The Most Epic Hole In the World

[Wade Whitehead]

What is the most epic hole in the world?

What makes it so?

WW

[Ira Fishman]

In the common use of the term, the 16th at CPC. No explanation needed.


In the stricter definition of the term, the 16th at Augusta. So many iconic (from your last thread) turning points in the narrative of the Masters on a hole so near the finish. Yes, 15 at Augusta would be a close second. And a case could be made for the 18th at Carnoustie (tragedy and comedy both, including in the same Open by the same player).


Ira

[Colin Sheehan]

Debating which individual hole is the most epic in the world is just another course ranking debate. However, what holes are epic to you?


"a long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation."

Aren't these the best penal holes?!

Some one shotters that come to mind:
5 at PV
9 at Yale
17 Merion

Certainly plenty of longer par-fours and par-fives out there. Yes, Yale 18 immediately comes to mind. And I think holes 16 and 18 at Merion as such.

I think of epic holes as needing some dramatic terrain or significant nature hazard. The first at Winged Foot is nasty but could never be epic. It doesn't take you on a journey. But somehow 17 East requires a certain long club to what was once surrounded by sand.

There's no getting around it. Epic holes, you cannot avoid dealing with the challenge.

[Ira Fishman]

Colin,


I thought about Yale 18 for my response, but the legendary tales are limited which is why I went with hosts of major tournaments.


Ira

[Matt Schoolfield]

Legend Golf and Safari Resort — Signature Course #19

[jeffwarne]

In the common use of the term, the 16th at CPC. No explanation needed.


In the stricter definition of the term, the 16th at Augusta. So many iconic (from your last thread) turning points in the narrative of the Masters on a hole so near the finish. Yes, 15 at Augusta would be a close second. And a case could be made for the 18th at Carnoustie (tragedy and comedy both, including in the same Open by the same player).


Ira

Agreed re:16 at CP.
As far as famously epic
13 at ANGC would be my second choice.15 and 16 are a bit contrived to me-though at a later point in the round.
17 at TOC right up there too.


Less famous epic
9 at Myopia, The Postage Stamp or 8 at Maidstone for the short holes, and the finisher at Durness is quite epic as is the whole place.


My wildcard would be 11 at National Guanamatta
Super wildcard-17 at The Tree Farm, which was a simple add on hole to get to 18 tee-on what seemed like an average piece of dirt in the beginning.


But there are so many I'm forgetting....

[Jeff Evagues]

I think the 3rd at Mauna Kea is right up there with 16 at Cypress.

[Tim_Weiman]

Hard to argue with 16 at Cypress Point. Thank the Good Doctor and Marion Hollins.

[James Brown]

18 at The Old Course

[Tom_Doak]

I will go with the par-5 7th at Himalayan Golf Club.


You drive over a rushing creek, then play your second up beside the creek to leave yourself a pitch shot to an island green in the middle of the creek.


All in a canyon at the foot of the Himalayas with the anvil-shaped peak of Annapurna looming overhead.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Th Channel Hole at the Lido offers the player many different ways to play it. The bold, long, and straight can aim for the island fairway to the right and go for the green in two. Shorter players like me play to the left fairway and make it a three-shot hole.


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[Michael Morandi]

Before pros routinely hit the ball 300 plus yards, the most iconic  holes in my memory (I’m 69) were the 18th at Pebble and the 17th at TOC. One had an ocean to cross(sometimes twice) and the other a shed. The 13th and 15th at ANGC are honorable mention.

[Andre Masse]

Hard to argue many that have been listed here. 12, 13, 15 at ANGC, 18 at Pebble, 17, 18 at TOC.

I'd like to add 10 at Riviera to the conversation - so entertaining to watch each year and so dramatic to play. Not as "visually" epic as others listed, but epic in its own unique mind bending and often exhausting way.

Unfortunately haven't the chance to play there so won't opine, but surprised nobody mentioned 9 or 15 from PV.

[cary lichtenstein]

8 Pebble
16 Cypress

[Ash Towe]

17 Old Course
16 Cypress
18 Cape Wickham

[Ally Mcintosh]

I will go with the par-5 7th at Himalayan Golf Club.


You drive over a rushing creek, then play your second up beside the creek to leave yourself a pitch shot to an island green in the middle of the creek.


All in a canyon at the foot of the Himalayas with the anvil-shaped peak of Annapurna looming overhead.

I like the spirit of this. The most epic hole in the world is not the most iconic (hence the different threads I guess).


It is quite likely that the most epic hole in the world is not actually a good hole, just one that stops you in your tracks. Unless you can beat having Annapurna rising up behind you, you’re probably not in the running.

[Tom_Doak]

I will go with the par-5 7th at Himalayan Golf Club.


You drive over a rushing creek, then play your second up beside the creek to leave yourself a pitch shot to an island green in the middle of the creek.


All in a canyon at the foot of the Himalayas with the anvil-shaped peak of Annapurna looming overhead.

I like the spirit of this. The most epic hole in the world is not the most iconic (hence the different threads I guess).


It is quite likely that the most epic hole in the world is not actually a good hole, just one that stops you in your tracks. Unless you can beat having Annapurna rising up behind you, you’re probably not in the running.

Good luck beating Annapurna 


I don't really get any of the other entries.  "Epic" connotes something that's long and complex, so par-3 holes would not seem to fit the bill, no matter how great they are.  The 18th at Yale is the only other hole listed that the word epic fits for me.

[Tim Martin]

I will go with the par-5 7th at Himalayan Golf Club.


You drive over a rushing creek, then play your second up beside the creek to leave yourself a pitch shot to an island green in the middle of the creek.


All in a canyon at the foot of the Himalayas with the anvil-shaped peak of Annapurna looming overhead.

I like the spirit of this. The most epic hole in the world is not the most iconic (hence the different threads I guess).


It is quite likely that the most epic hole in the world is not actually a good hole, just one that stops you in your tracks. Unless you can beat having Annapurna rising up behind you, you’re probably not in the running.

Good luck beating Annapurna 


I don't really get any of the other entries.  "Epic" connotes something that's long and complex, so par-3 holes would not seem to fit the bill, no matter how great they are.  The 18th at Yale is the only other hole listed that the word epic fits for me.

“Epic” when used as an adjective takes as one definition “extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope”. Yale 18 in one of it’s earlier scorecard versions had the hole name of “Odyssey” which is an apt description.

[Michael Felton]

Hard to argue many that have been listed here. 12, 13, 15 at ANGC, 18 at Pebble, 17, 18 at TOC.

I'd like to add 10 at Riviera to the conversation - so entertaining to watch each year and so dramatic to play. Not as "visually" epic as others listed, but epic in its own unique mind bending and often exhausting way.

Unfortunately haven't the chance to play there so won't opine, but surprised nobody mentioned 9 or 15 from PV.

I'm not sure I would pick 9 or 15 for that - maybe 15. I think 7 and 5 are the two holes at PV that would qualify.


Tom - I think a par 3 can be epic (16 at Cypress would be a good example as well as 5 at PV). It just needs to be "big" for a par 3. I guess I also kind of feel like epic in this situation means something that you see and it makes you go "whoa!". On 7 at PV, that might be "whoa! look at the size of that bunker!". 4 at RSG might have something similar going on, albeit on a different axis. 16 at CP is just a "whoa!"

[Matt Schoolfield]

I will go with the par-5 7th at Himalayan Golf Club.

For the curious, EAL went here in Season 2 of Adventures in Golf.