Four holes throughout Buffalo-Niagara have been judged “Best Of” for their respective position on the golf course. Who will join Sheridan Park, Crag Burn, Transit Valley and Tri-County as “Best 5th Hole in Buffalo-Niagara”? 8 worthy selections have been offered candidacy; now it’s up to the BuffaloGolfer viewership to render an electoral decision.
One par three, the iconic 228-yard hole at Park Club in Amherst, made the ballot. Three par four holes, ranging from the 320-yard offering at Grover Cleveland to the 392-yard knee-knocker at Byrncliff, to the monstrous 474-yard beast at Lancaster Country Club, join in the fun. The list is dominated, albeit just slightly, by three-shot holes. The longest is the 589-yard newcomer at Diamond Hawk, followed by the 550-yard ranger at Stafford Country Club, then the 484 yarder at Elma Meadows and the 476 uphill trek at Moon Brook Country Club. Two county courses, four country clubs and two more public venues look to you to render a decision!
[poll id=”28″]
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Read the Scrambler’s thoughts on the 5th holes that just missed the cut for voting.
My vote is for Lancaster
I have played almost every course in western New York and I have never played a tougher par 4 than Lancaster’s number 5. If you check with the club pros they will confirm that 5 & 6 at Lancaster are the two toughest back to back par fours in the district.
William,
Now THAT is another vote altogether! Toughest back-to-back holes. I can give you a pair: 17 & 18 at CCB…the better player tackles 17 as a par 4, not a 5, and 18 is terrific. The trick is having successive par 4s…Let’s see~16 and 17 at Park are pretty darned difficult~13 & 14 at Transit Valley are in the mix~I do believe that Lancaster is THE underrated course in the district.
William,
Thanks for the feedback beyond just a vote. We wish more people would follow your lead and give qualitative feedback like that.
As for toughest back-to-back, you are right about that stretch at Lancaster. It’s a sigh of relief once you get past those two. I’m trying to envision a few other similar stretches beyond Mo’s suggestions, although I don’t recall Park’s 17th being that rough (especially in comparison to 5 or 6 at LCC).
Racking my brain, I can think of a few tougher 16/17 combos, but probably not as bad as LCC:
Niagara Falls (Porter Cup Configuration) – Par 3/Par4
Harvest Hill – Par 4 / Par 3
Holiday Valley – Long Par 4 (coverted from 5) / Long Uphill Par 5
I don’t think that the original point specifically referenced holes 16/17; rather, back-to-back par 4s. When you go over courses with par fours, you have to find two back-to-back.
Now that I rethink it, Sheridan has four sets for discussion…
9/10…Drive on 9 must be in fairway or you can’t really go at green well~approach has to be middle of green or water/uneven lies come into play, while 10 into the wind is a bear
10/11…see above for 10 and 11 is flat-out goofy and challenging.
11/12…see above for 11-12’s drive is intimidating beyond words, then you come in with mid-iron or longer at best.
14/15…14 has toughest drive on course and toughest approach on course, while 15 is long and uphill.
Actually, I wasn’t limiting my review to 16/17 combos. When I did my mental review, it was just a coincidence that the three toughest back-to-backs I thought of were 16 & 17.
But you’re right about the par fours. I thought William was talking about the toughest back-to-back holes overall, and missed the par 4 qualification. I had thought of Sheridan’s 14/15 combo, but was locked into my discovery of the 16/17 coincidence by then.
#5 at lockport is far better than lancaster’s
How come, Hawk? Give us something to debate!