Elevation Changes

[Josh_Taylor]

I've just played The Oregon Golf Club only a matter of hours ago.  My pants are still wet!!!I have never played a course with so many changes in elevation throughout the entire layout.If you have played it, I was wondering what you all thought, and also, what other courses are out there that have dramatic changes in elevation throughout the 18 holes?

[Bill Vostinak]

I looked at but didn't play Lehigh CC in Allentown, PA on Saturday.  Incredible up and down, crossing the Little Lehigh River Valley 4 times. Lots of really good looking holes.I learned the game of golf in South Florida as a kid and learned about elevation changes and sidehill lies later.  I like gently rolling land the best, e.g. NGLA, PLainfield, PVGC, Merion, Dornoch, etc.   I look forward to playing Lehigh later, but I wonder about that much elevation change.I do find that better than up and down big hills, though.

[TEPaul]

Bill:Lehigh is a wonderful course (Toomey & Flynn), don't you think? and #4, #7, #11, #14 are pretty dramatic elevation changes. That's nothing though, come on back to Pennsylvania and you'll see some elevation changes, particularly the northeast and western parts of the state.For off course elevation nothing tops Old Head G.C. in Kinsale Ireland (sorry Ran, I'm really not an investor). Some of the spots on the sides are garanteed to give you vertigo. There is some pretty dramatic changes on course too.

[Bill Vostinak]

TEPaul:I hope that I didn't give the impression that a: I wasn't impressed and b: I didn't see quality. I personally can't wait to play and maybe join Lehigh someday. The other aspect of Lehigh is the rolling charactre of rest of the land. It is absolutely first rate in use of side, up and downhill applications.  Lehigh to me looks to be one of those courses that shows what a farce ratings are.Tom Doak describes Cherry Hills as "No one would notice if it were in Phila", and Lehigh exemplifies this.  Allowing for the elevation (5280)change, there is more variety of golf required by far at Lehigh than Cherry Hills.  No "Tradition" factor however at Lehigh.Back to the topic, I just felt that the severity of the up and down across the river met the criteria of the topic and endurance becomes important.

[JohnV]

Josh, what did you think of the elevation changes from green to tee?  How about 4 and 5.  4 is a 180 yard par 3 straight down hill (at least 40-50 feet elevation change.)  Then when you finish it, you get to walk right back up the hill to the 5th tee which sits alongside the 4th and runs almost the same direction.  Makes you want to break the rules and tee off on 5 before going down to 4.  Then 6 to 7 is even worse.For those who haven't been to Oregon Golf Club but would like to, all I can say is, don't.  There are about 3 good holes on the entire course.Even if you take a cart, you'll die walking from the cart paths to the fairways and back.

[Josh_Taylor]

JohnV.  Glad to find someone else that has played it.  I thought it was all "a bit too much" as well. I also thought holes like 14, 16 and 18 (the three 4's coming home are all long and uphill) are just too much, especially this time of year when the course is so wet.  I was looking forward to playing it as I had heard a bit about it but to be honest it didnt really live up to what I had heard.There are a couple of good holes as you said, but sadly too many weaker ones that make it hard to remember what they were.Its a good thing that The Fred Myer moved to the Fought Course at Reserve Vineyards.I am playing Bandon Dunes this Saturday and Eugene next Tuesday so I hope they make up for everything!!!!!

[JohnV]

Bandon and Eugene will make you forget OGC.  Nobody was happier with the move to The Reserve than the tour caddies.  Although the players were right behind them.  In all the years that they played up at OGC, the only praise I saw from the players was that the greens were the best conditioned ones they played all year.  Of course, with only 24 players that was true.  Put 156 on them and they spiked up so bad they were unputtable by the end of the day.Next time you're in town, get in touch and we'll play.