What’s In a Name?

[sjw]

A couple of courses around here, including mine, have a "heart attack hill". Unofficial, obviously. Around October, November time we did actually have a situation in which a gentleman died and it's not the first time

 

[nickjdavis]

We have names, some are self explanatory (more so if you know a bit about the surroundings of the course) but with the exception of a couple of holes they are rarely ever referred to by name.

 

[2blue]

As Seaton Carew has 22 holes so various18 hole permutations hole names are routinely used. Doctor, Cosey Corner, The Gare & Snag are just a few that stick in my mind as now a 'casual' visitor to this amazing course.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

No idea and if they are they are never used. I've only ever heard people, outside of pro tournaments, talk about hole numbers, not names.

 

[patricks148]

Most of the Older courses around here have names for all the holes, i suppose the most famous would be Foxy and Royal Dornoch.

 

[Backache]

I guess most clubs round our way have names to the holes. A few are self explanatory and some recur but I've virtually never hear anyone say that they got a three on 'hame', or 'Braids Brawest' really was his best. Or 'Lang whang' needs a heck of a drive.

 

[webbedrobin]

I am a country member of a course in Scotland that has named holes. I don't know why but I always refer to one particular hole by its name (Balaclava) but all the other holes by their numbers!

 

[Bobthesock]

Augusta has hole names but you never really hear them used do you? I'm surprised they haven't shoved that down our necks along with 'patrons' and the other nonsense phrases they use.

They always go on about the hole names at Augusta? I probably know more of the names there than I do at my own course, even though they are on the scorecard

 

[Orikoru]

They always go on about the hole names at Augusta? I probably know more of the names there than I do at my own course, even though they are on the scorecard

I know they're called things like Azalea and Magnolia but I've got no idea which one's what. I just meant that knowing them I'm surprised they don't insist on making the commentators refer exclusively to the names instead of hole numbers - the same way they insist on 'patrons' instead of fans and all that hogwash.

 

[cliveb]

Ours are named but the only name of the 18th is used in the bar afterwards. It is named Sabrina after (I am lead to believe) the two humps on the fairway that bear a striking resemblance to a certain one hit wonder in the 1980s. Usually mentioned if someone drives past Sabrina or gets stuck on the mounds (ooh err missus!)

The 12th at Sandy Lodge is named Mae West for the same reason.

 

[TeeRev]

A couple of courses around here, including mine, have a "heart attack hill". Unofficial, obviously. Around October, November time we did actually have a situation in which a gentleman died and it's not the first time

The 12th at Seaford Head is known as "Heart Attack Hill".

 

[Canary Kid]

A couple of courses around here, including mine, have a "heart attack hill". Unofficial, obviously. Around October, November time we did actually have a situation in which a gentleman died and it's not the first time

I know of a hole unofficially named “heart attack hill” at Hill Barn at Worthing … is that the one? However, I suspect that there may be several nationally.

 

[srixon 1]

Ours have names. They used to be on the card but not sure now we have new ones since WHS. One is called the Road Hole. Only similarity to the more famous one is that there is a road running alongside it. Hidden now by trees but years ago was perfectly visible, although OOB. Another is named after one of the early professionals that was at the club for over 40 years, Fred Beets. Might have also been one named after James Braid, the course designer. Dyke is the only other one I can remember. It has a wide(ish) water filled ditch running across the fairway.

 

[Yorkhacker]

Our holes are named after the winners of the old Benson & Hedges tournaments held at the course between 1971 and 1989 (not 1979)

1 - Jacklin
2 - Newton
3 - Baker V(in)
4 - Trevino
5 - Fernandez
6 - Marsh
7 - Garrido
8 - Toussaint
9 - Ratcliffe
10 - James
11 - Bland
12 - Norman
13 - Weiskopf
14 - Torrance
15 - Lyle
16 - Brand
17 - Langer
18 - Baker P(eter)

18 times it was held at the course and it had 18 different winners, which was handy!

 

[4LEX]

Ours doesn't.

One course I played a few years ago, Hazlemere has hole names and one of them is "Luke Donald's Ace". I often wonder if they had hole names before that happened and they just changed that one - or whether they wanted to dine out on that much that they had to invent 17 other hole names just so they could write 'Luke Donald's Ace' on that one.

That's a fun hole. Hazlemere is a cracking course in the summer for tearing something apart!

 

[sunshine]

The 12th is (I think) Azalea, they mention that a little bit.
Another one Woosnam named his clothing brand after, apart from that not a clue.

The 12th is golden bell. Azalea is 13. Those are the only two I know. There is a pink dogwood and a magnolia but couldn’t name them off the top of my head.

 

[sunshine]

When a 200 year old historical links course has hole names it is quaint.
When a 1980s bog standard parkland course has hole names it’s just cheesy marketing.

 

[oleinone]

Our 10th is a blind, short downhill par 4 with the steepening slope extending to the very edge of the narrow front to back green. Long and the ball drops 10 ft into the rough beyond and below. A good tee shot with a kind bounce can find you putting for eagle. From 100 yards out a high short iron will stop and offer a birdie chance - short by a foot and the ball is pinged into the depths. Any closer and the steep slope sees putters deployed. Overhit by a fraction and over and down it goes. Luck seems to have a big say in the outcome. If it's not your day, it gets all sorts of names.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

At my previous club (Filton, Bristol) all the holes had names and members used them when talking about a round or the holes in general. I rather liked that. In fact near 30yrs since I left I can still tell you them all, but would have to think carefully about which hole number a particular hole might be. So I know that the SI 1 is called Avenue, but I have had to work out that it is the 13th.

Current club does not have holes named, and never has, so think it would be a bit odd if names were applied now. In effect the holes are named, just that they are named One, Two, Three etc.

 

[Skytot]

Our course is 127 yrs old and about to name the holes ..
suits me because I’m a relatively new member and still can’t remember which holes the 12 is for example..
My previous club had named holes and soon as mentioned I can picture the hole .