Mark,
I think part of the mystery of the Biarritz hole in France is that no one actually knows what the original hole looked like. Macdonald tells us it was suggested by the 12th hole at Biarritz, but what did that look like?…. And no, it wasn’t the Famous Chasm hole, like we’ve been led to believe. The famous Chasm hole was long gone by the time Macdonald visited in 1906.
With very little info on the original hole, we should be looking at what Macdonald and Raynor drew on paper or implemented in the ground. After all, the Biarritz may be closer to a Macdonald original concept than the original hole we are searching for? I’ve seen many Raynor designs on paper and many early aerials of Macdonald and Raynor courses. One thing they have in common is that the approach of the Biarritz is generally longer than the green. The green was generally the back portion, while the swale and front section were to be maintained at approach height. In some of these old aerials, the definition of grass types was very easy to see, while in others it was a little harder to see. Courses under construction such as Deepdale or Oneck, you can see the green growing in while the approach and swale are still in dirt or just starting to grow in. I think it would be safe to say the original intent was to have the back portion as green with the approach and swale mowed at approach or fairway height.
That’s not to say every Biarritz green they ever built followed this original intent. Some holes they named Biarritz had swales, other holes they named Biarritz didn’t have swales. Some may have had more green while others had more approach? As we know by know, modifications were made on a site-by-site basis, therefore not all Biarritz were created equal. One thing they did have in common however: They were short holes designed to test a long accurate shot, generally in the 220-yard range. The 220-yard distance is another hint that just the rear portion of the Biarritz complex was intended to be green.
I personally like all the different variations the Biarritz complex creates for todays game. Some of the more subtle versions like Westhampton or Greenbrier seem better fitted for all putting surface, while the rugged versions seem more suited for the approach/green combo. I believe you can still find original versions at Blue Mound, Chicago and Fishers Island, maybe Mid-Ocean? For sentimental reasons I have always loved the giant putting surface at Yale and that was the first Biarritz I ever got to play, but there are times I wish I could chip it.
Bret