X Marks the Spot

[Mike Hendren]

As mentioned on another thread, Tom Doaks suggests that one role of routing is to bring all golfers to the exact spot the architect wishes them to see.  This suggests amazing vistas from high ground. The panoramic view from 9th tee at Cypress Point Club and the amazing vastness of the sand hills beyond the skyline of the 2nd green at Sand Hills come to mind quickly.

That's low-hanging fruit, however.  What are some other examples of a great routing where you have unknowingly been led to such a "spot?"

Mike

[Kyle Harris]

Adirondack Golf Club in Peru, NY (Cornish, I believe) does this a few times during the round. You are lead to these areas of wilderness in the northern Adirondacks that give you this sense that you're the only person that's been there for thousands of years. There's no sweeping vista or anything but maybe a dark water pond, but it's definately an example of an architect picking an area on the land and bringing the golfer to that point for a bit.

Some of my favorite routings follow this principle. They have two or three different "core" areas that are connected by narrow corridors of holes (usually a par five or long four). Lookaway GC in Buckingham, PA is a good example of this. Holes 4-7 loop around a creek and are conncted to the clubhouse area by long par fives 3 and 8.  

A more famous example would be ANGC with Amen Corner, but from pictures, I think holes 4, 5, 6 qualify with a similar premise.

Bethpage Black is yet another example, as holes 1-4 lead you out to more core golf at 5 - 12, and then the routing throws into the core of 15-17 and back at 18.  

[RJ_Daley]

Yes Mike, in a way it is low-hanging fruit because the great courses particularly near great bodies of water, have tees that naturally suggest to the archie that a particular place is panoramic and a great location to lead the player to an inspiring or awesome view.

Maybe, when that point ocurrs in the middle of a routing is more impressive rather than a logical place where one might stand on the opening or 19th hole (like you mention about the skyline green and views outward bound behind SH #2)

I was thinking of Crystal Downs where the 1rst and 10th look down and away across the field of play with Crystal Lake in the background.  In the middle of that routing the 14th tee to the skyline and lake beyond seems to also be one of those special places you are led to, somewhat unknowlingly, considering how it just pops up from the wooded holes where you approach it from.  The special place of panoramic drama happens at several points in the round at Arcadia Bluff, again as it naturally plays down towards the lake on about half the holes.

Looking up the other way, away from the obvious lake or body of water, I'd say that the angle and view back to the clubhouse at Valley Club of Monticito is quit a routing consideration done by MacKenzie (assuming he knew they would build such a fairytale like clubhouse) backdropped by the local lavendar and shadowy mountain range,depending on time of day.

Stanley Thompson has been documented as a master of this ability to route to the sense of great journey within the round, as Jeremy Glenn had pointed out so well in his comments.

But, it is almost a no-brainer to route to these sort of X marks the spot vistas on some of these Sand Hill courses or body of water courses.  

I'm going to try to think of a more unexpected routing genius example not so obviously dependent on the natural feature adjoining the course... like Amen Corner...

[Tom_Doak]

RJ:  I assure you that few of them are really no-brainers.  To get the previous green close enough to make the transition to that spot seamlessly, is something that not every architect is good enough to do.

[johnk]

The Addington is one of those routings to me.  The transitions from hole to hole feel like you are going thru a maze at certain points, but you pop out, and some kind of beautiful vista or scene is laid out before you...

[Mark Brown]

Tom,

Talking about seamlessly, I don't think it gets any better than the transition from the fairway to the green than your photo of the hole at St. Andrews Beach.

[Sean_A]

Tenby does this on the front nine.  One is walking low through the dunes and then suddenly a tee appears or a view of the green is had.  It is pure magic!

Ciao

Sean

[David_Elvins]

4th green to 5th tee at Barnbougle Dunes...Unbelievable.  Despite the fact that you can see water from the carpark, coming ove the dune from the 4th green is an unbelievable experience. Sorry, can't describe it in words.

[Neil Regan]

Two that I love the most:

Cresting the blind ridge off the tee on Machrihanish #3,  Islay



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Turning throught the dune from the 2nd green to the 3rd tee on Ballybunion Cashen #3, God's Grace

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Is this the first positive acknowledgement of the Cashen Course?  I'm not being rude.  I saw it under construction (yes, I am that old) and thought it was more spectacular than the Old Course.  But I was young and aspired to playing to single figures (I never quite made it), so my judgement was impaired.  What is it really like?

[PThomas]

5th tee, River course, Blackwolf Run.....you go up a big hill and when you pop out of the woods:  the 5th hole down in a valley, with the Sheboygan River down the right side of the hole---- Stunning!

[RJ_Daley]

It seems that most of us define this X spot as a trek to a point on the golf routing where the pattern is that a great expanse is opened or revealed to you, the golfer.  

Rather than focus on the panoramic; what about the opposite?  Can anyone think of a course (perhaps a long hard stretch of holes) where subtly you are led to a cool glade or dell or quiet and peaceful place, within confines of trees, or moss covered rock walls, etc.  While this would be more problematic for the designer to site a series of tee boxes in a shaded place, perhaps an area just off to the side of a tee or green, where the golfer is led by the archie for that quiet moment of reflection and quietude, yet serious golf strategy?  I think that 12th tee at ANGC might fit that bill, as someone above mentioned.