Does the blind par 5 Biarritz green swale at Erin Hills #10 make sense

[Noel Freeman]

*Ode to a ribald curmudgeon

I was angry with a friend
I told my wrath, my wrath did not end
He claimed a blind biarritz was cool
I deemed him as silly as a fool

He tipped his argument with a toast
That the 10th at Erin Hills was worthy of a boast
The green sits atop a plateau
With a swale unseen in tow

80 yards long and the U is blind on approach
To me seems unworthy of rapproach
When Raynor threw down his spears
And watered his courses with MacDonald's tears
Did he dread such adaptations?
Or wonder if his fruits bore exploitation

Did it make sense to imitate a shot?
Where one cannot see their ball travel thru the notch
If equal indifference cannot be
Anger and Raynor still support me

[Noel Freeman]

For those who obviously have not been to Erin Hills, the 10th is an uphill 658 yard (from the Tips) par 5.. The tee shot is into some wildly undulating kettle dome terrain.  If you favor the left side, you can see the green but not the biarritz swale.. If you are to the right the 2nd shot is blind over a ridge.. The real juice in the hole lies on the 2nd shot though because a tremendous kettle hole juts in on the right side which can eat your shot.. It is blind if you are off on the right side and is not worth challenging.. The green sits up on a plateau and you cannot see the bottom of the flag nor the swale. The U in the swale is huge and they can pin shots in it.

First let me say I love Biarritz holes and I think I've read this swale was natural.  Still, I don't see the value in a biarritz green if you can't see your shot run up thru the swale to back pin placements or even go in it.  From 120 yards out at Erin Hills if you are a member you may no you are in the swale or think that you know so, but until you get up there, it is pure guesswork. For me this is a bit too gimmicky.  I love the Alps punchbowl at Fishers, but a blind Biarritz, what's the use?  And this is coming from someone who loves quirk.

[PThomas]

first of all, congrats on your poem!

I have the same concern you do...are there other blind Biarritz holes out there??

I believe Tom Doak raised a similar concern on an earlier thread