Some confusion about the "short hole" concept may stem from the fact that occasionally early articles referred to the 11th at The Old Course as the short hole at St.Andrews.
A short hole was important in CBM's scheme of things because he believed courses should present the golfer with a golf holes of great variety, including variety of distance, from "short" to "long." It seems a simple point - that each hole should be of a unique distance - but it was a key mechanism used by CBM to try and attain variety.
I don't think the "short hole" is one of the holes closely modeled after any hole abroad. CBM mentioned Brancaster but with visibility, but I don't know if they got the green configuration from Brancaster or somewhere else, or if it was perhaps original. Most of CBM's holes had conceptual similarities but weren't anything close to actual copies, and I think this is one of those holes.
I do find it fascinating, though, that Ross may have dabbled with CBM's horseshoe green concept on at least a few of his short holes. Does anyone know whether Ross actually planned for these particular contours? Or could they have been added through later changes or perhaps by the builder?
Here is what H.J. Whigham wrote in 1909 about short holes generally and about NGLA's shortest hole in particular:
It should be easy enough to make a short hole; yet how few really good short holes are there in existence. The first requisite —and this is very important—is that not only the flag should be visible from the tee, but, if possible, every bit of ground between the tee and the flag. One ought to play always for a two at a short hole, and one can only do that with any degree of accuracy when the flag and the ground round about it are visible. The much boasted Maiden at Sandwich is really a very indifferent hole because a three is very easy and a two is largely a matter of luck, since in playing from the tee the entire putting green is invisible. In the second place, it is well to vary the short holes in length so as to get every kind of shot. On the National links the shortest hole is about 140 yards. The shot is played from high ground across a wide bunker on to a small plateau which is entirely surrounded by bunkers. Where the hole is so short it should be made as difficult as possible; consequently the little plateau is undulating and slopes off on every side toward the bunkers. The nicest accuracy is necessary in order to keep the ball on the green. With the wind behind the shot must be played with a good deal of back spin. The bunker in front of the green is deep and sheer, so that it is quite impossible for a topped ball to run through. The bunkers round about will not be so severe because even a well played shot may just run over the green and a recovery should be possible, though difficult. Lastly, the fact that the tee is a good deal higher than the little plateau green makes the distance deceptive, and calls for the most careful judgment.
. . . [discussion of Eden and Redan omitted] . . .
There you have three short holes of three different lengths, each with great individuality and each calling for great accuracy. It would be practically impossible for a bad shot to get near the hole in any case. Notice first, that in each case all the ground between the tee and the flag is visible from the tee, and secondly, that the bunkers are deep and very near the hole. One might almost say that a short hole cannot be a good one unless it has one deep bunker within twenty feet of the flag.