I have some amazing pictures of E. Ho taken on an idyllic day that I will share on this forum once the Emperor can put them up. I would first say the super of E. Ho, Frank Hancock deserves a tremendous amount of kudos for having the best conditioned golf course that I've played in 2006. Given the enormous contours and slopes of the terra firma, E. Ho had just the right amount of borrow, roll and chase to allow one to utilise the land but not go over the top. I think Frank smiled when he saw the amount of texas wedge plays I was able to execute.
I would say the stretch of E. Ho from #4-8 is as fun as the game can be outside of an NGLA or UK format. The par 3s (4 and 7) require supreme shot execution with the wind and landscape providing enormous challenge to find the putting surface. And once you are on especially in the case of #7 the amount of internal contouring makes two putting quite an adventure.
#6 and its tremendous slope funnelling left to right and down into a kettle bowl is intimidating to the eye but E. Ho and the way it is maintained gives you plenty of room to execute the shot. Once it disappears down the horizon the rush to get down to see where it finishes is a kid-like pleasure.
#8 with its cross bunkering looks very similar to the Fowler heathland holes I've seen such as the Berkshire and #9 with its spine/hogback fairway and need to skirt the tree line (or cliff line) with your approach to get the optimal angle is a high shot value. I was unaware that the green had been moved a long time ago due to clubhouse expansion. If you go to E. Ho, the putting green behind the 9th green is the original.
The back 9 was quite an experience as well as the 10th demands a well struck long iron to the West which is a direction and wind one has not faced yet. We had a large hawk on the tee that day raiding the nest of some smaller birds and he stood sentinel over our shots adding a unique element.
A few other highlights, the elephant hole (#14) where the glacial moraine carved a large karst like hole on the left side is a tremendous drive where one can utilise the heaving right to left terrain to leave a flip wedge, unfortunately I bailed out to the 16th fairway wide right..
The par 5 17th will be enhanced next year when Frank and his crew get to restore a gaping cross bunker which will make the layup second shot a challenge if one does not go for the green. There is a terrific picture in the clubhouse of it.
Glacial moraine, heaving almost downland like terrain, old UK type strategy, terrific conditions to match the land and wonderful greens. I love the Ho.
The Ho is the best course in the world that no one talks about.. maybe it should stay that way...
