What a Stupid Hole

Is This a Good Hole?

What a stupid hole! As golfers, we’ve all said it for one reason or another. Sometimes the hole doesn’t look right. It doesn’t fit the shape of our shot. Or we just struggle with it for some unknown reason. It just makes us uncomfortable. Sometimes a stupid hole is just that, a stupid hole smashed into a space ill-suited for a golf hole. Stupid holes can be on public, resort or private courses. And sometimes, even with great intentions, a designer can build a truly stupid hole.

I had the privilege of working at Stone Harbor Golf Club in New Jersey when it first opened in the late 1980’s. Designed by the late Desmond Muirhead, Stone Harbor Golf Club featured one of the craziest holes ever conceived, the par-3 seventh. An island par-3, the hole quickly became one of the most photographed and controversial holes ever built. Pete Dye had the seventeenth at TPC Sawgrass, but Desmond Muirhead surpassed Dye with the seventh at Stone Harbor.

Desmond Muirhead believed in a unique approach to golf course design. A golf course should be a work of art. It should tell a story. On the ground, the golf course should look like a golf course, but, from the air, it should look like a masterpiece on the canvas of the ground. A painting to dazzle the eye. Holes which looked like a mermaid or a fish or some other crazy thing became part of Muirhead’s designs.

Needless to say, Muirhead was controversial in his process. Some called him a genius. Others a madman.

So, let’s get to Stone Harbor.

The holes at Stone Harbor were each designed based on a mythological story. Each hole bears a name like Jupiter or Beowulf or Medusa. Odd, right?

What about the 7th hole? Why was it so unique?

The original hole dubbed, “Clashing Rocks,” was created based on the story of Jason and the Argonauts. The hole intimidated the best of players but was also stunningly visual. From the back tee, the hole plays 140 yds. Into the wind, it became a nightmarishly difficult hole. Below is a picture of the original green complex.

This is a picture of the hole from behind the green.

The green was boat shaped with the large teeth-like bunkers out in the water representing the clashing rocks trying to crush the Argo, Jason’s boat. Even more intimidating, players had a good long look at the hole as they played the sixth hole, Beowulf, a par 4 with an island fairway.

It quickly became one of the most photographed and talked about holes in golf. Players wanted to brag about hitting the green. They tried to hit ball after ball, each one finding a watery grave. Somedays we even had a ranger sit at the tee and force players to move up to the drop area just to keep things moving.

The debate about the hole focused on whether or not it was a good golf hole. Was it good design? Or was it just a great marketing piece to draw people to the newly established private club. I’ll admit, it certainly was a great marketing piece. People came just to play the 7th hole, but they discovered a great golf course in the process.

As with all new golf courses with the stature of Stone Harbor, sometimes there need to be some tweeks to the design. A green didn’t quite settle the way it was intended to. A bunker, which looked good on paper, is actually out of place. Designers are brought back in to review possible changes.

Any changes to Stone Harbor needed to be approved by Muirhead for a certain period of time after opening.

A full year after the entire course was open, Muirhead came to consult on some proposed changes. I was fortunate enough to not only get to spend some time listening to Muirhead, I got to offer my thoughts on the course. In particular, the 7th hole.

Muirhead was larger than life, a proper English gentleman with a zest for life and art. He was gracious and boisterous. Polite and cantankerous. Brilliant and off his rocker. I found him absolutely fascinating.

Myself, the owners, head golf professional and Muirhead met in the clubhouse to discuss the course. Most of the talk was general maintenance issues and some small fixes which were commonplace with new courses.

Following the meeting in the clubhouse, we headed to a waiting helicopter to take an aerial tour of the course. I knew the design concepts of the holes and could see some of the artistry as I played them, but what I saw from the air was breathtaking. The idea of a golf course being art and telling a story appeared on the ground below as we flew over the course. I cannot describe the beauty of it. Seeing pictures does not do it justice. It was absolutely stunning from the air.

There was more discussion about some cosmetic changes to a few of the holes. Muirhead agreed with some and disagreed with others.

And then we were over the seventh. A lengthy discussion ensued. Out of the blue, Desmond turned to me and asked, “And what do you think of this hole?”

“It’s a stupid hole,” I said, nearly regretting the words as they escaped my lips.

Desmond stroked his beard. “Would you care to elaborate?”

I was in it now, so I answered with my honest opinion.

“It’s a stupid hole because I can hit a good shot and make a five, and I can hit an absolutely terrible shot and make a three.”

He stroked his beard. “Explain.”

“If the pin is in the front or back of the green, I can hit a shot pin high fifteen feet from the hole and be in the water. I can hit an awful shot and miss the green by ten yards, be in a bunker and make three.”

He looked at me still stroking his beard. He turned and looked down at the hole, and then back to me.

“I concur.”

End of discussion. It was a stupid hole and design. The hole would be redesigned.

Below is the 7th today on the left with the 6th hole on the right.

Much better design and hole. And it is still a bear into the wind. Still an island green. Still a difficult hole. Still a visually stunning hole. More importantly, no longer a stupid hole.

I admire Muirhead for his willingness to recognize the flaw in his design. In retrospect, I believe he and the owners got what they wanted from the hole. It drew attention and brought notoriety to the course.

What stupid holes have you played? Are they poor design, or do they just eat your lunch? Feel free to leave comments.

And remember, whether you’re playing a stupid hole or not, enjoy the days you get to play this amazing game. It is an honor and privilege to tee it up and let it rip. So, go golf!