A great line about great golf holes

[Scott Warren]

From John Sabino's Top 100 golf blog:

Nobody rings a bell when you get to one of the greatest golf holes in the world. There also isn’t a sign telling you; there doesn’t need to be. You just know it’s a fabulous hole because it bowls you over.

He was talking about the 10th at Royal Melbourne (West).

[Dan Herrmann]

Strangely, they tell you at Cape Breton Highlands Links on the 6th tee that you're about to play one of the world's "Top 500" holes.

Hopefully, they'll take down that sign (or notation on the scorecard).  It's a great course that doesn't need that type of gauche hyperbole.

[Sean Leary]

Strangely, they tell you at Cape Breton Highlands Links on the 6th tee that you're about to play one of the world's "Top 500" holes.

Hopefully, they'll take down that sign (or notation on the scorecard).  It's a great course that doesn't need that type of gauche hyperbole.

Bandon Dunes either has or had that sign too...

[Bill_McBride]

Or maybe it's #3 at NGLA or #13 at Rye, where there IS a bell.      What other truly good "bell" holes are there?

[Scott Warren]

I think he means more a bell that announces it as a great golf hole.

[Bill_McBride]

I think he means more a bell that announces it as a great golf hole.

I was just being literal!  There are great holes that already have bells!

[John Moore II]

I think he means more a bell that announces it as a great golf hole.

I was just being literal!  There are great holes that already have bells!

You know, when I first read the quote, I thought he was saying that no great holes had the dreaded bell down in the fairway to announce when the forward group is clear. But in general, I think they are correct, in most cases the really great holes don't have signs saying they are top 500 or something. Personally, I don't think there are 500 really great holes on Earth. Just like every golf course that is top 100 is not great, some are just very good. Same with the holes. Being top 500 doesn't make a hole great.

[George Pazin]

But in general, I think they are correct, in most cases the really great holes don't have signs saying they are top 500 or something. Personally, I don't think there are 500 really great holes on Earth. Just like every golf course that is top 100 is not great, some are just very good. Same with the holes. Being top 500 doesn't make a hole great.

Guess it all depends on your definition of great. How many golf courses are there are the planet? 20,000? Holes? 300,000+?

If those numbers are even close, then the top 500 holes would be close to the top 0.17%. By a statistical definition, that's pretty damn great.

Subjectivity brings much more into doubt. Could just be that 19,000 of those course don't possess a single great hole - doubtful, but possible - that makes the numbers much more in doubt.

There's 18 great holes at Oakmont. None of them need a bell. Watch next weekend on TV if you think I'm biased. I'll be the guy wearing the blue Nuzzo Design hat.

[Bob Jenkins]

Bill McBride,

You are just kidding about the bell on #13 at Rye?  No??

Nevertheless, that was one unique and special hole.

Bob

[Bill_McBride]

Bill McBride,

You are just kidding about the bell on #13 at Rye?  No??

Nevertheless, that was one unique and special hole.

Bob

Kidding?  I don't think so.  Right behind the green.  Arble forgot to tell you about it!

[Carl Nichols]

All of the holes at The European Club that have been designated as top 100 or 500 have a sign that says so.

[Trevor]

On the bell front, the 12th at Yale has a bell by the green to let people know you're moving onto the Redan.  A fine Alps hole, especially after the reconstruction of the front bunker, no?  Should all alps holes require bells?  There's also a bell on # 3 at Yale but I'm not a fan of the hole (except for the tee off I guess)

[John Moore II]

But in general, I think they are correct, in most cases the really great holes don't have signs saying they are top 500 or something. Personally, I don't think there are 500 really great holes on Earth. Just like every golf course that is top 100 is not great, some are just very good. Same with the holes. Being top 500 doesn't make a hole great.

Guess it all depends on your definition of great. How many golf courses are there are the planet? 20,000? Holes? 300,000+?

If those numbers are even close, then the top 500 holes would be close to the top 0.17%. By a statistical definition, that's pretty damn great.

Subjectivity brings much more into doubt. Could just be that 19,000 of those course don't possess a single great hole - doubtful, but possible - that makes the numbers much more in doubt.

There's 18 great holes at Oakmont. None of them need a bell. Watch next weekend on TV if you think I'm biased. I'll be the guy wearing the blue Nuzzo Design hat.

George-You bring up a lot of good points. How many of those 20,000 golf courses have holes that were even considered for the survey? How much of that Top 500 holes is bought? I know the 8th hole at The Pit was once said to be one of the top 500 holes in the world; if that is the case, I don't want to see the next 500 because they must really suck. And to say 19000 out of 20000 courses don't have one single great hole is probably not a stretch. That means that only 5% of all golf courses have a "great" hole. I can buy that, after all, how many great holes do you see on courses that are worse than a "7"? And do you really think more than 5% of all golf courses are better than an "8"? I don't.

[Scott Warren]

how many great holes do you see on courses that are worse than a "7"?

Plenty.

[Adam Clayman]

Scott. I don't see what's great about the quote. Ran says more in describing greatness in fewer words, which translates the quality of any particular hole. Without any confusion to what he means, other than maybe the absolute novice gca student. Mr. Sabino's quote seems more like a ding against some other hole or course.

[Steve Lang]

 

Walden on Lake Conroe:  The par 5 11th hole is ranked as one of the top 500 world’s greatest golf holes by Golf Magazine.