Golf Club Atlas

GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture Discussion Group => Topic started by: Anthony Gray on October 31, 2010, 12:30:20 PM

Title: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Anthony Gray on October 31, 2010, 12:30:20 PM

  NGLA and Old Mac.....but where else can you find one?Love the concept.I think OM is better because you do not end up id the rough if you ball rolls out.But what other courses have one?Photos?Does the 12th at Chambers Bay play like a Sahara?

  Anthony
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Kyle Henderson on October 31, 2010, 12:34:31 PM
Ummm... The U.K. ;)
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Anthony Gray on October 31, 2010, 12:36:32 PM
Ummm... The U.K. ;)

  Donde?Glad to see you posting again...back from the honymoon?

  Antonio

Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: David_Tepper on October 31, 2010, 12:42:09 PM
Anthony G. -

Golspie (north of Dornoch) has a Sahara (#5) and a Sahara Back (#17), which are played in opposite directions over the same stretch of linksland.

Here is a link to the course guide: http://www.golspie-golf-club.co.uk/course_guide.htm

DT
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Kyle Henderson on October 31, 2010, 02:03:57 PM
Ummm... The U.K. ;)

  Donde?Glad to see you posting again...back from the honymoon?

  Antonio



I believe Royal St. George's 3rd is the most famous example.
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: JNC Lyon on October 31, 2010, 02:10:16 PM
Northwest Africa.
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Tom_Doak on October 31, 2010, 02:19:57 PM
The third hole at Royal St George's is still called the Sahara, but it is now a straightforward visible par 3 -- they changed it in the 1970's to "fix"the blindness of the original hole as part of getting the course considered for the Open rota again.

I am trying to think of any other course where Macdonald used the prototype again, and not remembering any.
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Anthony Gray on October 31, 2010, 02:39:47 PM


  The 12th at Chambers Bay.You can drive the green which is blind from the tee.If short a trap awaits you.Or play short right and see the green.Playes a little like #2 at NGLA.

  Anthony

Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Tom_Doak on October 31, 2010, 02:42:37 PM
Anthony,

I think the one defining characteristic of a Sahara hole is that you have to be hit blindly over a big bunker on the direct line to the green, or go around. 
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Gary Slatter on October 31, 2010, 02:44:44 PM
Would the 17th hole on Prestwick count?  That is one big bunker lurking over the hill.
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Anthony Gray on October 31, 2010, 02:46:50 PM
Anthony,

I think the one defining characteristic of a Sahara hole is that you have to be hit blindly over a big bunker on the direct line to the green, or go around. 

  I like yours better.The mid-range shot at NGLA rolls down the hill into a divot field with rough.At OM just get it over the hill and you are ok.The long miss is not punished also.

  Anthony

 
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Anthony Gray on October 31, 2010, 02:50:00 PM
Would the 17th hole on Prestwick count?  That is one big bunker lurking over the hill.

  Off the tee there is one option at Prestwick.At OM you can go short and be safe,take it down the middle or take a dangerous path.You know just like with women Gary.

 Anthony

Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Brian Chapin on October 31, 2010, 03:39:31 PM
Anthony,

I think the one defining characteristic of a Sahara hole is that you have to be hit blindly over a big bunker on the direct line to the green, or go around. 

Tom I always thought of a Sahara as the great hazard/feature that you are forced to go up and over... with no real option to go around.  The second shot Bethpage Black #4 comes to mind.  Ridgewood has two holes #3 east and I think the other is #4 west.
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Michael Dugger on November 01, 2010, 11:49:13 AM
Call me crazy, but it seems that when the template in question is named after a desert, then sand must surely be an integral part of what makes the hole what it is.

Thus, I think a sandy hazard has to be present.
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Eric Smith on November 01, 2010, 11:55:52 AM

I am trying to think of any other course where Macdonald used the prototype again, and not remembering any.

I believe I read in George Bahto's book that NGLA was the only course where CBM built a Sahara.
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Carl Johnson on November 01, 2010, 11:59:05 AM
Would the 17th hole on Prestwick count?  That is one big bunker lurking over the hill.

Is not the "big bunker" named the "Sahara" on No. 17, Alps, at Prestwick?  That sticks in my memory for some reason.
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Philippe Binette on November 01, 2010, 12:04:58 PM
Reay golf club could have had a great sahara back in the days,

http://www.reaygolfclub.co.uk/Reay_Golf_Club/course.html

look at the 4th hole, the first 80 yards of the tee looks like an old sandy area and there's a 4 foot high banks at the end of it. The hole is named Sahara
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Niall C on November 01, 2010, 03:36:54 PM
The 10th at Troon with the drive over the hill of gorse would have been a sahara back in the day when it was one big bunker.

Niall
Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: Chris_Blakely on November 01, 2010, 05:24:05 PM
George Bahto designed a hole called Sahara and his Stonebridge Golf Links & Country Club; however, it is a par 3 hole!!
It is the 9th hole there.

http://www.stonebridgeglcc.com/dsp_golfStats.cfm?course=1

Chris

Title: Re: Where can you find a Sahara?
Post by: J Sadowsky on November 01, 2010, 05:31:17 PM
Northwest Africa.

Beat me to it.