I think it is horrible. Just like the twelfth at Augusta, it has become a ridiculous hit and hope shot but this is even worse because at 225 yards, the golfer deserves something that approximates a target. Having to land a ball in the rough to brake it to stay on the left portion of the green doesn't count
When the green was much bigger, I imagine it would have played just fine at this length. Given that it is on dead flat land, I even give the architects credit for knocking character into the hole with a unique green configuration, which the professionals can still handle from the ~175 yard set of tees. HOWEVER, now it no longer functions properly for the US Open set of tees and hasn't for decades.
Because two of golf's most famous shots have occurred there, is that why the owners leave it as is? Yuk. Couple it with the dog twelfth...
People who talk about Pebble's great finish certainly can't be referring to 15 & 17.
Watching Ernie Els double it from a not bad tee ball was painful and for a par three to average over 3.6 without extreme conditions isn't good golf.
What would you give the seventeenth on the Doak scale? A 3 from the 225 yard set of tees and a 6 from the forward set? Or is that too kind?
Cheers,