Great Bunkerless Par 5s?

[Paul_Turner]

These seem pretty rare,  the only one I can think of quickly is the 10th on Portrush Valley.

Any others, on courses that have bunkers (so not including Royal Ashdown etc)?

[Adam Clayman]

Axeland and Proctor built one at Wild Horse in Nebraska. The sixth snakes bunkerless through natural rolling dunesland. Their use of the hillocks to challenge and blind the next shot from certain positions is simple perfection.

[Brad Swanson]

Nevermind!  (How does one delete a post, anyway?)

[Andy Levett]

13th at Silloth is outstanding and bunkerless.

[Sean_A]

These seem pretty rare,  the only one I can think of quickly is the 10th on Portrush Valley.

Any others, on courses that have bunkers (so not including Royal Ashdown etc)?

The first one that pops into mind is the 16th at Addington.  At least I think it is bunkerless or is there one tucked up left somewhere near the green?

Of course 17 at Pennard is bunkerless, but I question its greatness!

Ciao

[Bill_McBride]

Of course 17 at Pennard is bunkerless, but I question its greatness!

Well, it's certainly exceptional in its own way!  I need to play that hole a few more times to figure where the hell to hit the ball! 

[Patrick Glynn]

The 4th at Lahinch, depending on whether you count a bunker right as the 18th's or the Klondyke. The 13s at Pacific Dunes is probably the best green & surrounds without a bunker (as a par 5) that I have seen. (I appreciate there are bunkers off the tee & that great centerline bunker short)

[TEPaul]

I can't think of one but this thread has made me think of a very good place to try one (if it can be fitted into the routing). 

[Tony_Muldoon]

Good call Sean




I’m pretty sure the5th(?) at Baltry has none-but the shot in is blind with a big fall off ot the left.

[Tony_Muldoon]

I'd also like to nominate 'Foxy', for this thread.

[Jay Cox]

I nominate the 16th at Cape Breton Highlands.

Are there any possible answers to this question that do not have, to borrow the phrase Ran used to describe the 16th at CBH, "outrageous topography"?

[Kevin Pallier]

Not that I've played it - but I hear the 12th at Port Fairy is pretty good

[James Boon]

Tony M,

Its the 3rd at Baltray aka County Louth, and I don't recall it having any bunkers either. It was the only bunkerless par 5 that came to mind initially, until I remembered the 8th at Brancaster aka Royal West Norfolk. There is also the 17th at Wentworth (West) come to think of it.

Cheers

James

[Brett Hochstein]

9th at Katke-Cousins at Oakland University?  it's a brute, long, uphill.  but even a weasly short hitter like me was able to make 5 in a tournament. perhaps no greatness then.

[Ed Oden]

I believe Roaring Gap has 2 bunkerless par 5s, the 7th and the 11th.  While they might not qualify as "great", they are nonetheless both solid and a lot of fun to play.

[Mark Pearce]

Andy is spot on with 13 at Silloth - perhaps the best hole on a great course.

[Don Hyslop]

I nominate the 16th at Cape Breton Highlands.

Are there any possible answers to this question that do not have, to borrow the phrase Ran used to describe the 16th at CBH, "outrageous topography"?

Check out Jeff's story on the great #16 at Highland Links.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/opinionmingay2.html

[Paul_Turner]

Some great holes chosen so far,  the obvious common link is bold terrain...except Brancaster's 8th which is great because of its unique hazard and angle of its fairway.

[Cabell Ackerly]

The old 9th (now 10th) hole at CC of Virginia - Westhampton (Barker/Ross) was a wonderful straight away, bunkerless 542 yard par 5. It is a roller coaster hole that plays up and down over 5 different ridges. The fairway and green both fall hard to the right.

Unfortunately the course was significantly altered a year ago, and the architect added a fairway bunker at about 295 from the back tee, and another near layup range at about 150 yards from the green.

Prior to the renovation, the Westhampton course actually had a number of very solid bunkerless par 4's on the course. Those included old #4, 6, 8, 10, 13 and 15. The renovation added bunkers to every one of those, with the exception of old #6 (now 7).

[Jason Topp]

The 12th at Waveland in Des Moines, IA is one of my favorite par fives anywhere and it has no bunkers.

575 yard par five.  Wide fairway.  In firm conditions and a prevailing SW wind it can be reachable.  Choice off the tee is to go left, play as a 3 shot hole from a flat lie or hug the right side for a go at the green.

If you play conservatively, the 2nd is uphill to a tabletop that is about 30 yards wide, starts at 140 from the green and runs to 90.  If you play agressive, you need to carry a stand of trees and land the ball on the right side of the fairway to kick over the tabletop and have the ball feed left to the green.

Sadly, they installed irrigation in the fairway at some point since my childhood and have made a portion of the flat left side of the fairway rough and have made fast running fairways occur less often.

The diagram on the web site gives little indication of the nature of the hole but you can see the tabletop indicated on the diagram.

[Kevin Pallier]

Tony M,

Its the 3rd at Baltray aka County Louth, and I don't recall it having any bunkers either. It was the only bunkerless par 5 that came to mind initially, until I remembered the 8th at Brancaster aka Royal West Norfolk. There is also the 17th at Wentworth (West) come to think of it.

Cheers

James

James

Thanks for that - I had been racking my brain as to whether the 8th at RWN was bunkerless - and hadn't had the opportunity to get onto google earth to assist me. I'm not a huge fan of 17 Wentworth (West) though - the too heavily sloped fairway detracted from it for mine.

[Joe Bentham]

The 13s at Pacific Dunes is probably the best green & surrounds without a bunker (as a par 5) that I have seen. (I appreciate there are bunkers off the tee & that great centerline bunker short)

Not sure what Patrick is talking about.  13@Pac is a par 4.  12 has bunkers in play off the tee, on the 2nd/3rd shot and green side.  Not really what I'd call a bunkerless par 5.
Maybe he had his courses mixed up.  13 at Bandon Dunes is a great, bunkerless par 5.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I should add the 8th at Formby, an excellent hole.