Favorite finishing stretch

[Tommy Williamsen]

      I hate to admit it but sometimes I have a difficult time finishing off a round. I used to belong to a course that finished with a difficult par four, an easier par four, and a par five where birdie was very possible. I liked that finish.
It seems that so many courses end with a difficult par four. Not my favorite. It is safe to say the finish at Carnoustie eats me alive.
Every course has its own way to close out the course. Most offer birdie and bogey opportunities.
 
Baltusrol 3,5,5
Shinnecock 5,3,4
TPC Sawgrass 5,3,4
Whistling Straights 5,3,4
Pinehurst 2-5,3,4
ANGC 5,3,4,4
Pebble 4,3,5
NGLA 4,4,5
Olympic Lake 5,5,4
PV 4,4,4
Old Course 4,4,4
Oakmont 3,4,4
Merion 4,3,4
 
I prefer a 4,3,5 or 3,4,5,finishing stretch. It feels like the course in miniature.
 
Do you have a favorite finishing stretch?
 

[Pat Burke]

I was typically not a great par five player by professional standards,
But I loved the finish at Victoria on the Sandbelt.


Probaly self bias, I seemed to play it well, but longish par three
Long par five
Short par five


16 was a difficult par three, required a well struck mid/ long iron when I played there


17 I felt it was a difficult tee shot, probably less so these days.  Assume guys can fly the bunker on the left side now
Right side of green was well protected


18  easy par five, but love the green running front to back.  Have to really judge the runout when approaching the green with a second shot. 

[Sean_A]

My initial thought went immediately to TOC or Prestwick, but then I thought North Berwick.  The "finishing" stretch is actually 13-18. I would require quite some additional thinking to come with anything remotely close.

Ciao

[Greg Tallman]

Sadly NLE

[Ira Fishman]

My initial thought went immediately to TOC or Prestwick, but then I thought North Berwick.  The "finishing" stretch is actually 13-18. I would require quite some additional thinking to come with anything remotely close.

Ciao

Sean,


My first play at North Berwick comes this year. But if we are going all the way back to Number 13, The Island Club is tough to beat.


Last three though for me is Golspie and Mid Pines. Both reflect the character of the course brilliantly.


Ira

[Steve Lapper]

Tommy,


  Having played your previous list, none come close to balancing fun, difficulty with risk and reward, than Sand Hills. It's 5-3-4 finish is a shotmaker's dream. All three are potential birdies or bogeys.


   Few, if any, inland stretches are more dramatic or as aesthetically pleasing.

[Brock Lynch]

La Purisima in CA. If you've played there, you know how solid this 5,4,3,4 finish is. Trying to get a good round to the clubhouse here is as tough as I've ever played.

[Carl Rogers]

The short 4, long 3 and long 5 at Pacific Dunes.  Clearly these holes get little attention relative to the anticipation of 3, the drama of 4, 10, 11, 13 & 14.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Tommy,


  Having played your previous list, none come close to balancing fun, difficulty with risk and reward, than Sand Hills. It's 5-3-4 finish is a shotmaker's dream. All three are potential birdies or bogeys.


   Few, if any, inland stretches are more dramatic or as aesthetically pleasing.

I have played that list as well, sans ANGC and agree that the finish at Sand Hills is extraordinary. Sixteen is gettable and 17 might just be one of the great shortish par threes on the globe. I find 18 a wonderful finisher. Of course, the first stretch of holes, 5,4,3 is a pretty awesome way to start.

[Tommy Williamsen]

La Purisima in CA. If you've played there, you know how solid this 5,4,3,4 finish is. Trying to get a good round to the clubhouse here is as tough as I've ever played.

I played La Purisima a few years ago. It is one of those "hidden gems" to easterners like me. It was difficult most of the way around without being overly long fro the member tees. I was just trying to hang on over the last few holes. Good call.

[JESII]

Kingsmill River Course goes 5-4-3-4 and was always really exciting to get to in college tournaments. There's opportunity and peril and really cool setting.


Probably the worst beat of my career on #18 there...

[Ally Mcintosh]

Best finishes in Ireland:


The Island (last 6)
Carne (last 4)
Portmarnock (last 5)
Waterville (last 3)


All the other big courses have a hole or two that let down the finish in comparison to the rest of the holes.

[Terry Lavin]

Here in Chicago I’m quite fond of Olympia North’s final four: 5,3,4,4.

[Mark Pearce]

Muirfield's 4-3-5-4 finish is pretty special