[Alfonso Erhardt]

Looking at old photographs of my club, in Madrid, Spain, I have noticed a very curious hazard that I am unable to describe, as I have not seen anything like it before. The photo was taken in 1935 and this particular hole was remodelled by Colt in the summer of 1930, so I presume it was not modified by the club in between.

Let me explain what the topography of the hole is like:
 - 515 yards bogey 5
 - Downhill tee shot to the first green fairway patch. That patch is at similar level than the one close to the green
 - Strange hazard - seems like a tall grass mound surrounded by bunker sand trying to block the view ahead.
 - Clear patch after the hazard is a quite large hollow that  banks steeply to the the left (in the direction of play)
 - The hole is slightly downhill thereafter until you reach the green.

The hole no longer exists (the hazard disappeared in 1936 with the Spanish war) and no memory either of what the holed played like either.

Any ideas of what the hazard may be or play like??
Can it really be an artificially build mound to block the view? Can the photo be misleading and be a grass island in a bunker? Other ideas?

Thanks and regards,

Alfonso

[Tony_Muldoon]

Alfonso it is unusual.  At what distance does it provide a cross hazard and what hole no is it?

Are you suggesting the sand was hidden from view, not very Coltish?


The nearest thing I can think of is it's a giant lateral Donut bunker!

There's the famous one on Muirfield's 18th from a similar period and these two are either side of the 18th at Belfairs/Southend on Sea from the early 20's.

[Alfonso Erhardt]

Tony,

It is hole 18 and it would be at approx 200 yards from the tee.

The sand/hazard would be visible from the tee, as the tee shot plays downhill. I also thought of a donut bunker, but the main differences I see are:

1. The hazard occupies all width of the fairway at that point.
2. From the attached pictures, it seems that the island of grass in the middle of the bunker does have significant elevation. It could be just an effect of the picture, but if it is elevated it would cause a blind second shot over the hazard and a hollow, requiring a carry of 150-160 yards to reach the next flat portion of the fairway.

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