Great Golf Holes

Here’s another great shot from Golf Courses Of The US Open.

This one’s the 2nd hole at Torrey Pines, a golf course I’m sure el Tigre played a lot on growing up. Maybe ol’ Lefty did too.

Click thru to the website and check out the book and click thru to Torrey Pine’s website and see if you can get us on and I’ll fly out for a round … or two !

As always, you can get a better view by clicking on the photo.

Here’s one of the shots from Golf Courses Of The US Open, written by David Barrett and soon to be part of a review here at Travelling Golfer.

This happens to be the 2nd hole at The Riviera Country Club, sometimes called Hogan’s Alley, because of the success enjoyed there by Mr. Hogan.

You can click on the photo to enlarge it and you can follow the link to purchase the book.

The Golf Course Architect Baxter Spann had this to say about #16:

” We looked at several options for using this canyon to get back to the other side of the ridge from the valley floor. I had initially favored a short uphill par four to the current green location, but Eddie Peck and Pat Brockwell suggested a tee location on a high point on the west side of the valley, playing downhill across the arroyo, and then climbing steeply on the second shot. In the preliminary plans the narrow neck of fairway which climbs up to the second landing area was to be left as a natural arroyo. However, we decided during construction to run a culvert under the fairway and give the player at least a chance to run an accurately played shot up the middle to the “promised land” past the deep bunker on the left. Once past this hazard, a ball has a fair possibility of finding the green, as the right side will kick anything hit there toward the putting surface, which is open in front. The green itself is probably the most severely contoured of any on the course and the surrounds fall away sharply on the left side and in back. “

Obviously I don’t need to say much more after that, but I would encourage you to click thru to their site and consider giving Black Mesa Golf Club a try the next time you’re near La Mesilla, New Mexico.

” The green is surrounded by sand, but the real hazards here are the trees. They will reject any off-line shot and make a successful recovery very tricky. The green is narrow but deep, and pin placement can affect club selection. “

Number 7 at Harbour Town Golf Links looks like it would be an easy 3 for your scorecard … but it’s not.

The other 17 holes aren’t that easy either, but you don’t go to Harbour Town to post a good score. You go to play where the Pro’s play, to see the lighthouse and to get a polo shirt with their logo to take back and stick in your golfing buddies faces !

Yes, if you go I’d like one.

Yes, I look good in red.

Yes, I do wear XXL.

Yes, you can click the photo to go to their store.

Click thru to their store and to the other parts of their website and book a golf vacation today.

Their golf packages are second to none … and you need to send ol’ Mike that shirt !

The 18th hole on the River Course at Black Wolf Run in Kohler, Wisconsin is a tough finishing hole.

Even Annika Sorenstam has had trouble here.

Named for golf course architect Pete Dye, the 18th is aptly called Dyehard. The yardage guide gives you this advice:

” … Drive it with all you have down the right center to avoid the waste are that stretchs the length of the hole. The open front green will allow a long iron to run up if necessary. ”

For more info on a golf vacation at Black wolf Run or to just play some spectacular golf holes, visit Destination Kohler.

To best play the 8th hole at the famed Pebble Beach Golf Links, you need to tee it up over the aiming rock and note the wind conditions.

A well placed drive of 240 yards will leave you with a middle iron shot across a deep oceanic chasm. Take a deep breath and fire to the middle of the green here, but take heed … this green is sloped severely from back to front.

It’s a par 4 and from the Blue Tee’s it plays around 416 yards.

Since 1919, the exquisite beauty and unique challenge of Pebble Beach Golf Links has thrilled golfers and spectators alike.

Pebble Beach has been the site of golf’s most prestigious tournaments, including the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the 1972, ‘82, ‘92 and 2000 U.S. Open Championships.

Pebble Beach Golf Links is ranked the No. 1 Public Course in America by Golf Digest in 2005.

Designed by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant, the course hugs the rugged coastline, providing wide-open vistas, cliffside fairways and sloping greens. It’s a real challenge players of every handicap.

Pebble Beach Golf Links also includes chipping and putting greens and the Peter Hay Par-Three Golf Course and practice range.

For more info on this magnificent 8th hole and the rest of the great holes at Pebble Beach, follow that link to their website.

Mike Holder (former Oklahoma State’s Men’s Golf Coach) convinced Tom Fazio to design one of the most challenging golf courses in the country.

On May 9th, 1994, Karsten Creek opened, and was named the “Best New Course” in the country by Golf Digest for that same year.

The zoysia fairways are cut from a forest of oaks, complemented by terrain that is unusually undulating for this part of the country.

The 110 acre Lake Louise comes into play on many of the spectacular holes.

Since opening in 1994, Karsten Creek has continued to receive accolades throughout the golfing community.

This straight ahead par 5 looks like a pushover … until you consider that it plays into a prevailing southerly wind.

From the tee box, it’s downhill, but the fairway slopes right to left and adds an element of danger to your tee ball.

Hitting your drive into the rough on the left or into the trees will stop any thoughts you might have of going for this green in two.

The green also happens to be about 40 yards deep, so three putts can be easily found here.

For more info or to visit the Karsten Creek website, follow that link and enjoy some great Oklahoma golf !