I really wanted to engage in this thread at the time. I have no (good) excuses why I didn’t. I finally took today to read completely through the thread again, and enjoyed the discussion.
I think the more appropriate to the 2-to-4, Beast to Son of Beast, comparison would be if Press had included a giant mini-golf loop in the middle of the green, then had to take it out and flatten most of the green, neutering the best part of the hole. Then they had to close the hole permanently after a foursome of golfers were injured in a sudden sinkhole.
Some interesting questions in this thread. Can one single element of a course make it the best hole on a course if that element is that good? I’m looking at 1 and 17 greens especially. 1 green sets the tone right away for what you’re going to see the duration of the round. 17 requires an exceptionally precise shot to avoid danger.
Can a hole with strongly controversial features be the best hole? I played PD 4 rounds during the 2019 Mashie. I think I used four different clubs off the 12th tee, and I’m still not sure, with my skill, what the best one is. And one you get past the trees, you have a devilish green that was getting downright frightening Saturday afternoon. Speaking of requiring precise shots, what about that blue tee on the 15th hole, and those trees? I had to try a back shot during one of my rounds, and shot that 5 wood straight through The Chute. My 5 wood was never going to hold that green, but the up and down for par is one of the highlights of my weekend there.
Can a par 3 (10th) that I still don’t have a good feel for, which confounded me each round, be the best hole on the course? Can a hole with an perhaps the most attractive tee shot on the property and a great green complex, but with a faint of public utility in its periphery, be the best hole on the property?
While having four rounds helps, it’s clear how special this course is that after 14 months of playing it, I still have a clear visualization of so much of the course. It is to date the best course I’ve played, and the bar is set incredibly high now for my next best course played to overtake it.