Boundary Holes

[Phil Burr]

I’m brand new to the discussion group and tremendously grateful to Ran granting me membership.  A few things to know about me:


Favorite Course: Taconic (what would you expect from someone who captained the Williams College golf team?)
Is Pebble Beach Worth the Cost? Every penny of it (but even better the second or third time around)
Bucket List (U.S.): Fisher’s, NGLA, Waverley, Shoreacres, Prairie Dunes
Bucket List (GB&I): Silloth, Ganton, Cruden Bay, Cruit Island, Lahinch
Bucket List (Other): Kennemer, St. Germain, NSW, Hirono, Royal Calcutta


I love boundary holes.  I don’t mean artificial lines such as OB stakes protecting homes, but property boundaries that figure prominently in the strategy of play.  I love holes where an advantage is gained by challenging the boundary.  My favorite examples in the U.S. are #2 and #12 at Talking Stick North.  My sense is that such holes are more common outside the U.S.  Countless examples spring to mind such as #14 and #17 at TOC, #6 at Carnoustie, holes closely paralleling railway lines at Prestwick & Troon, and #4 at St. Enodoc.  No doubt I have not even scratched the surface.  Interested in all recommendations but especially curious as to any I’ve overlooked in U.S.

[Tim Martin]

Phil-Welcome!!! I’m a fan of Taconic too and wonder if the ravine on the left side of number 12 is the sort of boundary you are referring to? The farther left you dare on the tee shot the better the angle on the approach.

[Phil Burr]

Tim,


Shame on me for not thinking of my favorite course in that context.  Perhaps because the road is so far below the tee and fairway, and it’s shielded by fairly thick trees and brush it didn’t come to mind.  But the preferred line of play is certainly as close as one dares to the boundary so I’ll agree with you


Right after my initial posting a group of other U.S. holes came to mind: #1-2 and #14-15 at Merion.  #15 in particular epitomizes what I’m referring to in that there’s no substantial barrier marking the boundary and the danger is in very plain view.

[Michael Felton]

14 at RSG springs to mind. Somewhere along the way you have to challenge the OB down the right (border with Princes).


Also Merion #15 I think it is. Right on the edge.

[Greg Smith]

I love boundary holes.  15 at Merion has to be the greatest one because the road is SO close and there is ZERO to stop the ball, unless the few feet of rough has grown pretty high.  But one bounce ……  it is the most intimidating tee shot on that course.  And the diagonal nature of the shot makes it all the better.

The very most thrilling tee shot of my life was on that hole, straight over the middle bunker, no hint of a pull... but what was the distance going to be?  You just don't know till it lands and rolls out!

[Terry Lavin]

14 at Chicago Golf Club is a brilliant boundary hole that runs along the northern boundary of the course, with a bunkering scheme, fairway lines and a well protected green that isn’t all that easy to hit or putt. Great design in a tough little nook of an otherwise sprawling piece of land.

[mike_beene]

Half the boundary holes at Pebble play the boundary as a lateral hazard. Perhaps the tendency to play more stroke play in the US makes boundary holes more severe. Compare Royal Portrush where the beach is OB and there is in course OB for historic reasons. And Hoylake...

[Sean_A]

Hoylake is not internal OOB in the normal sense because the OOB area is the practice ground. This makes the traditional 1st and 18th very cool holes.

Perhaps my favourite boundary hole is 4 at St Enodoc. It has the added bonus of there being no potential harm to someone if the boundary is breached.

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

... there being no potential harm to someone if the boundary is breached.

Key factor and becoming more key by the day.
atb

[Kyle Harris]

Can we infer from your original post that you feel that yards on homesites bordering a golf course should be a part of the golf course?


OB is OB. Why does it matter what is on the other side of the white stakes if the hole is sound?

[Phil Burr]

Mike Beene, I thought about PB prior to my posting in that half the holes have the world’s largest boundary next to them.  And yes, that boundary influences play in that the preferred line of play challenges the boundary (e.g. close to the cliff on 10 eliminates hanging lie from left side of fairway; cutting off as much of the ocean with 18 tee ball affords a chance to reach in two, etc.).  The hole that I hadn’t thought about, however, that illustrates what I was thinking about is 15.  The tee aims the player at the 17 Mile Drive on the right, and trees in the ravine fronting the tee used to force a right to left shape from the tee.  The loss or cutting back of the trees has altered that requirement (could that be the reason for all of the extra bunkering on the left i.e. continue to try to force play toward the right side of the fairway as originally intended?)

[Phil Burr]

OB is OB on the scorecard; the greatest penalty in the game.  And no, private property should never be be considered in bounds.  If there’s an example where a private residence plays a strategic role in the line of play I’d love to hear about it (I’m not referring to houses used as aiming points such as on #8 tee at Pebble).  I’ve yet to encounter a hole where the architect received approval from a homeowner to encourage players to intentionally take a line that brought the residence into play.

[Phil Burr]

Sean A, love the Hoylake reference and was hoping someone would bring it to the table.

[Phil Burr]

I’ll admit the Old Course Hotel flies in the face of my theory about a property owner not choosing to be in harm’s way.  Perhaps that’s part of what we all love about TOC: both establishes and breaks so many architectural “rules”.  Are there other examples I’m missing?

[mike_beene]

But half the boundary holes at Pebble play as lateral hazards or whatever we call them now. Generally a lessor penalty. If technology continues all of Hawaii is not OB. Pebble did not own Hawaii last I checked. I realize they could afford to buy it.