What features make golfers the most uncomfortable and

[Patrick_Mucci]

what are good examples of their use.

Please omit O.B.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Uneven lies, particularly humps and hollows.  Rye.

[Tony_Muldoon]

It’s hard to choose between unlined tweed trousers and starched collars with ties?

E.G.

[Ted Kramer]

I'd say the vast majority of golfers in the US can not stand firm greens. They want/expect the ball to stop where it first hits the green. . . you'll hear the term "unfair" used a lot . . .

-Ted

[paul cowley]

Forced carries and water hazards in front of the most forward tees....as a youngster I can still remember the almost magnetic mental effect they had on me.

A good example of their use?....well that would be hole #2 on the Blue nine at Western Turnpike GC, the Muni where I learned the game. It was a short Par 4 of maybe 300 yds that had a small 20 by 30 ft pond right in front of the forward tee. This hole no longer exists, but it still influences me, as I always strive not to include similar hazards when designing today.

[JMorgan]

For novices:  water and forced carries.  Cf. Yale #1
For pros: funky greens.  Cf. Winged Foot.

[Billsteele]

For many, I believe it is the blind shot. Many individuals process information visually. Without the ability to receive immediate feedback, they are out of their comfort zone.

[Kirk Gill]

 The Blind Shot. Especially when combined with an annoying golf partner.

An example. My friend Steve Kotrc and I used to play a local muni with a severely uphill par 4. Neither of us was long enough off the tee to get to the point where the pin was visible. Every time we'd play the hole I'd say "a shot is only blind once to a golfer with a good memory." I think I stole that quote from Shivas Irons.

Anyway, Steve knew I was going to say it. Every time we played the hole, and it bugged him. Frankly, the hole bugged ME. Despite my use of the quote, I could never really remember exactly how far past the crest of the hill the green was, and while I knew the center of the green was directly in front of a certain tree, I was always uncomfortable on my approach. And of course, Steve was made totally uncomfortable by my repeated use of the dreaded quote. I truly believe I won a number of contests with him due to his implosion on that hole.

That said, I also think that uphill approach shots in general tend to make the golfer uncomfortable, as the distance on the sprinkler head/rangefinder (etc.) has to be mentally adjusted.

[Doug Ralston]

Two features:

1. The steep downhill lie. I try to follow instructions; keep shoulder as close to square with the ground as possible; shorten the grip; come down steeply ........... "Damn, shanked it again!". As Yogi says: "How can I think and hit at the same time?"

2. The 'cutable' dogleg. I MUST try. I know by doing the math that I do not succeed usefully enough times to justify the disasters when I fail. But how can I NOT try it? Too much fun  .

3. The putt! If I did not have to putt, my scores would be inconsistent. Sadly, after putting, my results become quite predictable.

Oops, that was three. I guess I count like a Big Ten(11) alum.

Doug

[Phil McDade]

Uncomfortable -- uneven fairway lies.

And for the typical golfer (15-plus handicap) -- sandtrap shots, particularly fairway bunker shots. It's taken me years to even go into a bunker and think I have a reasonable chance of getting out in one to a reasonable spot on the green. And I still consider it a great shot if I advance a fairway bunker shot 150 yards.

I think most players enjoy wildly sloping greens -- they may three or four-putt them to death, but I don't think they make players uncomfortable.

[D_Malley]

tees which do not align to the intended line of play

[Bill_McBride]

Anything that makes it hard to accurately estimate the distance to the target.  That could be an elevated green so you can't tell how far back into the green the pin is set, or bunkers that appear to be at the green side but are actually 50 yards in front.  If your eye can't get accurate information to correctly gauge the distance, you won't be comfortable with the shot.

 That's why I hate laser range finders and Sky Caddies so much!  

[Jim Sweeney]

Fairways that tilt away from a dogleg. Examples would be #4 at Olympic (Lake) and #5 at Crystal Downs. You just know that despite your best efforts, the ball will be running away from the hole and toward insufferable doom.

[Scott Szabo]

I'd say the vast majority of golfers in the US can not stand firm greens. They want/expect the ball to stop where it first hits the green. . . you'll hear the term "unfair" used a lot . . .

-Ted

I would agree with Ted.  

What I don't like is when greens and surrounds are inconsistent.  Firm greens almost inherently require firm surrounds in order to be able to utilize the ground game.  

The last time I played Wild Horse they were going through a phase (hopefully only that) where the surrounds were unusually soft, but the greens were firm, making it difficult to get a ball on the green.  

The other thing that drives me nuts is a firm green on a hole with a forced carry, leaving the golfer with no option.  I have played a few courses with such a shot and had no chance of keeping a ball on the green, nevermind anywhere near the pin.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Based on my son's experience last summer as a "greeter" and cart boy, I would say tipping the guy who takes your bag to the car.....followed by the cart girl who is attractive enough to make you want to tip in excess of $100 or so.

I hate to mention the latter, since Patrick asked not to mention things that were "Out of Bounds".......

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I'd say that the vast majority of golfers in the UK are uncomfortable playing in the weather we have here today.  Periods of incredibly heavy, horizontal rain, turning occasionally to sun, and cold on the hands.  Once wet through you don't dry out until you've finished.  That said, I drove past Wilmslow today during a particularly horrible downpour and there were a good many ladies out playing (Wednesday morning is their competition day) - they breed 'em tough (and wealthy) at Wilmslow!  It's this sort of weather that sends the men golfers off to the Algarve or Florida.

[John Pflum]

#5 at Crystal Downs.

Ah, one of my all time favorite holes.  The tee shot there is just magic.

[John Kirk]

Despite their hideous and grotesque appearance, I'd say water hazards are the most uncomfortable.  In particular, a par 3 where water must be carried is the toughest.

[Jordan Wall]

I have always disliked shots from 200+ yards that have no run up option and no or little bail out.

What the point of trying to stiff a 5-iron on a firm green from 200 yards out to a tight pin?

I guess in some cases it could be used on a Par-5, but even still I think their should be some route to run the ball up.  When there is a long Par-4 that requires this shot I think it is pointless.

[Walker_Taylor]

A shot to an elevated green with no containment mounding behind the flagstick!

[Gary Slatter]

Being made to finish a hole with your dick out can be very uncomfortable!

[Cassandra Burns]

This guy I played with back in Michigan was a really consistent slicer, and it was his regular strategy to line up 20-30 degrees left of his target, fully intending to slice back to his line.  And he was really consistent (talk about a repeatable swing!) so his strategy usually paid off.  But he just hated those few holes which had trees hugging the left side of the fairway, because it would force him to change his playing preference.  He'd either hit the trees, get lucky and get through, or he'd end up right of the fairway and away from the good lies.

So, for consistent slicers and hookers, trees hugging the fairway the first fifty or a hundred yards or so can be very uncomfortable.

[Joe Hancock]

Being made to finish a hole with your dick out can be very uncomfortable!

Nice. You can be "made" to do that, huh?

And, it's always nice to express something like that, only to be followed by a female poster....who, I might add, showed great class by not acknowledging.....

Joe

[Adam Clayman]

I was thinking the same thing as Cassandra. The 15th at Prairie Dunes is a perfect example of uncomfortable, for me.

Technically are the trees features? The ones in Kansas certainly are intended to act like'em.

Weakest design elements? Trees and water.


Gary, Could you please rephrase?

[Patrick_Mucci]

tees which do not align to the intended line of play

Racetrack,

I have a difficult time with alignment to begin with, so those tees you mention make me very uncomfortable.

Many golfers never notice the misalignment until after they've hit a bad shot.

Freeform tees also give me fits