Best Bunkerless Holes in Philly

[Jaeger Kovich]

Can anyone help me name/think of the best bunkerless holes in the Philly Area?

[mike_malone]

Cedarbrook probably!!


  Otherwise I have no clue.

[Jon Cavalier]

Here’s a few that come to mind:


Huntingdon Valley Centennial: No. 1 and No. 6
Merion West: No. 12 and No. 16
French Creek No. 11
Philly Cricket Militia Hill: No. 2
Whitemarsh Valley: No. 14




Stonewall Old’s 16th would be the best of them all, but it has a framing bunker fronting the fairway (though not really in play).

[Brett Hochstein]

4 and 8 at Lulu? 12 Merion West perhaps, but I like the holes at Lulu better (even if some of those depressions probably were bunkers at one time). Really goes to show there aren't that many bunkerless holes in Philly

[Matt_Cohn]

Technically it looks like 16 at Stonewall Old might have an aiming bunker short of the fairway. But there certainly aren’t any in play. 2 on the North is a good par 3 over one of the walls.

[Kyle Harris]

16 at Stonewall Old, as Matt said. That green is amazing, too.
16 Merion West
12 Neshaminy Valley (hehe)
3 Doylestown
4, 14, 15, 18 Galen Hall
11, 13 Manor
3 Valley

[MCirba]

16 at Stonewall Old, as Matt said. That green is amazing, too.
16 Merion West
12 Neshaminy Valley (hehe)
3 Doylestown
4, 14, 15, 18 Galen Hall
11, 13 Manor
3 Valley

Et Two Et GH, Kyle?


EDIT #1 - Oh wait.. I see it has a bunker about 80 yards off the tee to the right.  Is that for hole 2 or for the makeshift practice area?


EDIT #2 - Historic aerials shows this bunker was already there by 1951.   Perhaps it was Tilly on a bender.

[Bob Harris]

14 at Commonwealth.

[mike_malone]

Some of these have no bunkers but have other significant hazards like 11 at French Creek.
  Are there some more like 14 at Augusta?


  Hazardless would be special.

[Matt Frey, PGA]

Lancaster's bunkerless fifth hole may be my favorite hole on the course.

A few others:

• Lebanon No. 11
• Berkshire No. 3
• West Chester No. 5

Bonus: Abington's moat hole (No. 6)

Sadly, the Steel Club closed their Hill Nine; the nine's fourth hole was bunkerless.

Would folks consider Running Deer's third hole bunkerless? I do. I believe their second is also bunkerless.

[mike_malone]

Hazardless holes would likely use the land as the hazard. From tv the fairway on 14 at Augusta looks heavily slanted left to right and the green is outstanding.


So if you (Jaeger) want an interesting bunkerless hole make it hazardless. 

[Kyle Harris]

16 at Stonewall Old, as Matt said. That green is amazing, too.
16 Merion West
12 Neshaminy Valley (hehe)
3 Doylestown
4, 14, 15, 18 Galen Hall
11, 13 Manor
3 Valley

Et Two Et GH, Kyle?


EDIT #1 - Oh wait.. I see it has a bunker about 80 yards off the tee to the right.  Is that for hole 2 or for the makeshift practice area?


EDIT #2 - Historic aerials shows this bunker was already there by 1951.   Perhaps it was Tilly on a bender.

It’s a great bunker, IMO. Defending the safe play outside the dogleg and at the top of the hill. Strategic in the sense that it puts Driver back in your hand if you’re daring or makes you think on the 200 yard bail out to the right.

[MCirba]

Kyle,


I went to Google Earth and it's 125 yards from the tee, albeit uphill.   After thinking about it I'm inclined to agree with you that it does create at least a visual deterrent from going too far right (towards the houses) if not always a practical one as it's easily carried.


Or, Tillinghast was on a bender. 

[Jaeger Kovich]

Thanks guys.


The merion west ones sound interesting.


Kyle I can promise you Doylestown 3 def has bunkers!


Need to get to Lancaster at some point.


Seems like everyone in Philly built a gazillion bunkers on all the courses.


And yes Mayday, Cedarbook now will have one on this list too, #9 which is why I was asking… it’s a par 3.


Hazardless holes sound boring! Hopefully there is some interesting contours or something!

[Kyle Harris]

16 at Stonewall Old, as Matt said. That green is amazing, too.
16 Merion West
12 Neshaminy Valley (hehe)
3 Doylestown
4, 14, 15, 18 Galen Hall
11, 13 Manor
3 Valley

Et Two Et GH, Kyle?


EDIT #1 - Oh wait.. I see it has a bunker about 80 yards off the tee to the right.  Is that for hole 2 or for the makeshift practice area?


EDIT #2 - Historic aerials shows this bunker was already there by 1951.   Perhaps it was Tilly on a bender.

It’s a great bunker, IMO. Defending the safe play outside the dogleg and at the top of the hill. Strategic in the sense that it puts Driver back in your hand if you’re daring or makes you think on the 200 yard bail out to the right.

Catch a 3-iron a groove or two low and then get back to me. It makes you commit fully to a shot and trajectory or catches you out.


I’m fairly certain that’s a Findlay bunker, too. Back then it was fairway over there.

[Buddy Aiken]

The 3rd at Berkshire is a good hole although there may have been greenside bunkers there at one time.


Elkview, it is in the Golf Assoc of Philly, has several good bunkerless holes including a par 3, 4 and 5. 


the 9th at Fieldstone is also worth a mention.

[Ed Brzezowski]

16 at Stonewall Old, as Matt said. That green is amazing, too.
16 Merion West
12 Neshaminy Valley (hehe)
3 Doylestown
4, 14, 15, 18 Galen Hall
11, 13 Manor
3 Valley

Neshaminy Valley     now i have ice tea stuck in my nose.

[MCirba]

18 at Hickory Valley.

[Tom_Doak]

Did Brian and Blake any bunkerless holes in the renovation of Llanerch?  I would have bet on them to do it.

[mike_malone]

There some holes with no fairway bunkers but all holes have bunkers at Llanerch.

[Brett Hochstein]

Did Brian and Blake any bunkerless holes in the renovation of Llanerch?  I would have bet on them to do it.

No, and I was just recently looking at it with the same thought in mind.  The new long par 3 (8, I think? I've only walked it twice out of order during and after the reno and have little semblance of what number is what) is very close to not having one, but there's a sneaky little guy back right to catch shots that kick too hard off the front left mound.  Super cool and inspiring work there, btw.

[Sean_A]

Did Brian and Blake any bunkerless holes in the renovation of Llanerch?  I would have bet on them to do it.

No, and I was just recently looking at it with the same thought in mind.  The new long par 3 (8, I think? I've only walked it twice out of order during and after the reno and have little semblance of what number is what) is very close to not having one, but there's a sneaky little guy back right to catch shots that kick too hard off the front left mound.  Super cool and inspiring work there, btw.

In photos Llenarch looks super cool.

Ciao

[Joe Bausch]

Did Brian and Blake any bunkerless holes in the renovation of Llanerch?  I would have bet on them to do it.

No, and I was just recently looking at it with the same thought in mind.  The new long par 3 (8, I think? I've only walked it twice out of order during and after the reno and have little semblance of what number is what) is very close to not having one, but there's a sneaky little guy back right to catch shots that kick too hard off the front left mound.  Super cool and inspiring work there, btw.

In photos Llenarch looks super cool.


Ciao

Indeed it is.

[Joe Bausch]

#7 at Iron Valley.

Oh goodness, did he just nominate a hole from a P.B. Dye course?

[mike_malone]

#7 at Iron Valley.


Oh goodness, did he just nominate a hole from a P.B. Dye course?

Doesn’t matter because Iron Valley is fun. Maybe the site is so good it couldn’t be screwed up but I enjoy it.