Strath bunkers in the US

[BCrosby]

I was rereading The Links the other night. Hunter noted that one of the glories of The Eden is that Strath bunker is inside the putting surface.

He also notes that Garden City's Eden (the 18th) is one of the few Edens in the US where the Strath is also inside the putting surface, as at TOC.

It's not now. (Pat - When was that change made to the hole?)

Are there other Edens in the US that have their Strath bunker within the putting surface? I think it is a very good idea. Its absence in the US versions is one reason I find them such pale imitations of the real thing.

Bob    

[Rich Goodale]

Bob

Maybe Strath was on the putting surface at the High Hole when Hunter saw it, but I'm pretty sure it is not today.

Rich

[BCrosby]

Rich -

You know the Eden better than I, but I recall that Srath was built into the green's false front, no?

BTW, the dramatic contouring of the approaches to the hole is something else I've never seen in a US Eden. The real deal has a dramatic hollow in front of the green that makes recoveries from shots missed short virtually impossible.

Bob

[Tom_Doak]

Bob:

That thing about the bunker being "inside" the green is something of a misnomer I believe.  You certainly couldn't put a hole location on the short side of the bunker, and I don't really think the green was ever mowed around it ... but the fact that the bunker did seem to extend into the green made them call it "inside".

[Bill Brightly]

Saucon Valley's Grace course has a superb version. The Strath bunker is in the green, but as Tom suggests, not enough room to put pins left or right.

TD, you should go look at it


 

[Rich Goodale]

Bob

Tom's right, but it's pretty much an optical illusion, and given the sharp back to front slope behind the bunker, there is no need to flirt with it, even with a front pin position.

.....that being said, last time I played the hole I was playing poorly and had a DA/Naccarato moment choosing to try to hit my tee shot into Strath, but I couldn't even pull that one off.  I was left with a shot off the hardpan short of the bunker to a front pin.  I think the 3 I got was about my 2nd or 3rd par of the round.