We are just starting to build a couple new holes at my home club Greate Bay. (Park Jr. 1923 ?) at the Jersey Shore. I think they will be excellent as one is a recreation of an original that has lain dormant for 30 years.
However , I've recently been assailed about some work we did in 1999 to redo another old hole that had been changed by Ron Garl in the 1980's . It's our second hole, a really nice par four that can stretch to 465 from the tips. We rebuilt it in 1999 , removing a strange par 3 and a short par 4 , opting to recreate an original Park Jr hole that is now our 2nd hole . We built a new par three (16h ) to replace the par three that we imploded . I've been happy with the flow it created and like both holes a lot .
When we rebuilt # 2 it was obvious the green is difficult to hold . It's elevated and wider than deep . A big bunker protects 2/3 of the front entry with a big false front right that allows for a ball to run up onto the surface. For most of our players its really difficult to hit in two even from the 415 yard tees due to the design. However it's the number one handicap hole on a golf course that's not really penal but subtly difficult . I like it a lot . Although I'm getting older I can still hit it high enough and far enough to hold the green unless I miss my tee shot . When I do that the front right becomes my aim point and just hope to grind out a par.
We tinkered with the idea of playing it as a short five , but no matter how far It was stretched the best we could do was about 475 yards. It just had to be a tough four. So fast forward almost twenty year and some of my golf buddies who can play a little (5-13 handicap ) are busting me that its "unfair" , they can't hold this green with a hybrid or wood when its firm and fast . Hold on I say , it's the number one handicap hole and a lot of the 0-5 handicappers who play in our game make bogey there and you get a shot ." It's an easy win for you many days" . Nope , that doesn't matter , its bad , too tough . Even for guys with decent golf IQ'S the unfair issue will raise its ugly head. Sometimes you just have to grin and bear it here in the states when it comes to scoring .
What I love about you guys on the other side of the pond is your attitude that par is just a number , sometimes its a tough number.