plateau on a putting surface ?
Ignoring hole length and square footage of the green and their interrelationship for a second, does the mere insertion of a back tier/plateau, increase the inherent difficulty of the hole by half a shot or more ?
Does that difficulty increase, incrementally, when a deep bunker or other hazard lurks behind the green.
One of the most challenging greens, to me, with an upper plateau, is the 16th at The Creek. (par 4)
# 6 at Piping Rock might be another. (par 5)
In terms of increasing the difficulty, how much of a role does the height differential create ?
What incremental challenge is created when the differential is 1', 2' or 3' ?
And, what about the slope of that differentiating portion of the green.
Does a more subtle slope deceive the golfer more than a sharper differential ?
I've always held a fascination with tiered greens, most with the back tier being elevated.
Yet, the 4th hole at Spyglass Hill has a reverse configuration that seems to work well with an angled green.