If you had a membership completely composed of fine people and passionate golfers who for whatever reason averaged 110 every time they play, how would you design a course that could be a pleasure for the members.  Where would you distribute their strokes for the most enjoyment that would keep them off the Kanasta tables.  Heroic carries, wild putts, penalty strokes, bunker shots...where do you put the fun and keep the pace of play moving?

Mike,

Why not name a course without so much history and status.  Sure they would enjoy hitting the hotel at the Road Hole...who wouldn't?  Have you ever hit a house, hotel or apartment building at a non-descript course...I don't see the fun in that at all.  I don't think you would build the barracks or parking lot along the right side of any fairway at this course.

John,

There are plenty of examples.

I haven't been there but I'm guessing from Mike Sweeney's pics of Sankaty Head that it would fit the bill.

I played a 6300 yard course this past weekend that would as well.   It was the kind of place where my playing partner hit a 320 yard drive on a 360 yard hole, but was so out of position from a strategic standpoint that he took a 6.

I'll write about that one more when I have some time.

Ok,  I like the idea of 360 yd par fours...Would that be your maximum length?

Are we saying that we should only make them consider options on tee shots once or twice a round?  Should the tee ball be the one opportunity where the 110 shooter can hit his favorite distance club?

John,

What about the East course at Norwood Country Club?  My brother used to have a membership at Norwood and we usually played the West course.  But on a couple of occasions we did play the East course.  It can still be fun for a good player, but not too difficult for a 110 shooter.

An even better example is the Hawthorne 9 at Forest Park.  This is the portion of Forest Park which used to be the old nine-hole course.  The old course was very very easy, but very boring and uninteresting for even a decent golfer.  I think the new Hawthorne 9, does make for at least an interesting nine holes, while still being not overwhelming for the lesser golfer.

This nine holer is only 2922 from the back tees, but it includes a 299 yard par 4.  The two par 5s are 493 and 481.  Also there is some good bunkering to make things interesting.  The course is not very tight and trees are only an issue on one side of a few holes along the north border of the course.  The greens were slightly pushed up, but did not include any false fronts and the greens did not include any edges rolling downward.

A good player would not want to play this course on a regular basis, but a 110 shooter can enjoy this course and possibly improve on this course if that 110 shooter wishes to improve.  I played this course with a friend who used to play regularly in high school but now plays only about once a year.  This person would probably not enjoy a day at Gateway National or Annbrier, but we both enjoyed nine on the Hawthorn 9 at Forest Park.

I think a lot of 110 shooters like the same things about golf that better players do. Designers create a lot of courses that the 110 shooter can enjoy, if they're willing to play from the forward tees. If you want to specifically cater to that player, then just take a few common design elements off the table - knee deep "natural grass areas," water that runs the length of a fairway, forced carries. Keep the bunkers closer to the line of play, and don't sit 'em out in the  boonies to punish the worst drives. But leave in the stong fairway and green contours, etc. Nobody loves a completely vanilla course, even those whose game would seemingly fit best there.

This would only punish the well struck push fade...It would be entertaining as hell.

Just not on every hole.............but you bring up a great point. How many holes are out there that properly reward the well-struck push fade?  

I thought from the title you were talking about Gitmo.

Kalen, that place would only do business if the green fees were $5. Given current land costs, etc., probably not feasible. It would be nice to have such an inexpensive place for learning, but it doesn't look to me like anyone is building such a thing...........

...
If someone is shooting 110, as has been said, they are stuggling hard enough just to hit the ball straight. ...

Where do you arrogant SOBs get this BS?

Sorry Garland, but if they are hitting the ball down the middle and double bogeying every hole, they just need to move up a couple of tees

Quote from: Kalen Braley on May 31, 2007, 01:06:48 PM

...
If someone is shooting 110, as has been said, they are stuggling hard enough just to hit the ball straight. ...

Where do you arrogant SOBs get this BS?

Garland,

Obviously the original post was done in sarcasm.

That being said in all seriousness.  I have seen far far more players who shoot in that range that spray the ball everywhere, more so than the 80 yr old man dinking his 3 wood 110 yards up the fairway..

So while my orginal post was extreme, I still stand by my statment that people shooting 110 + on a regular basis should stick to easier layouts...but thats just my opinion.  Of course if you have money/connections/access then none of that applies....

Sorry Garland, but if they are hitting the ball down the middle and double bogeying every hole, they just need to move up a couple of tees

Spoken like a true low handicapper that is clueless as to the problems of the 110 shooter.

Have you guys ever noticed that the two shots that seem to go closest to the intended line are grounders and pop ups?