How much elevation rise is too much?

[Adam Lawrence]

I've mentioned this before on here, but at the Realp club, high up in the Gotthard region of Switzerland, the tee boards have, as well as the hole length, its elevation change on them.


I can't remember them all, but the third hole is a 284 metre par four that rises more than 50m (165 feet)!


That's the steepest I've ever seen.


Steepest in the UK is the first two holes at New Galloway in the Scottish borders. The course starts in the valley and heads straight up onto the hilltop -- the first is a brutal 216 yard par three (for men, it's a four for women: best to be a woman), and the second a 252 yard par four, both really severe climbs. Then you emerge onto the moor, and it's a really lovely course from then on!

[Dave McCollum]

I skipped all the replies.  You described my golf game.

[Jim_Coleman]

   Many years ago, I attended a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Trevino, Player and Nicklaus.  They were unveiling plans for a course they had collaborated on for Jim Justice to be built near The Greenbrier. Justice wanted West Virginia to host a U.S. Open, and this would be the course.  Nicklaus was very proud of the fact that the course would have 2,000 feet of elevation change, and that there would be only two uphill shots played during a round.  So, either there would be two very big uphill holes, or a lot of walks up to elevated tees.  Then the flood came; Justice became governor; and his deep pockets became more shallow.  The course was never built.

[MCirba]

If and when the original 420 yard 6th hole at Cobb's Creek is restored it will feature a rise of 80 feet in the first 150 yards from the tee before plateauing out and swinging right along a ledge to a green set on the far side of a natural dip.   When Geoff Walsh and I first showed it to Jim Wagner many moons ago he compared it to the 18th at Riviera which we took as positive and all these years later I can't recall...he may or may not have mentioned "on steroids".   


In any case, it should be part of the original audacious, adventurous nature of the 1916 design we hope to recapture.   Whoever said that these guys were made of sterner stuff than our cart-riding, cushy catered clientele of today pretty much nailed it.