Dudes,

I don't think anyone has every asked this question in a post before...

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE GOLF HOLE OF ALL TIME ?

Is there a hole you could play again and again ?

I've got two candidates - both par fours.

St. Andrews Old - #17 - The Road Hole, enough said.

Royal Melbourne West - #6 - A drive with so many options. How far right does one go? Is there a better looking fairway bunkering system in Australia? How good does it feel to rip one over those traps? How much to bite off, and how much does that leave into the green? The landing area narrows when you bite off stacks from the tee.. What's the wind doing? Did you spot the pin position from the fourth green? Where to hit the approach ? How scary is the putt from above the hole. How good does it all look ?

WHAT'S YOUR FAV HOLE IN GOLF ?

MM

Kooralbyn Valley Golf Club

No. 5 Par 3 220 metres

A breathtaking par 3, that plays shorter than it’s length. If you’re going for the green, the tee shot should be kept away from, right of the right-hand bunker. You’ll enjoy the thrill of seeing your tee shot hang in the air against the backdrop of the Valley. From the blue tees, with calm conditions it plays 190 metres.

Great elevated par three

Agreed onewood - whilst I will probably think of a few others shortly the first one that springs to mind is the 5th at Kooralbyn - it is absolutely awesome - wouldn't you just love to stand on that tee with a bucket of balls!
damo

I love the 18th @ Palm Meadows.
I don't think there has ever been a time, regardless of my score, that I haven't been sucked in to having a crack over the long route over the water. I have made it a few times but have never hit the green in two. I have been in the water in front, the bamboo on the right and the bunkers, but never the green.

The punishment for taking the girlie line left from the tee really makes it a tough three shotter. The green contouring isn't overdone but if you are long and putting back to the front it can be a nightmare.

17W at Royal Melbourne

. The drive isn't the most visually inspiring on the course, but still requires positioning close to the bunkers. The approach shot is just incredible. A huge bunker on the right melds seamlessly into the green, and seamlessly into the scrub/trees. A great shot is required to get close to the hole on this sloping green. It was a delight to stand on the fairway during the Heineken and watch the best players in the world hit long irons into such an imposing target.

16 at Commonwealth

. Described by Tom Doak as "the best water hole in the world". The water hazard bends around to the left, and the player is given a choice of how much to carry. There is plenty of room on the right, but unless the drive is positioned close to the water, the approach is incredibly difficult, with both the bunker and a green sloping away from you to contend with. With a firm green, this hole is scary to play. A brilliant - perhaps the best in Victoria - example of heroic design.

14 at New South Wales

. Just a great looking drive over the ravine, with a sloping fairway to hit. Just a drive at a pitch, but both shots are infinitely challenging, and I challenge someone to find a hole with a better view in Australia!

Henry - I agree with 14 at NSW, & I think 16 at Commonwealth is an interesting one as well.

Some of my other faves are:

Old Head - (Cliff top holes) Par 3 16th & par 5 17th.
Tralee -17th
Lahinch -13th
Pacific Dunes -17th
Riviera -10th

These are all great strategy holes.

As far as 'all or nothing' holes, my new favourite is the short par 3 9th at Redtail. It's not long, (about a 9i or a wedge) but looks & plays great.

I'm sorry, I don't have any pictures of any of these, & not being as smart as Henry I wouldn't know how to post them if I did have pictures.

joe

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What about the cliff hole...off the back lawn onto the road below...that must have some interesting memories 8) 8)

Hmmmmm... Not a lot of strategy in that one.

I'm getting the fence at the cliff edge & around the pool fixed up over the next few months as my wife & kids are coming over for thanksgiving later in the year when my daughter will be old enough to fly.

The way the yard will be fenced it won't give me enough room to swing a club. Probably a good thing.

Although, I'm a bit of a legend with the neighbors. All the snobs around here hate tourists, so they are encouraging me to do it in the day to see if I could a few.

Ok here we go!

im back to the Lady Bay topic again!!!!

Hole 17

This Par 3 is simply breathtaking!!!!! of an elevated tee into beautiful gully overlooking the ocean (and sometimes the sun setting!) in the background. This hole eats away at me with envy every time I play it its just breathtaking!!! enough said.

Hole 18 - Pebble Beach

Enough said...for a lefty like me it would be the most death-defying drive of my life from the tee!

Owen

im back to the Lady Bay topic again!!!!  
Hole 17  
This Par 3 is simply breathtaking!!!!! of an elevated tee into beautiful gully overlooking the ocean (and sometimes the sun setting!) in the background. This hole eats away at me with envy every time I play it its just breathtaking!!! enough said.  

Sound's awesome... another of those you could just sit there with a bucket of ball and see the sun rise and set

Hey Kev,

Was that suppose to be sarcastic...hehehe

Its the only good hole left after yuo read my most recent post.

Owen

Hubby's picks:

The 14th at New South Wales - simply breathtaking.

The 5th hole at Laguna Quays - Par 4 along the water, big carry from the men's tee. (Ha ha)

The 17th at The Grand - really good Par 5 (actually there is a few good holes on that course).

The 18th at The Hyatt Coolum - nice strong finishing hole.

Oh! And EVERY hole at Joodalup - totally amazing course!!!

Golfgirl & hubby :wink:

owen

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Definitely not...I was just imagining the elevated tee I posted and added in the veiw over the ocean...It would be awesome 8)

My favourites would have to be 4W, 6W and 17W at RMGC. Whilst these might seem rather narrow choices, it's difficult to see many better in the country. Along with MattM, I'd have to say that 6W is by far the best - and most strategically demanding - drive I've ever seen.

2W and 17W are both examples of superb approach shots where a long-iron climbs above a heavily-bunkered horizon. Almost sexual!

A special mention to holes 6 and 7 at Paradise Palms in Cairns - inept in terms of design, but impressive nonetheless.

Percy,
The problem we have in talking about great golf holes is that most of Australia's best holes are at RMGC. It makes discussion very narrow and repetitive, especially when most of the contributors to isg havn't seen the courses, and are unable to appreciate what we talk about.

7W, 5W, 16W: arguably the best short, medium and long par-3's in Australia.
10W, 3W: two of the best short par-4's in Australia.
6W, 17W: arguably the best long par-4's in Australia.
4W: one of the best short 5's in Australia.
There are eight more fantastic holes on the West Course; 1 and 15 aren't great holes in my opinion. But they are both there for a purpose.

Then there's another outstanding course next door called the East course. It's totally boring saying this, but at least in my opinion, its true!

especially when most of the contributors to isg havn't seen the courses, and are unable to appreciate what we talk about.  

Henry, have you played any courses other than those in Melbourne and surrounds? There are plenty of great golf holes to be found in plenty of other locations... I realise that a lot of your comments are fuelled by your passion for golf architecture, but keep in mind that for some of us, a great golf hole is more to do with how it makes us feel when we play it than who designed it.

Golfgirl :wink:

JM1375

,
I appreciate your comments, but can you show me a post where I've said that the designer of a hole is more important than its quality? You won't find one.

Royal Melbourne is a great course, and would be a great course even if designed by Tony Cashmore. Architects are judged by the golf holes and courses they produce, not the other way around.

henry

,

I didn't mean to imply that you judge a great golf hole solely on who designed it, and I'm not being critical of your judgement.

I am just querying whether you have had the opportunity to expand your horizons and look past the Melbourne sandbelt to where a plethora of exciting golf is waiting to be played.

If you have not, then, to borrow your own phrase, you may be unable to appreciate some of the other picks nominated by other ISG'ers.

Golfgirl :wink:

I purposely avoided mentioning Royal Melbourne in my post as I figured 5 or 6 others would.

It has 1 or 2 good holes. If you like that sort of thing. :mrgreen:

JM,
I am unable to appreciate the picks of most ISGers, because I havn't played enough of the note-worthy courses outside Victoria. When time and budgetary considerations allow me to do so, I'll be more than happy to provide my opinions of them.

My frustration stems from being criticised occasionally for being one-dimensional, because I talk about RMGC too much. Most of the people who do the criticising havn't even stepped foot on the property. That makes it very hard for them to appreciate why I love the place so much.

henry

,

Don't worry. If taking a bit of criticism is the trade off for playing the sandbelt all the time, then that's not a bad deal. It's one of the great golfing regions of the world & you are well within your rights to be passionate about it.

joe

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We had our old buddy on the rope's and you've just picked him up again

Must admit I would like to get down there one day

Not only haven't I played Royal melbourne, I cannot even remember which hole is which, particularly when every time it's on TV the hole numbers have changed.

I'll allow myself two picks. One that I have played, and the other that I have not played.

Mainly for historical reasons, to see the hole that may have had an impact upon more major championships than any other, I choose the 12th at Augusta. Imagine playing it the day after the Masters finishes and finding balls in the pond that had been struck by many illustrious players.

For a number of other reasons, I wouldn't mind being marooned on the 13th at Bonville. It's about as gorgeous as a hole can get, plus the drive is downhill, so you wouldn't get too tired.

I also reckon that the view from the top of the hill on the 5th at New South Wales is better than the view from the 14th (but not by much).

Talking about great views, the hole that springs to mind is the 2nd at Tura Beach, a fabulous down hill par 5 that rises again toward the green and the View from the Tee is the best I have had the pleasure of enjoying.
Other great holes that I really enjoy are:
15 at Kingston Heath, I've only ever played it twice and made a Par first time around and a birdie the 2nd. The hole is an Up Hill par 3 with magnificent bunkering and the green sloping from back to front, the hole is considered one of the best par 3's in the world for obvious reasons.
The Old 2nd at the Old National, it's been changed now on the card but I love that hole, probably my pick as all time favourite. The tee shot over a Tea Tree filled ravine onto a figure 8 green with the ocean to your left and thick scrub to the right Awesome! (I admit though, I'm biased to good par 3's)
The 17th a Capricorn International New is also a ripper, a dog legging par 4 with water behind the green on the left and swamp to the right. There are a few ripper holes on that Course though.
10 at 13th beach, super par 4!
Finally the 3rd at Flinders, short par 4 with a huge, and when I say huge I mean huge, crater on the left hand side of the fairway. Great Fun!!!!
I could go on but I don't want to sound boring! 8) :oops:

RM 18east Par 4 394m

This is how to build a great Par 4 WITHOUT fairway bunkers! TWP take note.

Long drive to the left dogleg must be as tight up to the LH tee tree as you can get, otherwise the long iron in to this difficult, though large green, is hell, just ask Peter Lonard.

The greenside bunkering is dramatic and beautiful, as is the green contouring. My favourite on the 36 complex.

Jerry