How Do Side Sloping Greens Work Best?

[Mark_F]

At Seascale, the first par five on the front none has a severely left-to-right sloping green matching a left-to-right sloping fairway.

I quite enjoyed this feature, and obviously a lot is going to depend on pin position, but what is the best way to play hard side sloping greens?

Are they are feature others enjoy?

[Gary_Nelson]

I think side-sloping greens are an excellent design.  They provide an easily understood strategy and can be used even on flat properties.  

The best way to play it is, of course, to approach the green from the low side.  

In my opinion, side-sloping greens with no bunkers should be used more.  They require less maintenance.  They help pace of play.  They provide solid strategy for all levels of players.

Why aren't there more side-sloping greens?  What is the reason for the predominance of the traditional back-to-front sloping green?

[Marc Haring]

I agree. I’m not sure why side sloping greens are rarely found. In fact I am finding it difficult to think of any that would fit into the classic category. Wentworth #15 gets them thinking but it is hardly a great hole.

The 23rd hole at my home course, Cumberwell Park, has such a green and I think it creates strategy on two levels. It is a dogleg to the right with a marshy area down the left, a wide fairway and a couple of insignificant bunkers on the right. The tendency is to get greedy, take the corner on while at the same time bailing out away from the wetlands. This then leaves a downhill second to a green that slopes away from you and with dense undergrowth and OB hard left next to the green.


The braver line is to get close to the wetlands and give yourself an open shot to the green where the slope can often help feed your second in close.


The second level of strategy comes on the approach where a nervy push right away from the OB will leave a nasty down hill chip, over a swale to a rapid green sloping away and towards the OB.


I mean it’s not a great hole, but it’s a simple strategy that keeps people thinking and punishes the timid.


Perhaps the Archies can explain why it is not often used, or is it but we are not as aware as we should be?    

[Gary_Nelson]

I seem to recall that #13 (or #15?) green at Pebble Beach had this feature.  A relatively simple hole made very difficult if your tee shot went to the wrong side of the fairway.  Can anyone with more recent experience comment on this one?  It's been way too long since I played PB.

[ChipOat]

An excellent way to establish a "right" and "wrong" side of a fairway in terms of setting up the approach.

#1 at Rockaway Hunting Club is a wonderful example.  Even a Lob Wedge from the right side of the fairway to a sharply sloping right-to-left green is difficult.  The left rough is a MUCH easier angle.