Biggest Elevation Change on a Golf course

« **on:** August 28, 2009, 07:46:25 AM »

HI,

Just wondering what course have the greatest elevation change between the highest green and he lowest green and golfers must traverse by foot (i.e. no lifts, gondolas, helicopters etc).

The Castle course in St Andrews is about 50m from the 9th green to the 12th.

Our new course in Newcastle, UK (The Colt Course) has a lot – 83m (Highest green is the 11th, lowest is the 18th). (I'm not singing about this, it is just a fact.)

What is it at Augusta National?

NB – The elevation change on the Old Course is only about 3m.

« **Reply #1 on:** August 28, 2009, 08:08:58 AM »

The 17th hole of a course on Lanai has a huge drop, the biggest I ever experienced. If I remember correctly, it is called the Challenge at Manele.

Another huge drop is the 6th hole at Lakota Canyon, over 100 steps up to the back tee.

« **Reply #2 on:** August 28, 2009, 09:24:51 AM »

Scott:

Pasatiempo is right at 300 feet. That's the most elevation I can think of in any golden-age course meant to be walked.

My Rock Creek course is about 360 feet. Not many of the members walk it, but it's really not that hard to walk ... the routing is a long loop, so it's two miles from the top to the bottom ... you aren't going up and down the same hills over again, like Augusta National. [Incidentally, Augusta has exactly 150 feet of elevation change from the first tee to the 12th green, but you go down and up a lot of times on the front nine].

I believe Kapalua (Plantation) has more elevation change than Rock Creek, but I don't have a number for it. The old Village Course at Kapalua was something like 500 or 600 feet from the highest hole to the lowest, but nobody ever played it without a cart, of course.

« **Reply #3 on:** August 28, 2009, 09:32:13 AM »

The third hole at Lancaster, from the back tees has a huge drop down to the river.

« **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2009, 09:42:19 AM »

Hands down the winner has to be Lakota Canyon.

Don't hold me to it, but my synapse are firing 1200 feet in change.

« **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2009, 09:45:01 AM »

#1 at The Judge - Alabama Golf Trail.

« **Reply #6 on:** August 28, 2009, 09:45:21 AM »

Roxciticus ?

« **Reply #7 on:** August 28, 2009, 10:49:32 AM »

Scott,

Your new course is halfway to Hexham, the locals wouldn't like you calling Close House Newcastle. That's a lot of elevation change. Presumably you're going up the hill away from the valley floor? How is construction going? Is it possible to view what's been done so far and does it reveal much of how it will eventually play?

Mark

« **Reply #8 on:** August 28, 2009, 10:59:11 AM »

Not record breakers, but Cal Club, Creek Club, and Engineers all feature large delta, are very walkable, and damn good. Also, the routing was able to create some of the better holes on the course on the more severe sections.

The greatest awful course on the planet.....the CROSSINGS at Carlsbad features some nutso delta, but ain't walkable.

« **Reply #9 on:** August 28, 2009, 11:00:52 AM »

Adam,

After using Google Earth, Lakota Canyon looks closer to 500-525 feet in elevation change from 5 tee to 13 green. Thats still more than any course than is coming to mind.

Kalen

« **Reply #10 on:** August 28, 2009, 11:10:45 AM »

There's 400' at the Omni Interlocken GC (Graham & Panks) in Broomfield, Co.

« **Reply #11 on:** August 28, 2009, 11:30:37 AM »

This is high point on course minus low point on course, not individual holes. Possibilities that I have played include
Chambers Bay (nope, the top ridge is 200' contour
Gatlinburg CC
Kapalua
Silvertip Canmore, Alta. (nope, 180 meters from top to bottom - approx 550 ft
, Greywolf(?) near Radium H.S.
I'd do some research but I'm off to follow the Kerr, Ochoa, Wie pairing at Ghost Creek.

« **Reply #12 on:** August 28, 2009, 11:36:36 AM »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pUUDf_55KQ

The 19th hole at Legends Golf and Safari Resort
South Africa

« **Reply #13 on:** August 28, 2009, 12:17:02 PM »

There are a number in the Colorado mountains that have large elevation changes. In addition to Lakota Canyon, there's Raven at Three Peaks, Eagle-Vail (a Doak 0 in every other respect) and Ironbridge in Glenwood Springs to name a few.

« **Reply #14 on:** August 28, 2009, 12:47:09 PM »

I will second the Raven at Three Peaks as the winner, but Kapalua Plantation or the old Village would be in the mix. Also Wente Bros. and Lake Chabot in the Cali Bay Area come to mind. Arrow Creek Palmer course in Reno is also a big change in elevation thoughout the round.

« **Reply #15 on:** August 28, 2009, 12:52:28 PM »

This is easy. It is hands down Chateau Whistler. It is literally built on a ski slope. You go up for 9 holes and then you come back down on the back 9.

« **Reply #16 on:** August 28, 2009, 12:57:48 PM »

I don't know how much elevation difference there is from top to bottom at Beaver Creek in Colorado -- I think it's a lot. What I remember is that it was the fourth course I had walked that day, and on about the fifth or sixth hole I realized it had been all downhill to that point and I was going to have to walk all the way back up! I think I skipped a couple of holes at the bottom end as a result.

« **Reply #17 on:** August 28, 2009, 01:02:07 PM »

Quote from: Doug Wright on August 28, 2009, 12:17:02 PM

There are a number in the Colorado mountains that have large elevation changes. In addition to Lakota Canyon, there's Raven at Three Peaks, Eagle-Vail (a Doak 0 in every other respect) and Ironbridge in Glenwood Springs to name a few.

I can't believe you didn't like Eagle Vail.

I joined a new company in 1978, went directly to the company meeting at Vail, won the company tournament on the Eagle in spite of the new colleagues pouring excessive amounts of Courvoisier down my throat the night before and hiding my clubs in the morning.

On the bus back to Denver for flights home, there was an article in the Vail newspaper about Eagle Vail that started, "Players who have experienced a round of golf at Eagle Vail talk about it in the same hushed tones as veterans of Guadalcanal use to discuss their wartime experiences!"

« **Reply #18 on:** August 28, 2009, 01:05:41 PM »

I'll nominate Pasadera in Carmel Valley, which must have an elevation change of at least 500 feet. Maybe Neal Meagher, who did the initial routing and also walked the course

with me and Gib, still has his topo maps and can give us a more accurate reading.

« **Reply #19 on:** August 28, 2009, 01:07:53 PM »

Barnsley Gardens in GA. Impossible to walk. Built on close to 400 acres.

Anthony

« **Reply #20 on:** August 28, 2009, 01:09:44 PM »

Makalei GC on the Big Island of Hawaii specifically states on their website that it has 1050 feet of elevation change (1800 to 2850):

http://www.makalei.com/golf/proto/makalei/

I played there in 1998, and I specifically remember the scorecard noting the elevation change from some lowest (green?) to highest as 900 or 950 feet. Perhaps the property is 1050 change.

« **Reply #21 on:** August 28, 2009, 01:11:10 PM »

Quote from: Tom_Doak on August 28, 2009, 09:24:51 AM

Scott:

Pasatiempo is right at 300 feet. That's the most elevation I can think of in any golden-age course meant to be walked.

My Rock Creek course is about 360 feet. Not many of the members walk it, but it's really not that hard to walk ... the routing is a long loop, so it's two miles from the top to the bottom ... you aren't going up and down the same hills over again, like Augusta National. [Incidentally, Augusta has exactly 150 feet of elevation change from the first tee to the 12th green, but you go down and up a lot of times on the front nine].

I believe Kapalua (Plantation) has more elevation change than Rock Creek, but I don't have a number for it. The old Village Course at Kapalua was something like 500 or 600 feet from the highest hole to the lowest, but nobody ever played it without a cart, of course.

Tom,
Northland is also right about 300 feet as a golden age, meant to be walked course. Same situation as Rock Creek out and back in which you pretty much go up and come down the 300 feet just once.

« **Reply #22 on:** August 28, 2009, 01:13:54 PM »

Quote from: Tom_Doak on August 28, 2009, 09:24:51 AM

I believe Kapalua (Plantation) has more elevation change than Rock Creek, but I don't have a number for it. The old Village Course at Kapalua was something like 500 or 600 feet from the highest hole to the lowest, but nobody ever played it without a cart, of course.

Looks to be about 450 feet from top (16 green) to bottom (8 green).

« **Reply #23 on:** August 28, 2009, 01:24:08 PM »

I had never really thought of it in these terms until today, but just checked and Crystal Downs has 202 feet of elevation change from the bottom of #7 fairway to the crest of #12 fairway. The fact that you walk up that 200 feet elevation (and more, because you go up to the pro shop and then back down to 10 fairway) in the space of just 5 holes is the reason it seems like even more.

« **Reply #24 on:** August 28, 2009, 01:34:44 PM »

Quote from: Rich Goodale on August 28, 2009, 01:05:41 PM

I'll nominate Pasadera in Carmel Valley, which must have an elevation change of at least 500 feet. Maybe Neal Meagher, who did the initial routing and also walked the course with me and Gib, still has his topo maps and can give us a more accurate reading.

Rihc,

Pasadera is not in Carmel Valley. It is on Hi Way 68, in the corridor between Salinas and Monterey.

Bob

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