Stretches of Holes

[Ira Fishman]

I particularly am partial to courses that have a five or more stretch of holes that are both very good and varied. Some examples in no particular order:


Elie 8-14
Pasatiempo 10-16
Streamsong Blue 13-18
Crail Balcomie 2-8
North Berwick 13-18
Golspie 2-8
Yale 8-14
Lahinch 3-9


Ira

[Ian Andrew]

Highland Links - 2 through 7
Massive undulations, oceanside holes, estuary, mountains ...
Long holes, short holes, drivable, downhill, sidehill, uphill, treed, wide open in a mountain pass....
It's a favourite stretch of golf anywhere.

[Ally Mcintosh]

I see David Jones / UK Golf Guy is starting to refer to Ireland’s Big Six (because St Patrick’s has now jumped Portmarnock in the GOLF ranking).


I’m not entirely sure I didn’t invent the Big Five moniker; but I’ve been including Baltray in a Big Six for some time now, exactly because it has two of the best stretches of holes in Ireland: 3-7 and 12-16.

[David_Tepper]

"Golspie 2-8"

Ira -

I am surprised you stopped at #8.  #9 is one of the best par-4's in the Highlands and #10 is a real good par-3.

DT

[Jeff Schley]

From the recently dropped like a rock in the rankings, Cape Wickham.  Actually 2.    Holes 9-12 are outstanding.  But also enjoy the mini 4 hole look at the end.  Hole 15-18.

[mike_malone]

I offer Rolling Green 7 to 15 as a joyous stretch.


10 to 17 Philadelphia CC


1 through 8 Lehigh

[Tommy Williamsen]

Highland Links - 2 through 7
Massive undulations, oceanside holes, estuary, mountains ...
Long holes, short holes, drivable, downhill, sidehill, uphill, treed, wide open in a mountain pass....
It's a favourite stretch of golf anywhere.

Good call. I’ll go to the other side of the island and throw out 14-18 at Cabot Cliffs.
I’ll add 5-10 at Westward Ho! Before the changes made.

[Tom_Doak]

Personally I would pick holes 3-7 or 3-8 at Streamsong Blue ahead of 13-18 as the best stretch of holes on the course, which just goes to show that this criterion is as subjective as all the others.


But, I think it's true that great courses stand apart by having stretches of great holes.  If there is a top 50 course that doesn't have one, it's probably a poseur.

[Sean_A]

Personally I would pick holes 3-7 or 3-8 at Streamsong Blue ahead of 13-18 as the best stretch of holes on the course, which just goes to show that this criterion is as subjective as all the others.


But, I think it's true that great courses stand apart by having stretches of great holes.  If there is a top 50 course that doesn't have one, it's probably a poseur.

I think most people will “find” a stretch if they think highly of a course. I look for stretches when a little mentioned course impresses me. A few are Cardigan 14-17, Alnmouth Village 4-7, Covesea 3-5, Cavendish 13-15 and Culver 1-4.

Then there are the two stretch courses. Your St Pat’s is a clear candidate with 1-5 and 9-12.

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

Personally I would pick holes 3-7 or 3-8 at Streamsong Blue ahead of 13-18 as the best stretch of holes on the course, which just goes to show that this criterion is as subjective as all the others.


But, I think it's true that great courses stand apart by having stretches of great holes.  If there is a top 50 course that doesn't have one, it's probably a poseur.

I think most people will “find” a stretch if they think highly of a course. I look for stretches when a little mentioned course impresses me. A few are Cardigan 14-17, Alnmouth Village 4-7, Covesea 3-5, Cavendish 13-15 and Culver 1-4.

Ciao

I might refer the gentleman back to Ira’s original post where he’s looking for 5 or more holes.

[Sean_A]

Personally I would pick holes 3-7 or 3-8 at Streamsong Blue ahead of 13-18 as the best stretch of holes on the course, which just goes to show that this criterion is as subjective as all the others.


But, I think it's true that great courses stand apart by having stretches of great holes.  If there is a top 50 course that doesn't have one, it's probably a poseur.

I think most people will “find” a stretch if they think highly of a course. I look for stretches when a little mentioned course impresses me. A few are Cardigan 14-17, Alnmouth Village 4-7, Covesea 3-5, Cavendish 13-15 and Culver 1-4.

Ciao

I might refer the gentleman back to Ira’s original post where he’s looking for 5 or more holes.

Even more liberties will be taken with stretches of 5 holes. In my experience this is extremely rare. I am not sure TOC can make this claim. As I say, people see what they want to be the case. It’s the varied aspect of the assertion which makes it tough to achieve.


Ciao

[Paul Rudovsky]

Maidstone 7-14

[Ally Mcintosh]

Personally I would pick holes 3-7 or 3-8 at Streamsong Blue ahead of 13-18 as the best stretch of holes on the course, which just goes to show that this criterion is as subjective as all the others.


But, I think it's true that great courses stand apart by having stretches of great holes.  If there is a top 50 course that doesn't have one, it's probably a poseur.

I think most people will “find” a stretch if they think highly of a course. I look for stretches when a little mentioned course impresses me. A few are Cardigan 14-17, Alnmouth Village 4-7, Covesea 3-5, Cavendish 13-15 and Culver 1-4.

Ciao

I might refer the gentleman back to Ira’s original post where he’s looking for 5 or more holes.

Even more liberties will be taken with stretches of 5 holes. In my experience this is extremely rare. I am not sure TOC can make this claim. As I say, people see what they want to be the case. It’s the varied aspect of the assertion which makes it tough to achieve.


Ciao

You’re no fun, Arble!


In theory, there should be less answers to the question, hence why I brought up the one course that I think is underrated and the primary reason why I think that is so (namely that it is has two world class stretches of 5 holes).


The Old Course 11-17 was always the obvious one for me… but partly to your point, that depends on whether you can extend your imagination to include 15 in there.

[Sean_A]

Personally I would pick holes 3-7 or 3-8 at Streamsong Blue ahead of 13-18 as the best stretch of holes on the course, which just goes to show that this criterion is as subjective as all the others.


But, I think it's true that great courses stand apart by having stretches of great holes.  If there is a top 50 course that doesn't have one, it's probably a poseur.

I think most people will “find” a stretch if they think highly of a course. I look for stretches when a little mentioned course impresses me. A few are Cardigan 14-17, Alnmouth Village 4-7, Covesea 3-5, Cavendish 13-15 and Culver 1-4.

Ciao

I might refer the gentleman back to Ira’s original post where he’s looking for 5 or more holes.

Even more liberties will be taken with stretches of 5 holes. In my experience this is extremely rare. I am not sure TOC can make this claim. As I say, people see what they want to be the case. It’s the varied aspect of the assertion which makes it tough to achieve.


Ciao

You’re no fun, Arble!


In theory, there should be less answers to the question, hence why I brought up the one course that I think is underrated and the primary reason why I think that is so (namely that it is has two world class stretches of 5 holes).


The Old Course 11-17 was always the obvious one for me… but partly to your point, that depends on whether you can extend your imagination to include 15 in there.

15 is the ? for 11-16. It’s a good hole, but not one to associate with greatness.

I can see St Pat’s jumping into the two 5 hole stretch category. I could be convinced that 9-12 could be extended through 14, but I have doubts. I need to see 13 and 14 in different wind. I think this is a better stretch than 12-16 at Baltray 😎.

Ciao

[Tim Martin]

Fishers Island 3-12

[Ira Fishman]

I should have been more precise in my OP. I put equal weight on the holes being very good (not necessarily all great) and having variety.


I did not include 11-17 at TOC because I still am processing whether I understood the course well enough to assess/fully appreciate it.


Others that came to mind:


Somerset Hills 11-17
CPC 12-17


I agree completely that one stretches (pun intended) to find such stretches on favorite courses, but I am pretty confident in the quality of my choices. And I do not think such stretches exist on some of my favorite courses.


Ira

[Brett Meyer]

The stretch that really jumps out to me is 7-12 on Sunningdale's Old course. What a diverse--and a bit strange--stretch of holes.

It starts with the drive on 7, which is one of the funkiest looking blind drives I've seen. But then you clear the hill and see a magnificent view of the rest of the hole, framed by the pine forest. It's one of the biggest surprises that I've ever experienced on a golf course. Then you have two of the greatest short par 4s that I've played, 9 and 11, and two of the greatest long ones, 10 and 12.

As short par 4s, 9 and 11 couldn't be much more different. The drive on 11 is a bit of deja vu from 7, but in this case the placement is really important--the pitch is much easier if you're up the right side, near the line of trees. 9 is a great drivable par 4. It's pretty easy if the pin is on the left but if it's on the narrow back-right tier, I'm not sure I've seen a hole where the tee shot placement is so important.

And the same stretch at one of the other top heathland courses, Swinley Forest is almost as good. It's not as odd so it's not as charming, but 9 and 12 are two of the world's best long par 4s and I love the uphill approach into the 7th green.

[Tim Leahy]

Too obvious?
Pebble Beach 4-10
Spyglass Hill 1-5
Torrey Pines South 12-18
Kapalua Plantation 11-18
Olympic Lake 1-8
Diamante Dunes 12-18
Augusta National 10-18

[Brian Finn]

I really love the stretch of 4 through 8 at Riviera.  Tremendous variety, and I'm not even certain it's the best 5 hole stretch on the course, but it is a favorite. 

[John Connolly]

Crystal Downs 4 thru 8.

[Mark Pearce]

"Golspie 2-8"

Ira -

I am surprised you stopped at #8.  #9 is one of the best par-4's in the Highlands and #10 is a real good par-3.

DT

9 at Golspie would be one of the better holes at any of the great heathland courses in Surrey/Berkshire.  It is a great hole.

[Mark Pearce]

I should have been more precise in my OP. I put equal weight on the holes being very good (not necessarily all great) and having variety.

And this is my problem with your inclusion of Crail Balcomie.  I'm not convinced that 6 is a good hole, let alone a very good one.  I could argue for 7-14, though.....

[Ira Fishman]

"Golspie 2-8"

Ira -

I am surprised you stopped at #8.  #9 is one of the best par-4's in the Highlands and #10 is a real good par-3.

DT

9 at Golspie would be one of the better holes at any of the great heathland courses in Surrey/Berkshire.  It is a great hole.

I agree with both of you. I was concerned that my partiality towards Golspie might be further betrayed if I made the stretch too long. Let's hope that the course recovers successfully from the storms.


Ira

[Ira Fishman]

I should have been more precise in my OP. I put equal weight on the holes being very good (not necessarily all great) and having variety.

And this is my problem with your inclusion of Crail Balcomie.  I'm not convinced that 6 is a good hole, let alone a very good one.  I could argue for 7-14, though.....

I like 6. It is an awkward but not too awkward tee shot. We played it in August in a strong right to left wind which made it a real challenge. On both of our plays (benign and dead into), number 12 did not do a lot for me.


I agree that 13 and 14 are really good back to back par 3s in large part because they are so different.


Ira

[Ian Cox]

Fishers Island 3-12

Just about, some may question 6, though it’s certainly varied.


The course that springs to mind above all others for me is, Gleneagles, Kings.


It would be good to hear Sean A’s thoughts on this.