OVGA Amateur Golf Tour

Last weeks Hole Of The Week was the Par 5 16th hole at Aston Oaks. Playing slightly longer than it’s 501 yard scorecard length, the hole was every bit the challenge it was expected to be, with at least 1 player posting a double-digit score. A few people complained about the design of the hole. The pin was placed in the center back, which presented a severe break to those putting from the right, a challenging break from the left, and a strong uphill putt from below. The hole still yielded some pars and at least 1 birdie.

Average Score    7.24
Hole Difficulty Ranking    1

Now, on to what matters most this week. I have chosen two consecutive holes at Elks Run Golf Club in Batavia to share Hole Of The Week honors.
The par 4 7th hole plays 363 yard from the Black tees for the Eagle Flight, and 335 yards from the Blue Tees for the Birdie and Par Flights.  The fairway appears to be narrow from the tee box due to trees running down the right, and a creek running down the left. In practice, the fairway is wide at the far end and at the beginning. This is because the trees on the left just short of the green are so tall, that the only way to avoid them is either to be very long, very short or to the right side of the fairway. A tee shot of typical distance for many players, if it goes to the left side of the fairway, will leave no approach shot. The green runs parallel to the fairway and is very long. Because of this, a pin position in the front means that a tee shot that is too short is also blocked by the trees. The ideal tee shot, if it can be pulled off, will be long and in the middle or right of the fairway. The green has a high point right in the middle and slopes hard away from the player in the middle back. A small sand trap at the beginning of the green usually does not come into play. However, the creek that runs between the fairway and green usually catches it’s share of partial wedge shots.
The par 3 8th hole caused an uproar at the opening day event back in April. The green is very large. However, there is a dip on the front right sloped so severely that a putt from above it is capable of going off the green. The pin in April was barely at the top of this dip. However, the contour of the green has never been the most difficult aspect of this hole. The green sits on a plateau. In front is a valley of deep brush and a small but deep bunker, to the right is a steep drop off to the card path, and behind is a forest of trees on another steep drop off with very little grass, or in other words, a place for the ball to run well away from the green. Virtually any shot not finding the green will be unplayable. To make it even more difficult, the tees are elevated, making club selection virtually a blind guess. Back in April, the tee markers were moved up to the front platform, requiring most people to play a sand wedge OR LESS. This did not prevent people such as this writer from completely missing the green long or short. This hole is the main reason I have requested that Order Of Play rules be enforced for Saturday’s event. I have not stated a playing length for this hole, as it will be anyone’s guess.
I am GUARANTEEING that these two holes will make or break everyone in contention on Saturday. In fact, as an added incentive to forum readers, if you birdie either of these holes, just come up to me at the banquet when other people are standing around within earshot, and say “Well shave my legs and call me (female version of your name), I birdied the hole of the week”, and I will buy you a steak dinner. And no, you won’t actually have to shave your legs.