About a year back, having posted these golf course reviews for around 5 years and having gotten up to about 100 of them, I decided that it was time to take a look back and give some summary thoughts. So I produced a list of the top 40 courses that I’ve reviewed and a list of Michigan’s top 15 public courses. It’s interesting to formally make the list because while I’ve had rough ideas of where I thought various courses would fit, once I sat down to make it, I often found that the list didn’t come out quite the way that I might have thought. If you’re thoughtful about it and take the time to let your thoughts develop properly (meaning to write something, think about it, then come back and revise it) making a list becomes an exercise in evolving scattered thoughts and feelings into considered judgments. It was an enjoyable process.
So I was thinking about another list that I could do. There are a lot of possibilities—best holes, worst holes, best driving holes, etc. Maybe I’ll make some of those in the future—although probably not worst holes because I don’t take pictures or do write-ups of mediocre courses or even good courses that didn’t do it for me (like the Sheep Ranch at Bandon), just the ones that I really liked or at least found interesting.
But the one that got my interest was a list of the best holes of each number, e.g. best 1st hole, 2nd hole, etc. I settled on doing a list of the three best holes of each number, e.g. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd best 1st hole, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd best 2nd hole, etc., plus a list of honorable mentions for each. I liked this idea because I had a lot of scattered thoughts and feelings but had never really thought hard about how I thought they compared to each other. I thought that this would be an interesting and enjoyable exercise and, probably even more so that the top 40 courses list, would produce some surprises.
It has, and not just surprises about what I thought was the best 4th hole or 7th hole. One thing I realized in producing this list is that I prefer longer holes to shorter ones. There are relatively few par 3s on this list and I think that’s because par 3s are inherently less strategic—you’re supposed to be hitting the green in one shot, so there’s less thought in how to hit a shot to set up your next one. I like this kind of multi-stage thinking and par 3s are limited in this regard. I found that the par 3s that did make my list usually provoke a lot of thinking about where you can and can’t miss, so they’re close in spirit to the longer holes that I liked. People mostly like par 3s because of pretty settings and flashy bunkers, but there are relatively few of these on my list.
That brings me to another point about my list: I’ve put no conditions on the list. I haven’t limited courses or architects to X number of holes or required that the no. 1 holes add up to a certain par. I’ve just picked what I think is the best, 2nd best, and 3rd best of each hole number plus a list of honorable mentions. The number of honorable mentions differs by hole number because for some hole numbers (like 4 and 5), I’ve seen an exceptional number of good holes while for others (like 3, 8, and 15), I’ve seen fewer. The honorable mentions list is a list of holes that I’d be happy to have in the top 3 for that hole number. The honorable mentions for the weaker hole numbers wouldn’t necessarily be honorable mentions for the stronger hole numbers.
1st Hole
Honorable Mentions: Lawsonia (Links), St. Enodoc.
I wanted to put Lawsonia in the top 3 because it’s such a simple, yet interesting hole, with its massively built up green angled to better accept a shot from the right side. And St. Enodoc’s 1st is one of the most beautiful par 5s (and my favorite 1st hole) in England.
So I was thinking about another list that I could do. There are a lot of possibilities—best holes, worst holes, best driving holes, etc. Maybe I’ll make some of those in the future—although probably not worst holes because I don’t take pictures or do write-ups of mediocre courses or even good courses that didn’t do it for me (like the Sheep Ranch at Bandon), just the ones that I really liked or at least found interesting.
But the one that got my interest was a list of the best holes of each number, e.g. best 1st hole, 2nd hole, etc. I settled on doing a list of the three best holes of each number, e.g. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd best 1st hole, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd best 2nd hole, etc., plus a list of honorable mentions for each. I liked this idea because I had a lot of scattered thoughts and feelings but had never really thought hard about how I thought they compared to each other. I thought that this would be an interesting and enjoyable exercise and, probably even more so that the top 40 courses list, would produce some surprises.
It has, and not just surprises about what I thought was the best 4th hole or 7th hole. One thing I realized in producing this list is that I prefer longer holes to shorter ones. There are relatively few par 3s on this list and I think that’s because par 3s are inherently less strategic—you’re supposed to be hitting the green in one shot, so there’s less thought in how to hit a shot to set up your next one. I like this kind of multi-stage thinking and par 3s are limited in this regard. I found that the par 3s that did make my list usually provoke a lot of thinking about where you can and can’t miss, so they’re close in spirit to the longer holes that I liked. People mostly like par 3s because of pretty settings and flashy bunkers, but there are relatively few of these on my list.
That brings me to another point about my list: I’ve put no conditions on the list. I haven’t limited courses or architects to X number of holes or required that the no. 1 holes add up to a certain par. I’ve just picked what I think is the best, 2nd best, and 3rd best of each hole number plus a list of honorable mentions. The number of honorable mentions differs by hole number because for some hole numbers (like 4 and 5), I’ve seen an exceptional number of good holes while for others (like 3, 8, and 15), I’ve seen fewer. The honorable mentions list is a list of holes that I’d be happy to have in the top 3 for that hole number. The honorable mentions for the weaker hole numbers wouldn’t necessarily be honorable mentions for the stronger hole numbers.
1st Hole
Honorable Mentions: Lawsonia (Links), St. Enodoc.
I wanted to put Lawsonia in the top 3 because it’s such a simple, yet interesting hole, with its massively built up green angled to better accept a shot from the right side. And St. Enodoc’s 1st is one of the most beautiful par 5s (and my favorite 1st hole) in England.
3rd place: Royal County Down (539 yards, par 5). But I couldn’t put them ahead of the par 5 opener at Royal County Down. I don’t see this one mentioned too often as an exceptional opening hole, but I think it is. The drive isn’t so difficult (but don’t hit one left!) and the second doesn’t look like much. But I love the look of the final approach into the green, with its narrow chute surrounded by dunes. It’s almost the perfect approach for a reachable par 5, placing a premium on accuracy.
2nd place: Pilgrim’s Run (540 yards, par 5). Still, I can’t help but slightly prefer the par 5 opener at Pilgrim’s Run in southwestern Michigan. I think Pilgrim’s Run is the most underrated course that I’ve played and it’s especially notable for its set of zigzagging par 5s—which will appear again on this list. This is a better driving hole than the 1st at County Down, with sets of bunkers shorter left and longer right pinching the fairway for longer hitters off the tee and requiring a draw.
But again, it’s the approach that makes the hole. If you’ve placed your drive well, you can try to ‘kick a field goal’ at the green between the forest right and some beautiful white pines. Otherwise you need to lay up into the ample fairway left. And unlike many par 5 layups, what you do here matters; the green is shallow and wide and the further down you hit it, the better view in that you’ll have. It’s an outstanding 1st hole and one of the best par 5s that I’ve seen…yet maybe not even the best at Pilgrim’s Run!
But again, it’s the approach that makes the hole. If you’ve placed your drive well, you can try to ‘kick a field goal’ at the green between the forest right and some beautiful white pines. Otherwise you need to lay up into the ample fairway left. And unlike many par 5 layups, what you do here matters; the green is shallow and wide and the further down you hit it, the better view in that you’ll have. It’s an outstanding 1st hole and one of the best par 5s that I’ve seen…yet maybe not even the best at Pilgrim’s Run!
1st place: Pinehurst no. 2 (402 yards, par 4). This one wasn’t much of a surprise to me because ever since I first played it in 2002, I always thought that the opener at Pinehurst no. 2 was just about the perfect opening hole. It’s not a very long hole and is really a pretty simple drive…unless you get greedy and try to bomb one down there. The you can get into all kinds of trouble as the fairway narrows between a bunker and waste area. Definitely not one of the better first holes on a famous course to try to show off for the crowd on your drive.
But like just about every other hole on no. 2, it’s the green complex that makes this hole great. It’s intimidating to hit to as there looks to be a pretty severe drop off at the front and it looks like the rest of the green runs off at the edges too. So it looks like you’re trying to hit an 8 or 9 iron onto a car hood. But while a good shot is required to hit the green, the misses end up being less bad than they look. The fall off in front is probably 4 or 5 feet, but then you’re playing uphill and the shot isn’t as hard as you might think. Also true if you miss right because while the green slopes off here, it’s very gentle and a slight miss will only run a few feet away from the green. Missing left…that I would not recommend.
So it looks intimidating, but most misses aren’t that bad. And that’s how Pinehurst no. 2 is—once you get to know the greens, you learn that most misses aren’t that bad and you learn to play conservatively toward the safer side.
But like just about every other hole on no. 2, it’s the green complex that makes this hole great. It’s intimidating to hit to as there looks to be a pretty severe drop off at the front and it looks like the rest of the green runs off at the edges too. So it looks like you’re trying to hit an 8 or 9 iron onto a car hood. But while a good shot is required to hit the green, the misses end up being less bad than they look. The fall off in front is probably 4 or 5 feet, but then you’re playing uphill and the shot isn’t as hard as you might think. Also true if you miss right because while the green slopes off here, it’s very gentle and a slight miss will only run a few feet away from the green. Missing left…that I would not recommend.
So it looks intimidating, but most misses aren’t that bad. And that’s how Pinehurst no. 2 is—once you get to know the greens, you learn that most misses aren’t that bad and you learn to play conservatively toward the safer side.
2nd Hole
Honorable Mentions: Perranporth, Quarry at Giant’s Ridge, Pinehurst no. 2, Sunningdale (Old).
There are a lot of very good 2nd holes and I was pretty surprised that most of these didn’t make my top 3. Perranporth’s par 5 2nd is a wild, uphill, blind zigzagger, which pretty much captures the course in a nutshell. The Quarry’s par 5 isn’t so interesting off the tee but features a thrilling choice on the second to have a try at the green over a quarry or lay up safely out to the left. And Pinehurst’s long par 4 2nd exemplifies what’s so great about the course, where there green is surrounded by all kinds of nightmare shots but if you can just get yourself to play safely to the open front-left, you’ll be just fine. The long par 4 2nd on the Old at Sunningdale, with its small green fronted by a massive bunker, is about as difficult a par 4 as you could want.
Honorable Mentions: Perranporth, Quarry at Giant’s Ridge, Pinehurst no. 2, Sunningdale (Old).
There are a lot of very good 2nd holes and I was pretty surprised that most of these didn’t make my top 3. Perranporth’s par 5 2nd is a wild, uphill, blind zigzagger, which pretty much captures the course in a nutshell. The Quarry’s par 5 isn’t so interesting off the tee but features a thrilling choice on the second to have a try at the green over a quarry or lay up safely out to the left. And Pinehurst’s long par 4 2nd exemplifies what’s so great about the course, where there green is surrounded by all kinds of nightmare shots but if you can just get yourself to play safely to the open front-left, you’ll be just fine. The long par 4 2nd on the Old at Sunningdale, with its small green fronted by a massive bunker, is about as difficult a par 4 as you could want.
3rd place: Southerndown (436 yards, par 4). While Southerndown is probably lower down the list of courses that I’ve reviewed, it’s a fine challenge in the wind and had a few holes that I really admired. None moreso than the 2nd, which is one of my favorite long par 4s. It has one of those great British drives—uphill, blind, and funky. But then the approach is almost exactly the opposite—wide open and with a spectacular view out over the estuary to the ocean. I love these kinds of ‘big reveals’ and there are quite a few on British courses.
Not to be forgotten are the playing characteristics, with a series of crossing bunkers on the approach that you’ll have to contend with if you’ve hit a poor drive and a large, beautifully contoured green that accepts running approach shots.
Not to be forgotten are the playing characteristics, with a series of crossing bunkers on the approach that you’ll have to contend with if you’ve hit a poor drive and a large, beautifully contoured green that accepts running approach shots.
2nd place: Bandon Trails (214 yards, par 3). This is one of the few par 3s on my list and just on aesthetics alone, it’s easy to see how it’d make it. But this one is on the shortest list of most interesting long par 3s that I’ve played. It’s a bit easier than it looks; while obscured by dunes, there’s ample fairway short of the green and it’s easy to place safe. If you’re going to try to run one in, you’re best served by a fade and can get in significant trouble if you either hit a draw or pull one—then the fairway carries your ball into the junk short and left of the green.
And if you try to carry one onto the green, you’d better be precise. The space between the dunes narrows as you go deeper into the green and you’re penalized more for aggressive shots that miss wide than conservative ones. It’s a classic principle of golf design that I’ve seen several times on Coore-Crenshaw courses (and those of other great architects). But this may be the prettiest setting where they’ve employed it.
And if you try to carry one onto the green, you’d better be precise. The space between the dunes narrows as you go deeper into the green and you’re penalized more for aggressive shots that miss wide than conservative ones. It’s a classic principle of golf design that I’ve seen several times on Coore-Crenshaw courses (and those of other great architects). But this may be the prettiest setting where they’ve employed it.
1st place: Portsalon (433 yards, par 4). This might have been the easiest pick on the whole list. Actually I think I can give you two ‘bests’ with this longish par 4: best 2nd hole and best driving hole. I’ve seen a lot of great driving holes but I’m pretty comfortable saying that Portsalon’s 2nd is at the top of the list.
To start, it’s probably the prettiest drive anywhere, over a vast beach and estuary. But these are more than just pretty features; they sit at probably a 55 degree angle to the line of play which forces a decision about how much you want to try to carry. No matter which line you choose, you also still need to be wary of the right side. If you bailout too much from the carry and hit a long drive, you can go over a berm onto the 17th hole, making for a brutal blind second. And if you go for the medium carry (~240-250) and hit a long drive but miss a bit right, you can be blocked by two mounds on the approach. There’s more room if you can make the full carry and get past the mounds, but you’d better not pull it.
The drive is probably enough to make this the best 2nd hole but I was also impressed by the large, rumpled green, which was one of the finest that I saw in Ireland. This hole must be on anyone’s list of the world’s greatest golf holes.
To start, it’s probably the prettiest drive anywhere, over a vast beach and estuary. But these are more than just pretty features; they sit at probably a 55 degree angle to the line of play which forces a decision about how much you want to try to carry. No matter which line you choose, you also still need to be wary of the right side. If you bailout too much from the carry and hit a long drive, you can go over a berm onto the 17th hole, making for a brutal blind second. And if you go for the medium carry (~240-250) and hit a long drive but miss a bit right, you can be blocked by two mounds on the approach. There’s more room if you can make the full carry and get past the mounds, but you’d better not pull it.
The drive is probably enough to make this the best 2nd hole but I was also impressed by the large, rumpled green, which was one of the finest that I saw in Ireland. This hole must be on anyone’s list of the world’s greatest golf holes.
3rd Hole
Honorable Mentions: Sunningdale (Old), Burnham and Berrow.
I haven’t seen so many great 3rd holes. In fact, it might be the weakest number hole. Still, Sunningdale Old’s is a fine short par 4 in its world class collection, favoring a drive that hugs the line of bunkers up the right side. And on a course that’s more notable for consistent strength than great holes, Burnham and Berrow’s 3rd contains both a great deal of both interest in its diagonal drive and character in its semi-blind green hidden in a dell, surrounded by dunes.
Honorable Mentions: Sunningdale (Old), Burnham and Berrow.
I haven’t seen so many great 3rd holes. In fact, it might be the weakest number hole. Still, Sunningdale Old’s is a fine short par 4 in its world class collection, favoring a drive that hugs the line of bunkers up the right side. And on a course that’s more notable for consistent strength than great holes, Burnham and Berrow’s 3rd contains both a great deal of both interest in its diagonal drive and character in its semi-blind green hidden in a dell, surrounded by dunes.
3rd place: Old MacDonald (375 yards, par 4). I had to do a second take with my list before I settled on this hole. But it should have been a fairly easy choice for the top 3. The uphill, blind drive past the ghost tree is, of course, iconic. But it’s also very interesting because if you shy away to the right, the slope in the fairway will take your drive even further off in that direction, leaving a blind (but still very playable) shot. If you hit a good one that skirts the tree, you can probably get very close to the green. And the green, like many on Old MacDonald, is a big, bold, beauty.
2nd place: Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs; 530 yards, par 5). The architecture connoisseurs might not believe it, but there are a lot of fine holes on the original Arcadia Bluffs course, none more so for me than the par 5 3rd. This is a truly beautiful hole, playing downhill over rumpled terrain with Lake Michigan as the backdrop. But it’s also a very interesting one, with a fairway that narrows as you approach 300 yards and an approach that poses an interesting decision: go at the green and leave an awkward, blind approach or play over bunkers to the right, leaving a straight-in shot? The latter is, of course, more intimidating but it turns out that there’s plenty of room over there.
1st place: Royal Cinque Ports (566 yards, par 5). Another par 5, and one of the best in southeastern England. Mackenzie and Ebert have done a bit of work here since I’ve seen the course, but that appears just to consist of adding some new back tees, extending the fairway back, and adding a few fairway bunkers.
That shouldn’t affect what it was that made the 3rd at Royal Cinque Ports great. What’s great is the blind second over the spectacles bunkers, the wild, rolling fairway in the last 150 yards, and the sunken, heavily contoured green. Simply put, the walk into this green is as good as links golf gets. And the green must be on any short list of the finest in England. Although they certainly haven’t always done so, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Mackenzie—Ebert alterations improved this hole because the added length brings the spectacles more into play on the second.
Still, it’s not any one shot that makes this hole great—it’s the contouring of the ground leading into and on the green.
That shouldn’t affect what it was that made the 3rd at Royal Cinque Ports great. What’s great is the blind second over the spectacles bunkers, the wild, rolling fairway in the last 150 yards, and the sunken, heavily contoured green. Simply put, the walk into this green is as good as links golf gets. And the green must be on any short list of the finest in England. Although they certainly haven’t always done so, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Mackenzie—Ebert alterations improved this hole because the added length brings the spectacles more into play on the second.
Still, it’s not any one shot that makes this hole great—it’s the contouring of the ground leading into and on the green.
4th Hole
Honorable Mentions: Royal Portrush (Dunluce), Pacific Dunes, Royal County Down, Tobacco Road, Greywalls, Mid Pines, Whistling Straits (Straits).
The bench for the 3rd hole might be weak but for the 4th, it’s almost an all-star team. I can’t believe that the Royal Portrush and Pacific Dunes 4th holes didn’t make my top 3—they’d both be on my short list of the best driving holes in the world and the Portrush hole has a great greensite in the dunes. The 4th at Greywalls isn’t far behind as a great driving hole. I also agree with the consensus that Royal County Down’s 4th is one of the world’s great par 3s. Although I’m not as big a fan of Tobacco Road as many, the par 5 4th is one of my favorite holes on any Mike Strantz course that I’ve played, tempting you into challenging the massive waste bunker on the inside of the dogleg all the way from tee to green. Mid Pines’ short par 4 is a classic, with the narrow green opening to the outside of the fairway while Whistling Straits’ long par 4 features a wild drive and an approach to a green that looks like it’s hanging over the lake.
Honorable Mentions: Royal Portrush (Dunluce), Pacific Dunes, Royal County Down, Tobacco Road, Greywalls, Mid Pines, Whistling Straits (Straits).
The bench for the 3rd hole might be weak but for the 4th, it’s almost an all-star team. I can’t believe that the Royal Portrush and Pacific Dunes 4th holes didn’t make my top 3—they’d both be on my short list of the best driving holes in the world and the Portrush hole has a great greensite in the dunes. The 4th at Greywalls isn’t far behind as a great driving hole. I also agree with the consensus that Royal County Down’s 4th is one of the world’s great par 3s. Although I’m not as big a fan of Tobacco Road as many, the par 5 4th is one of my favorite holes on any Mike Strantz course that I’ve played, tempting you into challenging the massive waste bunker on the inside of the dogleg all the way from tee to green. Mid Pines’ short par 4 is a classic, with the narrow green opening to the outside of the fairway while Whistling Straits’ long par 4 features a wild drive and an approach to a green that looks like it’s hanging over the lake.
3rd place: Bandon Trails (408 yards, par 4). As great as some of the aforementioned holes are off the tee, Bandon Trails’ 4th is the best of the bunch. This one isn’t too far behind the 2nd at Portsalon, yet does it without any significant hazard. The main challenge is a diagonal ridge that runs short-left to long-right. If you can make the long carry up the right side, you have a simple, short approach into the beautifully framed green. But if you hedge too far left, your ball can kick further left, leaving a very long approach—possibly from bunkers—into a green that now sits at an awkward angle. And if you don’t make the carry up the right, your approach will be completely blind.
It may not be as dramatic as the 4th at Portrush or next door at Pacific Dunes, but the ridge in this fairway is one of my favorite uses of a natural feature as a driving challenge and that elevates this hole slightly above those for me.
It may not be as dramatic as the 4th at Portrush or next door at Pacific Dunes, but the ridge in this fairway is one of my favorite uses of a natural feature as a driving challenge and that elevates this hole slightly above those for me.
2nd place: Royal St. George’s (496 yards, par 4). The 4th at Bandon Trails may be great but the 4th at Royal St. George’s is iconic. And for good reason—the drive over the Himalayas bunker is spectacular. But it’s also a very interesting driving hole; you should try to carry as far as you can up the right because the fairway left of the bunker kicks left. And even if you end up ok over there, you’ll have a completely blind shot at a bad angle into one of the nastiest greens on a long par 4 anywhere. It’s more false front than pinnable putting surface. While the puttable part of the putting surface may be difficult to hit, a clever player can use the contours at the left side to run the ball up onto it.
There aren’t more than a small handful of holes in the world that have more interesting features in the ground than this one.
There aren’t more than a small handful of holes in the world that have more interesting features in the ground than this one.
1st place: St. Enodoc (323 yards, par 4). While I suspect that the 4th at Royal St. George’s would be no. 1 on many well-traveled people’s lists of the world’s best 4th hole, it isn’t quite mine. That’s because what I think is the best short par 4 I’ve seen happens to be a 4th hole—the 4th hole at St. Enodoc. It plays slightly uphill and the green is narrow and perched on a shelf with an out-of-bounds fence running along its right side. So if you go for the green, there’s pretty significant risk to the reward…and you only have to be off by a few feet.
But it’s also an incredible hole if you layup. That’s because the out-of-bounds fence guards the entire right side of the landing area, the only place from which you’ll have a good look into the green. You can lay up to the left, but you’ll have a blind, uphill shot into a shallower aspect of the green…with an out-of-bounds fence right behind it.
It may not have the drama of the 4th at Royal St. George’s but for me, it’s about as interesting as a short/drivable par 4 can get. So that puts it just slightly ahead.
But it’s also an incredible hole if you layup. That’s because the out-of-bounds fence guards the entire right side of the landing area, the only place from which you’ll have a good look into the green. You can lay up to the left, but you’ll have a blind, uphill shot into a shallower aspect of the green…with an out-of-bounds fence right behind it.
It may not have the drama of the 4th at Royal St. George’s but for me, it’s about as interesting as a short/drivable par 4 can get. So that puts it just slightly ahead.
5th Hole
Honorable Mentions: Brautarholt, West Sussex, Bandon Dunes, Sunningdale (New), Cabot Cliffs, American Dunes, Red Hawk.
The 5th ranks with the 4th as the strongest number hole that I’ve seen. Many of these are par 3s. The short 5th at West Sussex and Sunningdale (New) are iconic heathland par 3s and it was tough not to have them on this list. Even better is the long 5th at Brautarholt, which plays over a corner of the sea and a black sand beach—Iceland’s answer to the 16th at Cypress Point. The three par 4s—Bandon Dunes, Cabot Cliffs, and American Dunes—are three more special driving holes. And while par 5 5th at Red Hawk might not make anyone’s list except mine, the staggered bunkering and sunken green among the towering Michigan white pines are Arthur Hills at his absolute best.
Honorable Mentions: Brautarholt, West Sussex, Bandon Dunes, Sunningdale (New), Cabot Cliffs, American Dunes, Red Hawk.
The 5th ranks with the 4th as the strongest number hole that I’ve seen. Many of these are par 3s. The short 5th at West Sussex and Sunningdale (New) are iconic heathland par 3s and it was tough not to have them on this list. Even better is the long 5th at Brautarholt, which plays over a corner of the sea and a black sand beach—Iceland’s answer to the 16th at Cypress Point. The three par 4s—Bandon Dunes, Cabot Cliffs, and American Dunes—are three more special driving holes. And while par 5 5th at Red Hawk might not make anyone’s list except mine, the staggered bunkering and sunken green among the towering Michigan white pines are Arthur Hills at his absolute best.
3rd place: Royal Portrush (Dunluce; 382 yards, par 4). You certainly can’t make a list of great 5th holes without including the 5th at Royal Portrush, which is probably second only to Calamity in fame among its holes. While a good part of its fame is due to the setting against the ocean, more is probably due to the features of the hole. This is a short par 4 that works well in any wind. If downwind, you can take a shot and the green…but don’t miss right, left, or long. If into the wind, you have to judge how much of the junk up the right you can carry. In addition to its tee-to-green brilliance, the 5th green features the finest contours of any on the course.
2nd place: Lawsonia (Links; 487 yards, par 5). I don’t know how many others would pick it, but I thought that the short par 5 5th at Lawsonia was both the best on the course and among the best short par 5s that I’ve seen. It’s one of the tougher drives at Lawsonia, with a forest left, a single, large oak right, and a left-to-right sloping fairway. But if you’re a bomber or can sling a low fade, you clear a speed slot in the fairway and get another 30 yards. So it’s another great driving hole.
The rest of the hole is just as interesting. First of all, the open parkland makes for one of the prettiest backdrops I’ve ever seen. Second, the bunkers are perfectly placed to challenge those who hit weaker drives and didn’t clear the hill. Third, on a course with many unusual and interesting greens, this is maybe the best, with a high, sort-of triangle shaped tier at the front and a lower back-left and back-right.
Despite the significant recent increase in accolades, I still think that Lawsonia is one of the most underrated courses that I’ve seen. And the 5th has a bit of everything that makes it so great.
The rest of the hole is just as interesting. First of all, the open parkland makes for one of the prettiest backdrops I’ve ever seen. Second, the bunkers are perfectly placed to challenge those who hit weaker drives and didn’t clear the hill. Third, on a course with many unusual and interesting greens, this is maybe the best, with a high, sort-of triangle shaped tier at the front and a lower back-left and back-right.
Despite the significant recent increase in accolades, I still think that Lawsonia is one of the most underrated courses that I’ve seen. And the 5th has a bit of everything that makes it so great.
1st place: Pinehurst no. 2 (576 yards, par 5). No. 2’s 5th hole was always considered a great…long par 4. So I was very surprised and skeptical when, with the Coore-Crenshaw renovation, they converted this to a par 5. Why change a hole that everyone thought was so great?
But apparently they knew what they were doing—the par 5 version of this hole is clearly superior to the previous par 4 version. It makes sense of all of the tee-to-green features. Now the bunkers at the corner of the dogleg force you either to make a long carry or play out to the right. Now the string of bunkers up the left leading into the green challenge your approach if going for the green in two or guard the best angle in. And while we can debate the importance of angles on most holes, they matter here. The green is skinny and left is death. An approach in from the right side of the fairway at any distance is very precarious.
There’s definitely some opportunity for disaster around this green. Some might think a bit too much. But I feel that as with the rest of the course, you can avoid disaster by playing conservatively.
But apparently they knew what they were doing—the par 5 version of this hole is clearly superior to the previous par 4 version. It makes sense of all of the tee-to-green features. Now the bunkers at the corner of the dogleg force you either to make a long carry or play out to the right. Now the string of bunkers up the left leading into the green challenge your approach if going for the green in two or guard the best angle in. And while we can debate the importance of angles on most holes, they matter here. The green is skinny and left is death. An approach in from the right side of the fairway at any distance is very precarious.
There’s definitely some opportunity for disaster around this green. Some might think a bit too much. But I feel that as with the rest of the course, you can avoid disaster by playing conservatively.
6th Hole
Honorable Mentions: Knole Park, Sunningdale (New), Lawsonia (Links), Pacific Dunes.
I really wanted to put Knole Park’s 6th in my top 3. Like the 4th at Bandon Trails, it’s one of the best uses of terrain as a driving hazard, with weak drives running down a hill to the right into uphill blindness. And the 6th on the New at Sunningdale is certainly one of the most iconic holes in heathland golf. Many think that Lawsonia’s long par 4 6th with its diagonal drive and wild, ridge top green is the best on the course. And Tom Doak isn’t the only one who’s a fan of his great short par 6th at Pacific Dunes—although those who get aggressive with their approach to the skinny green might not be among those.
Honorable Mentions: Knole Park, Sunningdale (New), Lawsonia (Links), Pacific Dunes.
I really wanted to put Knole Park’s 6th in my top 3. Like the 4th at Bandon Trails, it’s one of the best uses of terrain as a driving hazard, with weak drives running down a hill to the right into uphill blindness. And the 6th on the New at Sunningdale is certainly one of the most iconic holes in heathland golf. Many think that Lawsonia’s long par 4 6th with its diagonal drive and wild, ridge top green is the best on the course. And Tom Doak isn’t the only one who’s a fan of his great short par 6th at Pacific Dunes—although those who get aggressive with their approach to the skinny green might not be among those.
3rd place: Pilgrim’s Run (498 yards, par 5). Given the stature of those holes and courses, it was difficult to justify picking another hole from the unheralded Pilgrim’s Run. But I also couldn’t justify not picking it. While it may not have the iconic views of Sunningdale’s 6th, the drive is more interesting. The bunker on the corner of the dogleg off the tee is both beautiful and strategic, giving a big advantage on the second to those who can carry it. And it’s a tremendous approach, uphill and narrowing with a phalanx of bunkers up the left side. Both of these shots are easy if you’re willing to play it safe as a three-shooter. But once you start to get aggressive—and certainly if you want to hit the hilltop, shallow green in two—this par 5 becomes as interesting as any.
2nd place: Royal North Devon (411 yards, par 4). If there’s a links counterpart to the view from the 6th tee on Sunningdale’s New Course, it’s that from the tee on Royal North Devon’s 6th. There may be no more iconic view on a links course, save for the view down the last at the Old Course. At first, it seems that driving it anywhere in the endlessly bumpy landscape might be fine. But if you look closely out there, there are pots up the left that can catch a weak drive and several more in the middle that can catch a long one. Turns out that you have to be very careful with your drive.
And once you get to the green, you’ll realize that there was even more of a premium on placement than that. The green is narrow, deep, and angled from left-to-right. Moreover, everything short of the green slopes off to the right. So it’s important to get your drive in the right side of the fairway so that you’re playing into the contours, especially given the likelihood of facing both a firm course and left-to-right wind.
This is a hole that’s both very interesting and that touches the golfer’s soul.
And once you get to the green, you’ll realize that there was even more of a premium on placement than that. The green is narrow, deep, and angled from left-to-right. Moreover, everything short of the green slopes off to the right. So it’s important to get your drive in the right side of the fairway so that you’re playing into the contours, especially given the likelihood of facing both a firm course and left-to-right wind.
This is a hole that’s both very interesting and that touches the golfer’s soul.
1st place: West Sussex (222 yards, par 3). Yet as the best 6th hole, I’ve picked a par 3. To be fair, for those who know their golf courses, it’s another iconic one. It’s a long hole that plays downhill over a pond to a deep but skinny green. Yet the pond is probably 10-15 yards short of the green, so you can land it short and run it on.
What makes this hole so interesting is the variety of opportunities and consequences for intentional and unintentional misses. If you happen to be a short hitter who can’t make the carry, you can play around the pond. Indeed the hole kind of looks like a par 4 and there’s some evidence in the form of a tee box back in the woods that it was once a par 4. But because the green is skinny, a shot into it from wide right is very tricky. If you go for the green and push your shot, you’ll end up in the long bunker in front of the 7th tee and have a very awkward bunker shot. And if you miss the green left, you’ll be hacking out of the heather.
They say that the toughest shots at Rye, one of the other best courses in southeast England, are the second shots on the par 3s. But I’m not sure that I’ve seen a par 3 with as interesting of second shots as this one.
What makes this hole so interesting is the variety of opportunities and consequences for intentional and unintentional misses. If you happen to be a short hitter who can’t make the carry, you can play around the pond. Indeed the hole kind of looks like a par 4 and there’s some evidence in the form of a tee box back in the woods that it was once a par 4. But because the green is skinny, a shot into it from wide right is very tricky. If you go for the green and push your shot, you’ll end up in the long bunker in front of the 7th tee and have a very awkward bunker shot. And if you miss the green left, you’ll be hacking out of the heather.
They say that the toughest shots at Rye, one of the other best courses in southeast England, are the second shots on the par 3s. But I’m not sure that I’ve seen a par 3 with as interesting of second shots as this one.
7th Hole
Honorable Mentions: Royal County Down, Rye, Swinley Forest
I had a very hard time keeping Royal County Down’s short par 3 7th out of the top 3. It’s one of my favorite short par 3s, managing to be exacting without relying on severe features. The par 3 7th at Rye certainly has some severe features—such as a 10ft.+ deep bunker at its front—but also has an outstanding green and rightfully places on many best par 3 lists. The uphill, mid-length par 4 7th at Swinley Forest was a favorite because of its beautiful, simple green complex but, unfortunately, this has been ruined by the addition of mounds at its left side.
Honorable Mentions: Royal County Down, Rye, Swinley Forest
I had a very hard time keeping Royal County Down’s short par 3 7th out of the top 3. It’s one of my favorite short par 3s, managing to be exacting without relying on severe features. The par 3 7th at Rye certainly has some severe features—such as a 10ft.+ deep bunker at its front—but also has an outstanding green and rightfully places on many best par 3 lists. The uphill, mid-length par 4 7th at Swinley Forest was a favorite because of its beautiful, simple green complex but, unfortunately, this has been ruined by the addition of mounds at its left side.
3rd place: Cleeve Hill (409 yards, par 4). I went back and forth between this hole and Royal County Down’s 7th. But Cleeve Hill’s par 4 7th is just so special; it’s another classic English blind drive and while there’s miles of open space out to the left, the hole bends right and a bailout can leave an extremely long approach. Yet you must also be careful about the right side—unless you carry it longer than about 260, there’s a hidden quarry that will burn you if you try to take the shortcut. But if you play away from it, you can make the uphill approach quite long. This approach, over a busy hiking path (Cleeve Hill is one of England’s major hiking spots), was one of my favorites in the country.
2nd place: Pennard (351 yards, par 4). The short par 4 7th at Pennard is certainly quite a sight, overlooking the ocean as a backdrop and the ruins of a medieval castle on the right side. But this is also the most interesting hole on the wild and wonderful Pennard, with a fairway that splits into high and low sides at two centerline bunkers and one of the most wildly contoured, sunken greens. I’m not sure that there’s much of a reason to play to one side of the fairway or the other but the green is a work of art; it’s certainly on the short list of my favorite greens that I’ve seen.
1st place: Cape Breton Highlands Links (570 yards, par 5). On a course with such diverse and epic scenery, no hole beats this stunning par 5, which turns away from the ocean, playing up into the deep woods. While the hole has become overgrown—apparently they can’t cut down trees in a Canadian national park—it still shines through as a great hole. It’s horribly narrow off the tee for shorter hitters but longer hitters can carry the edge of the trees on the left and get a kick into prime position off a ridge. This leaves an uphill approach between staggered fairway bunkers to the best green on the course and one of the best anywhere.
Of all the #1 holes on my list, this is the one that could probably be most improved—modest tree removal up the left side, especially off the tee, would let this hole shine in its full glory. It’s one of the most epic settings and has some of the best contour of any par 5 in the world. Even with its current shortcomings, it’s still clearly one of the world’s great holes.
Of all the #1 holes on my list, this is the one that could probably be most improved—modest tree removal up the left side, especially off the tee, would let this hole shine in its full glory. It’s one of the most epic settings and has some of the best contour of any par 5 in the world. Even with its current shortcomings, it’s still clearly one of the world’s great holes.
8th Hole
Honorable Mentions: Cabot Links, Sand Valley, Pacific Dunes.
The 8th hole is not one of the stronger numbered holes that I’ve played. Having said that, Cabot Links’ par 5 is great, featuring one of the most ingenious greens that I’ve seen—a broad double green (with the 13th) but there’s a spine running down its length that makes the left side play quite narrow and makes any approach that wasn’t played up the left side very difficult. And the uphill 8th at Sand Valley is one of my favorite short par 3s, reminding me of many of my favorite Colt par 3s in England. The par 4 8th at Pacific Dunes is also a fine hole, favoring a drive out to the edge of the dogleg near a clump of trees to leave an open view into the skinny (at least at its front) green.
Honorable Mentions: Cabot Links, Sand Valley, Pacific Dunes.
The 8th hole is not one of the stronger numbered holes that I’ve played. Having said that, Cabot Links’ par 5 is great, featuring one of the most ingenious greens that I’ve seen—a broad double green (with the 13th) but there’s a spine running down its length that makes the left side play quite narrow and makes any approach that wasn’t played up the left side very difficult. And the uphill 8th at Sand Valley is one of my favorite short par 3s, reminding me of many of my favorite Colt par 3s in England. The par 4 8th at Pacific Dunes is also a fine hole, favoring a drive out to the edge of the dogleg near a clump of trees to leave an open view into the skinny (at least at its front) green.
3rd place: St. George’s Hill (179 yards, par 3). This par 3 is another London heathlands icon. I had seen many pictures of this hole before I played it but I didn’t realize that there was a significant drop from tee to green. It clearly fits the category ‘drop shot par 3’ and is one of the finest examples of the type that I’ve seen. And that’s even for a hole that, like the 7th at Cape Breton Highlands Links, is not being presented in its best light. The issue here is that the bunker in front, which used to be one massive chasm, has been split in two. It still looks great, but it could look even better.
2nd place: Blackwolf Run (River; 532 yards par 5). Blackwolf Run’s River Course features several of my favorite holes, especially among its par 5s. The 8th plays from a high bluff above the Sheboygan River down to a floodplain. While this shot is dramatic, more interesting is the second, which can be played to a low, left fairway or a high, right one. The former shot is easy. The second, not so much. But the view into the green is much better from the latter. If you drive it far enough to go for the green in two, you’ll have to sling something up the right side because the green is essentially protected by a wall up the left.
1st place: Royal County Down (429 yards, par 4). While Royal County Down’s front nine is widely considered to be the best front nine in golf, the long par 4 8th is not mentioned as often as others as being a standout hole. But there’s no doubt for me that it is. The drive is more interesting that it looks; it turns slightly right but the ground slopes left and the bunker on the left side is at just the right distance for good players who hit drives that either didn’t start quite far enough right or didn’t put any fade on the ball.
Still, what makes this hole great is the approach, which is one of my favorites anywhere. We run through a pair of dunes on either side of the fairway about 20 yards short of the green, requiring accuracy if you’re running one in. And the green, while open in front, narrows at the back with steep drop-offs at the sides. It’s one of the best examples I’ve seen of one of my favorite concepts—the green that narrows as you get deeper and where the trouble at the sides increases.
Not as wild as some of the other highlights at Royal County Down, but there aren’t many sounder holes than this one.
Still, what makes this hole great is the approach, which is one of my favorites anywhere. We run through a pair of dunes on either side of the fairway about 20 yards short of the green, requiring accuracy if you’re running one in. And the green, while open in front, narrows at the back with steep drop-offs at the sides. It’s one of the best examples I’ve seen of one of my favorite concepts—the green that narrows as you get deeper and where the trouble at the sides increases.
Not as wild as some of the other highlights at Royal County Down, but there aren’t many sounder holes than this one.
9th Hole
Honorable Mentions: Saunton (East), Royal St. George’s.
Although I’ve only given two honorable mentions, they’re both good ones. The 9th hole on Saunton’s East Course is a mid-length par 4 that favors a drive played near a bunker at the outside corner of the dogleg, which opens up an angle to a deep green tucked in the dunes that has some of the finest contours on any links course. The 9th at Royal St. George’s is also an excellent mid-length par 4 with a fantastic green that slopes away from the line of play.
Honorable Mentions: Saunton (East), Royal St. George’s.
Although I’ve only given two honorable mentions, they’re both good ones. The 9th hole on Saunton’s East Course is a mid-length par 4 that favors a drive played near a bunker at the outside corner of the dogleg, which opens up an angle to a deep green tucked in the dunes that has some of the finest contours on any links course. The 9th at Royal St. George’s is also an excellent mid-length par 4 with a fantastic green that slopes away from the line of play.
3rd place: Blackwolf Run (River; 361 yards, par 4). The short par 4 9th on the River Course at Blackwolf Run is Pete Dye at his most high concept. There are at least three ways to play this hole: 1) straight at the green over the edge of the Sheboygan River; 2) a lay up just left of the big clump of trees and a full wedge on; 3) a drive blasted out down the left side, turning the hole into a sharp dogleg right. 1 is certainly the most exciting although I think 3 is probably the most practical—there’s plenty of room out there (much more than you can see) and the further you go, the more the green opens up. However you play it, it’s a lot of fun.
2nd place: Swinley Forest (464 yards, par 4). It’s really hard not to pick this as no. 1 because it’s on the short list of my favorite long par 4s in the world. This is another great driving hole but it’s also a bit different than some of the others. The main task is to carry a bunker in the center-left of the fairway, requiring probably 240 yards. But that isn’t the main issue for many; if that carry isn’t much of a challenge, you have to be wary of running through the fairway into the heather, including two heather-covered ridges that interject into the fairway starting at about 290 yards.
The approach is the equal of the drive, turning left and playing uphill over two bunkers. It reminds me a lot of one of my other favorite approaches—that to the green on my no. 1 5th hole, Pinehurst no. 2. This one is not quite as exacting, with a little more safe room short and right. But like on Pinehurst’s 5th, left, long, and deep-right are all no good.
The approach is the equal of the drive, turning left and playing uphill over two bunkers. It reminds me a lot of one of my other favorite approaches—that to the green on my no. 1 5th hole, Pinehurst no. 2. This one is not quite as exacting, with a little more safe room short and right. But like on Pinehurst’s 5th, left, long, and deep-right are all no good.
1st place: Royal County Down (483 yards, par 4). Swinley Forest’s 9th would be the best of almost any numbered hole on this list except the 9th. Because the best 9th hole is clearly the world famous long par 4 9th at Royal County Down. This hole has pretty much everything I’d want in a hole. The drive is blind and funky. While there’s a fairway right in front of you, it’s a red herring, ending about 180 yards from the tee. Instead, you want to aim at the aiming post up the hill to the right of this.
As you walk near the end of the red herring fairway, you see why the aiming post was where it was—when this fairway ends, the hole drops down into a valley which is offset to the right of the first fairway. If you had aimed down the first fairway, you’d send it straight into the long grass-covered dunes. The aiming post is also the site of one of golf’s most iconic views.
The interest is certainly not over, even if you’ve found the fairway. Unless you’ve hit a long drive, you’ll have to contend with a narrow gap between dunes and two bunkers about 30 yards short of the green. This was a formidable task into a wind that was quartering from the right. But I think the hole would be just as interesting in any wind. There’s plenty of room to run the ball onto the green once you carry these bunkers, so while difficult, there’s enough forgiveness for it to work.
It’s awfully difficult but for its combination of beauty, originality, quirk, and shot values, it’s hard to beat the 9th hole at Royal County Down.
As you walk near the end of the red herring fairway, you see why the aiming post was where it was—when this fairway ends, the hole drops down into a valley which is offset to the right of the first fairway. If you had aimed down the first fairway, you’d send it straight into the long grass-covered dunes. The aiming post is also the site of one of golf’s most iconic views.
The interest is certainly not over, even if you’ve found the fairway. Unless you’ve hit a long drive, you’ll have to contend with a narrow gap between dunes and two bunkers about 30 yards short of the green. This was a formidable task into a wind that was quartering from the right. But I think the hole would be just as interesting in any wind. There’s plenty of room to run the ball onto the green once you carry these bunkers, so while difficult, there’s enough forgiveness for it to work.
It’s awfully difficult but for its combination of beauty, originality, quirk, and shot values, it’s hard to beat the 9th hole at Royal County Down.
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