the original par 3 sixth was somewhat "crammed in" and too close to the seventh tee, eighth green, ninth tee, etc. That routing was fine for everyday member play but not too practical for a US Open.
That's why I was somewhat surprised that the club is going to restore the Ross routing ... I never saw the original hole but it's a pretty tight space there and they will lose length on #7 [I think] if they put the original #6 back.
Of course, I am presuming that when they announce a "restoration" they really mean it ... I have not seen the details. I've heard that the "restoration" of Inverness includes the creation of two brand-new holes to replace the two Fazio holes, and also "re-creating" one of Ross's old par-3's at a new location, because of similar issues to do with gallery flow and overall length.
Members have told me that a new 5th is going to be added where the practice green is located John referred to. The current 5th hole will play to a new green located approximately where the current 6th green is located. I don't think that would effect the 7th tee. Things may have changed since I was told that.
Rob-
I think you are correct that the "new" fifth hole will be what is now the practice hole that you see when you drive into the club. I just can't imagine them trying to shoehorn in the original par three sixth.
I have also heard that they will be filling in the pond on the par 3 fifteenth which tells me they probably won't be going back to the original Ross hole where the green sat on top of the hill left of where the 15th tee is now and the teeing area was short and right of the fourteenth green.
I'm curious what the plan is for hole number 18. That green is one the worst greens ever built, IMO. Hopefully they will go back to the original green which was 40-50 yards back from where the Fazio green now sits. I never saw the original Ross green but I have heard from several older members that it was one of the best greens on the entire property. But they blew it up so they could put bleachers in for the major tournaments!
Rob- Hope you are well and look forward to seeing you at Crag Burn in September for the NYSGA Senior Am.
-John