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Ben Sims

  • Karma: +1/-0
The straight-on bench
« on: November 04, 2024, 09:50:08 AM »
I started a thread about greens sited sideways onto a ridge/hill/dune recently and many people used it to comment on ANY benched green. So I’d like to discuss the “straight-on” bench now.


The most famous examples would be the numerous Mackenzie holes at Cypress, Meadow Club, and Claremont (among others) where a green is located at the base of or benched into the side of a hill as the general shape of the hole is perpendicular to the ridge/hill/dune.


Another one I like alot is the 14th at Friars Head. I think that hole gets the short shrift as people enjoy discussing other holes at FH more. I think that’s a mistake but I digress.


One critic I like a lot said that Mackenzie goes to the well too often on “using the ridges”. They said this in reference to Meadow Club. I’ve never seen it. But Cypress Point also featured that theme and the opening 13 holes of that course are pretty good if you ask me.


Thoughts on holes that run headlong into ridges/hills/dunes and have a green sighted directly on or at bottom of that higher terrain?

zachary_car

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2024, 11:18:16 AM »
Oddly, here in Ontario and Western Quebec, we had a short-lived fad of holes playing headlong into often really shallow yet amply wide green surfaces that are raised anywhere between 10 and 20 feet from the fairway. Thomas McBroom, in particular, did this repeatedly at the golf courses that he built in the 90s and 00s in Mont-Tremblant and in the Muskokas.


He definitely overused the trope, but I do find that it works decently well on holes between 350-400 yards, when you're left with merely a finicky flip wedge in, more so than on the longer holes, when you're approaching with a mid iron or so. Considering how much the game has become a driver-wedge affair, I do think that benched - and obscured - green pads are an effective way of adding interest to holes of this length especially

Charlie Goerges

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2024, 11:43:40 AM »
but I do find that it works decently well on holes between 350-400 yards, when you're left with merely a finicky flip wedge in




God I wish I was routinely left with flip wedges in on 350-400 yard holes.




These straight-on benched holes are fine to me, but like almost everything else, I prefer them to be used somewhat sparingly. But if the land lends itself to great (and varied) examples, maybe not so sparingly if it's well-done.
Severally on the occasion of everything that thou doest, pause and ask thyself, if death is a dreadful thing because it deprives thee of this. - Marcus Aurelius

Paul Jones

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2024, 11:46:36 AM »
Any pictures to share of examples?
Paul Jones
pauljones@live.com

Kevin_Reilly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2024, 11:54:22 AM »
I'm not sure if this is what OP had in mind, but saw this picture from Claremont this morning:


https://x.com/Top100Rick/status/1853432512581865649




"GOLF COURSES SHOULD BE ENJOYED RATHER THAN RATED" - Tom Watson

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2024, 12:27:41 PM »
Straight on bench shots tend to be more rudimentary than side by side. That said, it can often be a thrilling shot.

6 Anstruther


Appleby has a cracker version at the 4th. It is set below the hill, but straight on. Below is a look at the hole from the 5th fairway. Play is from the right.


Even Colt couldn't quite manage to achieve an aesthetic that looks "right". #3 Prestbury.


Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Ben Sims

  • Karma: +1/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2024, 12:57:23 PM »
I'm not sure if this is what OP had in mind, but saw this picture from Claremont this morning:


https://x.com/Top100Rick/status/1853432512581865649


Kevin,


Yes this is the post that prompted my thought. As much as I’m not really a fan of Rick’s raison d’etre, he does take some nice photos from time to time.


Thanks for helping the illustration a bit.

Mike Hendren

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2024, 09:49:17 AM »
5th at The Eden.
Two Corinthians walk into a bar ....

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2024, 10:06:08 AM »
« Last Edit: November 05, 2024, 10:08:49 AM by David_Tepper »

Alex_Hunter

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #9 on: Yesterday at 10:23:57 AM »
The bench green at Waterton Lakes National Park is pretty wild.
160 or so yard Par 3, often playing downwind (it gets very windy at Waterton)
Little back to front slope in the green as well





« Last Edit: Yesterday at 04:30:11 PM by Andrew Harvie »
@agolfhunter

Cal Seifert

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #10 on: Yesterday at 05:37:58 PM »
Goat Hill! 9th hole. Par 3, about 215 yards.




David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #11 on: Yesterday at 07:58:40 PM »
Upon further consideration, the greens on holes #4 & #14 at Royal Dornoch, while elevated, are not really benched.

Ben Sims

  • Karma: +1/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #12 on: Yesterday at 08:03:52 PM »
Based on a few of the recent photos, it seems Cruden Bay #4 could fit into this category. I didn’t really think of it as a benched in my two looks. But these pictures, particularly the one at The Goat, remind me of that hole.

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #13 on: Today at 02:22:19 AM »
Based on a few of the recent photos, it seems Cruden Bay #4 could fit into this category. I didn’t really think of it as a benched in my two looks. But these pictures, particularly the one at The Goat, remind me of that hole.

I agree. Although I don’t think it is a particularly good example of the type. The green is large without much movement.

Ciao
« Last Edit: Today at 02:45:15 AM by Sean_A »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Simon Barrington

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #14 on: Today at 02:42:43 AM »
A slight variation (or embellishment) of the straight-on Bench was the "Armchair Green" for the 16th downhill Par 3 at Henley Golf Club (Oxon) designed by James Braid in 1914.

This was in a a slight re-routing of his own 1907 design, which is notable as he designed it while writing "Advanced Golf" and he included most of those principles on the ground at Henley. Variety in green sites being one that certainly remains.

https://x.com/CambridgeGrey/status/1856964269587267774

Cheers
« Last Edit: Today at 02:44:53 AM by Simon Barrington »

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #15 on: Today at 02:48:36 AM »
A slight variation (or embellishment) of the straight-on Bench was the "Armchair Green" for the 16th downhill Par 3 at Henley Golf Club (Oxon) designed by James Braid in 1914.

This was in a a slight re-routing of his own 1907 design, which is notable as he designed it while writing "Advanced Golf" and he included most of those principles on the ground at Henley. Variety in green sites being one that certainly remains.

https://x.com/CambridgeGrey/status/1856964269587267774

Cheers

That is an interesting take on the side bench green. Is the area in front of the green scooped out? Who built this hole?

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Simon Barrington

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #16 on: Today at 02:56:32 AM »
A slight variation (or embellishment) of the straight-on Bench was the "Armchair Green" for the 16th downhill Par 3 at Henley Golf Club (Oxon) designed by James Braid in 1914.

This was in a a slight re-routing of his own 1907 design, which is notable as he designed it while writing "Advanced Golf" and he included most of those principles on the ground at Henley. Variety in green sites being one that certainly remains.

https://x.com/CambridgeGrey/status/1856964269587267774

Cheers

That is an interesting take on the side bench green. Is the area in front of the green scooped out? Who built this hole?

Ciao
Posted a modern view (in a reply to the X-Post, sorry still not sure how to put pictures on here as a tech dullard!) post the addition of a protective ridge on the RHS entrance, which was a shame many years ago as it preculdes a running approach across the entire frontage which was a cool feature.
The hole is c. 210 yards down across an uninterupted valley.
They soon after 1914 added a Raynoresque strip bunker on the RHS as balls were running away down the slope of the 17th, these are now two pots.

https://x.com/CambridgeGrey/status/1856970431967682888

Designed by Braid, and built by the Club internally under the guidance of Ernest Fryer (Dir. in Charge of Construction)


Cheers
« Last Edit: Today at 03:05:28 AM by Simon Barrington »

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #17 on: Today at 04:06:54 AM »
11th at Pennard.
4th at Knighton.
3rd at Kington.
atb


Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #18 on: Today at 04:49:19 AM »
11th at Pennard.
4th at Knighton.
3rd at Kington.
atb

Pennard’s 11th is on of the best I have seen. 👊

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Simon Barrington

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #19 on: Today at 09:25:23 AM »
11th at Pennard.
4th at Knighton.
3rd at Kington.
atb
Braid
Vardon
& Braid's protégée, CK Hutchinson

These Professional's knew a bit about design too... ;D

Will Lozier

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #20 on: Today at 09:35:04 AM »
Rutland's 5th


Tom Dunne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #21 on: Today at 10:02:45 AM »
Eddie Hackett built loads of straight benches in Ireland. Carne has a few of them, for sure. There was talk a while back about "vernacular" golf architecture and I tend to think of this along those lines.



I had a fantastic conversation with Bill Coore about this type of green last summer at Colorado Golf Club. C&C and their shapers--Jim Craig and Jeff Bradley in this particular case--worked hard to avoid them at CGC, because while a straight-on bench is functional, you often can't see the putting surface from the fairway in that situation. It therefore requires a lot of finesse to blend a green into the backing landform without creating a severe back-to-front pitch in the process.


Look at the 9th and 18th greens at Colorado GC and you'll see a sophisticated response to a situation where some architects might have just carved out a simple bench.

Kyle Casella

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The straight-on bench
« Reply #22 on: Today at 01:00:41 PM »
I started a thread about greens sited sideways onto a ridge/hill/dune recently and many people used it to comment on ANY benched green. So I’d like to discuss the “straight-on” bench now.


The most famous examples would be the numerous Mackenzie holes at Cypress, Meadow Club, and Claremont (among others) where a green is located at the base of or benched into the side of a hill as the general shape of the hole is perpendicular to the ridge/hill/dune.


Another one I like alot is the 14th at Friars Head. I think that hole gets the short shrift as people enjoy discussing other holes at FH more. I think that’s a mistake but I digress.


One critic I like a lot said that Mackenzie goes to the well too often on “using the ridges”. They said this in reference to Meadow Club. I’ve never seen it. But Cypress Point also featured that theme and the opening 13 holes of that course are pretty good if you ask me.


Thoughts on holes that run headlong into ridges/hills/dunes and have a green sighted directly on or at bottom of that higher terrain?


Do you have the original Meadow Club reference? It would be interesting to see. It was kind of clever at Meadow to use the strategy to get off the valley floor. It can also be pretty wet up there at times, so elevating the greens naturally into hillsides was likely a strategy to keep them dry. Here are the holes that I think you could consider "benched" into a hill at Meadow, many of them are straight (but often force you to a side based on bunkers or other obstacles).


3 (straight), 6 (straight), 7 (dogleg left), 9 kind of (straight), 10 (straight), 11 (par 3), 12 (dogleg right), 15, (dogleg left), 17 (straight), 18 (dogleg right). It's a lot, I guess, but in every case but 3 and 7 (depending on tee shots), I think you can see the majority of the putting surface from your approach.


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