Digging through a few old photos and found this one which I had completely blocked out of my mind.  Some of my friends here will no doubt recognize the course which boasts this peach of a hole.

You'd think that the requirement of a sign on a tee in order to assist golfers with playing the hole, not only with a diagram but also with detailed instructions, might tip you off that it's not the best designed hole there ever was...

Any other signs out there as blatantly embarrassing as this one?

Someone else can name the course if they'd like...

just to be the devil's advocate, since i haven't seen or played this hole - but is the sign really any different than every strokesaver/yardage guide?

Ryan -

Is that #5 at Bodega Bay, north of San Francisco? If it is, I think the sign is totally valid, as that hole is probably the most confusing hole on the course, due to the semi-blind tee-shot and the slope of the terrain. With no local knowledge, that is one of the most difficult holes to judge that I have ever come across.

DT      

there a sign like that on the 1st at Prestwick

I think the title is

How to play the first hole at Prestwick.

Quote from: Ryan Crago on February 07, 2007, 01:50:45 PM

just to be the devil's advocate, since i haven't seen or played this hole - but is the sign really any different than every strokesaver/yardage guide?

In the presence of 17 others just like it, it wouldn't be too much different...you're right.  But, when it's the only one on a course, you know enough people have walked up to that tee with the classic double-you, tee, eff look on their faces.

sure, i suppose you're right.  from the instructions it sounds like they're trying to prevent people from taking teeshots over the corner... which is most likely a management issue.  if thats the case, let me ask you this: if the architects' intent was to 'tempt', and 7 out of 10 balls are lost over the corner, has he/she not succeeded? if even somewhat...

again, i haven't seen it, so i'm not judging the hole either way.

As I believe this is #5 at Bodega Harbor, Bodega Bay, I do feel the sign is totally warranted. It provides some knowledge to first-time golfers there who would otherwise have a very hard time knowing where to aim or what clubs to hit.

The second nine built at Bodega (which is the front nine) was squeezed on to some very marginal land that works up and around a sloping hillside. There are some very poor holes in that nine and #5 is the worst of them.    

See Doak's Confidential Guide for further comments re: Bodega Harbor.

David,

You are correct.  This is the 5th at the venerable Links at Bodega Harbour.  Mr. Doak does indeed have some opinions here, as this is by his account an "Award-winning" layout

I agree with you that the sign is warranted, but my point isn't that the sign is the embarrassment, but rather that building a hole that necessitates such a sign (and it IS a necessity) is an embarrassment.

Ryan, I think the architect's only intent with this hole was to somehow get the golfers back down the hill as quickly as possible.

Here's the view from the "aiming point"

Ryan -

Do you have a picture of what the hole looks (or doesn't look) like from the tee? You can't really see much from there and it is hard to know how far you need to carry the ball to reach the fairway or how far it is before you drive it thru the fairway.

I agree that hole (and #4, with its split-level fairway) is a bad golf hole. Given the topography, I am not sure what else could have been done. As I said in my prior post, there was really only enough land there to build 6 or 7 good holes when they built the 2nd nine holes.  

The 2nd nine at Sea Ranch also suffers from a routing that is awkward in a couple of spots, although it nowhere near as bad as Bodega.

DT  

I don't see the problem - some courses have caddies, some have good "Strokesaver" type booklets.  I observed the sign at Prestwick, hit my ball left and then had easy shot to flag. My friends ignored the sign and lost the hole.
The necessity of the sign might be because of the way the hole has been maintained or evolved, maybe its helpful. Must be a reason for it.

Tom -

There are probably one or two other holes at Bodega that could benefit from a similar sign/diagram on the tee. #18 is a real head scratcher the first time you play it (not that it gets any easier thereafter!).

I do think the carry distances across the marsh/inlet on #16 are marked on the tee. That is certainly a big help, which speeds up play as well.

DT

At least the sign was not hand lettered

 

"No Fighting...No Spitting...No ...."

Best Sign Ever - Caddyshack

There was a vogue in the UK for such teemarkers some years ago even if the course didn't need explanation.  I think they fell out of favour when vandals started nicking them.  

It's not quite the same thing, but when it was decided to re-introduce names for the holes at Hartlepool it was decided not to put the names on the tee markers as this would attract vandalism.  The names were printed on the scorecard, however.  I'm afraid vandalism on golf courses is rife in or near many of our bigger cities.  There was a fashion for driving stolen cars onto greens and setting fire to them a few years ago.  Most city clubs have to bring in flag sticks and rakes at the end of play, even benches, ball cleaners and so on.  There is increasing theft of a player's clubs and bag actually while they are out on the course.  The thieves are also usually getting away with car keys, credit cards etc.  There was a run of these thefts from the 8th tee at Wilmslow a few years ago.  There was a lay-by on a minor road close to the tee, but hidden from it by trees.  The thieves would lurk there in a van, spring on the next four-ball that came past, take their possessions and by the time the players had made the 500+ yards back to the clubhouse to raise the alarm the thieves were already several miles away and about to strike elsewhere.  But, then, the crime statistics for Europe which were published the other day showed the UK to be the worst country in Europe, so it should not surprise us.  

I have one in my office which is perfect.  one is posted before the 1st Tee @ Bethpage Black.

                            - WARNING -

                      The Black Course Is An
                      Extremly Difficult Course
                    Which We Recommend Only
                       For Highly Skilled Golfers