The hole where you had the most fun...

[Sean Leary]

While a couple of mine have been mentioned already, I'll nominate 11 at Ballybunion, 15 at Pine Valley ,and 3 at Mauna Kea.    I hit probably the 2 best back to back shots of my life on 11 at BB and almost holed it. I have fun at 15 at PV, because you have to hit three great shots, each suceesevely more difficult, and 3 at Mauna Kea from the newly opened back tee where I had to hit nuts driver into the wind to carry onto the green,  Wacthing the ball in the air, yelling for it to go, and seeing it land safely on the green was exhilirating...

[John Goodman]

Actually, I had a better time on the hole that precedes this one (my dad plugged his caddie in the chest out of Scholar's bunker, and I got to play one from the footpath), but this was pretty fun too.

[John Pflum]

Actually, I had a better time on the hole that precedes this one (my dad plugged his caddie in the chest out of Scholar's bunker, and I got to play one from the footpath), but this was pretty fun too.

You are dead to me.  

[Joe Hancock]

It was a public course in Grand Rapids and I swear I thought she was older than 15.

Just kidding....I knew she was 16.

Joe

[TEPaul]

"From there, I think you'd have a pretty much straight uphill shot to a green that slopes towards you.  Granted, you'd have to deal with those greenside bunkers but I think it would likely take a lot of quality/strategy out of the second shot."

JohnP:

You see, I guess that's why golf architecture is so subjective. You think that would take quality/strategy out of the second shot and I think it would add options, strategies and quality to both the tee shot and the second shot. I believe more fairway over there would definitely tend to induce more aggressiveness off the tee---never a bad thing on a hole like that, in my opinion.  

[TEPaul]

JohnP:

In my opinion, Crystal has a few short par 4s that have an amazing potential for balance or equilibrium of aggressive vs conservative options off the tee, and putting more fairway over to the right of #5 I think would produce a better balance of aggressiveness vs conservatism off that tee than I've seen that hole have as long as I've known it.

#15 is probably the tops out there for a real balance of aggressive vs conservative choice off the tee. In that way that hole is truly magnificent, in my opinion. Next is probably #17 which is sort of mind-bendingly complex in that vein. I think fairway to the right on #5 would make it third on the course for aggressive vs conservative balance off the tee, and last is #7. #7 is a wonderful one due to the green but I've always wished it had a little something more on it that would induce more aggressiveness off the tee than it always has. With a bit more balance of aggressive vs conservative choice off the tee on both #5 and #7 would probably put Crystal Downs at the top of the world of architecture for that kind of fascinating decision making on short par 4 holes. And the neat thing about it is those four holes are so different from one another even if they all sort of induce the same basic club choice dilemmas from the tee.

[Mitch Hantman]

Definitely the 13th hole at The Kingsley Club.  Immediately after playing it, I couldn't wait to go back and play it again.  So many ways to play that hole.

[Sean_A]

The most fun I have had on a golf course was playing The Road Hole at about midnight.  I expect most people who have taken on a bit too much red ale have attempted this.  

Four of us teed up in dickie bows and florsheim shoes.  We eventually made it to the green after many lost balls in the direction of the hotel.  Just after my mate Pedro made his umpteenth attempt to get out of the famed nasty bunker, the police appeared.  Apparently we were too noisy and there had been complaints.  Two of us saw the policemen ambling along and decided to ditch our sticks under a car.  That would surely convince the cops of our innocence.  

The police were straight onto us.  Addressing Dougie while pointing a boot toward the underside of the car the police officer said "I expect sir will need these in the morning".  By this time I have lost my fear of arrest and begin doubling over with laughter.  

Pedro then shows up and a few quick, but courteous remarks later all is sorted.  Just when all is well, young James Rone appears from god knows where with loud apologies.  Dougie and Pedro tried to convince Ronie that everything was sorted.  This went on for a few seconds until a sprinkler switched on and James began jumping about until he eventually fell, still in the reach of the sprinkler.

The Police had seen enough and carried on ambling safe in the knowledge that we would be well gone before their return.  

Ciao

Sean

[Cory Lewis]

The hole I had the most fun on was also North Berwick, but it wasn't any of the holes mentioned, on either the second or third hole, I don't remember which, I played my second shot from the beach onto the green, good solid 5 iron.  I sliced my drive and asked my caddie if I should take a drop and he said no we just play it from the beach.

[ForkaB]

Any hole in any year on the old Dornoch Struie during the annual "Dad's and Lad's" Invitational Foursomes which ran from 1981 to 1989.  A few of us alumni hope to resurrect this gala event in mid-July 2006.  To be invited you have to be a father, mother, son or daughter and show up on the tee.

[John Kavanaugh]

I don't understand why most people have more fun while doing heavy lifting..

[ForkaB]

Yes, John, I will never forget that heaven wood hooded under the trees flying low and faster than a scalded cat and then slamming into the face of one of those pansy Mackenzie bunkers popping up landing and rolling gently down to near the hole.

I also remember winning 10 for us before your mini-birdie blitz.  How did we lose to those suckers?  Could it have been that I sucked on the other 17 holes?

Your pajo

PS--thanks for immediately modifying your post to remove all references to Pastiempo.  Makes my responsive post look like I have Alzheimers.......

[John Kavanaugh]

I hate posts that sound like me or anyone else is bragging...which is why I hate most posts about what anyone likes...but since you brought it back up...I did have a bunch of fun the entire day at Pasatiempo once we got past the worst first hole in golf.   Now with the "restoration" I'm sad that I may no longer be required to hit as many heaven wood punches from the trees and will no longer have the opportunity to make the impossible putt on the 11th...I would bet trees have played a huge role in a large majority of my most fun shots..

[Dan_Lucas]

One of the most unforgettable shots I ever witnessed was on #5 at Crystal. One of my opponents pushed one over the right side of the tree headed right down the driveway just as a van turned in. Watching the ball flying right at the van, landing in front of it and one hopping over it and disappearing out the gate. All four guys were on the ground laughing.

[Tom Huckaby]

I'm with JK in my distaste for posts that sound like me or anyone else is bragging - thus no posts from me in this thread until now.  But dammit, I wish I would have seen what he said about that extremely fun Pasa round - because I was in the group - but dammit I don't even remember what the teams were, not to mention what was at stake or who won.  I do know I was there, that's about it.  That heavenwood shot was rather unforgettable.

As was JK's birdie on 11.

But as for trees being more fun, well obviously JK has a new thread on that, on which I shall next post.

I just want someone to clarify for my rapidly-fading memory what the hell happened in that match at Pasa!

TH

[John Kavanaugh]

Tom,

My partner didn't show up for the front nine..Its was me and the brain against you and the big guy.  All I remember was losing despite a world class chip on 18.  There used to be a nice collection of pics from that day...

[Tom Huckaby]

JK - ok, a little is coming back to me.  I now also remember the world-class chip.  It was a hell of a match....

And all-world fun.

Damn I used to have a great memory for these things.  It sucks getting old.

TH

[John Kavanaugh]

It is a better man than me that remembers the shots of others when I only recall my own..

[Tom Huckaby]

That's funny... I tend to often recall the shots of others better than I recall my own... particularly in meaningful, fun matches like that.  No way does this make me a better man, just a different one.

TH

[Ted Kramer]

For me it was the 18th at Caledonia the 2nd time I played it.
After the first time we played the course we encouraged a bunch of our other friends to join us the next year. . .

Hitting into that green, towards 8 of your buddies sitting on that porch is a really good time. That hole is very special to me. The thought of returning to that golf course, especially the 18th, has gotten my friends and I through many of the long cold winter months during the past few years. We all look forward to the Myrtle trip and I think a big reason for that is because we play Caledonia last every year. The 18th always leaves us with something great to talk about leading up to the next trip.

-Ted

[Doug Siebert]

Somewhere in there from 7-18 at Old Ballybunion and 1-15 at Lahinch...

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

Cruden Bay has quite a few fun holes.  Eleanor's Teeth at Apawamis is a great candidate.  #6 at Creek.  

[Andy Levett]

I always enjoy the par 5 7th at Pleasington in Lancashire.
If you can drive about 240 yards and reasonably straight the slope of the ground will carry your ball  off to the right and down a 100foot hill to a second fairway. The reward is a straightforward  shot to a green now in range.
But if the drive stays on top forget going for the green in two unless you're Andy Bean, whose shot twenty-something years ago in Open qualifying is still talked about. Instead you face a Cape-style dilemma of where to aim and what to hit to the fairway running at an angle below you.
Click on the number '7' on the card   here to see a slideshow.

[Jim Thompson]

Watching some of you first time visitors putt on our 10th at AC made it the funnest hole for me this year.    You know who you are...

Cheers!

JT