Top 18 Quirky holes

[Patrick_Mucci]

All too often lists of the "best" holes seem to focus on difficulty and distance, not holes that present a challenge that are really fun to play.

So, what are your top 18 quirky holes ?
Quirky holes that present a challenge, not an overwhelming challenge, but, ones that are FUN to play.

I think that I'd have to consider an inordinate number of holes from NGLA.
Shinnecock would also have a good number for consideration as would Yale and Maidstone.

The NLE # 12 at GCGC would definitely be included if it was restored today.

Use the quirky hole in the order of play on its home course.

What's your "quirky" 18 ?

[Matt OBrien]

All 18 holes and Links golf club in NJ. 

[Emil Weber]

Hole 6 at St Enodoc
Hole 17 Prestwick
Hole 17 St Andrews
Hole 13 at North Berwick

[Patrick_Mucci]

NO PARTIAL LISTINGS PLEASE.

All 18 or nothing.

Thanks

[Jim_Kennedy]

Pat,
You seem to be missing 17 of your own. 

If you decide to change the parameters and allow one hole, I'd place the 18th at Yale as the 18th hole on a mythical 18 Quirkiest list. 

[Melvyn Morrow]

Quirky, there you go again with those negative quirky waves – its not quirky ,its normal to us guys - come on stop with those quirky waves  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuStsFW4EmQ&NR=1

Melvyn

[Patrick_Mucci]

Jim,

In thinking about this exercise it sort of occured to me that "quirky" isn't that acceptable in modern day designs.

Why was there an abundance of "quirky" holes in the classic or "Golden Age" courses when golf was less of an aerial game ?

Is it because golf was less of an aerial game ?

[Jim_Kennedy]

Pat,

I think the aerial game is associated with fair results and good luck, while quirk is associated with bad architecture.

Perhaps quirk was more acceptable in an earlier age because it was only possible to move earth in a sane way, not in the same way as is possible today. Outside of some obvious early criticism of quirk, I really don’t think it was that unpopular until the post WW2 era.
Since that time there have been so many courses built without any hint of it that the positive aspects of having a bit of it is rarely part of the experience for a modern golfer.
As Melyvn just said, “…it’s not quirky, it’s normal to us guys….” And that’s one of the reasons I’m glad I live where I do, New England, because you can find a lot of quirky holes to appreciate around here.   

[Patrick Glynn]

From my own experience:

Saint Andrews - 12 - I appreciate the green complex but there is nowhere to hit it off the tee.

Shoreacres - 13 - great hole but funky teeshot!

Lahinch - 5 - a par 3 where you can't see the green, need I say more?

Sorry cannot get to 18!

[Doug Ralston]

Still not clear to me what you mean by 'quirky'. Holes 1-18 at Tobacco Road?

Doug

[Niall C]

Jim,

In thinking about this exercise it sort of occured to me that "quirky" isn't that acceptable in modern day designs.

Why was there an abundance of "quirky" holes in the classic or "Golden Age" courses when golf was less of an aerial game ?

Is it because golf was less of an aerial game ?

Patrick

Possibly because in the golden age they tended to move less dirt and just deal with what they had, indeed the actively looked for something to give a hole/course some interest.

Niall

[Jim_Kennedy]

Doug,
I don't know the precise definition that Pat is using but 'quirk' is defined as an idiosyncracy, and idiosyncracy is defined as an individualizing characteristic or quality.

That seems to be a fairly basic explanation and should allow most golfers who are familiar with the familiar to be able to recognize 'quirk' with a reasonable amount of certainty, even though we personalize the definition.   

If you've ever seen the 18th at Yale you would have very little trouble trying to fit it into the category of a hole with an 'individualizing characteristic or quality'.
 

[Jud_T]

Top Quirky 18 I've Played:

1. Prestwick
2. Talking Stick
3. Westhampton
4. Lahinch
5. Lahinch
6.Pacific Dunes
7. Lawsonia
8. Pebble Beach
9. Kingsley
10. Turnberry
11. Shoreacres
12. TOC
13. Kingsley
14. Bandon Trails
15. Shoreacres
16. TOC
17. TOC
18. Yale

[Jim_Kennedy]

Jud,
What is it about Yale's redan that you feel is quirky?

[Rick Shefchik]

This won't mean much to the majority here, but I'll do an all-quirky Minnesota-W. Wisconsin 18, just to prove to Jim Kennedy that you don't have to live in New England (or old England, for that matter) to find a lot of odd holes. I added a couple of extras, but couldn't remember a particularly quirky Seventh hole, so if any of our Minnesota GCA members want to add one, feel free:

1 - Hillcrest CC: 301-yd. uphill par 4 to blind green.
2 - Northland CC, Duluth (Ross): 324-yd. uphill par 4 with fairway bunker in landing area. Lay up or go for the green.
2 - Somerset CC (Raynor): 510-yard par 5, downhill tee shot, severely uphill second and approach shots to blind green.
3   U. of Minnesota (Tom Vardon): Sharp dogleg right par 4 around mature oaks to a blind and severely downhill fairway.
4 - Troy Burne, Hudson, Wis. (Lehman/Hurdzan/Fry): 312-yard blind dogleg left over bunkered hillside.
5 - North Oaks GC (Stanley Thompson): 194-yd. downhill par 3 to narrow green squeezed between steep hillsides left and trees/bunkers right.
6 - Minnesota Valley CC (Raynor): 351-yd. severe dogleg left to steep downhill fairway, approach shot to uphill elevated green.
8 - Hillcrest CC: 339-yd. dogleg right par 4 to plateau fairway that falls sharply to lower fairway; approach to push-up plateau green.
9 - Midland Hills CC (Raynor): 396-yd. blind tee shot to narrow landing are, approach shot squeezed by trees to uphill green.
10 - Minneapolis Golf Club (Ross): 210-yard par 3 over water to elevated, severely sloped back-to-front green.
10 - Oak Ridge CC (Clark): 336 uphill dogleg left around pond to elevated green.
11 - StoneRidge (Bobby Weed): Par 5 with tee shot squeezed between a barn and a big oak.
12 - White Bear Yacht Club (Watson/Vardon/Ross): 382-yard par 4, tee off over a highway to a sloped fairway, approach to blind green fronted by two bunkers located 30 yards short of green.
13 - Big Fish, Hayward, Wis. (Pete Dye/Tim Liddy): 525-yard blind downhill double dogleg.
13 - Rush Creek (Fought): 345-yard par 4, tee shot over water to narrow peninsula fairway, approach over water.
14 - Keller G.C. (Paul Coates): 350-yard par 4 downhill to small landing area between water and trees, approach to uphill blind green.
14 - White Bear Yacht Club (Watson/Vardon/Ross): 336-yard dogleg right to tiny two-tierd green.
15 - Mendakota CC: 400-yd. sharp dogleg right around/over trees to fairway that borders water left. Tight fit to leave a shorter approach; safe layup leaves long approach.
16 - The Links at Northfork (Joel Goldstrand): Split fairway (one upper plateau, one lower) par 4, approach shot to blind elevated green.
17 - Keller G.C. (Coates): Par 4 with mature shade tree in the middle of the fairway, 70 yards short of green.
18 - Interlachen CC (Ross): 413-yd dogleg right par 4 to elevated punchbowl green with false front.

[Jim_Kennedy]

This won't mean much to the majority here, but I'll do an all-quirky Minnesota-W. Wisconsin 18, just to prove to Jim Kennedy that you don't have to live in New England (or old England, for that matter) to find a lot of odd holes.

 

[Tim Martin]

Jud,
What is it about Yale's redan that you feel is quirky?

Jim-I don`t think that 13 at Yale is quirky. The knock on this hole is  that you don`t get the desired right to left kick that the original design called for but that can be fixed.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Tim,
That's a good example of where a personal definition trumps the 'dictionary'. I don't see the minor differences in what Yale's 13th presents as quirk because there are many redans, and as a group there are quite a few that play downhill or don't have the all the kick.

I haven't seen or heard of many holes like their 18th.

[Pat Burke]

That I've played
1  TOC  
2  Sandpiper
3  Wishire
4  Forrest Park CC
5  New South Wales
6  Riviera
7  Pebble
8  CPC
9  CPC
10  Riviera  Not sure it qualifies, but it's cool
11  TOC  Bunkers and a crossover
12  Forsgate
13  Deal (NJ)  Before the changes, a cool pitch across a ditch to  tiny green
14 Oak Quarry
15 Westchester
16 CPC
17 TOC
18 Carnoustie

[Tim Martin]

Tim,
That's a good example of where a personal definition trumps the 'dictionary'. I don't see the minor differences in what Yale's 13th presents as quirk because there are many redans, and as a group there are quite a few that play downhill or don't have the all the kick.

I haven't seen or heard of many holes like their 18th.

Jim-There is no other hole I`ve played that resembles 18 at Yale. There are many haters of this hole but I`m not one of them. I love the hole and even more so now that all the trees have come down and the lower fairway restored. It is certainly a hole that can ruin a round as far as score goes. Its hard to tell tells guys that have not played it not to hit driver. They say " but its a 600 yard hole" which sounds logical but you know the deal.

[Jud_T]

Jud,
What is it about Yale's redan that you feel is quirky?

Jim,

Probably not the best choice, but I was trying to fill a hole without agonizing all day over the list! But wasn't it a bit of an unusual redan at the time?

[Jim_Kennedy]

Jud,
I think it's more like the first island green ever built. It may have seemed quirky, or maybe even poor architecture, but the concept is mainstream now that there are probably a few hundred of them scattered around the world.

[Jud_T]

Jud,
I think it's more like the first island green ever built. It may have seemed quirky, or maybe even poor architecture, but the concept is mainstream now that there are probably a few hundred of them scattered around the world.

Point taken...I'll go back to the drawing board and find a suitable sub!

P.S. I replaced it with #13 at Kingsley....

[Tim Nugent]

Jim,

In thinking about this exercise it sort of occured to me that "quirky" isn't that acceptable in modern day designs.

Why was there an abundance of "quirky" holes in the classic or "Golden Age" courses when golf was less of an aerial game ?

Is it because golf was less of an aerial game ?

Golf critics weren't invented yet

Jim S, How can you have an all MN/WI and leave some of Blackhawk CC (Madison) off?  What? Golf holes that incorporate Indian Burial mounds isn't quirky enough for you?  I especially liked #14 that had the greenpad of a huge arrowhead or the one that had the giant Goose

[Mike_Clayton]

4 Arrowtown NZ
5 Arrowtown
11 Sunningdale
12 TOC
17 TOC
17 Crystal Downs
7 Crystal Downs
13 Portsea
13,14,15 North Berwick
6 Titirangi NZ
4 Woodlands
2 NGLA
5 New South Wales
13 The Lakes
3 Royal Adelaide
17 Carnoustie