In Praise of Strategic Par 4s

The U.S. Amateur Championship has been delightful viewing and tracking throughout the week. By far and away my favorite hole on the Lake Course at Olympic Club is the short par-4 seventh, a Gil Hanse design that Garrett spotlighted in Wednesday’s newsletter.

The beauty of holes like the seventh, short par fours with cross bunkers placed 50-60 yards from the green, is the strategic complexity the design promotes. Bunkers do not impose the same level of penalty at all distances. The 50-60 yard range is an especially penal distance to find sand. The penalty being severe at this distance is intuitive. Not only is a 55-yard bunker shot extremely challenging, but a shot from the fairway at the same distance is typically quite simple, creating a significant difference in expected score from each lie.

Carrying the left-hand bunker on No. 7 at the Lake Course is no bargain in a cold, windy climate, but those who successfully execute the aggressive play are heavily rewarded with a prime scoring opportunity. Those who end up in the bunker face a tricky shot. Those who cannot reliably carry the bunker can lay back and try to score with a wedge in hand. When played at an appropriate scale, holes like the seventh excel in providing multiple viable options off the tee. A wonderful social media video from the USGA highlighted the diversity of strategies and shots on display at the seventh from three of the top amateurs in the field at this week’s U.S. Am. Highly recommended viewing!

Evidently, Hanse takes a liking to this type of hole, as you’ll find a similar design on the seventh hole at Fields Ranch East, perhaps the strongest hole on the golf course.

So here’s to a fun final three days of the U.S. Amateur, one of golf’s great championships. And appreciation for the risk-reward profile of holes designed like the seventh at the Olympic Club’s Lake Course, a demanding and strategic standout par 4.

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