Who said forced carries were bad?

First topic message reminder :

NOTE: I recommend going through the thread before you start reading and open the spoilers and enlarge the pictures, as the text then makes more sense.

I have offered the opinion many times on here that a forced carry is the ultimate sin when it comes to golf course architecture as it ruins the hole for the vast majority of those who play it. Is there however a type of forced carry that is under utilized and can in fact offer the chance for both good ball strikers and those better around the green to excel?

I believe there is and the home of golf has two examples, one famous and one not so. I am talking about the par 5 5th on the old course and the short par 4 15th on the Jubilee course. You are probably thinking right now that there is no water or even vast bunkers on these holes and you would of course be correct. What they both have instead of this is a natural land form which must be overcome to reach the green; a large deep swale/hollow in front of the green.

The 5th at TOC is a par 5 of around 520 yards for us normal folks and I believe there is a tiger tee they use at the open at about 560 yards. So a drive of around 230-250 will leave the player around 220-200 to the front of the green. A green which is 101 yards long, so this hole can play many different lengths.

A view from just before the beginning of the fairway.

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There are two bunkers known as the spectacles, one 50 and the other 60 yards short of the green, which frame the green from the fairway. Beyond these bunkers lies the forced carry of the type I mentioned above. It is not clear from the fairway that a large swale exists between those bunkers and the start of the green but it does need to be carried or the shot hit with sufficient force to run through the swale.

Spoiler:

I believe it is fair to call this feature a forced carry as in order to complete the hole, assuming a regular line of play to the green, the player must cross this feature. Like water the player faces a penalty should they not make it across this feature, however with a deep swale the penalty is that the next shot is of increased difficulty and not of the penalty stroke variety. Also like water you must decide whether to take the risk of crossing the feature on the second shot or lay up. For those who layed up this feature continues provide interest as it makes the landing area you choose for the third shot of great importance. If the pin is at the front only the very best and most imaginative short game players will be able to get close to the pin. You will have to decide just how far over the swale to land the ball? The green is so long that you could play ultra safe but then of course three putts become a distinct possibility.


So we can see that the feature provides all the usual interest of a risk/reward shot but here is where this type of feature is superior to water, it also allows for the chance of a fun and interesting recovery shot should you find yourself in this "hazard".

Spoiler:

It is a very hard shot to get near a front pin and still a hard shot to get to any other pin position as it is almost certain you will be faced with a blind pitch/chip from an awkward lie.


The second example is the 350 yard 15th hole on the Jubilee course. Actually a very interesting hole for reasons other than deep swale in front of the green. Briefly the other feature that make this a great short par 4 is the tee shot which must challenge a bunker to the left in order to have a clear view of the green, due to a large dune short and left of the green which could obscure the view of the green.

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If you play safer and hit a wood or long iron from the tee you will be left with around 120 to 145 to the green, which depending on the wind could be almost any club.

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If you execute a well placed drive then a shot of 100 yards may be all you have to go, but whatever is left you will have to reach the green as the swale on this hole is deep and intimidating should you up in it.

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Another aspect to think about given the type of club you are hitting into the green and the fact the green is tilted to towards you is controlling spin to avoid spinning of the front of green.

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If your ball should fall short of the green it is quite possible that in firmer conditions it would fall all the way to the bottom of the swale. What ever happens it is an intimidating pitch back up onto the green.

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Go left in tricky conditions and the fast chip back onto the green will also have you thinking about the swale again, no doubt someone has scuttled one back down into it.

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Again the key to this type of features success is that it can both penalize the player but allow them redemption through a skilled recovery, this is just not possible with water hazards. Bunkers can of course do this to some degree but is variety not what makes any course great? To have a hole or two with something different is what makes a routing great.

An example of this on a par three is the 17th hole on Braid Hills No.1. A hole of around 165 - 170 from the back elevated tees. If you miss short you will roll a long way down the steep bank and be left with a very tricky chip back up onto the green.

Spoiler:

(apologies for poor picture)


It can also be utilized in the fairway. I am sure there are better examples but not in my photo collection. The 14th at Pasatiempo has a swale running across the fairway at around 250 for the normal daily tee. I think it would have to be deeper to fully capture what I believe the feature could offer.

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These features should offer the chance of a recovery but one which is sufficiently difficult enough to make you think about your shot which will challenge it. This should be through a combination of awkward stance/lie and a blind or semi blind approach. The one point I am unsure about is whether they have to be mown to fairway height all the time. If they are, a running shot through them is possible and at the moment that is why I think they should be mown to fairway height. My doubt is over whether having them as semi rough in some circumstances would provide a greater challenge on the recovery shots? If they are mown at fairway height and you can run it then suspense is guaranteed as you wait to see if the ball makes it up and out of the swale. I believe a lot of great shots in golf and the thrill attached to them is the amount of time you spend in suspense waiting to know the outcome of the shot. This feature can certainly provide this.

The swale is also infinitely more playable for the higher handicap player compared to carrying great swaths of water and still provides a challenge for players of all levels, what more could you want from a hazard?

Mac - A course that is chock-full of forced carries is Pine Valley. But it's not quite the black and white hazard it may appear at first glance. For many of the holes, the brilliant layout begs you carry as much as you would like. Less of a carry and a long shot in, more of a carry and a shorter shot in. #16 being a prime example.

Also, since the carries are over sandy, pine scrub, there's a chance you might get a chance to get out if you land in there. There's also a chance you won't!

But back to grass swales. They are a terrific hazard IMO. A downhill lie to an elevated green will test any golfer. Same with an uphill lie (although easier for many to get in the air).

shotrock

Thanks, I am glad someone gets what I was trying to say.


Pine Valley is a course I have yet to understand, although never having played it does not help. Not that I ever will get to play it.

It seems that crump went super penal, but got away with it. I can never quite work out if it is the ultimate test of strategy or just so penal and extreme that the experience negates any playability issues?

I am sometimes forced to carry my golf bag, so do not like hilly courses