Thursday, December 10, 2009

Favorite/Featured Holes-Photographed

On the side bar you will find a list of Favorite/Featured holes. These are holes that I have photographed from courses played since 2006. To access them just click on the hole(s) and it will take you to the Picasa album. Once there click on slide show and it will take you through the pictures.

This blogs content is meant to be more pictorial than an extensive narrative on golf course architecture or the great courses of the world. There are many other wonderful web sites that give in depth descriptions of every hole of every great course that can be found in my Links. I will try to give you some insight into why I have made these my featured holes and how I played them. In most of the Favorite/Featured hole narratives you will find a link that will take you to the pictures of that hole.

How does a hole make it on my Favorite/Featured list? Most, but not all, will fall into one of the following categories: 1. I love shorter/medium length par 4/par 5 holes that have a high risk/reward and tempt you for going at the green when all logic tells you to lay up. These holes give you alternate routes to the hole and more than one option of club selection off the tee or on your second shot. The so called Half Par holes really bring out the genius in the great architects. 2. Pucker Factor-Holes that require you to make a forced carry or other visual intimidating type of shot. The 8th hole at Pebble Beach certainly would fall in this category and is my all time favorite approach shot. 3. Holes with spectacular visuals, either natural or created. 4. Holes with Classic design features and holes that I want to illustrate a common feature specific to that course 5. Last, holes that I have made an exceptional shot on, when what I visualized actually came together to produce a nice result. If I have to chose between two holes that are near equal in illustrating a point, you are more than likely going to see the one I made a birdie on versus a bogey.

Of the courses I have played and photographed you certainly could make a case for several other holes that should make my list. I have tried to limit it to only one or two holes per course, or in a few instances a series of holes that I feel are outstanding for a particular reason. An example of multiple holes that I will feature are #13-#17 of the Quarry Course at Black Diamond Ranch. These five holes are some of the most spectacular that I have seen. You can't show one with out all the others to get the full effect. The three finishing holes at Sawgrass are examples of risk/reward at it finest. At Pebble Beach, I could have easily included #18 or even the stretch of holes from #6-#10. Sometimes in earlier photo's my most favorite hole of a course may not have adequate photos to do it justice so I have chosen another. Check out the Slideshow sidebar for photos of all the other holes of a particular course.

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