Whenever I can, I sneak away on my frequent business trips to Arizona to play one of my favorites – the Coore & Crenshaw gem, Talking Stick. On my most recent outing to Talking Stick, one of my all-time favorite holes, the short par-4 12th (more on that hole later), got me to thinking about risk-reward holes par 4s, and why they are so great.
Golf is a game that makes many demands of the player. Mental demands to process information and use it in decision making. Physical demands to execute against the decision made. And the best holes, especially risk-reward par 4s, make strategic demands. On these holes, the player must weigh 2 options:
- The first option typically involves a safe tee shot that leads to a tougher approach, and the therefore a lower probability of being rewarded with a birdie, but also a lower probability of a bogey.
- The second option involves a riskier drive, where failure to execute could result in bogey or worse, but where success means a much easier approach to claim the birdie reward.
A risk-reward par 4 does not need to be drivable to maximize challenge and enjoyment, although many are. The beauty of these holes, and what makes them so demanding, is that there is no “right” choice. The safe and risky strategies both work, and both have their challenges. There is no easy way out, and so the player must make a decision, commit fully, and execute to make a birdie.
I fell in love with risk-reward holes as a caddie at Old Elm Club, which has recently undergone a restoration by J Drew Rogers. The 9th hole is a short dog-leg left par 4. The green complex is drivable, especially with a well-shaped draw, but errant tee shots are gobbled up by stands of large old trees. Drives that find the trees rarely result in a green in regulation. The player can choose to lay up short of the green in an area between 2 sets of bunkers, yielding an 80-100 yard pitch to a tiered green guarded by bunkers. Birdie is still quite possible with the safe play off the tee, but not nearly as probable as if the player can drive up near the green for an easy up-and-down.
Taking into account wind and weather conditions, I played the hole both conservatively and aggressively over the years. I made numerous birdies on the 9th, and had a few looks at eagle, but I also made my fair share of bogeys and others. The 9th at Old Elm never got boring, which is the mark of a great hole. (Thanks to Dimpled Rock Photography for the beautiful Old Elm photos)
My home course, the Kingsley Club, which was designed by Mike DeVries, also has a risk-reward par 4 that is great fun. The 13th at Kingsley is short enough to be drivable under almost all conditions. It also has an ample landing area for lay-ups. An undulating green, surrounded in front and right by bunkers, makes all approaches challenging and exciting.
Having played this hole both ways, I have concluded that the risky play at the green with a bail-out long left is the optimal choice. Ideally the player can hit a fade that runs up on to the green left of the front bunker. Neither the safe nor the risky play from the tee leaves an easy second shot though. There is still work to be done, even from greenside, to collect that birdie reward.
Returning to Talking Stick’s 12th – this hole has an abundance of visual and strategic interest, in addition to making wonderful use of the natural features of the land. Specifically, the natural wash/dry creek bed has been creatively incorporated to demarcate the safe and risky options.
Having played this hole more almost ten times, I have still not committed completely to one of the two options. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I have made more bogeys than birdies . That is the mark of a great risk-reward hole. It introduces options, which can confound the player and produce doubt. Very few good shots are born of a doubtful mind.
The 9th at Old Elm, The 13th at Kingsley, the 12th at Talking Stick North, and every other great risk-reward par 4 – they tease and torment, and every so often, they pay off with a birdie. From my perspective, they embody all that is best about golf – challenge, interest and enjoyment – and that is why they keep us coming back for more.