The Most Iconic Hole In the World

[Wade Whitehead]

What is the most iconic hole in the world?

What makes it so?

WW

[Ian Andrew]

For me: The Road Hole
Interesting to play strategically
Most famous bunker in golf
The rich history of the place
What has occurred there during various Opens
No hole quite like it

[Steve_Lovett]

Easy answer:
17 at TPC Sawgrass. Instant recognizability (for the casual golf observer) without a caption is what I consider iconic.


Others:
12 or 13 at Augusta National (maybe 16 too) because of TV exposure
7 or 18 at Pebble Beach - because it's the most well-known oceanfront golf course
16 Cypress Point - just because
16 TPC Scottsdale - because of the grandstands/spectacle

[Jeff Evagues]

TPC Scottsdale 16 is the most blase' on the course. Just because they jazz it up one week a year its way overhyped. When I play there in the summer with out of towners they get there and are surprised what the excitement is over.

[mike_beene]

I agree on Road Hole. The other candidates are Redan, the church pews and for an Ocean carry 3 at Mauna Kea.

[Mark Pritchett]

Road hole is the correct answer. 

[Matt_Cohn]

Certainly in America more people would recognize 12 at Augusta than 17 at TOC.

[Matt Schoolfield]

Certainly in America more people would recognize 12 at Augusta than 17 at TOC.

I have to agree with Matt here. Millions watch the Masters every year. For me personally, I'd say TOC #14, Long. Nothing is more iconic in golf to me than the Hell bunker.

[Tim_Weiman]

My first instinct is to suggest it would be the Redan over the Road hole, but if the definition is “widely recognized for influence” perhaps a Cape hole is the right answer.

[Jim_Coleman]

    8th at Prbble Beach.

[Tom_Doak]

To me it’s the Road hole, followed by 18 at Pebble Beach.  It’s really not about architecture so much.  And I don’t think Augusta or Cypress Point counts because for most people they can never go there.

[Niall C]

I wonder if the answer is actually the 18th TOC rather than the Road Hole ? As someone said, its not about architecture.


Niall

[Ira Fishman]

Niall,


Exactly my thought.


Heck, non golfers line up to have their photo taken on the bridge.


Ira

[Tim_Weiman]

I wonder if the answer is actually the 18th TOC rather than the Road Hole ? As someone said, its not about architecture.


Niall

I agree if “iconic” is just a visual. Still think it would be a Cape hole if the definition is a combination of architecture and a visual.

[Jeff Schley]

12 or 13 at Augusta.  TV over the years has pretty much burned it into everyone's memory. Only major hosted every year at the same course. Also when they used to only broadcast the back 9 they were some of the first glimpses and pivotal moments of the tourney.

[Kalen Braley]

For the average weekend warrior joe, I would think its TPC Sawgrass 17.  No hole gets more individual hype on TV and ads than that one.

The Masters may get more hype overall, but it tends to be a mix of golf course, birds nest, ex champs, pine trees, etc... 

[Richard Hetzel]

The Road Hole at St. Andrews. Maybe the 18th at Harbor Town.

[Bill Brightly]

Most "iconic" means most "widely recognized," so it can't be Redan. Outside of this website, how many golfers actually know the course where the original Redan is located? How many have seen it on TV or played it? Road Hole is a great golf hole, one of the best, but with The Open only there roughly every five years, I'd have to answer the 12th at Augusta.

[Pete_Pittock]

The 10th at Riviera has to be in the discussion.

[Michael Morandi]

To Americans, it’s the 18th at Pebble, especially during the US Open with something on the line. Just ask the average Joe.

[Doug Bolls]

I played golf today with two friends who play 2-3 times a week and care very little about architecture.  They both came up with Pebble 18 and Augusta 12 or 13.

[Charlie Goerges]

Picking the most famous hole is certainly one way to go and "well-known" is a major part of some of the definitions in the dictionary. But to get at more (and more interesting) examples, there are other definitions of iconic as being more along the lines of the "epitome of a type" and other similar definitions (and more besides).


If we're talking epitome, 17 at TPC is the most iconic island green, 18 at pebble is the most iconic par 5 and so on.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Not sure of the Order but that was the first 10 in my mind that are iconic
17 SAW
17 TOC
18 TOC
12 AN
7 PB
18 PB
8 TROON
13 AN
15 AN
16 AN

[Tony_Muldoon]

For the majority of golfers, the hole he dreams of playing is



























 the first at St Andrews.
He knows about the pressure, he knows about the burn. 
It's the hole he's dreamed about playing since he started to talk to other golfers about iconic holes, or somebody gave him a book.

[Kevin Pallier]

My vote for the 18th at TOC.


That view from the tee overlooking the bridge, the clubhouse, valley sin, greensite and the town gets me going every time.