logical sense to play #18 as the 1st.  Might lead to less breakfast balls off the first tee due to a much shorter club being swung.   

[Ronald Montesano]

I believe that #1 is better as a first hole than #17 is as a closer.


You can order lunch/dinner from #18 tee, and it will be well on its way by the time you finish. This is a reverse-Merion East, where you hit the final tee shot in full view of the membership, rather than the first. It's unique and it's spectacular.


The restorative architect of record has weighed in.


One should be able to make that walk.


In Ran's review of GFCC (http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/glens-falls-country-club/) a mention of #17 from a 1923 Golf Illustrated article calls it the best par four hole on the course. No idea what the writer was thinking, but he was wrong then and is wrong now. It might be in the top five, but I would pick four other two-shotters to play again and again (#1, #2, #3, #7 on the front side alone.)


Part of the charm of the course is the setting in which it begins. I would rather begin on that island-ish tee than have it be the 2nd hole.


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And for those interested, cancer fund raiser (unrelated to Glens Falls CC) on March 8th:


http://give.roswellpark.org/site/TR/SpecialEvents/General?px=1078175&pg=personal&fr_id=1110