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Alex Elias  In an interview with Links Magazine, Bill Coore said, “There are so many people in our industry who can move earth spectacularly well. We just prefer to follow Maxwell's old adage about doing small things on suitable ground.”
As Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw are known to like short Par-4s, Coore added, “But you can really only have this if the land gives it to you.” At Old Sandwich Golf Club (Plymouth, MA), the land on which the short Par-4 5th lies did just that—and more—as it perfectly suits a “Cape hole,” a C.B. Macdonald template. Although the defining characteristic of the template is a tee shot over water, the waterless hole at Old Sandwich Golf Club demands the same diagonal forced carry, but instead over a blueberry bush–covered gully. “When most people hear ‘drivable Par-4,’ they assume the line is the flag, but the line on No. 5 is actually twenty or thirty yards right of the green,” said Tyler Sprague, Assistant Golf Professional at Old Sandwich Golf Club. “You have to trust that if you play a right-to-left tee shot and limit the risk by aiming twenty yards right, then the contours of the fairway will kick your ball left, inevitably resulting in a shorter second shot than the one had you taken the aggressive line.” Similar to the tee shot, the approach is a nervy one. A Cape hole’s green is undulating and surrounded on three sides by water or bunkers. Coore and Crenshaw’s rendition at Old Sandwich Golf Club is no exception, as the green is protected by narrow bunkers left, right, and long, and a small, pot-like bunker short. “The approach shot on No. 5 is so difficult because even if you hit a good tee shot, you have to navigate two ridges from 50–80 yards out. If your ball lands on the downslope, it can shoot towards the back bunker, and if it doesn’t get up enough, it can catch the front right bowl, where you'll be left with a putt that is one of the most difficult on the property to read,” said Sprague. “And if you play it too safe off the tee, then you're left with a blind second shot where you have to trust your number and aim line.” Proving to be a superb rendition of a modern risk-reward hole, Sprague added, “When you have a short Par-4, you tend to think it's a guaranteed birdie, but because of the approach shot and undulating green, you oftentimes just have to play it smart and find the putting surface and two-putt.”
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Alex Elias  Designed by Golden Age architect A.W. Tillinghast, Ridgewood Country Club (Paramus, New Jersey) contains three separate 9-hole courses, East, Center, and West, that all begin and end at the clubhouse. The Championship Course, a composite of the three nine-hole courses, begins with Nos. 1–7 of the East, proceeds with Nos. 2–6 of the Center, and concludes with Nos. 4–9 of the West.
Officially named “Scoonie,” 6 Center, Ridgewood’s shortest Par-4, is the signature hole on property. Known as the “Nickel and Dime” or “Five and Dime,” 6 Center earns its name thanks to Byron Nelson, who said the best strategy was to hit a 5-iron and 10-iron (pitching wedge) when he served as the club’s assistant pro in the 1930s. Although many players follow the two-shot strategy like Nelson, the short length of the hole (294 yards from the Championship tees and 277 yards from the Back tees) presents a risk-reward opportunity difficult to resist. “I almost always go for it,” said Leo Lee, Assistant Golf Professional at Ridgewood Country Club. “When I began, David Reasoner (Head Golf Professional at Ridgewood Country Club) said, ‘You can’t hit a hole-in-one on a Par-4 with an iron in your hand.’” Although the opportunity for a hole-in-one, or more realistically an eagle or birdie, certainly presents itself, so too does bogey, double-bogey, or even triple-bogey, as the less than 2,200-square-foot green is protected by six deadly bunkers. “If you hit driver and find the green, you’re going to have an eagle putt, and at worst, most likely a two-putt for birdie. But if you’re even a little off line, you’re going to have a difficult time getting up and down,” said Lee. “Although it’s a fairly easy up and down from the right bunkers, the left bunkers certainly test one’s short game, as the green slopes hard left to right, making the bounce tough to judge and control.” Even with the treachery around the green, Lee believes taking on the risk is the wiser of the two options. As for his reason, Lee said, “A lot of amateur golfers struggle with a shot inside 115 yards. If you mishit your wedge even slightly, then you will likely have the same shot had you hit driver.” Alex Elias  Courtesy of Evan Schiller (@evan_schiller_photography) Although C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor are most associated with template holes, fellow Golden Age architect A.W. Tillinghast pioneered the ‘Great Hazard’—a mass of bunkers that typically comes into play on a player’s second shot on a Par-5. Chris Gabriele, Lead Assistant Golf Professional at Quaker Ridge Golf Club (pictured above), said, “The template is an amazing design that stands the test of time. It definitely puts pressure on the drive in order to play the Par-5 as you wish.”  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Baltimore Country Club (East) - No. 14 - 607 Lutherville, MD The Great Hazard at Baltimore Country Club: East, also known as Five Farms, stretches across the entire fairway, roughly 225 yards from the green and spanning more than 150 feet. Successfully carrying it rewards players with a favorable downslope, setting up a short wedge for their third shot.  Courtesy of Evan Schiller (@evan_schiller_photography) Baltusrol Golf Club: Lower - No. 17 - 655 Springfield, NJ Magnificently restored by Gil Hanse in 2020, the Great Hazard at Baltusrol Golf Club, known as the ‘Sahara,’ spans the width of the fairway and has been reshaped to include grassy church pews.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@linksgems) Bethpage State Park: Black - No. 4 - 517 Farmingdale, NY Often considered A.W. Tillinghast’s finest Par-5, No. 4 is a double dogleg over a diagonal Great Hazard—a single, long bunker rather than a mass of bunkers.
Fenway Golf Club - No. 7 - 636 Scarsdale, NY Unlike other renditions, the Great Hazard at Fenway Golf Club does not span the entire fairway. Positioned on the right, it forces players left, where they must be cautious of OB.
Pine Valley Golf Club - No. 7 - 636 Clementon, NJ The first Great Hazard ever built is No. 7 at Pine Valley Golf Club, as A.W. Tillinghast convinced course architect George Crump. Known as Hell’s Half Acre, the Great Hazard stretches 100 yards and places immense pressure on the tee shot.
Philadelphia Cricket Club - No. 7 - 553 Wissahickon, PA Philadelphia Cricket Club, Tillinghast’s home club and the site where his ashes were scattered, is renowned for its superb bunkers. The Great Hazard on the Par-5 7th is one of the most famed renditions. To avoid it on the second shot, players must first find the fairway with their drive.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Ridgewood Country Club - No. 4 (West) - 606
Ridgewood, NJ Rather than a mass of bunkers, Ridgewood Country Club features “a series of moguls covered with deep rough,” known as “Muckle.” Alex Elias Originally designed in 1899 at Biarritz Le Phare by Willie Dunn Jr., the Par-3 3rd, known as ‘Chasm,’ no longer exists, but the ‘Biarritz’ template—later adopted by C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor—does. The template’s defining feature is its massive green, stretching 60 to 80 yards, bisected by a prominent swale three to five feet deep and flanked by narrow bunkers on both sides.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Piping Rock Club - No. 9 - 227 Locust Valley, NY In 1908, C.B. Macdonald designed National Golf Links of America with the goal of creating ‘the perfect golf course.’ His design included the ‘Short,’ ‘Eden,’ and ‘Redan.’ However, it was at Piping Rock Club—not National Golf Links of America—where Macdonald first introduced the ‘Biarritz,’ completing the quartet of one-shot templates later carried forward by Seth Raynor. Notably, the front section of the Biarritz at Piping Rock is maintained as fairway and guarded by a front bunker.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Camargo Club - No. 8 - 227 Cincinnati, OH As at Piping Rock Club, the front section of the Biarritz at Camargo Club is maintained as fairway. The green is smaller than most, measuring just 32 yards from the swale to the back.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Chicago Golf Club - No. 3 - 219 Wheaton, IL Designed by C.B. Macdonald in 1894, the Biarritz at Chicago Golf Club was added by Seth Raynor during his 1925 renovation. The green is flanked by narrow bunkers on both sides, as well as in front and behind.  Courtesy of Evan Schiller (@evan_schiller_photography) Dedham Country & Polo Club - No. 14 - 221 Dedham Country & Polo Club Designed by Seth Raynor in 1925, Dedham Country & Polo Club was restored in 2017 by Brian Silva. Following the renovation, the Biarritz green now stretches roughly 70 yards from back to front and features a thumbprint just short of the swale.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Elkridge Club - No. 13 - 225 Baltimore, MD Similar to Dedham Country & Polo Club, the Biarritz at Elkridge Club features a thumbprint just short of the swale. One of the longest Biarritz holes, the slightly downhill hole measures over 250 yards to a back pin.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Fishers Island Club - No. 5 - 229 Fishers Island, NY Similar to Piping Rock Club, the front section of the Biarritz at Fishers Island Club is maintained as fairway. Unlike most Biarritz holes, No. 5 plays slightly uphill.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Fox Chapel Golf Club - No. 17 - 231 Pittsburgh, PA Fox Chapel Golf Club features the deepest swale of any Biarritz template, measuring roughly five feet.  Metairie Country Club - No. 3 - 248 Metairie, LA Unlike many Golden Age architects who relied on dramatic topography, Raynor often worked with relatively flat, featureless terrain, using templates to create variety and strategic interest. At Metairie Country Club, the Biarritz 3rd is one of several templates that showcase his ability to introduce challenge on otherwise flat land.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Mid-Ocean Club - No. 13 - 238 St.George's, Bermuda As at Piping Rock Club, the front section of the Biarritz at Mid-Ocean Club is maintained as fairway.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Mountain Lake - No. 5 - 210 Lake Wales FL As Florida golf tends to be homogeneous—flat land, abundant water, and palm trees—Raynor’s templates, including the Biarritz 5th at Mountain Lake, present a striking contrast to other top Florida courses.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Shoreacres - No. 6 - 211 Lake Bluff, IL Although the swale at Shoreacres isn’t as severe as at other courses, the tee-to-green topography is relatively flat, allowing the hole to be played as originally intended, with a low shot that runs through the swale to the back portion of the green.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Southampton Golf Club - No. 14 - 189 Southampton, NY Although Southampton Golf Club is often overshadowed by its neighbors, Seth Raynor—a founding member—considered the club’s Biarritz to be among his favorites.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) St. Louis Country Club - No. 2 - 225 St. Louis, MO At St. Louis Country Club, the green is flanked by two bunkers on the left and just one on the right. The latter is especially deep and is known by members as ‘the bunker of death.’  Courtesy of Evan Schiller (@evan_schiller_photography) The Creek - No. 11 - 195 Locust Valley, NY No. 11 at The Creek isn’t just a Biarritz—it’s an island Biarritz.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Westhampton Country Club - No. 17 - 214 Westhampton, NY The Biarritz at Westhampton Country Club is flanked by narrow bunkers wrapping around both the front and back.  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Yale Golf Course - No. 9 - 209
New Haven, CT The 1926 C.B. Macdonald design requires a 200-yard carry over water. |
