Is the 17th at Cypress a Great Hole or an Obstacle Course?

[BVince]

My vote is great hole

[Jim Nugent]

How far do you have to carry your tee shot, if you want to drive the green?  Looks awfully long. 

[Tom Huckaby]

How far do you have to carry your tee shot, if you want to drive the green?  Looks awfully long. 

Calling Mike "the Silver Fox and Google Earth King" Benham....

I'm guessing the carry to clear the seawall from the back tees is at least 300 yards.  But Mike - or someone else with Google Earth properly configured - can tell us....

TH

[Kalen Braley]

How far do you have to carry your tee shot, if you want to drive the green?  Looks awfully long. 

Google Earth says about 335 from the back tees(to carry front bunker)...and 10 yards or so shorter from the whites.

[Tom Huckaby]

Cool -thanks, Kalen.  SO... if 335 yard carries are normal, well then there's not many golf holes that can hold up.  The good news is that the universe of golfers for whom a 335 yard carry is realistic remains pretty small still, no?

So methinks this great golf hole is still relevant.  And like I say, if those who can carry the ball 335 now have a cool option, what's the harm?  I think I'll take my 240 out into the fairway and take my chances against such a player... if he drives the green, bully for him, he deserves to win the hole.

TH

[Tim Bert]

We haven't even talked about the potential for playing a giant hook or slice AROUND the trees.  Even more options!

[Rick Shefchik]

My home course, Stillwater C.C. (Minn.) has a 287-yard uphill par 4 that I and my fellow single-digit seniors can't drive no matter how hard we swing or how pure we hit it. We've also got a couple of  young guys here who routinely drive the hole.

CPC #17 will always be a great hole for 99 percent of the golf world. I couldn't care less if J.B. TigerBubba can carry the green.