Pet Peeve

[Dale_McCallon]

I had the opportunity to play w/GCA celeb John Mayhugh at Olde Stone (Bowling Green, KY) yesterday.  Course opened in late 2005 and truly is a first-rate facility.  That being said, the club has named each of its holes.  I've always thought naming holes is goofy.  I understand things like the Road Hole, Azalea and so forth; these courses/holes are part of the game's history.  But does a 4 year old course need to name their holes.

Of course now I can say I birdied "Art's Brow" and "Deep Pockets".  But then "Eminence" came up and bit me on the butt.

What are some of your favorite "name" holes?  I hope Mayhugh sees this; he has a great one to chime in on that we talked about yesterday.

[Scott Warren]

Weren't the ANGC holes named when the course was built? So once upon a time it was a new course with goofy names for its holes. As was TOC way back when, I guess... Everyone has to start somewhere.

[Trey Stiles]

My buds in Nashville tell me Olde Stone is pretty good.

Have you seen Bowling Green CC  ?  .... Just wondering , I was the pro there about 30 yrs ago.

I'm with you in regard to naming holes ... Especially since I've been a part of it ... And Especially since a couple of guys on my old team named a hole " Trey's Two Shot " @ Magnolia Creek , after I complained that we needed a two shot Par 5 on that nine.

[James Boon]

Weren't the ANGC holes named when the course was built? So once upon a time it was a new course with goofy names for its holes. As was TOC way back when, I guess... Everyone has to start somewhere.

Scott,

Interesting thing with Augusta is that some of the names have changed over time, for instance 13 has always been azalea but 12 used to be three pines before becoming golden bell. I've always assumed this has had to do with the flora around the course changing over time?

Dale,

I know of a course near me where none of the older members refer to the holes by number, but by name only. But those holes and names have been around for quite some time.

I have to admit that I prefer the idea that holes develop their names as nicknames depending upon their character, rather than having names thrust upon them.

I lwould say that Redan is my favourite name hole but then I bet I'm not the only one. Or the old Majuba hole that no longer exists at Burnham and Berrow, named after the battle of Majuba Hill in the Boer war, and so called beacuse of a hill like sand dune that formed the main topography of the hole.

Cheers,

James

[Mark Pearce]

Any hole named "Lang Whang" used to make me chuckle, before I grew up.

I love the name Spion Kop for a hole, with it's historic connotations.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Dale

The practice of name holes also included the name of the designer, so if you find an old 19th century plan you there is a good chance that you will find the name of the designer.

Numbers are fine but its that little more fun with names – well I think so.

Steve

Goofy names n TOC, what the 18th call?  Thanks mate

Melvyn

[John Mayhugh]

I think no holes should receive names until the course is at least 50 years old and the names should evolve rather than be assigned.

One of the silliest bits of naming that I have seen was at Valhalla. I may be wrong, but I think its holes were named because of the Ryder Cup. Dwight Gahm founded the club and someone came up with the "clever" moniker of "Gahm Over" for the 18th. I cringe every time I see it.

One of the most memorable modern collection of names can be found at Pilgrim's Run in Grand Rapids. Each hole is named with a nod to Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress.". Fortunately "Slough of Despond" was far more enjoyable than the name suggests.

[Steve Salmen]

My favorite name of a golf hole is #10 at Machrihanish: Cnocmoy, pronounced nok-moy

[Doug Ralston]

I have been on a couple courses that featured names for holes. Never gave it much thought, till I played Sweetgrass, on the UP. The Potawatomi named the holes for certain traditional things in their cultural history. Get their yardage booklet and read the description of the names. Fun.

Doug

PS: Talked to a couple tribesmen at the casino too. Had interesting and fun tales to tell.

[Dave_Miller]

I had the opportunity to play w/GCA celeb John Mayhugh at Olde Stone (Bowling Green, KY) yesterday.  Course opened in late 2005 and truly is a first-rate facility.  That being said, the club has named each of its holes.  I've always thought naming holes is goofy.  I understand things like the Road Hole, Azalea and so forth; these courses/holes are part of the game's history.  But does a 4 year old course need to name their holes.

Of course now I can say I birdied "Art's Brow" and "Deep Pockets".  But then "Eminence" came up and bit me on the butt.

What are some of your favorite "name" holes?  I hope Mayhugh sees this; he has a great one to chime in on that we talked about yesterday.

It always seemed to me the best names were:  The First, The Second, The Third, The Fourth, etc., etc., etc., etc., ending with The Eighteenth.
 
Best
Dave

[Carl Rogers]

Beechtree (r i p) had named holes ... 'Amen', 'Gull Wing', 'Up & Over' ... can not remember any more off hand.  It added to the course's character.

[Roland Waguespack]

I am not a big fan either.  I don't mind when the names give insight into the design (redan, road, eden).  My home course (Metairie CC) put such names on the course only after a resotoration/renovation project a few years ago.

Secession has its names after civil war battles which is kind of interesting.  But I don't ever think that you walk away from the course and remember holes by their names.  Either design features or number is the way people remember 99% of courses.  When we discuss historical shots at augusta nat'l we don't say, "I can't believe couples' ball stayed on the bank of Golden Bell in 1992"

[Wayne_Kozun]

Except for TOC - remember Rocca's putt from the road of The Road Hole?  It likely makes more sense to name bunkers than holes since there isn't always a good way of describing which bunker you are talking about.

[Bill_McBride]

Tomorrow I am playing The Bandit (Keith Foster) here in New Braunfels TX while on a vacation.  Once again I will play their par 3 "Redan" and once again I will wonder why they named it "Redan." There's no tilt at all. Maybe they've tilted it since last time!