[Niall C]

In another thread Ian Andrew gives a lovely description of Highland Links by Stanley Thompson where Thompson designed the 11th hole as a breather hole, one that follows the previous stretch of holes which are a roller coaster ride, and one which precedes another stretch of challenging holes.

As I read it (I've not played the course), this hole in isolation might be the least inspired on the course, or at least the simplest design but nevertheless its worth to the course as a whole is more than the worth of the individual part (my interpretation and in fairness, Ian makes it sound a terrific hole). Maybe in this respect it could be said to be the cornerstone or keystone of the course.

What other holes are there that make a course work, either by accomodating a particular routing, or holes that simply add much needed balance or contrast that helps the course as a whole ?

Niall

[Anthony Gray]

  Cruden Bay has a lovely less than 300 yard par 4 in the middle of the round coming after some demanding longer holes.Somewhat isolated green and even has a bench for spectators.Wonderful setting wedged between two tall hills.Even made the cover of The Confidential Guide.

   Anthony

[Tom_Doak]

From an architect's perspective, there is often one hole that is hard to fit but essential to making the routing work.  For example, at Pacific Dunes, we were trying to get two greens close to the ocean in order to make the crossover between the 4th tee headed south and the 13th tee headed north.  The 12th green site was obvious, but finding the 3rd green site hidden in the gorse and whittling it down to where it could be used was the keystone that unlocked the rest.

From that perspective it is probably the 9th hole at Cruden Bay rather than the 8th that makes it all work.  The seventh at Cypress Point would be similar in that it is the hole that gets you up onto the top level for 8 and 9.

[Jud_T]

I may be wrong, but the 11th at Kingsley strikes me as this type of crucial connector that serves as a breather at the perfect spot in the round in addition to getting you up to the fantastic #12 tee box...

[Sean Leary]

From an architect's perspective, there is often one hole that is hard to fit but essential to making the routing work.  For example, at Pacific Dunes, we were trying to get two greens close to the ocean in order to make the crossover between the 4th tee headed south and the 13th tee headed north.  The 12th green site was obvious, but finding the 3rd green site hidden in the gorse and whittling it down to where it could be used was the keystone that unlocked the rest.

From that perspective it is probably the 9th hole at Cruden Bay rather than the 8th that makes it all work.  The seventh at Cypress Point would be similar in that it is the hole that gets you up onto the top level for 8 and 9.

Would 4 at Tumble Creek fit into this category as well?

[Sean_A]

From an architect's perspective, there is often one hole that is hard to fit but essential to making the routing work.  For example, at Pacific Dunes, we were trying to get two greens close to the ocean in order to make the crossover between the 4th tee headed south and the 13th tee headed north.  The 12th green site was obvious, but finding the 3rd green site hidden in the gorse and whittling it down to where it could be used was the keystone that unlocked the rest.

From that perspective it is probably the 9th hole at Cruden Bay rather than the 8th that makes it all work.  The seventh at Cypress Point would be similar in that it is the hole that gets you up onto the top level for 8 and 9.

I have long disliked Cruden Bay's 9th, but understand that it links the two sections of the course.  I think what bugs me most is the that I want the essential hole(s) to be short and quick and the 9th is a slog.  
I always thought Pennard's 12th (and by extension the 13th) is that less than ideal hole which pulls the routing together.  It does offer the benefits of being a drivable par 4 and in a good setting on the pill.  

Often times par 3s are used to coneect a course through the more trying terrain - which is probably the ideal way to cope with this sort of situation if one must.  Dr Mac did an exemplary job of it at Cavendish's 4th, 13th and 15th.  

Burnham has the 16th over the less appealing ground essentially sharing a fairway with the 3rd, but utilizing an outspoken green to cover its tracks as a short linking hole.  While a good hole I think the archie/club made two mistakes wth it.  First, the fact that it is a "double" fairway should be embraced and thus the rough between the two fairways eliminated.  Second, a forward tee should be built off a dune some 35 yards in fron the of the current tee to make this hole drivable for more players - the sort of hole Burnham is lacking.  With the wierd green, bunkering set up to stall the approach from the right and oob left the would be hole is begging the player to be aggressive.  


Ciao

  

[Niall C]

Sean

Of the courses mentioned Cruden Bay is the only one I've played and I have to say I'm no great fan of the course. Its got some terrific holes but the run of blind holes in the back nine ruin the course as a whole, for me at any rate. I can see why they have gone over the top to get round the bottle neck but wonder if it wouldn't have been possible to engineer a couple of parallel or over lapping par 3's on the lower bottleneck section, and then if needs be take in some land at the far end of the course if they needed more ground. As you say, sometimes the use of par 3's is the best way of working through challenging terrain.

Tom

At Pacific Dunes, would it be fair that you were dealing with a self-imposed (or client imposed ?) constraint in trying to find a routing that allowed you to use a particular green site ? How often have you had to walk away from a potential green site that you really wanted to use because you couldn't find a routing solution ?

As an aside I played RC a while back which I thoroughly enjoyed with a very conventional routing (no idea what I was expecting). In particular I liked the par 3 13th (?) not only for its semi blind nature but also for the fact that the hole turns its back on the most scenic view on the property which I found quite refreshing after so many new courses going for the WOW factor. This was positively Calvinistic in comparison. Were there any constraints in play there or were you thinking ahead to incorporating the new holes ?

Niall

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