I don't think that it's ridiculous at all.

What would make it so?
The carry over the ridge?  There are hundreds of holes of the same length with water fronting the left side of the green.  This hole might be slightly more penal, since you have to have some air under the shot to get it over the rocks, instead of just sufficient distance, but that difference is pretty marginal.

The blindness?  Here, I actually think that the length of the hole makes the blindness even less of a problem.  The hole is only partially blind:  you can see half of the green, or at least a big chunk of it.  It's easy to figure out where the pin is if you can't see it.  And because it's a long par 3, you aren't expecting to get the ball into birdie range anyway.  You can see the front right edge of the green and can play to it as if the ridge were not there.  That's a fine way to play the hole for almost all of us.  And if you want to try to sling a hook back to the left side, nothing about the hole prevents you from trying it.  Sure, it's a hard shot; but it's a hard hole.

The bottom line for me is that there are a slew of ways to make a three on this hole.  You can hit to the right-center of the green.  You can hit to short of the bunker and, from what I can see, have a long but straightforward chip.  Or you take a risk to give yourself a chance at a short putt.  It seems like the kind of par 3 that we could use more of:  a hole where it actually takes some cajones to shoot at the flag and where there are plenty of other ways to get the score you want by playing away from it, or even away from the green altogether.

(Take everything I say with the caveat that I've never seen or played the hole and don't even know where it is -- so I could be misreading what I see in the pictures something fierce.)

My question would be...How far does it play from the white tees?  

But at 215 perhaps hoist a 5w nice and high over the rocks??

Just to get a sensee of what I'm talking about re: Cruden Bay, this is the 15th, a par 3 of similar length:

I don't think that it's ridiculous at all.

What would make it so?
The carry over the ridge?  There are hundreds of holes of the same length with water fronting the left side of the green.  This hole might be slightly more penal, since you have to have some air under the shot to get it over the rocks, instead of just sufficient distance, but that difference is pretty marginal.

The blindness?  Here, I actually think that the length of the hole makes the blindness even less of a problem.  The hole is only partially blind:  you can see half of the green, or at least a big chunk of it.  It's easy to figure out where the pin is if you can't see it.  And because it's a long par 3, you aren't expecting to get the ball into birdie range anyway.  You can see the front right edge of the green and can play to it as if the ridge were not there.  That's a fine way to play the hole for almost all of us.  And if you want to try to sling a hook back to the left side, nothing about the hole prevents you from trying it.  Sure, it's a hard shot; but it's a hard hole.

The bottom line for me is that there are a slew of ways to make a three on this hole.  You can hit to the right-center of the green.  You can hit to short of the bunker and, from what I can see, have a long but straightforward chip.  Or you take a risk to give yourself a chance at a short putt.  It seems like the kind of par 3 that we could use more of:  a hole where it actually takes some cajones to shoot at the flag and where there are plenty of other ways to get the score you want by playing away from it, or even away from the green altogether.

(Take everything I say with the caveat that I've never seen or played the hole and don't even know where it is -- so I could be misreading what I see in the pictures something fierce.)

The hole is at Meadowlake in San Diego's North County. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but it just struck me as a little over the edge when you have a hole of that length, with OB on the right (there's actually a road that I saw about 6-7 cars go by as I played) that requires a big draw. If you block it, sayanora. If the hole was say, 160-170 tops, that would seem more reasonable. I hit a solid 4 hybrid that just didn't hook enough. I'd like to play it again with a big cut and play it over the slope and rocks and see what might happen. So in short, I don't mind the blindness, but that combined with OB on the other side seems like it is a little too much. In the end, if you hit a good shot it's a moot point. I just don't seem to see alot of options for different levels of players here.

I actually would prefer the hole on the left (away from the OB) as long as the rocks on the left do not come too close to the green and assuming there is no OB on the left.

It's a shame the house is directly behind the hole as the view would be infinitely better.  Also the land and even the bunker on the right seem a little bland espicially in contrast to the left side.

Anyway, I hook the &^%$ out of it usually so I'm all for the left hole location

I agree Chris, the house does not do the green site any favors. The rocks don't get too close to the green either. BTW everyone, behind the green on the line of sight of the rocks, there is about 10-15 of rough and then another road. So long left is a reload situation as well.

I don't think there is OB left on your picture either, no?

Sorry SB, I meant to the right.

David,

What is the distance from the white tees? It seem like a reasonable test if the proper tees are selected. The OB does not seem too close on the right.

Jeff, the tee's are as follows.


Black- 219
Blue-  196
White-167


You are correct, the OB is not all that tight. But the prevailing wind is quartering from left to right (from 11 oclock to 5 oclock).

Nice outhouse.

That's actually the clubhouse.

Do you guys think that bunker's purpose may be to help prevent a sliced/blocked ball from bouncing further right and out of of bounds?

David, I played this course for the first and only time about 8 years ago - I'm having trouble placing the hole. Is it preceeded by a dogleg left par 5 and followed by a shorter par 4? If that's the one, I don't remember that it struck me as being too outlandish or unreasonable. I played it from the whites though.  

I also remember there were some other holes on the course I'd consider rather odd - one par 4 curved to the right and up a steep, steep hill. Pretty much two consecutive blind shots if I recall it correctly.

Quote from: John Nixon on August 28, 2007, 10:47:33 AM

David, I played this course for the first and only time about 8 years ago - I'm having trouble placing the hole. Is it preceeded by a dogleg left par 5 and followed by a shorter par 4? If that's the one, I don't remember that it struck me as being too outlandish or unreasonable. I played it from the whites though.  

I also remember there were some other holes on the course I'd consider rather odd - one par 4 curved to the right and up a steep, steep hill. Pretty much two consecutive blind shots if I recall it correctly.

Jay

You could be right, but I was under the impression that a ball landing near that bunker is gonna kick way right.  

Sorry if I gave that impression Sean. It would not kick hard. My thoughts were simply that a draw certainly looks to be the shot de jour and the bunker seems a little excessive, both in look and function, based on the nature of the hole.

I think its ok as it is, I like the half green target, I can understand Seans point re the bunker but it helps define the target area.