[Cristian]

Following an earlier topic on how to maximize strategy in the design of a narrow hole, I would be curious to see some examples!

I am after narrow holes which are narrow due to it's playing corridor, not because of US-Open mowing styles.

I am thinking, let's say 25-30 maximum maybe 35 yard wide playing corridors close to the landing area's (playing corridors, so not fairways).

My top 3:

1. Machrihanish 5


2. Royal Haagsche 14 (also 3 may qualify, but it might be to wide)


3. El Saler 13


What are the best narrow holes you have played?

[John Moore II]

What is the definition of narrow? That might be required to make a good list.

I'll try to think of my top 3 holes.

[Cristian]

What is the definition of narrow? That might be required to make a good list.

I'll try to think of my top 3 holes.

I mentioned a playing corridor (not fairway!) of no more than 35 yards. But by all means use your gut feeling. I don't think the hole needs to be narrow all the way for this discussion (bottlenecks around landing areas can make for interesting decision making as well and should not be excluded).

[Sean_A]

#14 The Island

#2 Dornoch

#13 Burnham & Berrow

As always with these lists, I reserve the right to change my mind.

Ciao

[tlavin]

In Chicago, I like #1 at Medinah (#3 course), the #4 hole at Olympia North and #6 at Flossmoor.

[Pete_Pittock]

Prestwick #1.
Astoria #15.
St. Enedoc #10.
Reserve Vineyards (Cupp/North) #17

[John Moore II]

Well, given the 35 yard limit, I am honestly not sure if I have played any holes under that width that I thought were very good. I have played some that width that I thought were bad, but none that really stick out as being really good. But I am still thinking about it. There were some narrow holes at Pinecrest in Idaho that were really narrow and weren't bad, but nothing special.

[Ulrich Mayring]

This one is cool, a medium-length par 3 at my former Painswick-like homecourse:



The green is behind the bunker, but there is a ditch and unplayable rough right behind the green. Any aerial shot landing on the green will bounce into that unplayable area. So that is the first (and worst) option for this hole. The second is to land the ball just behind the bunker and roll it on - there is actually a couple of yards between bunker and green. The problem is that the green slopes heavily to the left, so this shot will in many cases and up way left of the green and leave a tricky chip. So the third (and safest) option is to play the ball to that spot to begin with - aim for left of the green and count on your chipping skills. However, the line of trees can be a problem, if that shot is a bit left. I believe the only shot that has a chance to actually stay on the green is by going over the right edge of the bunker, touch down behind it and roll on. That might leave a difficult sidehill/downhill putt, though.

Ulrich

[Jaeger Kovich]

In the NYC Metro Area I will nominate:
Split Rock Golf Course #7 - don't know if I have ever made a par on this long par 4 that requires a draw off the tee to reach in regulation
Winged Foot West #16 - not only narrow, but strategic, must be on the right side of fw to reach in 2 (plays as a par 4 in tourny's)
Bethpage Black #5 - ... if it is narrow enough?

[Bill_McBride]

#5 at Tokatee (public in Oregon) if you just count the yards between the trees - maybe 25 yards?

Here's a view from behind the green.  Those trees make this 350 yard par 4 hole play very narrow!

[Sean Leary]

All 27 at Sahalee..

[tlavin]

#5 at Tokatee (public in Oregon) if you just count the yards between the trees - maybe 25 yards?

Here's a view from behind the green.  Those trees make this 350 yard par 4 hole play very narrow!

This reminds me of the goofy hole at Eugene Country Club (#17?) with the goalposts in front of the green.  It's one thing to have a hole narrowed because of the corridor effect of trees overhanging the fairway; it's quite another to see stuff like this.  It's truly amazing how long this sort of stuff is allowed to exist!

[tlavin]

All 27 at Sahalee..

Just based on my television observations, this seems like a pretty accurate statement.  It looked great and really, really narrow.  They could rename it Claustophobic Pines!

[Sean Leary]

All 27 at Sahalee..

Just based on my television observations, this seems like a pretty accurate statement.  It looked great and really, really narrow.  They could rename it Claustophobic Pines!

Terry,

Its not as narrow as it looks on TV but yes, its tight.  The trees are just so tall that it makes it seem claustophobic. The non tournament nine especially. Good golf course though...

[Bill_McBride]

#5 at Tokatee (public in Oregon) if you just count the yards between the trees - maybe 25 yards?

Here's a view from behind the green.  Those trees make this 350 yard par 4 hole play very narrow!

This reminds me of the goofy hole at Eugene Country Club (#17?) with the goalposts in front of the green.  It's one thing to have a hole narrowed because of the corridor effect of trees overhanging the fairway; it's quite another to see stuff like this.  It's truly amazing how long this sort of stuff is allowed to exist!

Terry, somehow it works because (1) it's a short par 4, and (2) it's the only area that tight on what is otherwise a pretty open course.  Fun course too, I always enjoy playing there.  The course is in an Alpine meadow at the top of the Mackenzie River.

[cary lichtenstein]

Kemper lakes 12th, Butler #9 immediately come to mind.

The old #5 at Pebble Beach

[Patrick_Mucci]

# 10 at Alpine.

Bill McBride,

Good call on Tokatee.
I liked that golf course and thought that # 5 was very unique.
I also thought that the golf course had a lot of potential for terrific improvements.

[Bill_McBride]

# 10 at Alpine.

Bill McBride,

Good call on Tokatee.
I liked that golf course and thought that # 5 was very unique.
I also thought that the golf course had a lot of potential for terrific improvements.

Pat, they have kept the green fees down over the years by not making many improvements or upkeep beyond pretty minimal.  The greens have always been good.  I'd like to see a bunker right in the middle of the first fairway.

[Carl Nichols]

How about the last par 5 at Harbourtown (15?) -- IIRC, it has a pretty tight LZ.  Harbourtown might have a few holes that deserve to be in the discussion. 

[Pete_Pittock]

Wouldn't call this one of the best narrow holes I have played, but it is certainly the tightest. This is the opening shot at Laurel Hill at the Gold Hill exit off I-5 in southern Oregon. Nine holes, superbly claustrophobic. This is a dogleg right with the green about in line with the power cart at right center. I opted for a couple of 150 yd shots, while my pickup partner drove the green over the trees. Still tied him.




Bill McBride,
I'm suprised you didn't nominate something from Columbia Edgewater, maybe #5 or #8? Tokatee slipped my mind. Must be our cold weather snap.

[Andy Troeger]

All 27 at Sahalee..

Sean,
Going to have to disagree with you there...I can think of a few holes that I really disliked at Sahalee due to the narrow factor and perhaps a few that I thought were good, but definitely nothing deserving to be called great. How it makes the GD 100 Greatest is beyond me.

I'm not a big fan of narrow holes admittedly. There were a couple at Wolf Run that I liked--I'm guessing #9, 12, and 15 all qualify. Harbour Town has a couple as well, including #13 and 15. I can agree with Butler National #9 as well.

[Bill_McBride]

Wouldn't call this one of the best narrow holes I have played, but it is certainly the tightest. This is the opening shot at Laurel Hill at the Gold Hill exit off I-5 in southern Oregon. Nine holes, superbly claustrophobic. This is a dogleg right with the green about in line with the power cart at right center. I opted for a couple of 150 yd shots, while my pickup partner drove the green over the trees. Still tied him.




Bill McBride,
I'm suprised you didn't nominate something from Columbia Edgewater, maybe #5 or #8? Tokatee slipped my mind. Must be our cold weather snap.

Pete, #5 is onliy narrow inside 120 yards, there is a ton of room left there.  Not that you'd want to be left.

And #8 is wider than it looks.

Everything at CECC looks narrow because of the height of those bloody giant Sequoias!  They dwarf the fairways, shrink them in.

[Adam Lawrence]

Cristian - I couldn't be sure because I didn't pace it off, but I am not sure that Royal Hague's 14th is that narrow. It looks it from your photo, and it surely looks it from the tee, but you'll know better than I that there is quite a lot of room to the right side of the fairway that isn't immediately visible. I loved that hole. Don't tug your second though, because if you do, and you end up in the hollow front and left, much pain awaits.

[Alister Matheson]

5th @ Machrihanish. 8th @ Carnaigie Club. 6th @ Royal Dornoch.

[Cristian]

Cristian - I couldn't be sure because I didn't pace it off, but I am not sure that Royal Hague's 14th is that narrow. It looks it from your photo, and it surely looks it from the tee, but you'll know better than I that there is quite a lot of room to the right side of the fairway that isn't immediately visible. I loved that hole. Don't tug your second though, because if you do, and you end up in the hollow front and left, much pain awaits.

I agree if you choose to lay-up short the hole is wider but in the driver landing area it certainly is not. That's what's makes the hole interesting; one can hit fairway wood or long iron to a more generous landing area but that leaves a very tricky long iron approach!

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