Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture Discussion Group => Topic started by: Bryan Izatt on February 19, 2009, 03:19:31 AM
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At least IMHO. It's the 451 yard (from the tips) par 4 6th at the Deltona Club, northeast of Orlando. The course was recently rebuilt by Bobby Weed.
From the tee, the golfer sees a right to left bender with extensive foozle bunkering crossing in front of the tee and a nest of bunkers straight away on a ridge that defines the turning point of the hole. The bunkering is very organic and is all played as waste area. The bunkering certainly focuses the attention. What may be missed is that the the fairway tilts from left to right, suggesting that a draw off the tee is the best shot. Strategically the left side of the fairway provides the best angle to the green.
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee260/350dtm/sugarloaf/DSC01961.jpg)
The LZ features a deep swale that has the effect of deadening the long ball. Conversely the back of the foozle bunker and the front side of the swale provide a turbo effect for the shorter hitters. Nobody is going to overpower this hole. It becomes apparent on approaching the LZ that the second shot is going to be blind to the green.
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee260/350dtm/sugarloaf/DSC01962.jpg)
If the tee shot takes the left to right tilt of the fairway and ends up on the right side, the green is obscured even more by the bunkered ridge. Hence the preferred line is down the left side with a draw, but trying not to overcook it as the trees on the left could block the line to the green.
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee260/350dtm/sugarloaf/DSC01963.jpg)
The green itself is Redan-like, running straight away when approached from the left side of the fairway. The green is undefended (there's no need) by bunkers. There are only closely mown chipping areas. On my one play the fairways were maintained firm and fast adding uncertainty to where to land the ball on the approach.
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee260/350dtm/sugarloaf/DSC01964.jpg)
All in all, a very good golf hole.
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How wide a corridor up the left side allows a view of the green for the 2nd shot?
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From the images, I'd say I agree that it looks like a good golf hole. Even if little to no view of the green is given on the left side of the fairway it is still better to be there because of the angle of the green.
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I thought top shot bunkers had long been discredited as being of any value on a golf course.
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I thought top shot bunkers had long been discredited as being of any value on a golf course.
Oddly or not, the folks who seem to think there is a place for these are higher handicappers who don't want things "dumbed down"....at least, that's been my perception. I don't disagree with them, if that truly is their stance.
Joe
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Garland,
Discredited by whom?
On the Deltona Club there are many waste areas throughout the course. It's built on sand hills. I read somewhere that they used a lot of waste bunkering because the sand was there and natural and they were trying to cut down the amount of maintainable turf. And, it's eye candy to some of us. ;)
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MacKenzie and Tillinghast to name a couple.