The 15th hole is ridiculous
Keep a close eye on the 15th hole at Atlanta Athletic Golf Club during this weekend’s USPGA Championship. It could easily decide the winner of the tournament but not with birdies, most likely a bogey or worse.
The hole is a 265 yard par-3. That’s a 242 metre par-3 with water down the right hand side and the green spreading out behind it.
The hole has been lengthened since the course last hosted the USPGA Championship on 2001. The photo above is taken from the 265 yard back tee and I doubt very much tournament organisers will be using the front tees to ease the pressure.
It is ridiculous. Does anyone honestly think the pro’s will love playing this hole? Does anyone think bogey’s are fun to watch? Lengthening holes is not the answer and this just reeks of a lack of imagination on behalf of the course designers.
A number of golfers have already expressed their distaste for the hole. Darren Clarke lead the way as reported by Irish Golf Desk.
“The best par threes are often the short ones and at some stage somebody is going to figure that out. I don’t see what the obsession is with length, length, length all the time.
“It would be a three wood and hit it well or a reload because balls don’t float. That’s what it will be and I might not be the only one in that sort of scenario if that’s what they play it as.”
Soon after someone informed Clarke that the hole was downhill.
“It is. But it ain’t that much f***ing downhill.”
They need to have a good hard look at the Melbourne sandbelt, in particular the 15th at Kingston Heath. 142 metres, uphill, wicked bunkers, epic green, the hole is tough to defend yet can be attacked. Now thats a classic Par 3!
I agree there seems to be an obsession with length of holes and courses and I would not like having to play this particular hole. However I never have a problem seeing professionals have bogeys and shoot over par scores, it is there job and they should relish the challenge, nobody I know enjoys every bit of there job so why should golfers be any different?