Last night I was in a very heated discussion with a friend regarding hole design. It started when I said that I thought that a 420 yard par 4 was too long. I was accused of being a pansy and a complainer. He said, "420, you need a good 250 yard driver, then you have 170." 5 iron for him. He said that a hole that is driver/pitching wedge is just as difficult because you can still miss the green with the wedge. I had to say that although possible to miss the green with a PW, it was a lot less likely, even for a 16+ handicap.
His response was, "If you want par on a 420 yard par 4, then you need to hit 2 really good shots and two putt. Which is fair." I said he was nuts. I told him that the green better be accepting and not protected by bunkers or water.
My friend asked, "Why wouldn't you want to play a course that's a challenge?" I said that I didn't want to have to be going driver/5iron on more than one par 4 a round. Because it would get old having to scramble for bogey and double every hole.
What are you opinions on courses/holes that are overly difficult. Does it get tiring? Is a difficult course more or less likely to get your repeat business?
His response was, "If you want par on a 420 yard par 4, then you need to hit 2 really good shots and two putt. Which is fair." I said he was nuts. I told him that the green better be accepting and not protected by bunkers or water.
My friend asked, "Why wouldn't you want to play a course that's a challenge?" I said that I didn't want to have to be going driver/5iron on more than one par 4 a round. Because it would get old having to scramble for bogey and double every hole.
What are you opinions on courses/holes that are overly difficult. Does it get tiring? Is a difficult course more or less likely to get your repeat business?