a)  Around the greens
b)  On the tee box
c)  Everywhere
d)  Nowhere

What sayeth you?

everwhere, because that makes it a more complete test

on the greens

by match-play format....

......By the greens, keep them very firm. If a top golfer is shooting over a greenside bunker with a lake behind the green out of semi rough onto soft greens, he goes for the pin and makes a birdie. Same scenario with solid greens and he’s laying up short of the green every time and fighting for his par.

It doesn’t matter how long and tight the course is, with soft greens they shoot the lights out. Firm greens and it’s a different story.

Playing a par 72 as a 70.  Saves 8 strokes in relation to par.  The USGA has been doing this for decades at the Open, years before the equipment revolution.

Combintaion of a-b and c..much in the way Nick Faldo has been preachng for the past few years.

My personal disdain are the comments from Vijay Singh regarding the unimportance of driving accuracy..that has to change.
Growing up it meant something to be an accurate driver of the ball, that needs to be restored...as at Merion this week...TPC this year..Baltusrol..you get my drift.

"Between the Ears" is absolutely correct and is accomplished everywhere.

My personal disdain are the comments from Vijay Singh regarding the unimportance of driving accuracy..that has to change.
Growing up it meant something to be an accurate driver of the ball, that needs to be restored...as at Merion this week...TPC this year..Baltusrol..you get my drift.

Michael,

I would love to see Mr. Singh dismiss the rough at Muirfield and Carnoustie, when the officials of those clubs decided that a hayfield and fertilized rough would be just the answer to such a cavalier attitude.

The hay at Muirfield that year looked like some Soviet planner's propaganda idea of the benefits of collective farming.

By wind....

no design required...

d, the idea of defending par is dopey.

Ciao

Sean

Don't you think the real intent of the question is - How is each hole best defended? - The notion of par is the base line for golf so that's how the question is posed, but Mr. Bogey is probably wondering which aspect of the golf course, or hole, should/could/does provide the best defense against the players (of any caliber). I trust you do feel each hole needs its defenses because that is what this site is really all about, isn't it?

My answer to the original question is A) - at the green. You can set up sorts of deception and obstacle along the way, but if the greens (and surrounds) are less than challenging, the course is less than exhilirating, but if you have world class greens in the middle of a wide open flat field you can sign me up to play any day.

Sean

Absolutely, re: the balance of difficulty.

What I see as the "fun" as you put it is looking at a shot or hole or course in hindsight and realizing that certain times I outsmarted the course and certain times I was outsmarted. By "challenged" I mean confronted with interesting shots that force your consideration.

Easy holes are great Sean, so long as they are interesting and thought provoking, wouldn't you agree?

Jim