Stone Harbor 4th - Stategically Complex ??

[Mike_Sweeney]

As odd as that course looks there is a couple of instances of high and interesting strategic ramifications there. The next hole (#4) albeit another odd looking and unnatural looking hole just happens to be one of the most interesting and most complex par 3s strategically I've ever seen or played in my life.

Come on Tom, it is just a green that is too narrow!

P.S. The hole is 174 yards from the back.

[Matt_Ward]

Mike:

You raise a good point on the narrow aspect of the green, however, the 174-yard distance is from the tips, if memory serves. Also, the green will hold a shot provided it's hit correctly. In most instances, the wind is generally in your face when playing the hole.

[TEPaul]

"Come on Tom, it is just a green that is too narrow!

P.S. The hole is 174 yards from the back."

Mike:

I do not agree with that at all---not in the slightest. The green certainly looks narrow but so do most things in architecture that are on a fairly perfect diagonal from the angle of attack which that green certainly is.

And with the 174 number from the tips----that to me is mildly inconsequential on that particular hole and green because it's a whole lot longer than it appears from the tee. Despite it's various excellent visual deceptions architecturally most anyone can see that the first and super primary order of business on that hole is to just hit the green anywhere on it---eg the exact distance to the pin is secondary.

Far more of the problem that particular green presents (which most golfers totally misread from the tee thinking it's just narrow) is that it's basically far more SHALLOW (particularly in the front and left than just narrow).

To play that hole correctly one needs to be far more aware of distance control to particular points on it than most everyone thinks (not as much concerned about direction control as it appears from the tee). Both distance and direction deception, again, is the strong suit of the perfect diagonal in golf (generally about 45 degrees off the direct line of approach).

As I think Matt Ward is implying the best and safest way to play to that green is just attempt to hit a slight fade and one will find that green is nowhere nears as narrow in function as it appears to be.

It is an odd and unnatural looking hole (as most on that course are) but the shot values and strategies attached to that tee shot are really something, in my opinion----and certainly seeing it's a par 3 (the type of hole that's rarely thought of as particularly strategic).    

I'm sure the thing that most disturbs you about Stone Harbor and probably that hole too is simply the hightly unnatural look of it all. On that you are definitely not alone or in the minority.                

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Sweens,
How much of the hole has changed from the original architecture?

From the words of the Great Desmond Muirhead....(Try to imagine this very learned, stately, Cambridge-trained voice)

4th Hole - "Pegasus"
Bellerophon, one of the heroes of the Iliad, was sent to attack the Chimaera, a vicious beast with the head of a lion and tail of a dragon. The Chimaera was unassailable from the ground and could only be attacked from the air. Given a golden harness by the Goddess Minerva, Bellerophon tamed the Winged Horse

Pegasus, took to the sky, and shot many arrows into the monster Chimaera, eventually killing it with his spear. On the links, Chimaera is represented by the long curved cliff which has a lion's head at one end and a dragon's tail at the other. The cliff also holds the tee and the green. Pegasus is depicted by a frontal trap like a horse's head and one at the right side like a wing. The bravest man will shoot his arrows for the longest carry. Those who overstep their ability will fall into the large trap. A winder, lower and easier shot to the left side of the green awaits the less daring player, but if the pin is to the right, he has a lone putt up a steep ledge. A smaller trap, the monster's mouth, halfway up the cliff, will remind him that the Chimaera and his potentially poisonous breath is never far away.

[RJ_Daley]

Nice catch Tommy.  No wonder why you admired Des so much.  Will there ever be anyone remotely like him?

[Mike_Sweeney]

Tommy,

The aerial looks the same, and three or four years ago when I played, it was the same. The only really big changes that I know of are to The Jaws hole. It really is a must play for this group, and Tom Paul is actually correct in that there is some really interesting stuff at SHGC. Unfortunately, the interesting stuff also gobbles up balls that were hit in the fairway.

My high school buddy has recently "upgraded" his membership from Stone Harbor to Hidden Creek, and as much as you were friends with Desmond, I would think you would agree that he made the right move.  We will be playing the latter and not the former this weekend.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Dick, As complex as a fellow that he was, he made up for it in sheer entertainment value. He was quite the character.

Sweens,
That is a GREAT move! Although I was surprised to see how affordable Stone Harbor was also.

[Mike Nuzzo]

How appropriate...

Yesterday's Webster Word of the Day...
zoomorphic \zoh-uh-MOR-fik\ adjective
*1 : having the form of an animal
2 : of, relating to, or being a deity conceived of in animal form or with animal attributes

To keep my writing skills finely honed, I use some of the more interesting and applicable words in a golf related sentence:

Mr Muirhead had a penchant for creating zoomorphic holes, most notable was a mermaid and par five amalgamation.