Golf Hole That Favors No Players

[Joe Bausch]

Some of the things I read from early newspapers are really funny.  This from the Anaconda Standard in 1907:



Did TD or C&C mimic this at Streamsong anywhere?    

[Mac Plumart]

I laughed out loud on this one.  Looks like a fun hole.   

[Kevin Lynch]

I want to see the design of the ideal three shotter.  I suppose no doglegs are allowed, to be equitable.

[Jon Wiggett]

An interesting question is did the straight and deadly short player have a real advantage over the long hitter?

If so why and could we learn from the past in order to rebalance the books in today's game

Jon

[Mac Plumart]

Jon...to your question, all I got is that the idea of "fair and equitable" in golf is absurd.  As this hole clearly illustrates.

FYI, I saved this photo in my Pictures for file for future reference and a good laugh.

Thanks, Joe.

[Jon Wiggett]

Mac,

isn't that hole just the same as the classic Par 4 with pinching fairway bunkers at 270 and green surrounded by bunkers? It looks absurd but is actually the norm of many so called championship golf holes.

Jon

[Tom_Doak]

That is a well known template hole, commonly referred to as the "Swiss Cheese" hole.

[Anders Rytter]

Looks an awful lot like 18th at Royal County Down

[Nigel Islam]

Mac,

isn't that hole just the same as the classic Par 4 with pinching fairway bunkers at 270 and green surrounded by bunkers? It looks absurd but is actually the norm of many so called championship golf holes.

Jon

It certainly encompasses the USGA principles from a few years ago for the Open. It looks a little like #18 at Bethpage too!

[Jason Thurman]

So, yeah, the hole is ridiculous.

But does it accomplish what it claims? If not, what type of player does it favor?

And is it possible to design a hole that doesn't favor anyone?

[RJ_Daley]

I wonder if Rees has a subscription to the Anaconda Standard?  Nice call on 18 Bethpage, Jon. 

[Ronald Montesano]

Are those candy dots?  MMMMMmmmmmm...candy.

[Joe Bausch]

Are those candy dots?  MMMMMmmmmmm...candy.

Did you enjoy the taste of paper with the sugar?!

[Nigel Islam]

So, yeah, the hole is ridiculous.

But does it accomplish what it claims? If not, what type of player does it favor?

And is it possible to design a hole that doesn't favor anyone?

17 at Sawgrass?

[Jeb Bearer]

So, yeah, the hole is ridiculous.

But does it accomplish what it claims? If not, what type of player does it favor?

And is it possible to design a hole that doesn't favor anyone?

I think this hole is the exactly the problem with trying to design a hole that favors no one. Every hole would have to be straight, trouble on both sides or nowhere, entrance directly in line with the green, no side slopes anywhere on the hole, etc. Now, you could certainly design a course that doesn't favor anyone. One hole calls for a draw, the next a fade, one a high shot, one a bump and run, and so on. Though one golfer might have an advantage on a particular hole, over the course of 18 holes would it not come out fairly even?

[David_Elvins]

Thanks for the laugh, Joe.

[RDecker]

Put it together with a "Ham hole" ,maybe near Rye and at least you could eat it.

[Ronald Montesano]

I believe that the "Inverted Pylon Hole" was one of the template holes that CBM discarded after conferring with Raynor.