Suggest a bunker to be eliminated

[wsmorrison]

Tom D,

Oh, I read it, quite a few times.  I just wanted to make sure you still felt that way    I wasn't sure if there were other courses where you feel that way.

[ForkaB]

"Hell" bunker.  Overhyped, overproduced and over there.

There could have been some very interesting stuff done with that prime GCA real estate....

[Bill_McBride]

"Hell" bunker.  Overhyped, overproduced and over there.

There could have been some very interesting stuff done with that prime GCA real estate....

Did you forget the   smiley?

[ForkaB]

Bill

In the good ole' days, when you got dodgy lies and your implements looked more like dried apricots on a stick than canteloupes on kryptonite skewers, yes, "Hell" was just that (not that I know from personal experience, but Pat Mucci has told me so...).

Now, you only get in that bunker if your caddie farts in your backswing.  I call it "heck."

 

[Patrick Schultheis]

Tom Doak -

How about the small bunker to the right of the green on the 14th hole at Tumble Creek?  Each time I've played I've thought that the bunker seemed somewhat out of place.

The 14th green is quite small.  That bunker on the right is always in the shade and is at the bottom of a depression.  As a result, it is regularly wet (occasionally with standing water) and the sand is muddy.

Given the path of the sun and the ridge above the hole (I'm keenly aware of it, as I'm building a house to the right of the 14th tee), I'm not sure that the bunker will ever be dry.

Given the slope there, perhaps a similar strategic option could be a closely-mowed fringe?

[Tom_Doak]

Patrick:

Sorry to hear that the bunker is wet.  Because of the situation you describe, I can't believe that a chipping area would be a more-dry option.  I wonder if the drain to the bunker is fouled up ... that area is very low in relation to the pond on the left, so the drainage is piped further down toward the pond off #15 tee.

[Kyle Harris]

At Huntingdon Valley, I'll second Wayne's suggestion for the right hand fairway bunker on the second hole. I'll also add the left side greenside bunker on the 6th hole (just feel it's redundant giving the nature of the 7th and 8th holes) as it would add even more temptation to run the approach in (and potentially see one not far enough right roll down the hill).

I also think it would tempt more golfers who go way left to try for the green.

Also add the two mound bunkers on the 4th and the bunkers to the left of 10 green to that list.

[wsmorrison]

"At Huntingdon Valley, I'll second Wayne's suggestion for the right hand fairway bunker on the first hole."

The second hole, Kyle.  Not the first.  Is that Florida sun baking your brain  

[Kyle Harris]

"At Huntingdon Valley, I'll second Wayne's suggestion for the right hand fairway bunker on the first hole."

The second hole, Kyle.  Not the first.  Is that Florida sun baking your brain  

So amended, and yes... coupled with the Outback Bowl victory I attended. :-)

[Jay Flemma]

The 4th at Rose Hall, Cinnamon Hill...the hole is a PERFECT redan...except somebody stuck a bunker right where your ball is supposed to "one bounce and on" and filter back to the pin...the hole is a perfect redan copy...except somebody added the bunker right  where the proper shot for the template hole is supposed to land.

[Tom_Doak]

Jay:

I did play an Arthur Hills course a few years back (The Golf Club of Georgia) where about half the greens were defended by a single bunker placed precisely where I would have placed the approach fairway.  I guess he and I just have opposite views about approach shots.  He certainly made it hard for me.

[Bill_McBride]

Bill

In the good ole' days, when you got dodgy lies and your implements looked more like dried apricots on a stick than canteloupes on kryptonite skewers, yes, "Hell" was just that (not that I know from personal experience, but Pat Mucci has told me so...).

Now, you only get in that bunker if your caddie farts in your backswing.  I call it "heck."

 

Hell Bunker could be the best example of the damage wrought to classic golf courses by equipment - in the world.  I sat in the stands at #14 at the 2005 Open and saw not one player over several hours - NOT ONE - bothered by Hell.  They all ripped driver down the Elysian Fields and blasted three wood toward, occasionally onto the green.  The only trouble they seemed to have was a hooked second that got fouled up in the 4th greenside bunkers.  Very depressing, I was looking forward to seeing some pros play the roles of Dr. MacKenzie's players since the (OB) tee was set at some 619 yards!  Of course the hole played down whatever wind there was those perfect days in Scotland.  

But eliminate Hell?  Why?  It still plays Hell with my game!  I can't wait for late March!  

[Kevin_Reilly]

Hell Bunker could be the best example of the damage wrought to classic golf courses by equipment - in the world.  I sat in the stands at #14 at the 2005 Open and saw not one player over several hours - NOT ONE - bothered by Hell.  

Amazing that it was just 10 years after Jack's adventures in Hell...four shots to escape IIRC.

[Bill_McBride]

Hell Bunker could be the best example of the damage wrought to classic golf courses by equipment - in the world.  I sat in the stands at #14 at the 2005 Open and saw not one player over several hours - NOT ONE - bothered by Hell.  

Amazing that it was just 10 years after Jack's adventures in Hell...four shots to escape IIRC.

Nobody said it wasn't a nasty piece of work if you're in it.  They just aren't anymore, not at that level with that length.

Now you and me.........

[Garland Bayley]

Now that this has dropped off the first page, I thought I would throw in a change of pace. George P has been doing the holes of Oakmont, and with the last hole, he posted an overall layout diagram. There are a lot of bunkers at Oakmont! I am currently reading The Spirit of St. Andrews, and I would tend to believe that if given a chance Alister would have removed at least 7/8s of them. I would simply suggest that when the approach favors a particular side, then remove the fairway bunkers on the other side. Do this for 4 out of 5 holes and do the opposite on the remaining 1 out of 5. Put some fun into the course!

[Brent Hutto]

How necessary is the back-left greenside bunker on the seventeenth at Cypress Point Club? The bunker and its surrounds sort of keeping it from being purely a skyline green.

I'm just joking really. That's my favorite place on earth and there's no need to mess about with it.

[ForkaB]

Bill

Since heck bunker will come into play when you play the hole in reverse manner in late March, I'll let it stand.

[Norbert P]

 The bunker on The Battery --- Machrihanish

   


 Donald Trump would do it and make it the best golf course in the world in the universe anywhere.

[Jay Flemma]

Jay:

I did play an Arthur Hills course a few years back (The Golf Club of Georgia) where about half the greens were defended by a single bunker placed precisely where I would have placed the approach fairway.  I guess he and I just have opposite views about approach shots.  He certainly made it hard for me.

Exactly.  It eliminates the ground game and turns it into a "one size fits all" aerial shot.

[Mike_Cirba]

Wayne:

If you read The Confidential Guide, one of the courses where I said I would never change a thing was Merion.  

Tom,

I doubt you've seen it then since they added two fairway bunkers to the left side of #5 along side the creek (which evidently had about 15 minutes of fame in 1931), and two fairway bunkers between the creek and green on #4 (which evidently was the same story).  

Take all four...please!    

[PThomas]

How necessary is the back-left greenside bunker on the seventeenth at Cypress Point Club? The bunker and its surrounds sort of keeping it from being purely a skyline green.

I'm just joking really. That's my favorite place on earth and there's no need to mess about with it.

now there's a good looking picture!

my favorite picture of me ever taken Brent...thank you yet again for doing so!!!

[Tom Huckaby]

LOL
I was wondering who it was who was ruining that otherwise great picture of a great golf hole.  I had an inlking but wasn't sure... Now I know.

 

[PThomas]

LOL
I was wondering who it was who was ruining that otherwise great picture of a great golf hole.  I had an inlking but wasn't sure... Now I know.

 

I'm sure you meant to type "enhancing" that picture Huck

[Tom Huckaby]

yeah... that's what I meant.... simple mistake.

 

That is a very cool pic.

TH

[Kalen Braley]

Lol...too funny...

I'm sure there are few threads on it, but do either of you know how to get my hands on a copy of the confidential golf guide without paying $1200.  Does GCA have a library that works in a checkout system manner?