Great Bunkerless P3's and P5's

« **on:** April 29, 2009, 08:16:45 AM »

What are some of the "great" one's ?

I can think of quite a few great bunkerless P4's eg: 1st and 18th TOC / 14th Royal Dornoch / 3rd Royal Adelaide / 14th at NSW etc but would like to discover the "great" unbunkered P3's and P5's ?

What features replace the use of bunkers to them great ? Pics would be welcommed.

« **Reply #1 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:35:57 AM »

Each of the Sandwich Bay 3 has a top-class unbunkered par 3.

Short 4th at Deal: 152 yds with an elevated tee and green, valley in between
http://www.royalcinqueports.com/index.lasso?pg=28fe88daec37ad84&v=1&mpd=f528d4598812c004&catid=19dda8651034f9ff&mp=00c7a149e1202f9d&-session=ldcms:C74048FC0a79d20862tXrRk4BD88

3rd at St George's, long >200yds and slightly uphill par 3, only one shotter on the current rota without a bunker
http://www.royalstgeorges.com/index.lasso?pg=84ad7f6b47e8c59e&v=1&mpd=117de7e661d51f4c&catid=2aa62930abfe9f85&mp=3e208c8ceb0aeb4a&-session=ldcms:C74048FC0a79d2092DKWUth4DA62

7th on Him's at Prince's: 195 yds from elevated tee to a saddle green on a dune
http://www.princesgolfclub.co.uk/course/hims7.html

What I like about all of them is there are no tricks. All will reward a good shot, but make use of the contouring (Deal and Prince's especially) to punish a bad one, making for a tough up and down. The hole at St George's is tough because it's a narrow target, esp with a long iron, and has a ridge on the green.

Masterful use of the natural terrain in all cases!

« **Reply #2 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:43:52 AM »

BTW is the 18th on TOC considered a great hole? Does it have *any* architectural features? *ducks*

« **Reply #3 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:49:35 AM »

1st at St Enodoc

« **Reply #4 on:** April 29, 2009, 09:01:23 AM »

Preakness Hills had both, a terrific bunkerless par 3 on # 6 and a very good bunkerless par 5 on # 10.

It also had a really great bunkerless par 4 on # 13.

I'd say that having three diverse holes, a par 3, a par 4 and a par 5, without a bunker, shows how efficiently the architect utilized the land.

In addition, the rest of the course is very sporty, challenging but very enjoyable.

« **Reply #5 on:** April 29, 2009, 09:06:43 AM »

Quote from: Jamie Barber on April 29, 2009, 08:43:52 AM

BTW is the 18th on TOC considered a great hole? Does it have *any* architectural features? *ducks*

The first has great angle options.

Anthony

« **Reply #6 on:** April 29, 2009, 09:08:45 AM »

That's true - I made full use when I played, hitting my approach from hard up against the OOB on the road

« **Reply #7 on:** April 29, 2009, 09:27:58 AM »

Quote from: Jamie Barber on April 29, 2009, 09:08:45 AM

That's true - I made full use when I played, hitting my approach from hard up against the OOB on the road

Which side OB?

Anthony

« **Reply #8 on:** April 29, 2009, 09:28:40 AM »

Addington's 16th is one of the few great heathland par 5s period.

Now we move to Kington. What a smorgasborg! I give you the 12th.

The 9th is no slouch. With the wind trying to escape from Wales on the right guessing how far the ball move is just that, a guess. Here is a view from a ways in front of the tee.

Here is what the hole looks like from the left tee.

I now move to the 14th. A thrilling par 5.

Ciao

« **Reply #9 on:** April 29, 2009, 09:32:24 AM »

Quote from: Anthony Gray on April 29, 2009, 09:27:58 AM

Quote from: Jamie Barber on April 29, 2009, 09:08:45 AM
That's true - I made full use when I played, hitting my approach from hard up against the OOB on the road

Which side OB?

Anthony

Playing the first, my nerves got the better of me and I hit a hard draw (ok vicious hook) and just held short of the going on the road on the left (so right of 18th). Got to green in 3 after misjudging approach and 3 putted! Luckily later on i birdied the 18th to make up for it (strong tail wind so I was able to putt my 2nd up to the hole side!)

« **Reply #10 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:39:37 AM »

Not sure if it would make the all time great list of bunkerless par 3s, but the 4th??(Kyle K. can confirm) on the Jackrabbit course at Champions is one hell of a hole.

No bunkers and a par is greatly welcomed anytime you step on the tee. The options around the green are difficult but quite fun, and the contours of the green itself are interesting as well.

« **Reply #11 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:46:07 AM »

I wish someone had an image of the par-3, 17th at Winged Foot East. Pushed up green with steep walls surrounded by spinach.

« **Reply #12 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:59:03 AM »

Par 3's

The 4th at Rosses Point, County Sligo is bunkerless indeed its gaelic name appaerently means no sand.

I think the 4th at Gullane 1 is similiar. I might be wrong but if theres a bunker on it I don't remember it playing any part in the hole.

Par 5's

The one that instantly springs to mind for me is the 13th at Silloth which is rated the 2nd hardest hole on a course that Golf World rated 4th hardest course in UK and the hole is only 468 yards long.

Niall

« **Reply #13 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:59:17 AM »

Here are two good ones (par 3s), from the under-the-radar, totally bunkerless Spring Valley (Salem, WI) by Langford and Moreau:

The 5th, 210 from the tips (184 whites), often plays into the prevailing wind, with an elevated tee over portions of a pond to a very large green. Running the ball up toward the green is tricky, as the green sits on a little knoll and tends to shrug off shots.

Looking back toward the tee:

Two holes later we come to the terrific 7th, 181 from the tips (155 whites), a tee shot through a valley to a wonderful, subtlely contoured green with a yawning area of junk front-left of the green. An interesting piece of visual deception, as the tee in front of the valley makes it appear as if the tee shot is somewhat downhill, but in reality the green sits at a slightly higher elevation than the tee.

Looking back at the tee (photos courtesy of Dan Moore):

« **Reply #14 on:** April 29, 2009, 05:17:57 PM »

Kevin,

There are two fantastic unbunkered short holes at Paraparaumu in NZ.

5 is flanked by steep banks that fall steeply down and leave really difficult pitch shots back. 16 has a steep high bank on the left and a sharp fall off on the right. There is a picture of it in the Courses by Country section. The green is very narrow and it takes a better than average shot to hit the green.
2 has bunkers well short of the green and they largely out of play. There are no bunkers around the green - but plenty of tough pitch shots.

« **Reply #15 on:** April 29, 2009, 06:37:22 PM »

8th at Royal West Norfolk (aka Brancaster) is a great bunkerless par 5.
Other good ones I have enjoyed or have come to enjoy are 3rd at County Louth (aka Baltray) or the 4th at Burnham & Berrow. Also, the 17th at Wentworth West is listed in the top 500 holes in the book by George Pepper, though I think thats a little bit more praise than it should get?

As for par 3s, 14th at Royal Portrush is a great hole!
Other good ones I can think of are the 6th also at RP and also the 14th at Burnham. I've not played the Dell at Lahinch, what about that one?

I would say that one thing all great bunkerless holes have in common is the use of the undulayting ground over which the hole runs, whuch is where sand dunes often come in handy

Though having said that the 8th at Brancaster is pretty flat, but uses the tidal marsh rather well to create strategy.

I'll see if I can find any photos of these?

Cheers, James

« **Reply #16 on:** April 29, 2009, 10:42:44 PM »

Wild Horses 6th is a snaking par 5 sans bunker.

« **Reply #17 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:21:27 PM »

Wolf Point has 2 bunkerless par 3s that are !!! & !?! respectively.
Mahaffey certainly helped keep them bunkerless.

« **Reply #18 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:29:00 AM »

Thanks for the replies guys - much obliged. will have to check some of them out on the internet - as it's interesting to see the holes in tune with the landscape and the techniques used instead of bunkers.

Quote from: James Boon on April 29, 2009, 06:37:22 PM

8th at Royal West Norfolk (aka Brancaster) is a great bunkerless par 5.
Other good ones I have enjoyed or have come to enjoy are 3rd at County Louth (aka Baltray) or the 4th at Burnham & Berrow. Also, the 17th at Wentworth West is listed in the top 500 holes in the book by George Pepper, though I think thats a little bit more praise than it should get?

James - I was thinking of Brancaster's 8th on the train on the way into work today. A great hole - with it's muliple water crossings.

Quote from: James Boon on April 29, 2009, 06:37:22 PM

As for par 3s, 14th at Royal Portrush is a great hole!
Other good ones I can think of are the 6th also at RP and also the 14th at Burnham. I've not played the Dell at Lahinch, what about that one?

Ahh Calamaity - how could I forget that one ? And yes of course The Dell + to add = the 15th and 16th at Cruden Bay ? B2B bunkerless holes employing the clever use of a dunes and drop-off's respectively.

I'm trying to rack my brain re: those in Australia ? and Mike's mentioned some in NZ. I will recheck Royal Ashdown Forest to see if I can recall any there.

An underutilsed concept perhaps ?

« **Reply #19 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:36:35 AM »

17 at the Ocean Course is perhaps best bunkerless in US

« **Reply #20 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:50:43 AM »

I'm sure my Aust. comrades will tell me if I'm wrong but I believe the 4th (P3) at Barwon Heads is bunkerless ? and requires a deft touch with it's wickedly deceptive two tiered green.

« **Reply #21 on:** April 30, 2009, 02:07:56 AM »

Kevin

NSW #17 was bunkerless circa 1980. It was memorable. It is now bunkered though.

Bill McBride might pipe up about Painswick. Some of the par 3's are great, but the par 5's are less so (although the approach to #9 is a great setting). No bunkers on the course, just the practice green.

What about #14 atHyatt Coolum - the stream dominates but I can't recall if there was a bunker. There ceratianly doesn't need to be one (ditto #11 at Coolum, although I think that has a bunker or so on the left, despite the pond on the right.

James B

« **Reply #22 on:** April 30, 2009, 03:45:38 AM »

Quote from: James Boon on April 29, 2009, 06:37:22 PM

8th at Royal West Norfolk (aka Brancaster) is a great bunkerless par 5.
Other good ones I have enjoyed or have come to enjoy are 3rd at County Louth (aka Baltray) or the 4th at Burnham & Berrow. Also, the 17th at Wentworth West is listed in the top 500 holes in the book by George Pepper, though I think thats a little bit more praise than it should get?

As for par 3s, 14th at Royal Portrush is a great hole!
Other good ones I can think of are the 6th also at RP and also the 14th at Burnham. I've not played the Dell at Lahinch, what about that one?

I would say that one thing all great bunkerless holes have in common is the use of the undulayting ground over which the hole runs, whuch is where sand dunes often come in handy Though having said that the 8th at Brancaster is pretty flat, but uses the tidal marsh rather well to create strategy.

I'll see if I can find any photos of these?

Cheers, James

Can I help?

Brancaster is very hard to photograph. Here’s the creek.

(I think I've cheated with this green but it gives the idea)

An aerial of this would be helpful.

Calamity

« **Reply #23 on:** April 30, 2009, 04:20:36 AM »

The 5th at Royal Worlington & Newmarket is a very famous (and excellent) bunkerless par-3...

« **Reply #24 on:** April 30, 2009, 04:47:28 AM »

Kevin.

13 at Barwon Heads is bunkerless - and a fine hole.

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