Spring Hill Golf Course-Mobile, AL

This is a simple, modest golf course in Mobile, AL. The course does not try to be anything that it is not and that is quite refreshing in this day and age. The course as a whole occupies a very interesting site. Several holes are located down on perfectly flat land near a large concrete drainage canal. Those holes are not exceptionally interesting. The rest of the course plays up and down a significant hill that makes some holes play severely up or down hill. But overall, the course is simply an average golf course for an average rate, and I think that is exactly what the course tries to be.

Ranking
Variety of Design: Fair. The par 3's have reasonable variety in yardage, but the two longest holes are not very good. One plays directly uphill to a green with a 10 ft fall off in front and the other plays to a 2 ft elevated green. Not the finest set up for 210 yard holes. Par 4's have reasonable variety, but lack a really long hole and the par 5's are all roughly the same. Directionally the course has 10 holes playing straight, 4 holes playing left and 4 holes playing right. 4 1/2 out of 10

Flow of the Course: In general, the course does little to build up. Holes 7, 8 and 9 provide the best three hole stretch on the course and the overall flow would be better if those were the finishing holes. The front nine overall is rather solid but the back nine comes through not quite as good. The flow and build to a "big finish" would be better if the nines were reversed. 3 3/4 out of 10

Course Conditioning: Conditions were average, a few bare spots, few issues with drainage, but overall the conditions were fair, especially considering the price. 4 1/4 out of 10

Ease of Walking: The course is routed well. Transitions from green to tee are generally easy, the only exception being to and from hole 8 and then to and from hole 15. Both have rather large distances from the previous green to the tee and then long, uphill walks to the next tee. The hilly nature of the site also makes it no bargain. But it is certainly not the most difficult walk, not even the most difficult in town. 6 1/2 out of 10

Atmosphere: None. No significant tournament or rankings history. 1 out of 10

Total: 40 3/4 out of 100

Holes to Note
Hole #2: Par 4, 360 yards
This hole plays significantly downhill which obviously shortens the hole even more. The pond in the distance is most certainly reachable from the tee, being 275 yards from the back markers and that downhill. Players wishing to play short of the pond must contend with the fairway bunker guarding the right side of the fairway, roughly 235 yards off the tee. Playing close to the bunker gives a better angle to the green which is angled from right to left away from the player.

 The pond is visible in the distance as is the bunker. Playing close to either hazard will give benefit to the player, either a better angle or a much shorter shot.

 This is the play to the green from around 125 yards

 This shot gives an up close view of the green that is a double plateau or biarritz green, depending on your naming preference

Hole #7: Par 5, 560 yards

This is the longest par 5 on the course, but it plays significantly downhill from the tee. A bunker guards the left side of the fairway, and farther left from there is a road that is out of bounds. The bunker is roughly 280 yards from the tee and certainly reachable for longer players. Longer players may wish to play a fairway wood off the tee, unless the are able to shape a fade around the corner or have confidence enough to play the tee shot over the trees on the right. From the fairway, the hole plays over a drainage canal that begins 65 yards short of the green. This canal dictates whether or not the player will try to go for the green in two or lay back to 80 or 100 yards short of the green.

 The bunker on the left is visible and certainly reachable. The ideal and semi-aggressive line off the tee would be to play towards the peak of the roof on the hospital in the distance.

 This view is from the fairway, perhaps 275 yards from the green. The fairway bunker on the left side is just short of the drainage canal.

 This look is from the right side of the fairway, 100 yards short of the green. The canal is marked by the tall grasses that run across the entire hole.

Hole #13: Par 4, 275 yards

This is a perfect example of a reachable par 4. The hole is very tight, having out of bounds down the left side and long of the green. Due to the shadows, many of the features are not visible, but a bunker defends the right side of the fairway for those players attempting to play safe off the tee, a fairway bunker down the left side protects the open side of the green and two deep bunkers defend the front of the green. This hole can be easy or quite difficult, a perfect combination for a short par 4.

 The bunkers are not visible here due to the shadows, but the green lies out in the distance on direct line with the left side of the large oak tree.

 These deep greenside bunkers protect the front of the green

Hole #15: Par 3, 210 yards

This hole is the longest par 3 on the course, but also the worst. The hole plays significantly uphill to a green that is elevated perhaps 8 feet above the front approach area. The hole is simply not meant to be played this long. The dark green area in the center of the image indicated the front approaches and the rise can be seen.

Hole #16: Par 4, 390 yards
This mid length par 4 plays quite a bit down hill from one of the highest points on the course; the 13th green is directly behind this tee and is slightly higher, but this is the highest elevated tee. A pond down the right side provides a heavy penalty for shots hit too far right and there is a drainage creek that crosses the fairway around 50 yards short of the green. Long hitters are certainly able to reach the creek given how far downhill the hole plays. The shot to the green must be played with precision because the green falls off sharply beyond the hole and to the left. This hole gives the player a chance for birdie before two rather difficult closing holes.

 From the tee, the City of Mobile can be seen in the distance and give the player a quality view. Any shot starting right of the edge of the trees down the right will either need to hook left or get a luck break in order to stay out of the pond.

From the bottom of the hill, near the drainage creek, the green sits in front of the player, significantly elevated above the fairway.

Overall, this is a fair golf course. It's not a great course, but the operators do not try to pretend so. This is just a fair golf course for a fair price. More courses like this are needed today. 3 out of 10

Template Holes of the Macdonald School: The Biarritz

The Biarritz is one of the four standard par three holes used by the designers in the Macdonald School of design, Charles Blair Macdonald, Seth Raynor, and Charles Banks. This hole was typically intended to be the longest par three on the course, sometimes out to 220 yards, a significant distance today much less in the 1920's and 1930's. The idea of the hole is that the green has a large front tier and a large back tier with a fairly deep depression between them.

The idea with this hole is that the player should be face with a long enough shot that he must land the shot at the front of the green and run it through the depression in order to reach the back of the green. Like many of the holes built by Macdonald, this hole style is not used very often in modern days due to the shift of golf from a running shot game to an aerial shot game.

There are two basic types of the biarritz, seen in the images below:

This one pictured above is from St. Louis Country Club and is maintained with the front plateau as part of the green. This allows the club to cut the pin on the front portion of the green and mandate the player land short of the green in the approach if he desires to roll the ball onto the green.

This one, from Chicago Golf Club, only maintains the the rear plateau as green. The front plateau and the depression are all maintained at fairway height. This mandates the player land the shot short of the depression on the fairway cut in order to run the ball back to the hole.

The newest Biarritz built, the 8th hole at Old Macdonald in Bandon, OR, is much shorter than the old standard and is meant to be approached with low running shots using mid-irons. Hardly the hole of year's past. The hole is a solid hole in it's own right, but not the long yardage hole with very long green and deep depression like many might have expected.

Overall, this is a superb hole type. If a hole of this nature were to be built today, however, it would need to be built out to 250+ yards in order to challenge the best players with fairway woods or drivers. Indeed, a Biarritz hole is in play on the PGA Tour, at The Old White TPC at The Greenbrier, and those golfers are approaching the hole with high lofted shots from middle irons, rather than low, running shots from long irons and fairway woods. Perhaps one day designers will take the risk and build another of these holes as it was meant to be played.

Arcadian Shores Golf Club- Myrtle Beach, SC

This is a solid golf course that was ranked in the Top 100 in America by Golf Digest in the 70's. The course has lost a bit of luster since then, perhaps the course conditions are not as good as they once were and the designer, Rees Jones, is no longer a preferred name in the design business. The course is a decent combination of holes, but none of the holes are much above average. This is not a bad course by any stretch of the imagination, it just lacks anything better than average and even with it's prior pedigree, likely gets lost in the shuffle of the other courses in Myrtle Beach

Ranking
Variety of Design: This course falls into the rut of many courses built during it's era. All the holes on the course fit nicely in little "safe" yardage groups, none very long, none very short. Directionally, the course is average at best with 4 holes playing left, 2 holes playing right, and 12 holes playing straight. 4 1/4 out of 10

Flow of the Course: This course has little flow. There are no short holes to give the player great chances at birdie or eagle. There are no very long holes to mandate the player hit precise shots in order to make a par. At no point does the course provide anything of real excitement. There is nothing below average here, but nothing to get the blood flowing either. 4 out of 10

Course Conditioning: The conditioning was what one would expect when paying one of the lowest fares in town. The fairways were reasonable and the greens average. 4 3/4 out of 10

Ease of Walking: The course is very flat, most holes are fairly close together and the course is not very long in general, so walking would not be difficult. 7 out of 10

Atmosphere: The course might get a slight boost from those who really take time to research courses and know that it was previously in the Golf Digest Top 100. Other than that, the course has no known significant tournament history and much of it's luster has worn off. 2 out of 10

Total: 43 1/4 out of 100

Holes to Note
Hole #1: Par 5, 527 yards
Par 5's are not often used as opening holes, but this one is a solid hole. This hole plays as a slight dogleg left to a green that is heavily bunkered. The play for those who want to go at the green on the second shot is to play over or as close as possible to the bunkers on the left side of the fairway. That will give the shorter shot to the green. Those players not able to reach in two can play to the right away from the bunkers. For those not going at the green in two shots, the lay-up shot should be played down the far right of the fairway in order to have a better angle to the pin.

 From the tee, the bunker is visible on the left and the fairway is easily seen.

 From 250 yards from the green, the greenside bunkers can be seen. The entire left side of the green is protected by bunkers, but a roll-up shot is possible.

 A closer view shows how protected the green is and the difficulty of the shot awaiting the player.

Hole #2: Par 3, 201 yards
This hole is a perfect example of what the course was and what it has become. This is a fantastic hole, very scenic and provides solid strategic challenge. The lake protects the hole on the right and there is a bunker guarding the hole from the left. Very solid hole. However, look beyond the hole. There is a shopping mall now in the background. At one point in this, this was likely a very solid, secluded hole. Now there is such encroachment from the rest of civilization to make the hole simply average.

Hole #9: Par 4, 376 yards
This is a solid hole to close out the front nine. One reasonable strength of this course is it's shorter par 4's. There are bunkers located down the left side of the hole. It is not known the purpose of those bunkers, they don't seem to be in the range of any golfer playing the proper set of tees, even if playing the course in a strong wind from the south. However, they certainly steer play to the right side of the fairway which will yield a poor approach angle to the green.

 From the tee, the bunker down the left is plainly visible. The player should favor that left hand side in order to have the preferred line to the green.

From the left side of the fairway, the player is able to take the front bunker out of play more so than from the right. This is another hole that will easily accept a roll-up shot.

Hole #12: Par 4, 382 yards
Another solid shorter par 4. Play on this hole is directed by the right fairway bunker. A slightly better line to the green can be had from the right side. The green complex is fairly well designed as well. There is one large fronting bunker that protects the green. The green is elevated and is essentially not accepting of roll-up shots (though that is not 100% the case. My playing partner rolled his shot onto the green from around 180 yards with a hybrid, but that was not intentional, nor was he pleased with the shot)

 The bunker can be seen in this image. Truthfully, the bunker could be removed and no strategic value lost on this hole. A play down the left side will give the player a shorter approach shot with the same angle as the right.

 The green is elevated and protected by this large bunker, making it impossible for the player to see the bottom of the flagstick. The green is well contoured on top of that. This is probably the best green complex on the course.

Hole #13: Par 4, 408 yards
While this hole is not the best on the course, it is certainly the most scenic. The hole plays downhill with a dogleg left. There are no bunkers on the hole, so the best play favors the left side of the fairway, giving the player a shorter approach to the hole. The approach to the green is the most scenic on the course, playing over a lake to a green cut into a hill.

 Nothing major happening from the tee. The left side is preferred, but there will be no harm in finding the right side of the fairway.

The green and approach is quite scenic. Any missed shots short, left or right will find water and long will find a bunker, playing directly back towards the water. 

This course is simply average. This is nothing bad here, but nothing really above average. The course is fun to play and a place I would play again, but it's just not anything special. 4 out of 10

Upcoming Posts

So mostly to keep myself in line, here is a listing of what's upcoming here:

Thursday December 13: Course Review- Arcadian Shores Golf Club
Friday December 14: Template Hole discussion- Biarritz
Saturday December 15: Course Review- Spring Hill Golf Course
Monday December 17: Template Hole Discussion- The Island
Wednesday December 19: Course Review- Stonehouse Golf Club
Friday December 21: General Opinion article

Once those are done, I'll probably take a little break for Christmas and write two or three more posts before the New Year. Keep reading and enjoy.

The Dunes Golf & Beach Club- Myrtle Beach, SC

This is a classic Robert Trent Jones designed golf course, opened in 1949. It is also one of the oldest golf courses in Myrtle Beach. This course shows what Jones could do when given good sites, though it is not up to the level of Peachtree, which opened one year prior. The Dunes lacks the width and overall strategic value that Peachtree has, but features variety, walkability, and flow that many of his later courses lack. Overall, this course is quite nice and deserving of the Top 100 ranking it once had.

Ranking
Variety of Design: The par 3's have modest variety. The longest is 245 yards, which is certainly among the longest a golfer will ever see. However, the shortest is 185 yards, with two in the middle playing 205 and 200 yards. Add in the normal summer wind from the south and the variety decreases even more with both of the 200 yard hole playing the same direction and the 185 yard hole playing exactly opposite. Par 4's have solid variety, ranging from 465 to 365 yards, though the lengths are concentrated more at the upper end around 425 yards. The par 5's have solid variety as well, from the reachable in two 4th hole to the solid 3 shot 13th. Directionally, the course has 3 holes playing left, 2 holes playing right, and 13 holes playing straight, however, only once do two holes play in the same direction back to back, so the wind will come into play differently on every hole. 7 3/4 out of 10

Flow of the Course: Very good. The course starts off gently, before the par 5 4th hole provides a high point early. The front nine continues steadily from there before the back nine starts off with the finest 4 hole stretch of RTJ holes that I have seen. The course then ends with fantastic holes on 16 and 18, with a good par 3 17th sandwiched in between. 7 1/2 out of 10

Course Conditioning: Good. This course was played during the late fall season, after the course had been seeded with rye grass. However, the fairways were still solidly grassed and the course played nicely firm. The bent grass greens were quite nice and ran very true. 7 1/4 out of 10

Ease of Walking: Very good. Most holes have very short transitions to the next tee and the course is not very hilly. 6 1/2 out of 10

Atmosphere: Solid, but nothing special. The course gets a bit of a boost due to being a private club that allows outside play and because it is one of the oldest courses in Myrtle Beach. 4 1/4 out of 10

Total: 71 out of 100

Holes to Note
Hole #1: Par 4, 425 yards
This solid opening hole has a fairway bunker guarding the right side of the fairway. However, the bunker only guards the hole when the hole is cut on the left side of the green. When the hole is cut right, the preferred play is down the left. This is a fair opening hole and with two quality shots, the player should have a reasonable chance to make birdie to start the round.

 From the tee, the fairway bunker is visible as are the greenside bunkers.

 From the right side of the fairway, the flanking bunkers are visible short of the green. This side provides the best angle of approach to holes cut on the left side of the green.

Hole #4: Par 5, 505 yards
This is a fantastic hole with strategic options on all shots. From the tee, the player must decide if he wants to challenge the bunkers and try to go for the green in two shots. If the player desires to lay short of them, a shot of not more than 240 yards is needed. Shots between 240 and 265 yards can be played into the narrow fairway to the right of the bunkers. A player who wants to play over the bunkers will need to hit a shot that carries at least 275 yards. Players who play short of the bunker will certainly be laying up but those who played to the side, might try to go at the green, needing a shot of 240-250 yards to make the center of the green. Players who carried the bunkers are looking at 190-210 yards to the center of the green. This hole provides a great chance to make a birdie early on to the player who plays within his limitations.

 From the tee, the options are clear to the player who is able to see them.

 This is the view from over the bunkers in the fairway, roughly 200 yards from the green. The water short of the green will make even the best player think about going for the green in two.

Hole #9: Par 3, 200 yards
This par 3 surrounded by bunkers provides the player the only view of the ocean on the golf course. Almost a shame, really, that this course wasn't able to be played down in the dunes. The hole itself is a quality end to the front nine, mandating the player hit a quality shot with a helping wind.

 There will certainly be no roll-up shots played here.

 Looking right from the green, the Atlantic Ocean is visible beyond the club.

Hole #10: par 4, 380 yards
This mid-short par 4 starts off the back nine. The hole plays straight off the tee towards a water hazard that cuts the fairway short. The fairway also narrows significantly at around 260 yards from the tee, bottlenecking down then widening out prior to the hazard. The hole then plays significantly uphill to the green. The way the hole is laid out, flat from the tee, fairway the runs out, large, undulated and well defended green, reminds me of the second hole at Pine Valley in New Jersey. This hole is a great starter for the back nine.

 The pond up close in this image is only 75 yards from the tee. The bunkers in the distance are protecting the green. The best play is towards the pair of bunkers in the center of the image.

 From roughly 135 yards from the green, the pond fronting the green is visible, as is the pinch in the fairway. The player must add roughly one club given the uphill nature of the hole.

Hole #11: Par 4, 430 yards
A very solid dogleg right that plays with water down the entire right side. The fairway bunker can be reached from the tee and is there to keep the player from bailing out far left. To the green, the player must be mindful that the green is virtually on a peninsula and that any shot not struck well will likely find the water.

 From the tee, the best line is slightly right of the bunker, but the player has to guard against fading the ball too much off that line, otherwise he will find himself in the water.

 From 200 yards out, the green provides a very small target and the water is especially in play.

 This view, from around 140 yards, shows how exposed the green is.

Hole #12: Par 3, 245 yards
Long par 3, all carry over the water. This hole is very solid and incredibly difficult. A score of 3 here will draw no complaints from any golfer.

Hole #13: Par 5, 590 yards
This is a very difficult par 5 with water coming into play on the tee shot and second shot. From the tee, the player needs to be mindful that any shot to the right will find the water and that the fairway narrows down significantly for players who are capable of hitting tee shots over 300 yards. On the second shot, the hole is basically a Cape hole, giving the player the chance to play as far out to the right as he desires in effort to cut down the length of approach shot to the green.

 The fairway is visible from the tee. Any shot right of the cluster of trees on the right will certainly find the water.

 From the fairway, the player can go as far right as he desires. From here, a shot played directly over the hazard stake will need to carry 180 yards to find the fairway on the other side. Ultra aggressive players who choose to go over directly towards the left greenside bunker will need to carry the ball around 230 yards to find the fairway.

Hole #16: Par 4, 365 yards
The shortest par 4 on the course is also one of the better ones. A fairway bunker 235 yards off the tee pinches down the fairway to only 15 yards wide. Beyond the bunker, the fairway dips down into a fairly deep depression before rising back up to the green. The green is heavily bunkered, being surrounded by 7 bunkers and the greensite strongly resembles the 7th at Augusta National, a course that Mr. Jones renovated just three years prior to the opening of The Dunes. This hole provides a great opportunity for birdie late in the round for the player who knows his limitations.

 From the tee, the bunker is visible in the distance on the right side of the fairway. The safe play is to lay back short of it, possibly 225 yards off the tee.

 From just beyond the bunker, you can see how the hole dips down prior to rising back up to the fantastic green complex. There will certainly be no rolling the ball up onto this green.

Hole #18: Par 4, 430 yards
This is a great closing hole. It is one of the few real dogleg holes on the course and one that will be played into the summer prevailing wind. The player should try to get his tee shot into the left side of the fairway so that he can have a shorter approach shot. From the fairway, the player will need to play a shot to a green surrounded by bunkers with a fronting water hazard. The player must retain his concentration until the final shot here.

 The spot where the trees begin to get shorter in the distance, just left of the center of the image, is the perfect aiming spot from the tee with the right to left summer wind.

The scenic green can be clearly seen here, around 125 yards from the green. This is no easy approach shot with a middle or long iron in your hands. 

Overall, this is a very good course. It has quality in the routing and design features that are sadly lacking from many of Mr. Jones's later courses. It would likely not take much work for this course to find the American Top 100 yet again. 6 out of 10, and a strong 6 at that.

Old Town Club-Winston Salem, NC

Old Town Club is a classic Perry Maxwell design. The course is generally underrated in the overall scheme of courses and is fantastic in many regards. The course certainly fits the mold of the American Parkland course, routed over a moderately rolling site with several streams meandering through the property. Overall, this course does a great job flowing through the round and is certainly a course to see.

Ranking

Variety of Design: The par 3's have outstanding variety. Ranging from 245 to 166 yards, it is difficult for courses to have more range than that. Par 4 variety is good, but not great, with all the holes having mid and short iron approaches. Par 5 variety is very good, being benefited by the course having only two. One is reachable by long players, but has a creek fronting the green making the play more difficult. The other is reachable in two by only a very few (my host mentioned that Bubba Watson had played a few weeks before and reached the green in two shots hitting Driver- Hybrid) and given the creek and pond features, amounts to more of a 3 shot hole. Directional variety is fair, 4 holes playing left, 7 holes playing right and 7 holes playing straight. 8 out of 10

Flow: Flow is solid. Easy holes mixed in with more difficult ones. Holes playing uphill and downhill. This building up to a solid finish to the round. 8 1/4 out of 10

Course Conditioning: Conditioning is better than most southern courses. Fairways were very good and the greens were as good as can be expected during summer. 8 1/4 out of 10

Ease of Walking: The course is rather hilly, but the green to tee transitions are short. 8 1/2 out of 10

Atmosphere: Solid. Very laid back, private club vibe. Quite nice. 6 out of 10

Total:  79 3/4 out of 100

Hole #1: Par 4, 423 yards

Solid opening hole. Hole plays downhill off the tee towards a creek, then back uphill to the green. The downhill nature of the tee shot will likely mandate the player hit less than driver from the tee. From the bottom of the hill, the player will have between 140 and 180 yards to the center of the green, depending if he played up the left or right off the tee. To the green the hole plays roughly 2 clubs uphill.

From the tee, the player will want to play directly towards the green in order to have a shorter approach. Anything starting on a line right of the fairway bunker will not find the fairway. The bunker does not seem to have any strategic value, the reason for it's being placed there is not known. 

This is the approach from just over the creek, perhaps 100 yards short of the green. Even though the shot is uphill, the front is gently sloped and will allow for a roll-up shot.

Hole #2: Par 3, 163 yards
Very solid downhill par 3 to a green that is significantly sloped and surrounded by bunkers. It is believed that this hole is either the basis for or based on the 7th hole at Augusta National. Very solid par 3.

Hole #4: Par 5, 526 yards
The first of two par 5's on the course has solid strategic value on every shot. From the tee, the player will be best served playing directly down the walking path. Anything left of that will require a mighty blow to not be blocked out; a tee shot of 320+ yards is needed to clear all the trees on the right. But the hole doglegs to the right, so obviously the closer to the right side of the fairway, without being blocked out, the better. Once in the fairway, the player might be facing a shot of 275 to 200 yards to reach the green. Certainly the players at the far ends of that range will have no doubt as to the proper play, but players having between 250 and 225 yards will be left with a major decision. A creek fronting the green makes the play to the green all carry. The is a very good, strategic, short par 5.

From the tee, the hole plays slightly uphill to the fairway. The best play for most players is directly up the walking path.

This is the view from the top of the hill, roughly 230 yards out. The green cannot be seen from here.

The green comes into better view at around 200 yards. The green provides a large target for the player. Certainly Maxwell knew this hole would be reachable by longer players.

Another view of the green from much closer. The green tilts from back to front and, while being open in the front, does not provide much of a roll up option given the fronting creek.

Hole #6: Par 3, 186 yards
Another solid par 3 that plays downhill. However, unlike #2, this hole allows the player to roll the ball onto the green from the right side. Solid hole with the entire back of the green open.

Hole #10: Par 4, 406 yards
This hole plays slightly uphill off the tee, then back downhill to the fairway. The uphill part does not hurt distance off the tee, it merely prevents the player from seeing the landing area. The blind nature hole also manages to obscure the 2 bunkers down the left side waiting to catch the longest of tee shots. The green is best approached from the left side, but as said, the longest hitters have to be mindful of the bunkers lying on that side.

The landing area is completely blind from the tee, as can be seen here.

From the left side of the fairway, the green is open to aerial or roll-up play.

Hole 11: Par 3, 216 yards
Another fantastic par 3. This one plays long and slightly downhill. A creek guards the right side of the green and a large bunkers guards the left. This hole can be played with an aerial shot or roll-up shot. This hole is fairly straight forward and can help or wreck a players round, depending on how he plays the hole.

Hole #16: Par 4, 367 yards
This is a fantastic par 4 that plays uphill off the tee, then down through a large valley before rising back to a green that is on the same level as the fairway. The longest players will want to play less than driver from the tee to avoid a severely uphill approach shot. The green is open in front, but the uphill slope short of the green will likely prevent the player from playing a roll-up shot.

From the tee, the hole plays uphill and possibly blind to the landing area. A shot to the top of the hill, perhaps 225 yards off the tee, will be ideal.

From the top of the hill, the player will be left with a straightforward shot of about 140 yards to the green.

Overall, this course is quite good. It has solid flow and quality variety. It's this writer's understanding that Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw are currently undertaking a bunker renovation here and perhaps more than that. This will likely only help the course, perhaps getting it the respect it deserves. 7 out of 10

Should Major Tournaments Continue to be Played on Classic Golf Courses

Why do governing bodies continually insist on holding major championships and PGA Tour events on golf courses that were designed in the days of persimmon woods and balata balls?

This is not an issue of equipment. Equpiment has always evolved. As I have said elsewhere, each time the ball has changes, "golf" has seen a 20% or so increase in driving distance. Equipment is not "out of hand" as some might suggest. It is merely evolving as it always has.

No, the problem is we continue to want to see tournaments played at the same courses. Consider that The Olympic Club played at 6700 yards in 1955 when it first hosted the US Open. Given the 13% increase in driving distance from 1980 to 2012, I think it is more than reasonable to assume a 5% increase from 1955 to 1980 (the clubs, balls and other variables didn't change much). That is roughly a 20% increase in distance over that time period. Simple math, if we wish the course to play the same effective yardage today as it did in 1955...6700 x 1.20 = 8040 yards (um, wow, that's a lot longer than I thought it would be, anyway..) Even if using the 13% number, 6700 x 1.13 = 7571. Even if we use the 1998 yardage of 6797 it would need to be 7375 yards to play effectively the same; common sense tells us that 6797 in 1998 did not play the same as 6700 in 1955.

What about Pebble Beach? It played 6825 yards in 1982. Effectively that would be 7712 yards today, using the 1980 driving distance figures.

We simply stand now, holding dearly to the past and bastardizing courses because of that. I don't have the answers. I don't know what new courses could be added to the rotation for US Open venues. Obviously the USGA thinks Chambers Bay and Erin Hills have the 'stuff' needed to be US Open courses. From a total length standpoint, they play today effectively what courses played 50 or 60 years ago. Why not take the US Open to newer, longer, courses rather than altering old ones to the point of looking like an actress after surgery gone wrong?

The obvious catalyst for this thought is The Old Course. The golf world sits here watching the alterations being done in the name of making the course more suitable for modern tournament play. Would it not be better to admit that The Old Course might not be suited for the modern game, if we desire to protect par, that is? Terrible to say that, I know. I'll take heat for it, I'm sure. But at some point, that needs to be said aloud. If people don't care about pros shooting 25 under par in the Open Championship, go right ahead, keep playing The Open at The Old Course. Since 1990, the winning scores have been -18, -6, -19, -14, -16. The arguement about "well, it's different in the wind" simply doesn't hold water. Sure, the Friday afternoon conditions in 2010 were terrible, but before and after that, the conditions were quite calm.

So, basically we are left with 4 options.
One, we (meaning the golf public and governing bodies) can accept low scores at these events, meaning we can play Pebble Beach and The Old Course under reasonable turf and weather conditions and simply accept it when the winner shoots 15 under par or something.

Two, we can insist on majors being held at these classic venues, prompting the courses to go through, do wholesale renovations of the courses and restore the shots and shot values to the architect's original intent. This is not an option most places...Olympic Club so far as I can tell doesn't have enough land to lengthen the course another 800+ yards such that it plays the same effective length as it did in 1955 and I suspect most other clubs don't either.

Three, the tournament committee can alter the turf conditions significantly enough to make the course "difficult." This seems to be the USGA approach most years. Grow the rough up above the ankles, speed the greens up to ludicrous speed, make them hard as pool tables. Typically, however, these speeds either eliminate substantial portions of green space from having hole locations or dictate that the club alter the green in order to have hole locations, again going back to the renovation aspect.

Fourth, major championships can be taken to newer, longer courses better suited to the modern professional game. This might be unpopular, but it's the truth. Perhaps we should think more about this rather than botching up old designs.

But in the end, equipment is not the issue. Huge distance gains were made EVERY SINGLE TIME golf switched from one ball to another. Feathery to Gutta Perha to Haskell to Solid. There are standards in place to restrain that growth, to a certain degree. No, the issue is, we, the golfing public, insist on seeing tournaments held on these old golf courses. If we continue to insist on that, one of the four things above has to happen. Seems to me, options One and Four are the easiest, most cost effective, and best for the game.

Evolution of the Golf Ball and Driving Distance

Many people seem to think that the recent increases in the distance tour players hit the golf ball is something completely modern and something akin to the end of the golf world as it's currently known. But what do the statistics and facts show?

1. What was the distance increase when the game switched from wooden ball to feathery?
From THIS website, I have since found that feathery balls traveled roughly double the distance of wooden balls, 170-200 yards in perfect conditions
Based on THIS site, the feathery went 170 yards, if using a "modern club." Unsure if that means a then-modern club, or current-modern model. It likely means a then-modern club.

2. What was the distance increase when the game switched from feathery to gutta percha balls?
From the SAME site as above, the Gutta Percha traveled 200 yards under the same conditions described above.

3. What was the distance increase when the game switched from gutta percha to Haskell wound ball?
Just saw at THIS that going from the Gutta Percha to the Haskell wound ball yeilded 20 yards of improvement off the tee.
The SAME site said that this ball went 225-250 yards.

4. The Haskell wound ball was developed in 1898, from what I know, there was no great improvement from that ball to the Titleist Professional (what most consider to be the peak of wound ball development). The ProV1 was introduced in October 2000. What was the distance increase over that 102 year span?
If the numbers above of 225-250 yards are correct and given that the PGA Tour driving average for the top 25 players was 280.19 yards in 1997, that's a 55 yard increase using the low end above. The 1980 driving average for the top 25 was 268.66 yards. Stats don't go back any more than that. This increase is likely due, in part, to improving fitness measures and improvements in shaft and club technology.
5. The distance increase from Wound to the new Solid ball (Pro V1) type has been roughly 25 yards at the top end. Driving average for the top 25 went from 280.19 in 1997 to 304.66 in 2012

So, if all those numbers are believed...
Wood to Feathery= 50% increase
Feathery to Gutta Percha= 17.64% increase
Gutta Percha to Haskell= 12.5% to 25% increase
Haskell 1898 to Professional 1997= 24.5% increase.
Professional 1997 to Pro V1 2012= 8.5% increase.

Them dang statistics. Sky falling with the Pro V1? No, the statistics don't show that. It seems the distance increase at the top end on the Tour is actually not that high. I would assume those other figures are Tour figures as well, or at least elite players. It's kinda hard to get driving distance figures from all golfers.
BTW, it adds up to a +/- 13% increase in average driving distance from 1980 to 2012. Hardly a "sky is falling" amount.