Six at LA North

[Tommy Williamsen]

Number six at LA North is one of the most pleasurable holes I've ever played. Watching the pros solve the puzzle the hole provides is fun. There are as many shot options as there are golfers. Do I go left? If so, how close to the Barranco do I hit it? Can I hit a wedge precisely enough to keep it on the green? Does pin position determine the placement of my tee ball? Do I dare hit it over the tree and try to get close to the green on the right?


The forward tees do not take off much distance, just a few paces. It plays at about 320 yards. My host recommended that I hit three tee balls to different locations and then play them in. My best route was to hit it to about 75 yards, then hit a 56-degree sand wedge.


There are not many better short par fours around.


[/font]

[Tom_Doak]

Tommy:


I'm not sure I can agree.  I don't know the hole well . . . I have only played it twice . . . but between the blind tee shot and the angle of the green, I don't think I have any of the shots it calls for.  So then what?

[Tommy Williamsen]

Tom, the tee shot might be blind, but the left fairway is a very large target. The tick shot is the second one. I don't put much spin on the ball, so the second shot must be precise. I tried to hit the tee ball over the tree on the right, but that didn't go very well, and I don't have a lot of carry anymore.


How do you feel about 16 at Pacific Dunes?

[Thomas Dai]

Curious to know if you lay-up is your approach shot likely to be played from a downslope or a sideslope or combination of both?
Also is the lay-up area likely to be full of divots?
atb

[Rob Marshall]

Tommy:


I'm not sure I can agree.  I don't know the hole well . . . I have only played it twice . . . but between the blind tee shot and the angle of the green, I don't think I have any of the shots it calls for.  So then what?

Firmly with tongue in cheek, “work on your game”.   

[Tom_Doak]

Tom, the tee shot might be blind, but the left fairway is a very large target. The tick shot is the second one. I don't put much spin on the ball, so the second shot must be precise. I tried to hit the tee ball over the tree on the right, but that didn't go very well, and I don't have a lot of carry anymore.


How do you feel about 16 at Pacific Dunes?

16 at Pacific Dunes is hard, but you can see exactly what you're doing from the fairway, and if you play left you have a reasonable angle down the length of the green toward my little emergency ramp at the back.  Maybe some pros can get to a reasonable angle for the second shot on 6 at LACC, but you and I can't; as you say, the second shot must be very precise and have a lot of spin, because it's only got a few yards to land on the diagonal across the green.

[Tommy Williamsen]

The dilemma for guys like me that don’t spin your shots too much, is keeping the second shot on the green. From 75 yards I’m ok, but put me back to 90 and I’d be lost.

[Peter Gannon]

Somehow, I got to play LACC in 2015 (ain't golf great), and loved 6.  Our pin location was front, so my host suggest driving past the pin location toward the end of the fairway, then wedge back up with angle to have more green to work with.  Parred, and loved having to hit past a green to get back to the green.  Loved the hole.


We did the "course within a course" Thomas tees, and 7 was a par 4 for us.  5 iron off tee.  Amazing course.  Very thankful to my host for having me.  He was a retired attorney, said all the lawyers at LACC call the bump on 15 the "Judges Coffin".  Funny guy.

[Tommy Naccarato]

Tommy:


I'm not sure I can agree.  I don't know the hole well . . . I have only played it twice . . . but between the blind tee shot and the angle of the green, I don't think I have any of the shots it calls for.  So then what?

Tom, There is a shot for you, where you can use the entire length of the green. It require’s playing the ball straight, longer off the tee if you choose to go left, literally driving past the green where you can hit back up to it!  Originally, that shot wasn’t on Thomas’ hole, but was added later by Geoff idea, and I thought it was brilliant!  That area was originally the approach of the Fowler’s 6th green, which backed up to the Barranca.


If that doesn’t work, then I can only suggest sacrificing distance off the tee by finding and using a ball-type with more spin and learning either the the High Lob or Punch and Bite shot.  If not, then practice for those sand & out of tall fescue shots! 😂🤣😂🤣


I ❤️LA!

[Ian Mackenzie]

I played it twice in the last two years.
Once from 7100 yards and once from (i think) around 6700.


Each time I found the 6th hole to be a nice easy hole and a welcome break on the front 9.


21 degree hybrid played downhill to a very welcoming fairway.
SW or GW to green depending on how far left your tee shot went.


Then batten down the hatches for your tee shot on 7!


Played with LACC club champion and director of instruction (whom I have known since he was 10) who both played it the same way.


Really cool hole, but hardly a puzzle.

[Jeff_Brauer]

How often was it driven in the US Open (successfully, and no. of attempts) if anyone knows?  That green and opening look awfully small to me, i.e., smaller than what guys like Erik B would say is smart.


Haven't played there in many years, and at the time, I don't think the alternate fw was there, only one way to play.  Yes, not as many options, but also, I wonder if over time it was so little used that they just took it out.  So, what did Gil do to enhance the option from the original?


And, WTH, but GS added a feature that was not the original design intent?  Should heads roll?  LOL

[Tommy Naccarato]

Jeff, I think Geoff recognized something that provided a cool option.  How many modern designers are doing that?!?! But such is the term, “sympathetic restoration” required with today’s play and equipment.  BTW, for those that don’t think Geoff is an astute, authoritative and competent designer and brilliant voice on architecture, well you should probably re-think that!  Geoff oversaw the entire green rebuild and then bunker rebuild in 2020/2021.  I was there with him, and he did so while enduring one of the most tragic times in his life-the long and painful death of his Mother from Covid-19.


In my opinion, Geoff deserves a victory lap or two around LACC.  If it wasn’t for him, not only does the place not get restored, but the Open never happens there!  That’s my opinion as I witnessed it all!



There are other areas at LACC which were expanded, or built upon, like the very back left pin on #8 which never existed, but it allowed—with complete original design intent—for the hole to challenge modern play.  I think, and in my opinion, many don’t understand the concept of half-pars in strategic architecture.  At least many didn’t profess it until Geoff, Gil, Jim, Russ Myers, and I’ll do the unthinkable here and include myself in the assist, revealed just how GREAT Captain Thomas’ architecture really is! (Those guys are the rightful credited heroes, but I did have input)


“Furthermore, the skill required on holes of shorter length should be as great as on long holes.”-Capt. Geo. C. Thomas Jr.


Geoff building stacked tall fescue faces at LACC…