Jeff:
In my neck of the woods -- the 15th at BB is right there with any two-shot par-4. The drive deceives people because the landing area is quite wide. I am not a fan of what the USGA / locals did with pushing the rough out from the left to make the turn point more pronounced.
Even when you hit the fairway -- the approach to the Mt Olympus green is not for the feint of heart. You just have to hit sufficient club --if you're out beyond 200 yards the better play is to lay-up before the cut-off begins where the green climbs. Even at less than 200 yards the resulting elevated green will require no less than 2-4 clubs more depending upon your strength and ability to get an iron / hybrid / metal club in the air.
The green is just more of the same -- anything that is not hit to the proper landing area on the green can result in big time trouble -- going too far left or right is bad -- going longis deadsville. Even going short is no bargain as sand and a steep tier face looks the player in the eye.
BB's 15th sported a 4.6 stroke average in the '02 US Open and was slightly below that for the '09 event. For a hole that doesn't have a single drop of H20 on it -- and from the sheer range of par-4 holes I've played -- the 15th at BB would make my short list without a doubt.
*****
On the par-3 front -- for a hole that has great flexibility in being quite playable for the mid-to-high handicappers -- I'd pick the long par-3 8th at Wolf Creek in Mesquite, NV. The hole can play to a max of 240+ yards. You hit from an elevated tee which only provides a piece of the target that you are attempting to hit below.
Complicating matters is you generally play the hole into the prevailing SW which can mean headwinds that can hit 25-40 mph. The green is also protected by H20 to the far left of the green -- which I might add is quite large yet it appears to be much smaller. You also have a small stream that feeds itself around the target.
The only people -- and I stress the ONLY -- people who play from the tips are extremely low handicap types. For all others -- the hole is like the Jerry Lewis telethon -- a DONATION !!!
If mid-to-high handicaps play from the 150-yard markers the very nature of the hole changes into a much more playable situation -- you still have the visual terror but it's easier to adjust with much shorter yardage and hitting less club.
For the above two holes -- I'll place them against any others -- they are quite demanding and like Darth Vader unless you are extremely proficient with your light sabre you will be easily cut down.
