One hole for a year

[Ian_L]

Hmm maybe one of the longer Old Course holes.  So many different routes and wind conditions (or so I've heard ).

[mike_beene]

9 at Pebble because no one said I had to play down the fairway every time.Could drive it toward 11 green one time,overshoot down 10 the next.

[Pete_Pittock]

#7 at Crystal Downs.

[Scott Sander]

#3 at Murphy Creek.

Not a "Best of..." course or hole, to be sure, but it's the hole that "woke me up" to width, centerline bunkering, choices, and the beauty and beast of windswept bunkers.

[Anthony Gray]

  No 8 at Pebble Beach so I could finally par it.

[Bill_McBride]

#14 at the Old Course, of course.  You could play with four balls off the tee and play the parts of Dr. Mackenzie's players A, B, C, and D, tacking back and forth around the Beardies, avoiding Hell, playing out into the fifth fairway, strolling the Elysian Fields, escaping the Kitchen, playing bump and runs to your heart's content and delight.

You could actually play #5 and #14 in an endless loop.  Wash, rinse, repeat. 

[Doug Sobieski]

#8 at Ballyneal. It can play equally well as a par 5 or a par 4 (just as much fun playing from a distance where you can carry the bunker complex), and with an unbelievable green and variable wind conditions........ Endless variety and challenge.

[PCCraig]

The par-5 11th at The Country Club - Brookline

[John Kirk]

My first thought was it had to be a par 5, because then it could be shortened to play otherwise.  Then, I thought that it must be wide with lots of playing angles, with a really large green.  And then it came to me...the 14th at the Old Course, which is famous for playing angles.  I've never played the Old Course, but that's my choice.

I see that Bill McBride beat me to the punch.

[Ted Kramer]

17th at Sawgrass.

-Ted

[Anthony Gray]

#14 at the Old Course, of course.  You could play with four balls off the tee and play the parts of Dr. Mackenzie's players A, B, C, and D, tacking back and forth around the Beardies, avoiding Hell, playing out into the fifth fairway, strolling the Elysian Fields, escaping the Kitchen, playing bump and runs to your heart's content and delight.

You could actually play #5 and #14 in an endless loop.  Wash, rinse, repeat. 

  Good choice. Because of the weather it would play differently every day.

[Cliff Hamm]

Despite never playing it the 13th at ANGC.  Play it as a par 3, 4 or 5 and this one hole easily becomes 3.

[Jonathan McCord]

8th at Crystal Downs

Reasoning:

Some of the best fairway movement on the entire golf course.

Attempt to reach green in two for a shot a eagle.

Nice long hole, so  there are more chances for things to go wrong! You name it.

And while waiting, I can go peak at  seven green and watch Pete P. try to figure that thing out!

[Patrick Kiser]

Tough one Tim.  I'll agree with Ian on this as well.

But if I had no choice and was told to pick a hole or give it up...

Then I would probably agree with Mike and Phil and pick a longer hole.  Or a hole where I'd have the best chance of playing as many of the clubs in the bag as possible.

That said ... I'll seal my reputation here and now as being a bonefide wacko and pick something from left field.

Postage Stamp at Troon (eventhough I've never played it) with a catch ...

Each time you play the hole, you're required to use a different club from the bag.  That's right ...  driver down to putter.

That should make for an interesting year...  That or give it up.

[Jeff Fortson]

#10 Riviera


Jeff F.

[Carl Rogers]

No. 10 at Riverfront.

The back pin suggests a left side approach.  The front pin suggests a right side approach.

There is a small pot bunker in the middle of the fairway.  so do you go over, go right or go left?

The hole can play from 310 to 385.

The prevailing summer wind is helping.  The prevailing winter wind hurts.

Lots of combinations.

[Michael Ryan]

I'll take the 14th hole at Shinnecock

[jim_lewis]

ANGC #13, except the course is not open all year.

[Brian_Sleeman]

#13 at The Kingsley Club

Just too much fun: different wind directions and pin placements mean different strategies, different clubs off the tee, a variety of angles and distances for the approach (when the approach isn't a putt), and an incredibly wild green to top it all off.

Other ideas:

#5 at Cypress Point

#6 at Crystal Downs

#4 at Marquette GC (Heritage)

[Ronald Montesano]

Doug Sobieski scratched the surface:  What great hole can be a par three, par four and par five of glorious merit?  Is there such a hole where you can play it as designed (par five), bump up and find a two-shotter from wherever you decide to tee it up, and then bump up even farther and have your one-shotter?  Start a new thread called "Three holes in one" if you like.

Ron M.

[Justin Broderson]

#9 at RCD, that feeling you get when you get to the top of the hill and look out.  I don't think it would ever get old.

[JC Jones]

#7 at Crystal Downs.

#7?  Why #7?  That is a curious choice considering #8 is next.

[JC Jones]

What is also interesting is that we now have votes for #'s 6,7 and 8 at Crystal Downs.  My choice was either going to be #17 at Crystal Downs or #9.  If I went with #9, that would be 4 different choices on the front 9.  I think that says something about the quality of that front 9.

[Stewart Abramson]

Western Gales #6 ("Lappock"). It's a par 5 on the sea that requires a second shot between two dunes  toward an aiming marker and ulimatley to a large undulating green tucked into the dunes. The variety of three challenging shots, numerous pin positions, wind and overall setting  make this a hole I could play for a year.  Here are some views of the hole:

http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2103904750100544033qjLUgI
http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2798813790100544033MTIaWZ
http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2481276260100544033KapAsj

I don't think I could be happy playing any par three for an entire year.

[Tim Bert]

JC

Man that is one messed up thought wanting to play #17 all year.  I don't even want to know!  I'm surprised no one said #5 for all the fanfare it gets.