Holes that go Uphill Downhill Uphill ... holes that go Downhill Uphill Downhill

[Zac Blair]

I was talking to Colin Sheehan the other day about golf holes ... we were discussing the 16th hole at The Tree Farm


This particular hole tees off from a low (about 465 elevation) ... the fairway sits on top of a ridge (about 490-500 elevation) ... the second shot plays down into a valley (about 470 elevation) before turning up into a small draw where the punchbowl green sits (about 485 elevation).


So this hole plays uphill twice with a downhill shot in-between ... I am curious of some other holes in the world of golf that do this or the opposite (downhill uphill downhill) ...

[Anders Rytter]

Crystal downs #8 plays uphill, downhill, uphill

[Tim Gallant]

Zac - a few that came to mind instantly:


4 on Royal Melbourne West - Not sure how uphill the green is from the low point, but in my mind, I seem to remember my chip being uphill.


10 Shinnecock


18 Friar's Head


10 @ Yale (need to remember how uphill the tee shot is, though it might just be flat)

[Michael Moore]

The seventh hole at Springbrook in Leeds, Maine does this. It's 540 yards, playing more like 590. To avoid a blind second shot, you need to hit a 220-yard tee shot up a steep hill. The second shot is down into a massive valley that ranges between 60 and 90 yards wide, with an out-of-bounds vineyard hard on the preferred left side. If you can cover 440 uphill yards with your first two shots (I think I did this once or twice) then you will not have a blind third.
 
I played this hole twenty times before the light bulb went off, and I think this is one of the most brilliant holes I have ever seen. Can you hit your drive far enough to see what you are doing on the next shot, and can you hit that shot far enough for the same reward?


I believe that the par-five seventh hole at Friar's Head does this in a much more subtle fashion - that is to say, while you are walking after your second shot, the green appears, then disappears, then reappears.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Perhaps the 7th (I think - par 5) on Mammoth at Sand Valley.
Kind of an uphill, blind-ish tee shot and if you really lace one, it will go down the hill and leave you about 230 uphill to the green.

[Michael Chadwick]

Ballyneal's 14th hole is an interesting uphill/downhill/uphill example because it's a shorter par 4 as well. You can choose to drive long, but then face a 60-80 yard wedge in from approximately 25-30 yards below the green. Or you can play your tee ball further back to the fairway ridge which is slightly uphill from teeing area (depending on which tee you select), then have an approach over the valley to the green that's mostly level from where you stand.

[Tim Martin]

Yale 10- Up, Down, Up
Yale 18- Down, Up, Down(from back tee)

[Kalen Braley]

There's a 575 yard par 5 (from the tips) in the Northern Idaho area that plays:

- Uphill from the tee about 25 feet to the primary LZ
- Then Downhill 20 feet
- Back uphill another 30 feet
- And finally 10 feet downhill again to the green.

Depending on your skill level, you can certainly find yourself playing from all of those areas.

[Jason Topp]

I don't think it is that unusual.  White Bear Yacht club has a few holes with a series of these.  The air can get stifling on a hot day.


There was a great one on a par five on a course I played as a kid - the 12th at Waveland in Des Moines, Iowa.  There was a flat spot you hit up to on your second that started about 150 yards from the green and ended about 75 yards short.  On a dry day downwind if you could get past the hilltop on the right side of the fairway you could get on or near the green.    If you were short you faced a blind 175 yard shot usually from a severely uphill lie.  The hole becomes more interesting the more times you play it for players at a variety of different skill levels.  Slope is by far the primary hazard.

[Steve Lapper]

Eastward Ho has a few: #'11 & 12 & #17 are good examples of Uphill/Downhill/Uphill. The terrain provides a prime example of wonderful, rollercoaster-like golf.

Plainfield #8, is another reasonable example.

In general these holes work very well with significant terrain undulation. Moraine, White Bear Yacht, Kingsley come to mind.

[Scott Warren]

Zac,


The 11th at Barnbougle Dunes does this.


Likewise the 8th if you play to the left-hand fairway but aren’t long enough to be able to reach the green in regulation.


The 12th at Worplesdon is also up-down-up but by a much smaller measure than you describe for your TTF hole.


The 3rd at Royal Cinque Ports is the opposite down-up-down hole.


What you describe is also more or less how the 18th at Riviera would set up for a shorter hitter who can’t reach in two shots.

[Chris Roselle]

For a shorter hitter the 18th hole at Gulph Mills GC plays uphill on the tee shot, downhill on the second and back uphill on the third.

[Buck Wolter]

Several holes fit the bill at Kingsley but I think #7 is the best example as its almost always a 3 shotter. Way downhill off the tee (75 ft?), back up to the layup and then a severe down and back up to the green -- you can play down, up short of the downslope then flat to the green or down, flat (up and over the middle hill) and up. My preference is to be 100 yards out with a flat approach and the green visible rather than an uphill semi-blind 70 yard pitch.


Be careful about places where balls will collect as that can be a problem on #7 near the green.

[Bill Seitz]

17 at Kingsley may even be a better example than 7 if you play it back. Tee shot goes a little downhill, then up to the crest of the hill, then way down to the bottom, then back up to the green. Obviously if you play the tees up and get over the bill, it’s basically just down and up.

[Colin Sheehan]

Full disclosure: Since September of 2020, I've been part of the team at The Tree Farm. It has been a joy helping Zac achieve his vision. I may be biased, but I'm not wrong that the Tree Farm has excellent terrain. The golf course most certainly takes you on a journey, and never more so than 16. It instantly reminded me of the great Macdonald par-5s, like 18 at Yale and National Golf Links.


The tee shot is uphill. The second shot is a uphill lie to a downhill shot. And another uphill lie to an uphill green in the saddle of a punchbowl which is partially hit over by players on the short par-4 17th. I think it was my favorite hole on the first walk, or at least one of them. There's all sorts of ways to shorten the hole on the inside of two doglegs and shorten to a two-shotter.



When I first saw it, I was scratching my head of holes that fit that category. So far there aren't many. I'm sure we can name more, especially in some alpine settings. But this hole epitomizes the topography of the course and how it was used so effectively.

[archie_struthers]

 


The 15th at Pine Valley fits the bill though it's minimal on the first and second shots.




Also the 10th at Twisted Dune

[Stewart Abramson]

The 9th at Swope Memorial in Kansas City.

[Zac Blair]

The 15th at Pine Valley fits the bill though it's minimal on the first and second shots.


I don't think I did a great job of really explaining exactly what I meant ... I guess I'm aware there are plenty of holes that play through rolling terrain on a small scale (less than 10' of change) ... I was more referring to the larger scale (more than 10' of change).


and im not sure pine valley 15 was exactly what I was thinking either ... that for example just keeps playing up hill (maybe the second to third shot could be a couple down if you were far left edge of fairway laying up to the far right) ... regardless it is still one of my favorite par 5s in the world![size=78%] [/size]

[archie_struthers]

 




I'm with you Zac but technically if fit the bill.  Love the enthusiasm for your project , hope to visit one day!

[Zac Blair]

I'm with you Zac but technically if fit the bill.  Love the enthusiasm for your project , hope to visit one day!

come over and check it out! would love to show you around!

[Amol Yajnik]

Duke University Golf Club #9 is a par 5 that plays very slightly uphill (10 feet or so per Google Earth) from the back tee to the fairway, then drops down into a valley by about 20 feet before coming back up to the green.  It's a shorter par 5 in today's game where the better player has a 210-230 yard shot over the valley to hit the par 5 in 2.  For the lesser player, it's a tough approach shot from the bottom of the valley.

[mike_malone]

Muirfield Village has a par five at the end maybe 15?

[Tommy Williamsen]

18 at Four Streams is a very good par five that is reachable for some. The tee shot is definitely downhill. The second shot for me is uphill to a plateau 100 yards from the green. Then it is downhill to a sloping undulating green. If you go for the green on the second shot it is blind because of the intervening hill. It is a great risk/reward shot for the longer hitters.

[Michael Moore]

Eastward Ho!, 11th hole, almost impossible to have a clear view on your second shot. Possibly reachable, probably not, and world class undulations from beginning to end. One of my favorite holes on the greatest course in the world.

[Mike_Trenham]

Zach-


To help with understanding the conditions, what is the distance from


1) the back tee to the landing zone at the top of the hill/fairway
2) the back tee the where it starts running down hill off the tee shot, so where a kick plate provides and serious advantage
3) your intended landing zone to the center of the green


I can think of a number of holes but most are long 4’s or 4-1/2 type holes very few three shot holes for modern day golf.


I will say each hole I’ve thought of is of high quality and feels like a welcome journey to tackle.