Double Doglegs

[Craig Rokke]

The Golf Club at Glen Mills (PA) took "Best New" honors in both GOLF & GD. GOLF featured a picture of the 4th, a 572 yard hole that goes right, gradually rising, turns left , and goes right again, all on a downhill slope. The hole is one of the better ones on the course, but it's not easy.

You need a pretty good drive, preferably up the left side of the hole. A good sized tree stands guard at the turn, potentially interfering with a second shot. Some golfers who've smoked a good drive are tempted to cut the 2nd corner with perhaps a 230 yard shot over sand and scruffy wasteland to a green that's not exactly waiting with open arms. No doubt many end up regretting bold play here.

It occurs to me that I haven't seen many really good double doglegs. I think holes such as this can be pretty strategic
and fun to play, especially as is the case here, where you can survey the rest of the hole after hitting your drive.

What are some other noteworthy holes that feature two doglegs?

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Best and Worst....

A very nice one that I saw recently is at a new affordable public course in the Atlanta area called the Lion.  I cant remember exactly which hole (and I am not at home tonight to look it up) but it was a nice little dogleg left downhill first with the final approach shot (Par 5) tucked back in to a little hollow to the left.  It is not any issue if you play it as a three shot hole, but if you think you are going to get home in two then you better be able to hit it not only long but would have to work it with a pronounced draw.

On the other end of the spectrum, it has been way too long to recall specifics, but I remember a certian double dogleg par 5 on the front at Bodega Harbor north of San Francisco that was one of my least favorite holes on the course.  Or any course for that matter.

[ian andrew (Guest)]

The Gordans seemed to make one of their traits to build double dogleg par 5's. Elm Ridge in Montreal has lots of them over 36 holes. They are very well done for the most part, tree removal from second corners have helped a couple.

[Pete_Pittock]

Forest Hills in Cornelius OR 6th hole is a DD par 5 about 530 yards, but its been years since I played there. Elevated tee into a valley with side slopes, trees left OB right and 250 to corner. Second dogleg is at 450 with a bunker and 80 foot douglas fir at the corner. Medium contoured green bunkered front left with dropoffs left and behind

[Pete_Pittock]

And the worst one I've played is Mountain High south of Bend OR. Unplayable unless your can hit the ball straight, right to left and left to right. The distance between the doglegs is about 75 yds, with 35 yd wide fairway and hemmed in by lotsa trees. After a perfect drive I was left with a 100 yd pitch through the chicane and then fairway wood to the green.

[Will E]

The toughest two I've played would be #6 at Winter Springs and #4 at Concord's Monster.
My favorite is the 11th at TPC Sawgrass, though not always a double dogleg.