Are Golf Courses Too Long and Difficult? Lee Trevino Interview

[DrvFrShow]

On our local public 6600 yd track (from the blues) there are 7 par 4s that are 400 and over. The shorter ones are 375.

This course could play 7300 - 7400 yds from the back of the tips. On the black tees: the shortest par 4 is 399. The longest is 471. The longest par 3 is rated at 195 on the card but from a back tee placement on the tips it could be as long as 225. And they only give it a slope rating of 125 from the tips and 121 from blue. I guess because there's not a lot of water or OB.

[RFKFREAK]

I just looked up the yardages for Colonie, I think they're suspect. From the whites, it plays close to 6000 yds and from the backs it plays close to 6500

This year we'll play the White/Blue course and I'll use my GPS and we'll compare afterwards.

[colin007]

This year we'll play the White/Blue course and I'll use my GPS and we'll compare afterwards.

Sounds like a plan. Maybe the snow will melt around August.

[RFKFREAK]

Sounds like a plan. Maybe the snow will melt around August.

Sweet, the golf season will start as the kids start classes around Labor Day!

[cooke119]

Are they too long and difficult? No, it s golf for crying out load.

[Parker0065]

To the original question, not around here. Send like almost all courses near me are less than 6500 from the tips.

Colin,

Your right that the majority of courses in the Capitol District do max out at 6500-6700 yards. Likely because most of them are older more classic styled layouts that were built well before the clubs and ball became super juiced. In many cases I've found most of these courses to be great layouts from the back tees with a combination of short par4's inside 375, along with some tough +450 yard par4's sprinkled into the mix.

But we do have some length in the Albany/Saratoga area if you look close enough:

Saratoga State Park at 7145 yards from the black tees

Eagle Crest at 6929 yards from the black tees

Saratoga National is the longest I've found at 7241 yards

The Sagamore - A classic Donald Ross is at 7173 from the back tees.

In my opinion classic layouts from Devereux Emmet - Capitol Hills, and McGregor Links give players at all levels all they can handle from the back tees even though they are both under 7000 yards. Same with Glens Falls CC. Another classic Donald Ross that is a bit harder to get onto but is a very difficult test at 6500 yard par 71. Donald Ross greens man, you don't need length with those things. I've also played the Donald Ross Wilmington N.C. Muni. Another 6500 yard classic with tough green complexes.

I think there's a lot of examples out there of well designed courses under 7000 yards that are very difficult tests. A good mix of short medium and long holes make for a more enjoyable round. Personally I enjoy playing where you have a number of +450 yard par4's then catch a drivable or short-ish par4 or two. Same with Par3's and par5's.