What's the Best, Longest Walk on a Golf Course?

[Sven Nilsen]

Big fan of the walk between 9 and 10 at Beverly.  Not necessarily scenic, but definitely satisfying.

[JT Taylor]

There are couple of memorable walks at Bel-Air Country Club.  Not exactly "scenic" when you're riding in an elevator or walking though some long tunnels but certainly very unique.

[Tom_Doak]

There are couple of memorable walks at Bel-Air Country Club.  Not exactly "scenic" when you're riding in an elevator or walking though some long tunnels but certainly very unique.

Yes, if you count going up in the elevator to #10 tee, the walk from 9 to 10 there is a good one.

[John Sabino]

The best I have experienced:





Augusta National - 12th tee to 12th green over Hogan bridge
Augusta National - 13th tee to 13th fairway over Nelson bridge
Cypress Point from 14th green to 15th tee
Cypress Point from 15th green to 16th tee
Barnbougle Dunes from 4th green to 5th tee
National Golf Links from 16th green to 17th tee (this isn't a long walk, but it's amazing)
Friar's Head from the 14th green to 15th tee up the "Stairway to Heaven"
Kauri Cliffs from the 7th green to the 8th tee
Jack's Point up the the fifth fairway to the green
Walking over the hill and seeing the 4th Punchbowl green at Fishers Island
12th green to 13th tee half mile walk along the river at Highlands Links
Walking up and over the hill to the first green at St. Enodoc


In terms of sheer length, I would vote for Highlands Links as the best

[Adam Lawrence]

The best I have experienced:





Augusta National - 12th tee to 12th green over Hogan bridge
Augusta National - 13th tee to 13th fairway over Nelson bridge
Cypress Point from 14th green to 15th tee
Cypress Point from 15th green to 16th tee
Barnbougle Dunes from 4th green to 5th tee
National Golf Links from 16th green to 17th tee (this isn't a long walk, but it's amazing)
Friar's Head from the 14th green to 15th tee up the "Stairway to Heaven"
Kauri Cliffs from the 7th green to the 8th tee
Jack's Point up the the fifth fairway to the green
Walking over the hill and seeing the 4th Punchbowl green at Fishers Island
12th green to 13th tee half mile walk along the river at Highlands Links
Walking up and over the hill to the first green at St. Enodoc


In terms of sheer length, I would vote for Highlands Links as the best

It isn't anywhere near half a mile, actually it's about 480 yards. But it's still the best.

[John Sabino]

Adam - Thanks. It seems like it because when you get to that point on the golf course you are so worn out (at least I was) that each step is hard. One of the most difficult walking courses I have experienced.


John

[Garland Bayley]

The walk along the river at Highland Links between 12 and 13 measures out on Google Earth at 435 yards.   Is that the longest walk of those listed here?

I measured the walk at Tomahawk to be 515 yards as the crow flies on Google Earth. It of course is longer than that as the golfer walks. I also found that Google Maps and Google Earth did not know the correct location, so sent them the correction.


I found out that the official name is Tomahawk Lake Country Club, even though we always referred to it as Tomahawk Country Club when I lived there almost 50 years ago.

[Ian Andrew]

Thanks for all the great replies.

The walk along the river at Highland Links between 12 and 13 measures out on Google Earth at 435 yards.   Is that the longest walk of those listed here?

Also, is there anything these walks have in common besides lovely views?   For instance, are any of these walks "backwards", or even sideways, or are they all forward progressions?

It's actually 385 yards - not that it matters - and it used to feature a riverside gazebo and a natural spring fed drinking basin in the rocks on the right. Saw them all in 1981, but basin was damaged at some point, gazebo got washed away in a flood and the yardage sign for the walk is missing.


Best walk I've seen and I have seen most of the others on the list.

[Kalen Braley]

I am curious.


If a long walk on a course between holes is scenic to make a routing work then this = good, excellent use of down time by the arhictect.


But...


If same said walk is not scenic then this = bad awful cartball course?

[Mark Chaplin]

Clubhouse to first tee at Royal St George's is pretty special.
The walk through the rocks to the 13th (?) at Wispher Rock Upper.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I agree that the walk from 15-16 at Cypress is pretty good. So is the walk from 14-15.

[Tom_Doak]

If a long walk on a course between holes is scenic to make a routing work then this = good, excellent use of down time by the arhictect.

But...

If same said walk is not scenic then this = bad awful cartball course?

Kalen:


Essentially, yes, but it depends.  If the walk encourages you to reflect upon the beauty of your surroundings, and there aren't really good options for a golf hole in that stretch, then it can be a positive in my opinion.  The walk at Highlands Links exists because it's too steep between the hillside and the river for a golf hole in that stretch; the walk at Barnbougle comes about because it's too narrow between the ocean and the 4th hole to put a tee back there going the other way [and it would've been blind].


If it's just a long walk, and you get distracted from the golf experience and want to check your cell phone, or if it's so long [or there are so many of them] that you really feel like you need a golf cart, then it becomes a clear negative.


Is that all dependent on the scenery?  No, but a not insignificant part IS about the scenery, or having something about the walk that adds to the golf experience rather than detracts.  That's why the tunnel at Bel Air cited by JT Taylor is a great example.

[MCirba]

I'm beginning to think that the best long walks are about a contemplative experience, either in anticipation of what is ahead or in appreciation of what has just happened.

[Jim_Coleman]

  14th green to 15th tee at Teeth of the Dog.  Past Oscar de la Renta's house to the Caribbean Sea.

[MCirba]

From the 9th green to the 10th tee at the Renaissance Club is a pretty nice stroll.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

You've named nearly all the ones I thought of right away:  Highlands Links, Cypress Point, Barnbougle, Crystal Downs [though I wouldn't vote for the latter because it's steep enough to take your breath away by the time you get to #12 tee].


Another favorite for me is the walk from #3 green to 4 tee at Pacific Dunes.  You go off of #3 green with its beautiful view and maybe stop at the halfway house, a pause that almost makes you forget where you are -- and then you turn the corner and you are right on top of the cliffs, walking down to #4 tee.

The two mentioned from Crystal Downs and Barnbougle would certainly be two of my favourites,as would just walking the eleventh at Cape Wickham from the elevated tee down to the green.
If it was truly walkable, the treck from four green to five tee at Quivera would certainly be the longest and most spectacular

[Jay Mickle]

I know that there will not be much support for this but my favorite walk is from the 9th green to the 10th tee at Tobacco Road via the clubhouse. Reason being the anticipation on the way to the clubhouse where they serve the best pulled pork and coleslaw sandwich and the subsequent walk to the 10th tee eating the sandwich.

[Jason Kang]

Here's a nice one: Mid Ocean Club 16th hole to 17th tee.  You play uphill on 16 and can feel/hear the wind picking up...then crest the hill completely on your walk from the green to 17, all while being reunited with a gorgeous view of the clubhouse, 1st, 17th, and 18th holes.  Also the Atlantic Ocean.  Because Bermuda.

[David Davis]

If it was truly walkable, the treck from four green to five tee at Quivera would certainly be the longest and most spectacular

Rather funny Michael, I was just going to write nearly the same thing. It's funny how something like that can be so spectacular and yet from a "walkability" perspective completely ruin a golf course. Not to mention that it was like 38 degrees c when I was there. Then you walk (actually ride) all that way and the 5th tee box is by far the best part of that hole which may be one of the worst holes I've ever seen. So it most certainly wasn't done for the architecture it was done for the "wow" factor.


I'm still trying to convince Bill Schultz to walk that one. 

[Garland Bayley]

Unless I missed it, no one has mentioned the walk from 13 to 14 at Bandon Trails. Perhaps because few walk it since they now offer a shuttle. Nice walk through the woods, but leaving a tree down across the path made it kind of hard to navigate with the push cart.

[MCirba]

How long is the walk from 11 to 12 at Crystal.?  I seem to recall about maybe 300 yards or so from failing memory.

[Kalen Braley]

Tom,


Thats an interesting way to think about.  I suppose the occasional longish walk isn't all that bad especially if there is something fantastic waiting on the other side like CPC.


P.S.  Have you ever turned down a job because there was just no good way to fit something in based on the terrian and the ensuing long walks?

[Kevin Pallier]

Besides many good walks from a 9th green to the 10th tee - one that has always stuck in my mind for its uniqueness is the 13th to 14th at Merion.

I reckon its over 300 feet from memory and you have to cross the practice putting green. You also get a look at the 18th and a view across to the quarry area.

Also, if you've done any advance reading - you know that you are about to play some of the toughest golf holes on earth.

[Sean_A]

I'm beginning to think that the best long walks are about a contemplative experience, either in anticipation of what is ahead or in appreciation of what has just happened.

I don't know.  As I say, Crail's is far and away the best walk I know and I didn't know what was to come (not terribly special) and didn't think that much of what I just played.  The walk may well be the highlight of the course and there are lovely views throughout the 18!  I think the problem with long walks other than what has already been said is that after enough plays it can get old not matter how special...especially in less than ideal weather.  Unlike most, I think it right next to essential (what ever that is) to eliminate walks.  The quality of the holes may go down, but the quality of the course could well go up.  Unless there is an overiding consideration for a very special hole which is practically sitting there in nature or a weird property issue....I don't like to see long walks on golf courses.  I think this is what impresse me most about Hope Valley...a housing estate course with only the long walk between 9s...very clever.

Ciao

[mike_malone]

The walk from 9 to 10 at Broad Run is awesome.