Banff Springs par 3's

[Lance Rieber]

Are they as good as they look on the write-up?  Such diversity even though they have similar yardages.  The 10th looks to me to be one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.  Those of you that have played, what do they play like? Are they as fun to play as they look?  Stanley Thompson is so well at his bunkering, so natural looking even though many are pushed up.  Brilliant, I hope to get up there again sometime soon.  I have played about 7 or 8 in Canada including Kananaskis but couldn't get time to play Banff.
thanks for the replies
Lance

[A_Clay_Man]

Lance, I rate the tenth as the third best at Banff. The second hole, to me, has such a special feel to it, I thought it better than ten. And of course, "The Cauldron" is one of the worlds best.

[Tyler Kearns]

Adam,

I believe the 2nd at Banff is one of the few holes left intact by Thompson from the original Donald Ross course.

Tyler Kearns

[A_Clay_Man]

Tyler, You bring up a real conundrum. The second at Banff is the original sixth. Written accounts say it's the sixth hole, that is the Ross. Which is also believable, save for the space between the bunkers and greens edge, and it's possible both could be Ross. I just don't know the real facts, but clearly felt the vibe when we first reached the current second.

[Tyler Kearns]

Adam,

According to Bradley Klein, some visible features of the Ross course exist at holes #2, #6, #17 & #18 (present routing). From what I gather, many of Ross' tee and green sites were utilized, but the holes were entirely redesigned and bear little or no semblance to the original.

Tyler Kearns  

[Pete Buczkowski]

Lance, I rate the tenth as the third best at Banff. The second hole, to me, has such a special feel to it, I thought it better than ten. And of course, "The Cauldron" is one of the worlds best.

Adam,

Do you really think the 4th is of more architectural interest than the 2nd and the 10th...no doubt the view, the shot value, the bunkering, and the slopey green on 4 are all fantastic.  But, for pure shot making, isn't a left pin on 10 the epitome of a par 3.5 of only moderate length by today's standards (considering the altitude)?  I just don't see the same demands at 4 so I don't see why everyone thinks is so superior - except for the eye candy it presents.

Appreciate your thoughts.

Pete
A Casual Poster

[A_Clay_Man]

Pete, Yes I do. The shot demand is high at the Cauldron. The elevation change, along with the "eye candy" (as you called it) really serve to intimidate and confound. Causing club selection doubt, and the need to be close to perfect. So much so, in the original routing, I felt the Cauldron hole was perefctly placed. In the present config, the golfer is aslked twice, in the first four holes, to play exacting demanding shots. IMO it's too early in the round for those, and they were much better as the 6th and 8th.

As for # 10, I'll agree that the left side is a real head-scratcher, but even with the River's tranquil setting, it doesn't beat the elevation changes, and look of the other two. Plus, it seemed just a slightly longer version than the other one shotter.

What did I miss?

[Pete Buczkowski]

Adam,

Thanks for your thoughts.  I am a golfer of modest talent - that's why I wonder why the 4th was not difficult for me while the 10th is just brutal.  I just don't think the shot demands are that high - the green is of fair size, the bunkers are not that deep (I can't imagine making more than bogey from them), and the green is mostly a back to front pitch that is not too difficult to read at the maintained green speeds.  I was able to make par each time I played the Cauldron but consider my lone par at the 10th one of my all-time best...if not the best...in fact on another thread I suggested the 10th would make a better closer given the clubhouse site.  Of course I don't know a lot about architecture so please tell me where I am wrong.

All that said, it is probably the most fun par 3 I have ever played...but I like eye candy and my archtectural knowledge is quite limited so I thought that was the reason...

Pete
A Casual Poster

[A_Clay_Man]

Pete, Even our benafactor, Ran, commented on the apparent eye candy aspect of all those back bunkers at Banff. And wondered if Fazio had done it he'd be lambasted for all the candy, but when Thompson or Mackenzie does it, it's pure genius.

One comment that comes to mind, reading your last post, is the difference between one's ability to score on a hole, and it's architectural interest, quality or merit. Other than that keep feeling and try to be aware of those feelings while their happening, and what's causing them. Not how you feel about your results.

[Pete Buczkowski]

Adam,

Its not really about my score...quite frankly I could care less...if I did care I wouldn't play this game...its about the shot demands, or what I thought lack of shot demands...on the Cauldron hole.  And I just can't get over the fact that there's too many bunkers around the green on that hole.  Why isn't there a cry for bunker removal when there's such an outrage for tree removal?  Take the bunkering on the 14th (old 18th).  There's plenty of bunkers on that hole but they didn't bother me at all...not a single bunker seems out of place.  

Pete
A Casual Poster

[Doug Wright]

Are they as good as they look on the write-up?  Such diversity even though they have similar yardages.  

Lance,

Yes they are very strong set of short holes. Excellent variety despite the similar yardages, uphill downhill and flat, large greens and small. The 10th is a very difficult par 3 IMO. I  concur with Adam that they're even better where they fell in the original routing.  Adam/Tyler, what of the second makes it a "Ross"?

Best,

[A_Clay_Man]

Doug, I can only tell you my first impression and that was a combination of how well placed the green and the bunkers are on that little hillock. The green sits up,  proud as a peacock, and, The bunker's steep faces has that Ross ability to test distance accuracy, perfectly.

The sixth hole has the same steep bunker faces but the disatance accuracy aspect is not there because it looks like the fillpads need to be recovered. The look of incredulity must've been priceless, when we were told to the contrary.

[hhuffines]

Adam,

I thought those rear bunkers were eye candy until I had
to play out of nearly all of them.  I made a great up and
down out of the back left one on the Cauldron for 4!

I thought the 2nd and 10th were great too.  Tough to
gauge distance.

Hart

[hhuffines]

Forgot to mention how difficult the tiny par 3 16th and the long par 3 4th at Jasper played.  Both great holes on the same
level as those mentioned above.

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