the new 8th hole at Scioto

[Matthew Lloyd]

Have any of you played this yet?  I've heard the changes really work well.  For those of you unfamiliar with the course, the 8th hole is a long par 4/short par 5 (depending on the tees/skill level) that used to have an "island" green -- i put island in quotes because there was some fairway and bunkers around it so it wasn't that small of a target.  But now -- perhaps in preparation for the Senior Open in 2016 -- they have removed the moat running along the right and back of the green, eliminating the island effect.

I'd be interested to hear thoughts from people who have had a chance to play it so far.

[Brian Finn]

I have not played it since the most recent changes.  Here is a good opportunity for 3 to play it...

https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/item/item.action?id=218992901

[JLahrman]

Matt,

That moat crossed in front of the fairway, about 50 yards in front of the green as well. Do you know where they've cut it off? If they've eliminated the moat to the right and back of the green, they there really shouldn't be any change to the way the hole plays since the moat really wasn't in play in those areas. Certainly not for professionals. If they've filled in the portion in front of the green, that would affect the way the hole plays.

Perhaps they've done it for crowd movement purposes? It's a pretty constrained property from a gallery perspective; any changes they could make that would help gallery flow would be good if drawing big events is the club's goal.

[BHoover]

Here's a photo of the new 8th from earlier this spring. It's tough to tell from the photo exactly what it looks like and I haven't seen it in person because I wasn't able to make it out to the US Open qualifier on Monday.

[BCowan]

Brian,

   Wow, that is totally different.  Are they making it a 4 par for the Senior Open?  It looks they moved the green up, but i can't tell

[BHoover]

Brian,

   Wow, that is totally different.  Are they making it a 4 par for the Senior Open?  It looks they moved the green up, but i can't tell

I don't know but I'd guess it will play as a long par 4. As I mentioned, I haven't seen the hole in person. I was out there for a lunch a couple weeks back, but unfortunately I didn't have a chance to see the 8th green.

[JLahrman]

It does look completely different. I can't tell if they moved the green, but there used to only be a small neck of fairway up by the green, certainly nothing that would totally surround the bunker. Is the moat/stream completely gone, with only the lake on the left remaining?

[Matthew Lloyd]

It does look completely different. I can't tell if they moved the green, but there used to only be a small neck of fairway up by the green, certainly nothing that would totally surround the bunker. Is the moat/stream completely gone, with only the lake on the left remaining?

yep exactly.  just the pond that runs alongside the left side of the fairway up to the green.  so depending on the angle you have after the tee shot, you could potentially have to carry over the water, just like before.  The difference now being that if you play up the right side you can really take the water out of the equation.

on a negative note for neighborhood kids, the tree covered island in the middle of the pond (which was never in play and sort of an eyesore) is now gone as well, so kids looking to harass the golfers on this hole will have to find a new secret hideout. I still remember that one of my childhood friends got detained by tournament officials during the 1986 Senior Open for hiding on that island and yelling at the players. Those were fun days.

[Matthew Lloyd]

Brian,

   Wow, that is totally different.  Are they making it a 4 par for the Senior Open?  It looks they moved the green up, but i can't tell

I don't know but I'd guess it will play as a long par 4. As I mentioned, I haven't seen the hole in person. I was out there for a lunch a couple weeks back, but unfortunately I didn't have a chance to see the 8th green.

yes, i'm pretty sure it's going to play as a long par 4 up near 480-490 yards.  at least that's the impression i'm under.  my dad plays it from that distance as a par 5 right now i believe. as a long par 4 i'm guessing it will play pretty tough.  it's a tricky driving hole to get in good position to go after that green.

[BCowan]

I always loved hitting the tee shot on 8.  I wished that the tree just above the fairway bunker on the right was removed so the ridge which the 11th tee sits could be seen.  The ridge really shows the shape of the hole well imho.  I think modern safety concerns could be a factor. 

[JLahrman]

It does look completely different. I can't tell if they moved the green, but there used to only be a small neck of fairway up by the green, certainly nothing that would totally surround the bunker. Is the moat/stream completely gone, with only the lake on the left remaining?

yep exactly.  just the pond that runs alongside the left side of the fairway up to the green.  so depending on the angle you have after the tee shot, you could potentially have to carry over the water, just like before.  The difference now being that if you play up the right side you can really take the water out of the equation.

Hmmm...well the hole certainly will be less distinctive now. But will it be a better hole? What do you think?

[Matthew Lloyd]

It does look completely different. I can't tell if they moved the green, but there used to only be a small neck of fairway up by the green, certainly nothing that would totally surround the bunker. Is the moat/stream completely gone, with only the lake on the left remaining?

yep exactly.  just the pond that runs alongside the left side of the fairway up to the green.  so depending on the angle you have after the tee shot, you could potentially have to carry over the water, just like before.  The difference now being that if you play up the right side you can really take the water out of the equation.

Hmmm...well the hole certainly will be less distinctive now. But will it be a better hole? What do you think?

I personally will miss the old design.  It was always my favorite hole on the course.  This was partially because in my youth I associated water and island greens with "fun" golf so it was the most exotic looking hole I had ever played at that point, but even as I played more golf I always loved that hole.  I always played it as a short par 5 so for me the lack of an island feature will take away most of the risk-reward that made it so much fun.

[JLahrman]

It was definitely a unique hole, and probably the most polarizing on the course.

Even if you were laying up, the second shot was fun, trying to hit it over that ridge on the right so you would have a flat lie and a shorter third shot, but having to be careful not to get too aggressive and let it run into the water. And not knowing if you did it right until you walked over ridge.

It was also kind of fun, if you blocked your drive right, to hit your second way over to the edge of the fairway on the left side short of the lake, and then you had maybe 170 in with a completely different angle. Maybe that will still be possible?

[Nigel Islam]

Is this the first time Jack ever REMOVED a water hazard? I think that green is one of the more interesting ones on the course.

[BHoover]

Is this the first time Jack ever REMOVED a water hazard? I think that green is one of the more interesting ones on the course.

I don't think Jack was the architect for the recent work at Scioto. I thought it was Hurdzan. In fact, a friend of mine mentioned that Jack and sons played there last week during the Memorial and criticized the bunkering (not that his own work at OSU Scarlet is anything to love). So I could be mistaken but it's too early in the morning to confirm if I'm right or wrong.

[Matthew Lloyd]

Is this the first time Jack ever REMOVED a water hazard? I think that green is one of the more interesting ones on the course.

I don't think Jack was the architect for the recent work at Scioto. I thought it was Hurdzan. In fact, a friend of mine mentioned that Jack and sons played there last week during the Memorial and criticized the bunkering (not that his own work at OSU Scarlet is anything to love). So I could be mistaken but it's too early in the morning to confirm if I'm right or wrong.

This sounds correct to me as well but I also can't officially confirm.