Why the 10th?

[Tony_Muldoon]

(Deep breath, deep breath)

Posting on another thread reminded me of this. There is a hole on a course that is a drivable par 4 with mature oaks impeding one side of the green and water in front.  The choice is whether to lay up or not.  This hole the 10th - so that you can’t miss the fact that it’s (a very poor) copy of the famous 10th at the Belfry.

But why have such a hole at that stage in the round?  The Belfry is designed for the matchplay at the Ryder cup but I think it comes too early to really contribute to the thrills.  At the moment it seems to be more for someone who feels they are striking the ball well and wants to gamble they might get an advantage. Would it be better later in the round where a player might be forced to gamble?  Bearing in minfd how small that green is maybe it’s too penal for a whole game to be placed on the line?

I just think it’s an odd time in the round to place this. Thoughts?

[Philip Spogard]

Tony,

I somewhat agree with you. It would be more interesting later on. You could say however that in matchplay it provides for an early comeback instead of the hole being 15th, 16th or 17th where the match might be over. Being the 10th it is certain that the match will reach it.

Personally I prefer short par 4s at the 16th or 17th like e.g. TPC at Scottsdale. Then it can have a major impact on the outcome of a match and many match will be won or lost there. Combined with a par 5 18th you would have a finish that was very interesting in strokeplay as well as everything could happen.

[Brian_Ewen]

Tony
I thought the Belfrys one worked well , during the Ryder Cup .

But it also held a European Tour event and it was definitely the wrong time of the round , if you started on the back 9 .

Regards.
Brian

[JESII]

In my opinion the 10th hole is a great spot for a momentum changing opportunity. Whether in match or medal the 10th hole is generally thought of as 'starting home' and almost provides a rebirth to someone struggling or an opportunity to really lock in a good round to someone already going well.

One caveat though is that I would think this an unfortunate starting hole as Brian mentions it is for half the field in  Euro Tour event on one of the two opening rounds.

[Bill Gayne]

The tenth at Riviera is a short par four and it's one of the best and most exciting holes on the PGA Tour and all of golf.

[Philip Spogard]

JES II,

But they swap on the friday so it should not be a problem.

But Belfry 10 would definitely not be my dream of a good starting hole!

[Tony_Muldoon]

In my opinion the 10th hole is a great spot for a momentum changing opportunity. Whether in match or medal the 10th hole is generally thought of as 'starting home' and almost provides a rebirth to someone struggling or an opportunity to really lock in a good round to someone already going well.

This is the best reasoning for it that I've ever heard...but is Golf really 'a game of two halves'?  At the last Rugby World cup the English team were given fresh jerseys to wear in the second half because they were to treat it as a new game irrespective of what had gone before.  Isn’t any time a good time to change momentum (always assuming you're the one who needs to)?  I

The Celtic Manor features this kind of hole later in the round and The K Club switches it’s routing for tournaments, so something like the last 5 holes all dice with water. The tension builds and this kind of hole offers a chance to turn things around.  You only have to think of the Belfry 18th.

In the Ryder cups ‘most’ players have played it as a two shotter, does this offer proof that it’s not at its optimal position in the round? i.e. at that stage in the round the risk always outweighs the potential reward.

In the last B&H strokeplay at the Belfry, Casey hit the green 4 days in a row with his 2 iron. He was a player very much in the ascendancy then.

[Brian_Ewen]

Tony
It had a lot to do with where the tee was , on the day .

Brian

[Jim Sweeney]

If that's where the architect "found"the hole, that's where it is.

[Tony_Muldoon]

I've revised my original answer here.  Jim has a made a very good point. The trees around the 10th green were obviously one of the few things that the Architects had to work with on what was a potato farm.

[Gerry B]

why not the 10th?
works at the belfry, riviera (as previously mentioned) , merion east to name a few

[Matt_Sullivan]

Hey, I just made a similar point in my post on Tiger in Shanghai. I think the 10th at the Belfry would work better as 15 or 16, particularly in stroke play. For matchplay, the arguments for it as the 10th maybe are a little stronger, but I would still prefer it at the end of the round.

On the other hand, making it the 16th at the Belfry would mean you would now have to wait 15 holes to find a good hole!