More Island Greens

[Steve_ Shaffer]

"....most golfers won’t experience the thrill and anxiety of standing on the tee box of Sawgrass’s 17th. But that doesn’t mean they won’t get the chance to stare down a memorable and unique island green at some point. There are dozens of other options and imitators across the country, from the simple to the sublime.""From a design standpoint, the island green—or peninsula green in some cases for the sticklers out there —admittedly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. They’re kind of an all-or-nothing proposition. In most instances, you either hit the target and are rewarded… or miss and are penalized. But it’s hard to dispute they’re pretty memorable, especially when a golfer plays an island green for the first time or stumbles across one they didn’t know about at a new-to-them course."
Take a look:


https://linksmagazine.com/10-unsung-island-greens

[David_Tepper]

They missed an island green on a par-3 at Rooster Run GC (a muni in Petaluma, CA built 25-30 years ago) and at a par-5 at Old Orchard CC (Eatontown, NJ). The latter was built in 1929. The course claims a Tillinghast pedigree, but that has been disputed here. 

[MCirba]

They missed an island green on a par-3 at Rooster Run GC (a muni in Petaluma, CA built 25-30 years ago) and at a par-5 at Old Orchard CC (Eatontown, NJ). The latter was built in 1929. The course claims a Tillinghast pedigree, but that has been disputed here.

I'm the person responsible for incorrectly speculating that Old Orchard was designed by Tillinghast and the course has run with it.


I subsequently learned that it was designed by Plainfield professional Martin O'Laughlin who also designed holes 13-15 of that course and a few others in New Jersey.

[Matt_Cohn]

That one at Secession always looks scary. Seems like a tiny target.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

No picture:15th hole—Galen Hall Golf Club (Wernersville, Pa.) The par-three “Moat Hole” at this public course is a true island, with a small green designed by A.W. Tillinghast surrounded by a ribbon of water and multiple bridges providing access. Some golf historians have pointed to Galen Hall’s 15th as one of the first island greens created.

[MCirba]

The first in the US was the original 10th at Baltusrol and was a par four teeing off from the mountain up where the Upper Course is now, created almost certainly by George Low.


The green site still exists today, and it is still surrounded.. by sand now instead of water as the par three 16th hole of the Lower Course.


There were a slew of island greens built in the teens and twenties, some like the one at Galen Hall existing still today.

[Matthew Rose]

Here's one I played last week.  Hidden Valley in Wallan, Victoria.



I actually thought crossing the bridge was scarier than the actual shot. It had some pretty big chunks missing in the concrete.

[Edward Glidewell]

Oyster Bay in Sunset Beach, NC has two island greens two holes apart. The 15th is a long par 3 (and there's both a bunker and other grassed area around the green, so there's room to miss), and the 17th is a wedge par 3 with a small green with little room for error.

[Jim_Coleman]

   I think the 13th hole at Teeth of the Dog is Pete Dye’s first island green - an island surrounded by sand. It’s only 185 from the back; it’s the 18th stroke hole on the card; and it has been one of the two hardest holes vs. par in each of the three Latin American Ams played at the Teeth. Because the other three par threes are heroic ocean holes, 13 is often ignored.

[Anthony_Nysse]

#18 at Ponte Vedra Inn

[Tim Gavrich]

The two Ron Garl courses where I play each have one - one on a par 3 and one on a par 4. I've noticed over about eight years that the rate of green shrinkage on these holes is higher than elsewhere on the property, and that the topdressing has caused both green surfaces to rise a foot or so higher above the surrounding bulkheads than they were before. Pretty soon both island greens may also qualify as Volcano holes! 


Garl is responsible for the most unexpected island green I've encountered: at Brays Island in SC. It's a fascinating property overall, and the course is relatively understated and low-profile, but the par-3 13th sits in a huge open field with a pond that seems just large enough to accommodate an island green. It's an odd effect.


I do like the floating green at Coeur d'Alene for the kitsch factor.

[Carl Nichols]

I have a vague recollection (from ~20 years ago) that Mystic Dunes outside of Orlando had a par 3 with an island-like green.

[Cal Seifert]

Isn't the 17th at Sawgrass technically a peninsula?

[Charlie Goerges]

To the people who have played an island green: How interesting/exciting are they? Am I missing out having never played one?

[Wayne_Kozun]

Isn't Cour D'Alene the only true island green?

[MCirba]

#18 at Ponte Vedra Inn

Anthony,



Was it always 18 or were the holes renumbered in the latest re-do?

[Kalen Braley]

Wayne,

The hole at CDA isn't even an island, it more closely resembles a boat given it floats.     But I can confirm its a wicked cool golf experience having played it a few times.

PS.  Fully agreed with Cal, technically TPC sawgrass is NOT an island.

[Jim Sherma]

Golden Horseshoe - Gold


Downhill par three 16th hole. The whole course is a really good routing on an excellent piece of land with nothing gimmicky or goofy. 

[Anthony_Nysse]

#18 at Ponte Vedra Inn

Anthony,



Was it always 18 or were the holes renumbered in the latest re-do?

I'm not sure. I've never been onsite, unfortunately.

[David Cronan]

University Club of Kentucky, Big Blue Course. Hole #8.

[Phil Burr]

I've attached below a link to a comprehensive discussion of island greens.  They weren't invented by Pete Dye, but he certainly popularized them.  McDonald built one at The Creek, Flynn at Cherry Hills, RTJ Sr. at Golden Horseshoe, and countless others.  I think the discussion would be better served by differentiating between those found on natural island vs. those on artificial islands.  Those on natural islands can be discussed based on architectural merits.  For me, any island green on a manmade island is a DS 0.  The only exception to this is 17 at TPC Stadium, which is a DS 4 five days a year when it does what it's supposed to: pucker the sphincters of the best players in the world and provide some fun with the caddies taking their shots.  The other 360 days it reverts to a DS 0.  It's a gimmick that slows play and is unplayable for the majority of the amateur golfers who play the course.


And no, I don't make the distinction between island and peninsula.  I don't care how whether it's connected by a bridge or an earthen walkway.  If that distinction is important, then we can throw out Coeur d'Alene #14 because there's no such thing in nature as a floating island.


The ultimate guide to golf's island greens (golfpass.com)

[Steve_Lovett]

#18 at Ponte Vedra Inn

The island green on the Ocean Course at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is the 9th hole.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

The 6th at Abington Club in Jenkintown, PA, a 9hole course with a downhill  par3 of 156y. The Abington Club originated as Old York Road Country Club in 1909. Another " Moat Hole."
Thanks to Joe Bausch for the picture:

[Tim Leahy]

A great one at Lakeridge Golf Course in Reno, NV.
Elevated about 100 ft, 175yds with a great view of Reno and actually in a lake.
We have two in Sacramento. One at Emerald Lakes nine hole plays about 125 yds and one at Bartley Cavanaugh a Perry Dye course that is very short, about 75 yds and although technically an island green it's really a green surrounded by a
5 yd ditch.

[Jeff Schley]

Innwood Golf Course in Joliet, Ill. hole #2 has an island (peninsula) green.  Short par 4 about 330 yards. Nice feature for a muni.