[Jeff_Brauer]

I thought of this when reading the Bandon Trails thread, and comments on their 14th hole, although I doubt it makes the list of top 10 controversial holes ever.

What are the most controversial holes of all time?  What made them controversial - difficulty, non orthodox design, etc.?

[Matt_Ward]

Jeff:

I'm sure there will be plenty to list -- on the national front and among highly touted modern designs (although there is clearly debate on that point by a few people not me however) is the 8th hole at Wolf Creek in Mesquite, NV.

Plays through a canyon and the need for high execution is a must -- the penalities for less than stellar efforts can be rather severe.

The dissenters see the hole as being extremely unfair and with that the controversy winds do blow from all sides.

[PCCraig]

17 at TPC Sawgrass comes to mind quickly...

[Gary Slatter]

The 17th at the Old Course. 
Controversial:  yes because with rough to the left 95% of players have no chance to extract their ball close enough to the green to have the proper demanding shot intended.  More controversy will come after the Open when the new tee may be used (the new distance and line will be talking points as will how it may affect play on the 16th green).  I love the hole but have to admit that it was the most frustrating par four I've ever played.

I have felt that certain designers seem to screw up at least one hole in each of their courses - sometimes only one. Are they seeking controversy?  McBroom's original course in PEI had some very interesting links holes and then on the back nine it was silly.  I understand a storm has improved Crowbush and will check it out this summer.

[Tim Martin]

18 at Yale.

[Rick Shefchik]

The combination of the old #16 and #17 at Hazeltine was a hot button for years. A large tree made the downhill 16th play as "the world's only dogleg par 3," according to some of the pros at the 1970 U.S. Open. The 17th was an uphill dogleg right that required most players to hit a 4-iron off the tee. Dan Kelly loved #17, but his influence was not enough to keep the two holes from being blown up. Sixteen is now a great, scary par 4 along lake Hazletine, and 17 is a fairly standard par 3.

[Jim Thornton]

I suppose the original 95 yard par 3 14th hole at Engineers, "2 or 20", might make the list.

[Sven Nilsen]

Controversial because the hole is deemed "too difficult" or controversial because it doesn't fit with the rest of the course?  Kingsley Club 9 and 15 come to mind for the first category, 17 at RCD and any other hole with a pond on a links course for the latter.

[Jim Nugent]

Some holes were controversial for a short while, due to conditions.  18 at Olympic Lake, during the U.S. Open.  That par 3 at Shinnie in the 2004 (?) U.S. Open. 

18 at Carnoustie is a bit controversial. 

[Ronald Montesano]

The 13th at The Dunes in Myrtle Beach...

[Anthony Gray]

  There are some that think 14 at BT plays straight

  anthony

[Joe McCormac]

The 8th at Inverness?  Controversial enough the USGA planted a tree overnight.

[Wade Whitehead]

For one weekend in 2004, the seventh at Shinnecock was controversial enough to earn a mention.

WW

[Mark Chaplin]

10th Belfry
1-18 Gleneagles Monarch or whatever it's called
4th Rye
17th Valderrama

[Jeff_Brauer]

Most of the ones I can recall are on this list. I think 16 at Cypress Point was controversial as too long.  The 4th at Baltusrol was supposed to be until RTJ stepped up and made a hole in one on it.

The Sitwell Park green by Mac and any number of his so called "freak greens" would have made many lists in their day.

[Joe Hancock]

If it's truly "of all time", I would think it might have to be a very old golf hole rather than a modern one.

Joe

[Scott Warren]

8 and 12 @ Addington
10 @ St Enodoc

If they'd survived I imagine The Maiden and Sandy Parlour would have been specials!

[JNC Lyon]

7th at Shinnecock Hills, 2004 US Open.  This was so because of poor conditioning and because the different players played the hole under different conditions.

1st at Prestwick, due to the boundary wall close to the fairway.

16th at TPC of Scottsdale, for its place in the game of golf.

[Mark Chaplin]

5th Sunningdale Old for one day only though during Open qualifying when the pin was unplayable and had to be re cut mid round and replayed by the early starters.

[Rory Connaughton]

I have always understood the water on 17 at RCD as naturally occuring. Certainly isn't the only pond on a links. there is one at Portmarnock and Ballyliffen (though not in the line of play)

[MikeJones]

I see a pattern developing, most of these holes have at some point been branded 'unfair'. So all we need is 18 borderline 'unfair' golf holes and we'll have one hell of a golf course - hang on..... Augusta springs to mind!

[Kalen Braley]

18th at CPC.....

Its a unique hole and don't understand the bashing it gets.

[Sven Nilsen]

Rory:

My comment on the pond at RCD wasn't a judgment statement on the quality of the hole, just pointing out that internal water hazards on links courses are often seen as out of character and therefor controversial.  Perhaps a better example would be the burn/pond on 18 at the European Club.  It is my understanding that there was a bog on the site prior to construction, but current design appears completely out of character with the other internal water hazards on the course (specifically the stream and marsh which I believe are on 6 and 7).

I haven't played Ballyliffin, but if you could refresh my memory I'm having a hard time recalling the pond at Portmarnock.

[Bill Gayne]

The Dell and Klondyke.

[Scott Warren]

Here is the fake burn on 18 at The European. All that's missing is a fountain. I was secretly hoping that viewed from above it was in the shape of an R, but alas...



In fairness though, it's no more absurd than the driving zone at #16: bunker left, bunkers right, large patch of rough in the middle...



... or the impossible flatness of the 8th fairway.



So by the time you're trotting down the approach to #18, the last thing that manufactured burn should do is surprise you.

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