Internal OOB

[Foxholer]

The internal OOB at Royal Liverpool is rubbish, especially the 1st.

Isn't that the Practice Area? If so, then it makes sense to have it as such - at least to me. Doesn't (well, shouldn't) really affect the Drive, but deters folk from 'attempting the impossible' for their 2nd shot. I can't remember it even being a factor in the other (final few?) holes that adjoin it. Of course, they've used a different starting hole for The Open when it's at RL.

 

[Orikoru]

The internal OOB was introduced a long time ago (before my time, but the reason was explained to me by an old member).
Big hitters used to deliberately go down the 7th fairway when playing the 8th, because it gave them a better shot into the 8th green.
Since you can't see who's on the 7th fairway from the 8th tee, it was stupidly dangerous, so the OOB was introduced to stop them doing it.

Fair enough. That seems funny to me, it doesn't seem like you would gain much advantage from doing that, but then I'm not a big hitter so I guess I wouldn't know! As a fader the tee shot isn't too bad for me anyway (aiming for the correct fairway I mean). I guess I was half right since it is to protect those on the 7th.

 

[Foxholer]

The old Torvean made the pond by the 8th into an internal oob, just because most of the member s had no clue how or where to drop when they hit it in there off the tee. Some of the drops I'd seen and heard of on this hole made it clear it was a good decision.

Surely a Drop Zone (or maybe several) would have been a better 'solution'?

 

[Foxholer]

Off our 8th tee, the 7th fairway (on the right) is out of bounds. I don't know the official reason, but I have always presumed it was for safety to make people a bit more careful about not going over there. Because when you're walking up the 7th fairway, you can't see the 8th tee at all.

The 8th tee shot plays as a fade around a pond that sits between the two holes, but as the white tee is much further back, changing the angle, it's all too easy to over-fade/slice it the wrong side of the pond and onto the 7th.

View attachment 43144

I can't remember there being IOOB at GD on the couple of times played it, but as a natural 'fader' that might simply have been an 'easily forgotten' detail. It is a pretty 'squeezed in' course though, so maybe an acceptable compromise.

 

[Orikoru]

I can't remember there being IOOB at GD on the couple of times played it, but as a natural 'fader' that might simply have been an 'easily forgotten' detail. It is a pretty 'squeezed in' course though, so maybe an acceptable compromise.

Yeah, I have no problem with it at all. I think it's right to protect those playing up the 7th, and I aim well left on the 8th and try to fade it back anyway.

 

[Foxholer]

Yeah, I have no problem with it at all. I think it's right to protect those playing up the 7th, and I aim well left on the 8th and try to fade it back anyway.

Could still be seen as something of 'an admission of design failure' as per the OP though - the urge for a 2nd Par 5 probably being the priority and @cliveb's post certainly seems to explain the reason. I'll check with the ex-member I often play with next time I see him - he's currently 'happily stuck' in the Canaries, fortunately with clubs!

 

[jim8flog]

Funniest internal OOB I have come across is on the Osborne Golf 9 hole golf course on the Isle of Wight.

I once played a shot in to a green deliberately going well right of the green to bring it in off the bank.

The member (opponent) I was playing with - " you have just gone out of bounds".

There is an elephant, yes elephant, watering pit which they have decided to make OB. No posts or signs to be seen and you cannot see the pit from the fairway just a rule on the back of the card.

 

[patricks148]

Bellshill if memory serves me right had a least one hole where the next fairway was oob.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I once read a well respected golf architect who argued that internal OOB was a tacit admission of a failure of golf course design. I agree, and I will point out that my course has recently introduced internal OOB, due to a new water feature posing a challenge to some players from the tee that they chose to deal with by playing down an adjacent fairway instead.

Anyone have examples of internal OOB that they think are OK?

Indeed, and you have described the situation at your track with ‘sensitivity’ 🤣. As you admit yourself it’s pretty ‘bonkers’.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Bellshill if memory serves me right had a least one hole where the next fairway was oob.

It does, and Billy did warn me before I whacked my tee shot OOB on it.🙄

 

[Foxholer]

Bellshill if memory serves me right had a least one hole where the next fairway was oob.

When I played it, the nebs supping Bucky were a bigger hazard! Especially on the hole that heads straight towards Motherwell's stadium.

 

[Ethan]

Indeed, and you have described the situation at your track with ‘sensitivity’ 🤣. As you admit yourself it’s pretty ‘bonkers’.

The problem is the water feature, which is too big and off-putting for players who are not confident in getting the bal in the air from the first tee.

Funny enough, at the Pro-Am, some pros playing off the black tee preferred to do the same, because the landing area is a bit wider and flatter going down the 7th.

 

[HampshireHog]

Not necessarily a design flaw, but forced a limit of acreage.

Ideally not required.

 

[sunshine]

Isn't that the Practice Area? If so, then it makes sense to have it as such - at least to me. Doesn't (well, shouldn't) really affect the Drive, but deters folk from 'attempting the impossible' for their 2nd shot. I can't remember it even being a factor in the other (final few?) holes that adjoin it. Of course, they've used a different starting hole for The Open when it's at RL.

Yes it is the practice ground. It really comes into play for you tee shot on the 1st and apporach as well. And then again for drive and second shot on the 16th. (I'm using the normal sequence not Open routing). I just think it's poor design that you can cut the corner, hitting the ball across an open field, but if the ball lands in the field it is OOB even though you can see it sitting there.

 

[Foxholer]

Yes it is the practice ground. It really comes into play for you tee shot on the 1st and apporach as well. And then again for drive and second shot on the 16th. (I'm using the normal sequence not Open routing). I just think it's poor design that you can cut the corner, hitting the ball across an open field, but if the ball lands in the field it is OOB even though you can see it sitting there.

I've no problem with that! Just normal risk/reward just as if taking on a water hazard in front of green. Quite a few of the early courses were built that way. From memory, both Muirfield and Birkdale have practice grounds in the middle of the course, though the latter may move it for Tour events.

 

[sunshine]

intrigued as to where you are a member...as there is a MacKenzie design with exactly this relatively near to me. Left to right dogleg, par 5....and the hole coming back the other way is internal OOB to stop whacking one down it, and having a shorter shot in....albeit over a load of tall trees.

Hadley Wood - the IOOB only applies when playing the 13th hole. When you are playing the 16th coming back the other way it's not OOB if you cross the markers.

The yellow line is the straight route from tee to green

 

[sunshine]

I've no problem with that! Just normal risk/reward just as if taking on a water hazard in front of green. Quite a few of the early courses were built that way. From memory, both Muirfield and Birkdale have practice grounds in the middle of the course, though the latter may move it for Tour events.

Well we will agree to disagree! If the hole was playing round the beach I'd be fine with OOB, just seems odd when it's across a grass field which is part of the property.

 

[Golfnut1957]

The only acceptable internal OOB is, in my view, the practice ground. Rather curious on my course, the tiny practice ground is OOB on holes 16 & 18 but not on the first. No great advantage being there on 1 & 18, but, depending on where the pin is, the best shot in at 16 was from the practice ground.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's a fairly recent innovation, yes? And a strange one at that as no advantage is gained going that far left, so it can only be to protect those practising, which it doesn't because the tee shot over there is accidental and can still accidentally clip someone, the only difference is it has now cost you stroke and distance.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's a fairly recent innovation, yes? And a strange one at that as no advantage is gained going that far left, so it can only be to protect those practising, which it doesn't because the tee shot over there is accidental and can still accidentally clip someone, the only difference is it has now cost you stroke and distance.

Yes, quite recent. Best place on 16 when the hole is cut back right

 

[Golfnut1957]

Yes, quite recent. Best place on 16 when the hole is cut back right

South Shields winter opens were the best deal on the planet when it was £15 a pair, at the current price it is now merely excellent value.