[PThomas]

what's the best hole you played in 2006 for the first time and why?

and happy new year to all!

[Scott Szabo]

Unfortunately my choices are few for 2006, but I'd have to say Ballyneal #12, both for the beauty and for the challenge.  All you have to do is look at the picture to see the strategy that Mr. Doak has put in place on that hole.  It isn't a long one, but the narrow area on the left side of the fairway is the obvious play, but difficult to hit.  Miss it left and you're in the bunker complex, miss it right and your ball tumbles down the dune, leaving a blind shot over a massive bunker.  

By far and away my favorite hole at Ballyneal, although I've only been there once.  It certainly stood out in my mind.

[Sean Leary]

10 at Merion  

[Tommy Williamsen]

Mark Rowlinson might be surprised by my pick.  It is at Bull Bay in Wales or Clwb Golff Porth Llechog as it is in Welch.  It is the 347 Yard ninth hole.  It's name on the scorecard is "dyffryn." It is "differen(t) indeed.  Both the tee and green are elevated.  To the left side of the fairway is a large rock outcropping that a bold player can fly, which leaves but a wedge into the green.  The more conservatinve route is to hit the ball in the valley right of the rocks and short of a little stream.  This leaves about 135 yards uphill to a blind sloping green.  Herbert Fowler designed the course.  It is not a great course my any stretch of the imagination but it was a ball to play because it has some of the more interesting holes I have ever played. The course originally had no bunkers and still only has a half dozen or so.  What it does have are resplendant gorse on almost every hole.  The define the hole but are not really in play except for a very wildly hot shot.


This is the view from the tee.  The green can be seen in the distance.

[Garland Bayley]

Black Mesa 14

The small hill in the center of the fairway looms much larger than it shows in the photograph, since the colors make it melt into the background. The temptation to go left of the hill directly at the green was too great for the two young fellers I played with. They of course met their doom in the hazards there. Only their father was smart enough to take my advice and play right.


In Mike Nuzzo's wide angle shot, the hill seems even less significant.


However, it shows up much more significantly in the left center of this picture of Mike Nuzzo's taken from behind the green.


Black Mesa 7 is also an interesting hole. Unfortunately, it is a cart ball hole, not a golf hole.

[Garland Bayley]

Given the discussion going on on the A-Ward thread. I am wondering if anyone out there has played both Sebonack and Ballyneal this year and choose one of the holes from these two courses for their fav of 06.

[Phil McDade]

The par 3 7th at Spring Valley Country Club in Salem, Wisc. A Langford/Moreau par 3 that could stand with the best of their short holes at the more famous Lawsonia Links. It runs 181 yards over a deep valley, giving the appearance of a downhill shot that -- in reality -- plays uphill, when you look back at the tee from the green. A large, grassy waste area left and front of the green (the course is bunkerless) stares at you from the tee, and there is little bailout room right. And the green is really quite good, with significant contours and some nasty pitch that makes placing your shot -- tee or recovery -- below the hole absolutely necessary. A first-rate inland par 3 at very low-profile course, site of a mini-GCA outing this fall.

[Bill_McBride]

Black Mesa 7 is also an interesting hole. Unfortunately, it is a cart ball hole, not a golf hole.

Garland,  

Please elaborate.  I didn't walk our 36 at Black Mesa because it was my first day at that altitude, but I certainly think the entire course is very walkable once you are acclimated.  

[Bill_McBride]

Favorite new hole of 2006 -



#17 at National Golf Links of America.

#1, #2, #3, #4, #6, #7, #8, #10, #11, #14, #16, and #18 NGLA are also candidates.

So is #5 at Bandon Trails, one of the best par 3s I've played in years.  What a green.  Several holes at Hoylake are also candidates.  #3, #11, #14, #18 (Open routing).

But the Leven hole at NGLA was my favorite because of the fun strategy involved in the tee shot.  Bust one to the left side and you can see the entire flagstick.  But you'd better not be short, and you'd better not cut the tee ball or those bunkers get very greedy.  Play too far right and you can see about the top two feet of the flag over the berm and bunkering.

Not a long hole, but very demanding tee shot.

[Garland Bayley]

Black Mesa 7 is also an interesting hole. Unfortunately, it is a cart ball hole, not a golf hole.

Garland,  

Please elaborate.  I didn't walk our 36 at Black Mesa because it was my first day at that altitude, but I certainly think the entire course is very walkable once you are acclimated.  

To a certain extent all of Black Mesa is a cart ball course. The fairways were pretty spotty, obviously from the heavy cart traffic. I walk and carry. I hate walking on cartpaths. At Black Mesa, they give a very circuitous path to your ball after your drive, and elsewhere give questionable footing and they are harder on arthritic knees than walking on grass. However, the long uphill trudge from 6 green to 7th tee is the primary reason I label 7 a cartball hole.

To give you an indication of my hardcore walking habits, I took advantage of the replay rate to play my second 18. It comes with a cart. It was the first time I had driven a cart in my life. And it died on the 6th fairway (we started on the back nine). I guess it didn't like the separation between 6 and 7 any better than I did.  

[Jim Franklin]

#12 at Chicago GC. I thought it was one of the best punchbowl greens I have played.

#7 at Ballyneal. Awesome green, terrific fairway. You can take the shorter approach down the left for a blind second or go the longer route and have a view of the green. Once you get to the green, the fun really starts.

#11 at The Country Club (composite). I thought combing the two holes into one was a terrific idea and made for an extremely difficult hole.

[Garland Bayley]

Given the discussion going on on the A-Ward thread. I am wondering if anyone out there has played both Sebonack and Ballyneal this year and choose one of the holes from these two courses for their fav of 06.

Fitting this criteria Adam Messix picks Sebonack #2 on the A-Ward thread.

[Mike Nuzzo]

In Ran's wide angle shot, the hill seems even less significant.

I must confess that those are my pictures.  Ran's are almost always from the playing field.  Mine were taken from higher vantage points, and as you astutely pointed out - with a wide angle lense.

The right way is the safe way.  The alternative way to play would be to drive the green and make the putt, like I did against the Huckster...  

Cheers

[Mike Nuzzo]

It was one of my favorites and by far my most memorable...

I hit my purest shot in Scotland to the Eden green playing directly into a strong cold early April wind to a middle left pin.  It landed just left pin high, and bounced twice then trickled off the back.
It then took me two to hit it back over the green in front of Shell bunker.  And a few more strokes from there to hole out - for a most memorable 7.

I would say I was playing for a birdie...

[Richard Pennell]

The 5th at Royal Ashdown Forest - downhill par-5 with diagonal ditch in the layup area and a stream in front of the green - a tempting hole to attack.
OR
The 6th at Deal - just 325 yards but requires 2 very good shots to have a birdie chance. Great example of a short par-4.
OR
The par-3 11th (I think) at Pennard, with a gaping bunker short and a narrow green to hold with the teeshot. Tough but exciting shot to play.

[Kyle Henderson]

I echo your choice, Mr. Barley. A great hole. The grass was dormant when I played it (March 4, 2006) so my photos show even less of the contour than the ones you included. I actually managed to get my drive onto the front portion of the green, thanks to a tip from the local I was playing with.

As for hole # 7, all 4 players birdied that hole in my foursome, and I had the lowest handicap (. My father holed out a 60-yard "recovery" shot from the scrub.

Black Mesa 14

The small hill in the center of the fairway looms much larger than it shows in the photograph, since the colors make it melt into the background. The temptation to go left of the hill directly at the green was too great for the two young fellers I played with. They of course met their doom in the hazards there. Only their father was smart enough to take my advice and play right.


In Mike Nuzzo's wide angle shot, the hill seems even less significant.


However, it shows up much more significantly in the left center of this picture of Mike Nuzzo's taken from behind the green.


Black Mesa 7 is also an interesting hole. Unfortunately, it is a cart ball hole, not a golf hole.

[mike_malone]

 Candidates

     Plainfield--#1-#4-#11
     Yale--#3-#10
     Atlantic City--#3-#11-#12
     N.Berwick--#13-#14-#15
     TOC--#5-#11

    WINNER


     TOC #11.  So, I agree with Mike Nuzzo, although I played it well both times.

   Why? It has tantalizing appeal for the aggressive shot and severe but recoverable penalties.
     

[Jason Mandel]

Mayday,

Regarding Atlantic City

I really like 11, but what did you like so much about 12?

I think 12 was one of my least favorite holes on the course.

Jason

[mike_malone]

 Jason,

   I could just as easily have chosen #4. I'm a sucker for short par threes. I think #12 was probably more interesting when there were no trees in the background. This would enhance the volcano effect. The way the green sits up all alone, well protected by bunkers that create angles of attack and the shape and slopes of the green are appealing to my eye.

  Too bad we did not  discuss this face to face.

[cary lichtenstein]

#9 Yale

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