We’ve reached the turn and we don’t yet have a par three winner in our Buffalo-Niagara’s Best series. That won’t change in week nine, as no hole has a par less than four. Eight unique and excellent courses have won our “Best Nth Hole” votes and eight more clubs have a chance to join the pantheon this week.
The ninth hole at a course is one of its strongest, as front and back might be flipped at a moment’s notice, necessitating a strong conclusion to each side. Nominees include three courses vying for a second “Best Hole” election: Sheridan, Lancaster and Crag Burn. Joining them in battle are Niagara Frontier, Orchard Park, Deerwood, Buffalo Tournament Club and Harvest Hill. Be sure to cast your vote and to encourage everyone you know to contribute an opinion.
[poll id=”32″]
Buffalogolfer.com were have a fun little back and forth about #8 at Caz. BG called it a risk-reward hole. I have trouble calling a 9 iron shot to a green (unless you flat out top roll your tee shot) – a risk. I’ll concede its a small green, but its usually soft because its in shade most of day. In my opinion, a risk-reward involves a shot that has a low percentage of success, with added strokes in the form of penalties or wasted shots recoverying from a miss. Caz #8 doesn’t reach those criterian in my opinion.
Now #9 at Harvest Hill, that presents a risk-reward type hole. The prevailing wind is in your face right to left, tee shot offers a big fairway to look at but wind and slices brings bunkers, and fescue into play. Unless, you can hit 250 off tee from silver tee to back, you will have a fairway wood in your hand for the 2nd shot. The approach shot is a yardage + 2 clubs shot to the green, leaving players with a very small percentage shot, uphill-into wind-shallow,sloped green-narrow area to run it up. A miss on that long approach easily brings 6 or 7 into play. The average golfer should play this hole as a 3 shot par 4, hope for a one putt for their par, or be happy with your 2 putt and escaping with a bogey and the ball you started the hole with. Then head over to the Shanty and get a Redlinski Hot Dog and a cold one — you deserve it.
Don’t know much about Caz#8, but Kathy is spot on about HH #9. That hole takes some work.
Kathy is right on. As a very amateur golfer who has played every course in WNY its not even close. Read Kathys post and its described perfectly
OK, before this gets out of hand [and 2-3 comments borders on out of hand for us :)] let me explain something.
We are not comparing apples to oranges, so we are not comparing the 8th at Caz to the 9th at Harv. The 8th at Caz is a risk-reward, short par four that offers scores from 2-8, depending on what you do with each shot. A player of Kathy’s ability will more likely make 3 or 4 9 times out of 10.
Harvest Hill’s 9th hole has been the turning point for many a high school match in the half-decade that the course has been open. It is the epitome of the strong par four. The driving area is crowned and sits near the bend of the dogleg. Tall, whispy rough guard each side of the fairway, as do rough bunkers (rough because they sit in the rough, not the fairway.) The second shot is usually 1 to 1.5 clubs longer, due to the ascent from drive zone to green. The tendency, strangely enough, is to miss right, in the deep fronting bunker, by the tree (double penalty, say I). The green is enormous, divided into at least four sections. To two-putt from one section to another is spectacular.
In review, the 9th at HH may be one of the great holes in the area. It is not of similar ilk to the 8th at Caz, so any attempt to compare the two is fruitless. Wait till we get started on the 17th at Harvest Hill!!
Thanks Mo Golf. It wasn’t a comparison of holes, simply my idea of a risk-reward, vs. Buffalogolfer.com’s. Thanks for the vote of confidence on my probable score at Caz #8, I assure you I have put my share on Potter Rd, over the years. Can’t wait to chat about #17 at Harvest Hill. I have a few choice words about 16 too. (not sure we can print them).
Hit’m straight!