Good holes that are straight

[Paul Jones]

Looking for examples where a Par 4 or 5 hole is a really good and completely straight hole.

[archie_struthers]

 


How about better than "good"

The second hole at Pine Valley is dead straight, short and one of the best holes I've ever played..








PVGC sycophant  lol

[Paul Jones]

The second hole at Pine Valley is dead straight, short and one of the best holes I've ever played..





PVGC sycophant  lol

Archie,


That is a good call because the bunkers are on both sides and in front of the green, so it does not play like a dogleg.

[Ben Hollerbach]

What do you classify as completely straight? Would the 10th at Riv or the 15th at Augusta be classified as straight?

[Paul Jones]

What do you classify as completely straight? Would the 10th at Riv or the 15th at Augusta be classified as straight?

Standing in the middle of the tee box and you look straight... you will be looking at the middle of the green.


The 7th at ANGC is a straight hole.  The 15th is not, it is a slight dogleg left.

[Ally Mcintosh]

I think there are loads of good examples of completely straight - and great - holes where bunkers, hazards and green orientation are used to define playing lines.


There are less examples of great, straight holes where this isn’t the case. Because almost by definition, these holes are either less interesting or penal by design.

[Tim Fitz]

Seems like several straight holes that are great at Beverly - likely a function of the rectangular workspace.  But I will nominate the 7th hole as I find it difficult to make a straight par 5 interesting and this hole is certainly interesting.


From the tee box (575 from the tips) you cannot technically see the middle of the green, because all you can see is heartbreak hill.  After cresting the hill, you have a decision to make on your second shot.  Large bunkers hog the middle of the fairway, starting about 80 years from the front of the green.  Avoiding the dreaded mid-length bunker shot causes many of us to lay up to just short of the bunkers, leaving a 100 yard shot to the middle of the green that has a nice hump in the middle, directing balls in all directions, with the rough shaved down on the right taking balls all the way to the 8th tee.


The 7th has a lot of what we profess to enjoy in a golf hole/course.  Dramatic movement in the land, a fun/challenging green at the end, and thoughtful bunkering along the way.

[Paul Jones]

I think there are loads of good examples of completely straight - and great - holes where bunkers, hazards and green orientation are used to define playing lines.


There are less examples of great, straight holes where this isn’t the case. Because almost by definition, these holes are either less interesting or penal by design.

Ally,


I started thinking about all my favorite holes, then I realized non were straight.  Then I started to think of a great hole that was straight and started to struggle. 


Please let me know which ones you think are great.  I have played quite a few courses, but I have not play Beverly so I cannot comment on Tim Fitz post.

[Ben Hollerbach]

What do you classify as completely straight? Would the 10th at Riv or the 15th at Augusta be classified as straight?

Standing in the middle of the tee box and you look straight... you will be looking at the middle of the green.


The 7th at ANGC is a straight hole.  The 15th is not, it is a slight dogleg left.

Sure looks straight...

[Wayne_Kozun]

Second hole at Cabot Cliffs. Sixteenth hole at Cabot Links.

[Thomas Dai]

Would the Foxy 14th at RDGC be one for consideration??
Atb

[Ally Mcintosh]

I think there are loads of good examples of completely straight - and great - holes where bunkers, hazards and green orientation are used to define playing lines.


There are less examples of great, straight holes where this isn’t the case. Because almost by definition, these holes are either less interesting or penal by design.

Ally,


I started thinking about all my favorite holes, then I realized non were straight.  Then I started to think of a great hole that was straight and started to struggle. 


Please let me know which ones you think are great.  I have played quite a few courses, but I have not play Beverly so I cannot comment on Tim Fitz post.

Hi Paul,


I guess it depends on your definition of straight, hence my original point. Most of the holes on The Old Course (or many out and back routings) are ostensibly straight for instance.

[Paul Jones]

What do you classify as completely straight? Would the 10th at Riv or the 15th at Augusta be classified as straight?

Standing in the middle of the tee box and you look straight... you will be looking at the middle of the green.


The 7th at ANGC is a straight hole.  The 15th is not, it is a slight dogleg left.

Sure looks straight...

Ben,


That does look pretty darn straight :-).  I guess what threw me is you cannot see the green from the tee box and it plays like a slight dogleg from the middle of the fairway when trying to avoid the trees on the left.  It is a straight hole. 


That got me thinking there are probably more holes that are good/great that I might not be aware are straight since not able to see the green from the tee.


They also moved the 15th tee back, over a little and lowered it last year.

[Peter Flory]

1st hole at Mid Pines. 
14th at OFCC North/ 3rd hole at OFCC North.

[Kalen Braley]

Pacific Dunes #13 looks pretty straight on Google Maps.

On the flip side, was there any architect who built fewer straight holes than Stranz?  Just looked at 3 of his courses and only found 1 straight hole, and one other that maybe could be argued such.

[JLahrman]

Pebble #6

[Paul Jones]

Pebble #6

I am going to have to change my definition of a straight hole  .  It is straight if you go for the green in 2 shots, otherwise the upper fairway is a different angle.  Once again, cannot see the green from the tee.  It is a great hole.

[Pete_Pittock]

Talking Stick (O'odham) #2 and #3. aka Talking Stick North

[JLahrman]

Pebble #6

I am going to have to change my definition of a straight hole  .  It is straight if you go for the green in 2 shots, otherwise the upper fairway is a different angle.  Once again, cannot see the green from the tee.  It is a great hole.

Well hold on here, your second shot layup can still be played on the direct line from tee to green. Admittedly you'd be aiming for the right side of the fairway and you'd have to hit maybe one club more to make sure you clear the edge of the cliff. I'm too lazy to try to post a Google Earth screenshot as evidence, but it's certainly possible to play it as a dead-straight three-shotter.

[Daryl David]

Cape Kidnappers par 5 15th.  Dead straight and thrilling at the same time.

[Paul Jones]

Pebble #6

I am going to have to change my definition of a straight hole  .  It is straight if you go for the green in 2 shots, otherwise the upper fairway is a different angle.  Once again, cannot see the green from the tee.  It is a great hole.

Well hold on here, your second shot layup can still be played on the direct line from tee to green. Admittedly you'd be aiming for the right side of the fairway and you'd have to hit maybe one club more to make sure you clear the edge of the cliff. I'm too lazy to try to post a Google Earth screenshot as evidence, but it's certainly possible to play it as a dead-straight three-shotter.

It is possible, but not the way the hole was designed... or maybe it was?  I need to change my definition :-)

[Wayne_Kozun]

Killiecrankie  #7 at Cape Breton Highlands Links

[Tom_Doak]

Pacific Dunes #13 looks pretty straight on Google Maps.

On the flip side, was there any architect who built fewer straight holes than Stranz?  Just looked at 3 of his courses and only found 1 straight hole, and one other that maybe could be argued such.

A lot of my best holes are straight, but you generally play left or right of center depending on your ability.


The first hole I thought of seeing the title of this thread was the 16th at The Old Course.  It's straight, IF you can avoid the bunkers that are straight in the middle.

[Peter Pallotta]

And seeing TD's name made me think of the 1st at Crystal Downs -- as 'straightaway' a Par 4 as you can find, if memory serves, except that it is a long Par 4, and from the tee you get a magnificent view of the front 9, and then you get your first taste of the CD greens, where I found myself not far above the hole in two fine shots, and then 3 putted (or it may have even been 4 putted, I have blocked it out!)

[Paul Jones]

What I am learning from this exercise is that most holes that are straight and really good, you cannot see the green from the tee.  At least the holes that I have played that were mentioned above.