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Template Holes - What is your favorite style?

GraniteRoost

GraniteRoost

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I've been diving into the golf course architecture rabbit hole, and I learned this week about Template Holes for the first time. All of these designs are pretty interesting and challenging, and now that I know what they are I'm looking forward to seeking out some of them on my travels.

Do you lie template holes? What style(s) appeal to you most?

http://blog.tgctours.com/template-hole-architecture/

Screenshot_20180707-194420.png
 
I'll start - I really dig the Short hole (as above). I love a precise wedge shot with appealing views.

The Barriatz - awesome green complex with a bunch of potential ways the hole can be set up.

The Cape - another awesome challenging approach
Cape-CGC14Aerial.jpg


Cape-CGC14Approach.jpeg


The Levin - Love these layouts for their driving challenges
Leven-hole-at-Chicago.jpg
 
Love the look. I’m curious if this makes course maintenance a lot harder?
 
J.B. Cobb III said:
Love the look. I’m curious if this makes course maintenance a lot harder?
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Probably, but not bad. The most time consuming bit IMO would be that you probably need a crew to FlyMo the bunker faces at least once or twice a week, perhaps more when the grass is really moving. That, and hand raking traps.

Most of these payouts are so private and exclusive that its probably a drop in the bucket as far as what they spend on turf.
 
I get the theory of this, but to me it still comes down to the picturesque of the hole. You can put some of these templates in, but if not configured correctly with the surroundings, then it losses appeal IMO.
Am I wrong in my thinking?
 
GraniteRoost said:
I've been diving into the golf course architecture rabbit hole, and I learned this week about Template Holes for the first time. All of these designs are pretty interesting and challenging, and now that I know what they are I'm looking forward to seeking out some of them on my travels.

Do you lie template holes? What style(s) appeal to you most?

http://blog.tgctours.com/template-hole-architecture/

Screenshot_20180707-194420.png
Click to expand...
Have played Sleepy Hollow before the renovation. Hoping to get back there this summer.
 
Snickerdoodle said:
I get the theory of this, but to me it still comes down to the picturesque of the hole. You can put some of these templates in, but if not configured correctly with the surroundings, then it losses appeal IMO.
Am I wrong in my thinking?
Click to expand...

I would agree with you, and, a lot of these seem to have done a pretty good job.
 
Template holes are the cornerstone to the classic courses and ultimately define many of the very best courses. Once you construct a great hole, well repeat it on your next project. That was the mantra of the golden age of golf architecture in the early 20th century. If you get the chance to visit Bandon Dunes. Of which their 6th fabulous course will open this summer....and we can all argue which one is the best...Ha My fave is Old MacDonald which is a celebration of CB Macdonald and many of his template holes. My favorite template is the Alps. My favorite Alps hole is the 17th hole of Prestwick.
 
GraniteRoost said:
I would agree with you, and, a lot of these seem to have done a pretty good job.
Click to expand...
I'm confident to say the best architects in history of golf building knew the right way to configure the holes while incorporating templates.
 
There was a period a few years ago when golf magazines were heavily discussing two things.

One was slow play.

The other was the cost of maintaining golf courses.

The same writers touting more "natural" golf courses were also complaining about slow play.

But this is the reality--the more a golf course looks like a highly maintained park or garden, the faster it is to play.

The more that it looks like Pine Valley, the slower it s to play.

What we need now, more than ever, in this time where golf is NOT growing, are architects who don't give a fig about professional or tournament golf.
We need architects who are driven to build courses that are both fun and fast to play for fifteen handicappers.

6000-6300 yards. Big, easy to hit greens with room for reasonable pin locations.. Generous landing areas. Well spaced trees, not natural woods where people spend time looking for golf balls. Bunkers placed more to prevent balls from rolling into more troublesome places than to be punitive.

Judicious use of maintenance budgets. Tee boxes are expensive to maintain. Go with Field Turf tees and spend the money saved on keeping the bunkers nice and fluffy.

Now the typical internet golf forum participant might not like these ideas. The typical internet golf forum participant, however, is not the typical recreational player. If we want the game to grow, we've got to have golf courses that encourage the game to grow. Template holes look like a move in that direction.
 
I am a member of a 1922 Seth Raynor design. Template holes are a huge part of our course and history. We are in the process of undergoing a complete restoration and I’m really looking forward to the plans and completion. Should be started later this year and complete by 2022, the 100 year anniversary.
 
j_sizzle9 said:
I am a member of a 1922 Seth Raynor design. Template holes are a huge part of our course and history. We are in the process of undergoing a complete restoration and I’m really looking forward to the plans and completion. Should be started later this year and complete by 2022, the 100 year anniversary.
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Dude, that is awesome! It must be cool to play a historic layout like that day in and day out. You too @tahoebum

Sizzle if you have any, would love to see some pictures of favorite holes on your home course.
 
j_sizzle9 said:
I am a member of a 1922 Seth Raynor design. Template holes are a huge part of our course and history. We are in the process of undergoing a complete restoration and I’m really looking forward to the plans and completion. Should be started later this year and complete by 2022, the 100 year anniversary.
Click to expand...

My club is a 1906 Donald Ross design. Just over a decade ago, the course went through a MAJOR renovation, sufficient to close the club down for more than a full season. Mostly, it was to improve drainage, but since this required so much bulldozong, more was done (and this is to a classic Donald Ross course).

Tight holes were opened up. Greens were made larger and flatter. Fairways were completely regraded to eliminate blind shots. (Some of this required blasting.) Bunkers were cleaned up and redesigned.

I don't know a simgle member (or guest) who doesn't like the changes. Play is faster. Scores are lower. The course is still visually beautiful.
 
I love Alps holes. Hitting blind into the green and than having no idea where the shot ends up. Forces you to really trust your yardage and your equipment.

I play in Chattanooga, two courses with amazing Alps holes, Lookout Mountain and Black Creek.

Earl
 
I am sure these would be awesome to play. Aesthetically I like when holes and the course fit into the landscape. Some of these look stamped on top of the landscape. I might just need time to adjust my perspective.
 
Earl said:
I love Alps holes. Hitting blind into the green and than having no idea where the shot ends up. Forces you to really trust your yardage and your equipment.

I play in Chattanooga, two courses with amazing Alps holes, Lookout Mountain and Black Creek.

Earl
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I haven't heard many players with that opinion. We used dynamite through granite to get rid of ours. Left an interesting look.
 
RetiredBoomer said:
I haven't heard many players with that opinion. We used dynamite through granite to get rid of ours. Left an interesting look.
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Surely understand, these Alps holes, either you love them or you hate them. A bit gimmickly I have to admit, if you just trust the yardages and play to the center of the green, these templates play pretty easy
 
Earl said:
Surely understand, these Alps holes, either you love them or you hate them. A bit gimmickly I have to admit, if you just trust the yardages and play to the center of the green, these templates play pretty easy
Click to expand...

Not necessarily gimmicky if they follow the lay of the land.
Probably don't slow play as much as blind driving holes would.
You're going to be somewhere near the green if you miss.

I can see how somebody more adventurous than myself would like them.
I just don't miss ours!
 
These are pretty unique, that first green is wild!
 
I love bottle holes. I haven’t seen them often but they’re fascinating. 17 at Annandale in Madison, MS:

8CA6D7D5-FE1C-4573-B149-C145351292AC.jpeg
 
I have so much to learn. Another topic to research.
 
I'm an alps and redan fan. Something about hitting the perfect low shot and seeing the ball roll back to the pin is just so satisfying. Although the original redan is blind, so I suppose I like the templates better!
 
I'm a fan of course architecture but admittedly I've only dipped a toe into that rabbit hole.

I can without a doubt say that a Redan is my least favorite hole. Long par 3s that slope front to back can suck a D.
 
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