Internal OOB

Dando

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There is one at Pedham, 15th , I think. Hole is a 90* dogleg so the big hitters could drive over it to the green. As it's a blind shot they put the Internal oob in to stop this on safety grounds

you are correct as the 14th tee is just over the hill.

its no more than a 7 iron off the tee for position and then a 8 or 9 into the green
 

Foxholer

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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.
I played an interclub match there in its early days and one of the locals, who was trying to be a LD player, ended up way down (up?) the 7th fairway anyway. Stuck an iron to about 10 ft over the mound for his 2nd though and made Par!
What is this 'addition'? Photo? Doesn't seem to be in the normal good taste of other tweaks the owner has made over the years!
 

Voyager EMH

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We have an ancient right of way bridle path going through our course. It is protected by hedges and ditches along its length. We are obliged to maintain it as an accessible right of way. Obviously, it was there long before the golf course.
We have internal OOB to the left of the 8th and 9th and to the right of the 17th and 18th.
I view this as both good and necessary.

bridle path.jpg
 
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PNWokingham

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PN, with respect I don’t think you’ve answered my questions.

Yes the owner was behind the feature but, architecturally, i think it is a non event just a visual enhancement by adding Lakes in view on this section of the course that previously had no water. And, as said, i don't think it makes the hole any harder from any tee. Previously, if you had "knobbed one" off the tee to the are where the lake now is, you would have been lucky to even find your ball in the long grass.
 

Foxholer

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...
Personally I think a design fault, especially on newer courses is the huge walks from greens to the next tee. Would much rather play a traditional older course, Colt, Braid etc than some of the modern courses without an internal OB?
Maybe those are 'planned for expansion/adjustment' design features that were also in the older courses, but have been fully utilised/pushed back! That said, old (1891 and 1928) layouts of Miurfield don't indicate huge walks from green to next tee. I have to say, that is something of an issue at The Shire - and the elevation changes involved can be a pain too - especially 11 to 12 and 12 to 13.
 

spongebob59

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I always thought they should have had one at Dartford.
During comps.the better players would tee.off the 8th but play back up.12th fairway, thereby taking out the dog leg on the 8th faiway.
I often used this ploy too, but that was mainly due a sliced tee.shot?
 

Ethan

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Just to point out that my original point was that internal OOB are a failure of golf course design, not that they shouldn't necessarily exist as a solution to some of those failures of design.
 

sunshine

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So the 'failure of course design' comment in he OP could be appropriate - but as one 'forced' by other changes.

That's right. MacKenzie didn't design the course with internal OOB. It's a result of subsequent alterations, so his reputation is untarnished!
 

Foxholer

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That's right. MacKenzie didn't design the course with internal OOB. It's a result of subsequent alterations, so his reputation is untarnished!
And possibly not the 'fault' of those that made the changes either, as they likely were significantly constrained wrt budget or/and scope.
 

Doon frae Troon

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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?

Agree with first comment.
Second is generally solved by some clever tree/scrub planting
PS
In another life I advised planning officers on new golf course build.
Saw some beuties in my time but the second worse was a hole that was a 450 par 5 [?] which was a total hairpin with a line of trees dividing.
When I informed the 'architect' that I could hit his green of his 450 yard hole with an 8 iron he responded that it would be impossible as it would be OOB and I would have to play the hole as he designed it.

Interestingly enough planning of any golf course could not be refused because of poor design, only on safety grounds.
 
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sunshine

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Interesting. The 13th green is pretty extreme (read: I'm always on the wrong part of it), and it maybe makes more sense as a par 3 where you're coming in at a nice angle from a flat tee, rather than from a horrid angle and an awkward lie (cough).
Is this history online? I normally try and get a round in at HW once a year, and would be nice to read up.

There are some pictures in the clubhouse, but I've never seen anything online. You'll enjoy your next visit, 3 holes were renovated over the winter with new bunkering, and the overall condition has been superb this year. Happy to host you.
 

sunshine

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Agree with first comment.
Second is generally solved by some clever tree/scrub planting
PS
In another life I advised planning officers on new golf course build.
Saw some beuties in my time but the second worse was a hole that was a 450 par 5 [?] which was a total hairpin with a line of trees dividing.
When I informed the 'architect' that I could hit his green of his 450 yard hole with an 8 iron he responded that it would be impossible as it would be OOB and I would have to play the hole as he designed it.

Interestingly enough planning of any golf course could not be refused because of poor design, only on safety grounds.

Brilliant! But you have to tell us what was the worst now.
 

Tashyboy

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On the advice of lads on here, Tashyboys trip up north a few years back involved Bamburgh, Alnmouth aka Foxton Hall and Goswick. We argued all the way back down south which was the better course. Bamburgh or Alnmouth. Goswick we thought was complete and utter overrated rammel. The first hole summed it up. Dogleg right with OOB on the rhs which runs alongside the 18th I think it is. We Didn’t like it one bit. Internal OOB to me is lazy course design akin to distance being part and parcel of a Courses difficulty. Our shortest par three at the moment is about 180 to the back pins. lazy course design.
 

Doon frae Troon

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Brilliant! But you have to tell us what was the worst now.
It was a very five star hotel experience that was designed for a company to exclusively cater for the Japanese corporate golfing market.
The first tee shot involved a 230 yard carry over a lake.
OP was made by amateurs trying to cut out the professionals fees, this one was by serious professionals so was pretty inexcusable.
Unsurprisingly neither courses were built.
 
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