18th Hole balconies

[Canfordhacker]

I played at Roserrow in Cornwall on Saturday, and my mate holed a 100 yard wedge shot on the 18th (fairway is below hole, so we didn't see it go in). There's a great balcony right next to the green in the clubhouse, but there was nobody on it!

The balcony at St Mellion is great. I saw a guy hole a monster putt across the green there in front of a packed crowd as part of a big society - the reaction was fabulous. Same day saw a 7 handicapper melt down and take 6 to get down from the front of the pond.

Got me thinking about what you might have witnessed, and where.

 

[EaseNgrace]

I remember sitting in the clubhouse at my old course looking out onto the 18th. The hole is around 350 yards with a river going across the fairway about 150 from the green, and from the clubhouse I could see a guy playing alone fishing his ball out of the river. He must have been out of view from the tee because the group behind him proceeded to tee of, the first golfer to hit his tee shot hit a wicked slice which whacked the bloke by the river in the middle of his back and knocked him in the river. It was hilarious from where I was sitting, the dripping wet bloke wasn't too pleased though.

 

[RGDave]

Got me thinking about what you might have witnessed, and where.

I love a good balcony or terrace. I haven't got too many stories (for now), but I like the one of a lady at mine on the 1st. Out 1st is a short par 3 which my 11 y.o. plays with the equivalent of a 6/7 iron - well under 90 yards for the ladies.
One of our Ladies steps onto the tee with a whopping fairway wood (presumably a 3 or 5) takes three practice swings so slow Bob Costas could analyse it without a slo-mo camera.
Slides up to the ball, whacks it with about -40mph clubhead speed and hits the pin.

I can't even hit the pin with my wedge!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Silvermere in Surrey (decent P&P) has an island green right in front of large patio and the bar/restaurant so there is no place to hide with your approach. Had much fun sharing a bite and a drink with my wife and guessing who'll dunk it and who'll make it.

 

[CliveW]

The first tee and 18th green at The Old Course must be one of the best places to stand and watch golfers starting and finishing their rounds. There is a wide footpath bounding this part of the course and invariably a gallery of tourists/spectators watching the proceedings.

 

[Leftie]

Some of you may remember that I used to be a member of Westerham Golf Club that was and still is owned by Ron Noades.

I can't quite recall what the competition was but, other than Ryder Cup events where the galleries were far larger than on the balcony and terrace outside the bar at westerham, the cheer that went up as RN's approach fell well short into the water must have come a close second.

 

[Pants]

Society day at Dulwich and Sydenham. The course is on a hill about 5 miles south south east of, and overlooking, the centre of London.

Sitting out on the 1st floor balcony, early evening, sun settling into the light smog and the lights of London gradually coming on.

Magical.

 

[Imurg]

A small local 9-holer has a patio right next to the 9th/18th green.
I was playing a match there a few years ago and sliced one so badly it went fizzing through the drinks tray knocking everything everywhere. Got some blood-curdling looks from them!!

 

[stevek1969]

The new clubhouse at Portstewart has a balcony which goes right round, i watched this Dutch guy drive the first hole its over 420 yards and down hill ,longest drive i've seen.

 

[pigmeister]

The patio at John O`Gaunt overlooks the 18th fairway and green.(At 395yds not a long hole but your tee shot must find the narrow fairway avoiding two fairway bunkers, trees left and a big oak tree to the right). A wonderfull setting in the summer to watch people taking their approach to the green and then putting out if they are lucky enough to find the dance floor.
Over a couple of beers its nice to have bets on who will hit the green, if they miss, will they get it up and down and who will sink their putts.

 

[backwoodsman]

Society day at Dulwich and Sydenham. The course is on a hill about 5 miles south south east of, and overlooking, the centre of London.

Sitting out on the 1st floor balcony, early evening, sun settling into the light smog and the lights of London gradually coming on.

Magical.

Absolutely... the best view in the whole of London (I could be accused of bias though as it's my home track). No; not biased - it is the best view

Only pity though is that the terrace doesn't overlook a green and you really only get to see people halfway along the 7th.

 

[thecraw]

I will buck the trend here and tell you that in my opinion they are a right royal pain in the backside. They emit noise and attract drunken idiots who dont seem to realise that you dont need to shout at a person sitting less than 3 feet away from you.

I have been playing in a competition and about to putt out on the 18th when some clown has shouted from the balcony,

"wee man you better miss that I've a tenner on you missing"

Sadly I won the numpty his money by missing by miles but I was raging even though I broke my handicap.

That said I have holed a 40 footer across the slope on the last at St Andrews and had a standing ovation from a bus load of Japanese tourists!

 

[Robobum]

I have been playing in a competition and about to putt out on the 18th when some clown has shouted from the balcony,

"wee man you better miss that I've a tenner on you missing"

That says more about the idiots rather than having the balcony Craw, was he in reach of a helicoptered putter??

We have designs in place at our club to rebuild our clubhouse and have a balcony which overlooks the 18th. In general play there would undoubtedly be a hum of noise whilst you are finishing but in my experience there has always been a hush during the business end of a tournament with many people gathered to watch you sink or swim on the last green!! Even on a tiny scale it adds a bit of atmosphere to the thing.

 

[ColinR]

Talking of verandas..

Two old fellas were putting out in the 18th, one steps up to nail his 3 foot putt, but slides it passed the hole " F*** it", he shouts.

Well, the two lady members on the Veranda were not at all impressed with such behavior and duly wrote to the committee with a strong complaint about etiquette.

The committee studied the letter at the next meeting and went on to post an update on the club notice board..

"Lady Members are no longer permitted to use the Veranda"

 

[ADB]

I have experience of the 18th balcony at Woldingham GC. Playing in a large corporate day the 18th has a large lake in front and thehole usually leaves a knee-knocking 50-100 yard pitch to get over....truely terrifying if you were near the back of the field and the early starters had 'assumed position' with beer in hand.

Played the Brabazon a few years ago and was sitting outside the bar nearest to the 1st tee when a ball missed me by inches, bounced off the table and shattered a few glasses - this was from someone playing the 18th on the PGA course! Needless to saw the guy never retrieved his ball or even came to apologise.

Finally, the balcony at Crowborough Beacon takes some beating on a lovely late summers day.

 

[Leftie]

Strange, isn't it.

Most balconies and terraces are at their best when the sun is setting on a late summer/early autumn evening, the last few groups finishing, a beer at hand ...

Bliss

 

[WGC2]

AHHHH the 18th! after a climb up the seventeenth which seems like everest, when you've just played 16 other holes some people rush down the 18th, hoping to go unoticed. Others however are quite different; some relish the oppertuinties to play in front of the crowd and it is a great oppertunity. I love hearing my friends roar or as they more often seem to do laugh at me from above with their pint glasses in hand. It gives you a sense of what it can be like for the pros.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I remember playing a club match against Wokefield a few years back and being in the last group. The 18th is a longish par 5 and a 3 shotter. The balcony overlooks the green and my partner was out of the hole and so I was taking on both home team players and the match was all square. I missed the green with my third and both the oppos hit the green but were further away. They asked if I wanted to come on but my partner said no and let them play as it was their turn. The first guy rushed his putt a good 8 foot past and the other other left it way short.

I could hear all sorts of murmurs upstairs and to be honest the bottom was twitching but I managed to get it to about 3 feet. The first guy missed but bugger me if the bloke who had left it short only went and holed his. Half the balcony cheered and I had a putt for the half. I made it and it turned out we had wont he match with that half point. Cue several free beers for me (in a time long ago when I could). Definitely the most nervous I've been with a gallery watching in years.

 

[In_The_Rough]

Morley Hayes in Derbyshire has a good un both the 9th and 18th have balcony views.There was a wedding on when I played there and there was more people watching the Golf than there was watching the Wedding proceedings
My own course in Chesterfield has one as well although the balcony is set back a fair distance from the Green but in the summer the Gallery can be packed.