2) Ravenwood, Par 4, 315 Yards
Continuing on my theme of short par fours, Ravenwood’s second is my go-to for controversial yet wonderful golf holes. When players complain about the blandness of Ravenwood’s greens, I immediately point to the second green. The usual reaction? “Well that green is just silly.” I could not disagree more.
The strategy at the second at Ravenwood, designed by Robin Nelson, runs back to the tee. The golfer is tempted by the short yardage and the direct line to the flag, which flutters in a tantalizing manner over a cluster of bunkers down the right side of the fairway. Like a siren’s song, the flag draws the stronger player in off the tee, and he is prone to drive down the right side. Once he gets over there, he realizes the right side of the fairway leaves a very awkward angle into the crescent-shaped top tier where the flag is always cut. The player will be out of position, hit a less-than-stellar approach, and walk away blaming the quirky green complex for his less-than-stellar score.
The prudent golfer will play over the short-carry bunkers on the left. The higher left side of the fairway leaves the best angle into the green, with all of the green’s contours working in the golfer”s favor. Moreover, a conservative approach that finds the crater short and left will have a very good chance at four. Conversely, an aggressive approach that misses anywhere else will lead to an almost certain bogey. All of these factors need to be thought out on the tee, which is a very unusual and often frustrating characteristic in a golf hole.
At 315 yards, Ravenwood’s second is not a physical test. The unique green creates an entirely mental test that runs back to the tee, the type of test that is the most democratic measure of a golfer. Silly? Quite the contrary. It’s the best second hole in Rochester.
