[Tim Leahy]

Watching the British Open I noticed several false fronts on Portrush. From a GCA perspective what is the purpose of a false front on a links course?

[Tom_Doak]

It is kind of an odd thing to find on a links.  Usually you find them on an uphill approach where you can't see much of the green surface (like the opening hole at Portrush).  But the fairways are generally tight enough that you don't need a false front for a ball that comes up just short to roll back down a slope.

[Ian Andrew]

Pretty damn good one at Prestwick's 13th.

[Ian Andrew]

12th on the Old Course ...
There are lots of them the more I think about it.

[Kalen Braley]

Good question, never really thought about it that way.  Is there a fundamental difference between a links course and any other style when it comes to false fronts?

[David_Tepper]

#6 (par-3) at Brora and #7 (par-4) at Dornoch are 2 good ones.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Normally I find myself nodding at most of Tom’s posts.


But can’t fathom this one. Understand that they are not “needed” for roll offs because of the tight approach fairways. But they look great cut as green rather than approach.


There’s tonnes of them on links courses.

[Phil McDade]

Tom is generally not a fan:


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,37649.msg775160/topicseen.html#msg775160

[Sven Nilsen]

Tom is generally not a fan:


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,37649.msg775160/topicseen.html#msg775160

He certainly designed a pretty devilish one at the 13th at Pac Dunes.


I suppose you could have a pretty decent conversation defining a macro v. micro undulation at the front of the green, but there are a number of holes at Pac where a ball that comes up short can roll off a good ways, including:


1st - more severe on the left side
3rd - more of a micro-undulation, but with the speed of balls running to the back of the green the shot becomes that much more precise
6th - Always be long on a front right pin
8th - pretty severe to a front pin from the left side of the fairway
9th (Upper) - balls seem to want to find their way off the front right corner
13th - anything that balloons is in danger of hitting the green and rolling well back
15th - with the wrong bounce balls from the right side of the green try to find their way off the front left
16th - a ping pong hole for many


Add in having to play many of these shots into the wind to firm greens.  When they're a bit dialed in, shots well onto a number of these holes have the potential to roll back at you from quite a ways onto the green.


Sven

[Ally Mcintosh]

Tom is generally not a fan:


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,37649.msg775160/topicseen.html#msg775160

The key here is that on a links, they play no different whether cut as green or approach.


Tom’s point is about non-links courses where they do play different and he states that it is only consistent use of them on macro-scale that gives him an issue. I’d agree with that premise.

[Jon Wiggett]

Normally I find myself nodding at most of Tom’s posts.


But can’t fathom this one. Understand that they are not “needed” for roll offs because of the tight approach fairways. But they look great cut as green rather than approach.


There’s tonnes of them on links courses.

you are going to have to run the mower down to the bottom of the slope to turn it so it makes sense to mow.  But your right, it does look great.


Jon

[Kalen Braley]

Gotta agree.


Seems like its one of those things to get in the better players head with.  The lesser player just tryina' get it somewhere in on the green, while the tour player gonna be griefing over how to interface it and get the bird...

[Ira Fishman]

There is no practical reason on links courses in terms of results, but emotionally there seems to be a difference between almost hitting a green and rolling back and actually hitting the green and rolling back. Plus they do make for a nice visual tie between fairway and the "true" green.


Ira

[Garland Bayley]

It is kind of an odd thing to find on a links.  Usually you find them on an uphill approach where you can't see much of the green surface (like the opening hole at Portrush).  But the fairways are generally tight enough that you don't need a false front for a ball that comes up just short to roll back down a slope.

Tell that to Bill Coore, and reference 13 at Bandon Trails.

[Jonathan Mallard]

Pretty damn good one at Prestwick's 13th.

I'd argue that's more applicable to the left front corner. There's quite a bit of the green available towards the see on this hole.

[Garland Bayley]

Tom is generally not a fan:


 http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,37649.msg775160/topicseen.html#msg775160

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