Shared tee but separate fairways/baskets on a hole; yea or nay?

[BrotherDave]

What are opinions on a hole where the tee is the same (perhaps V-shaped but same general location) but Blue players would play a legitimate, challenging par 4 through the woods one way and the Red players would play a separate fairway to a different basket, shorter and straighter for a par 3? The Blue fairway would dogleg so that Blue and Red players would end up in the same general direction, the Red players having to walk a little farther than Blue players to the next hole since their basket is shorter.

Fairway characteristics: Blue FW starts as a tunnel uphill than bends along a narrow shelf. Then it becomes a small valley with the mature trees forming a slight S but mostly straight with the basket up another slope. Placement is priority but rough is thin enough for creative scramble opportunities, a classic multi-shot par 4.

Red FW is slightly elevated off the tee with a deep, dry creek to cross over, then a mostly flat/slightly uphill line with an intimidating (but mostly out of play unless you royally screw the pooch) picturesque creek running mostly parallel to the hole along the right. FW is virtually straight through a wide corridor, very pretty, scenic par 3.

Both fairways play through mature forest; with some elevation difference and a very deep dry creek acting as a natural border between the two.

To help conceptualize, imagine the two fairways combining to form a sort of diamond shape, with the Blue fairway being a dogleg right and the Red fairway being the right side of the diamond but straight and ends, the transition to the next tee would complete the diamond:

next Tee: =
o
/ o
\/
=
The woods are thick enough between these two fairways to make them distinct and you don't get an advantage playing the "wrong" fairway trying to find a shortcut.

Is this cool? Is this gimmicky? Assume that each hole stands alone as a quality hole and the alternative would be to use the Blue fairway and basket only and ramp up the par for Red players accordingly.

 

[BrotherDave]

Oops, I forgot the little diagram I made wouldn't have the spaces saved, I can't remember the BB code to preserve them. Just imagine the tee for the next hole is a little to the left of both greens, the Red FW players just have to walk ~50-100' farther than Blues'.

 

[Halcón]

Sounds good to me.

 

[PBokor]

I like it. My local course does a good job with two tees, same basket. Plenty of diversity between the two.

One tee and two baskets would be optimal (IMHO) but would also double the initial cost. Great for places that can cover the cost, but we're having trouble budgeting 18 baskets for a new course. No chance we could afford 36.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I really like it... seems like making the absolute most of dual, full-time pin placements.

 

[BrotherDave]

I like it. My local course does a good job with two tees, same basket. Plenty of diversity between the two.

One tee and two baskets would be optimal (IMHO) but would also double the initial cost. Great for places that can cover the cost, but we're having trouble budgeting 18 baskets for a new course. No chance we could afford 36.

There will be one other hole with one shared tee and separate baskets for skill levels but they mostly share the same fairway. All other holes would be one tee to one basket.

Cost isn't really an issue in this instance so don't let that sway your decision.

I really like it... seems like making the absolute most of dual, full-time pin placements.

You assumed correctly, these would be full-time pin placements. Forgot to mention that. :thmbup:

 

[PBokor]

...Cost isn't really an issue in this instance so don't let that sway your decision...

Well, that certainly simplifies the equation and makes it easy to do the right thing :clap:

 

[Consult20]

Since you cleared it up by saying it would only be one hole on the course designed this way, it sounds fine. It would be even more interesting to alternate a Marksman type basket between the two -- or just in the easier placement -- pay me now or pay me later.

 

[JC17393]

I'm not sure how anyone could find that concept a bad one, whether it's one hole, several, or the entire course. Plenty of courses with holes like this exist already, with multiple permanent basket placements, tees, and/or fairways for different skill levels. As long as it is clearly marked to prevent confusion (red players mistakenly playing the blue or vice-versa), sounds great to me. Anyone who says otherwise is boring and unimaginative.

 

[Keller]

Nothing wrong with it, we do this at times when we play safari rounds. Only problem would be congestion if it's a busy course.

 

[Gblambert]

My course has blue, white, and red tees to accomodate players with varying levels of experience. When I play a round with my son and his girlfriend, my son plays the blue tees, I play the whites, and his girlfriend plays the reds. It makes it more fun for everyone. If there was a separate basket for the red tee, my son and I would have to walk to the red basket anyway to witness his girlfriend's putt. Or we could just believe her when she says she made that birdie.

 

[mgamache8]

I don't think it's a bad idea, but much more unrealistic than having 2 sets of tees. Just due to cost. If u were to do the plan u proposed, why not have 2 separate tees going to 2 separate baskets in 2 separate fairways? It would cut down on traffic/congestion

 

[Cgkdisc]

I don't think it's a bad idea, but much more unrealistic than having 2 sets of tees. Just due to cost. If u were to do the plan u proposed, why not have 2 separate tees going to 2 separate baskets in 2 separate fairways? It would cut down on traffic/congestion

Cost is actually cheaper in some markets and depending on the terrain. In some areas, the cost of a tee due to labor cost can be higher than a basket. Also on hilly terrain like ski areas, building and leveling tees on elevated ground is more expensive than a basket. Congestion shouldn't occur more often since only one group should be playing the hole at a time anyway.

 

[mgamache8]

Really didn't think about teepads costing more than baskets(mainly because it really doesn't apply to my area), but I'm saying that if u had seperate tees/fairways/baskets then u would effectively have 2 independent layouts and each could support its own group. Basically what I'm saying is that if you already have seperate fairways and baskets, then u might as well have seperate tees and just make it a fully functional 36 hole course with 2 independent 18 hole layouts

 

[JasonM163]

I have a course that does this near me. It is in downtown dallas called founders park. a super fun 11 hole course. Holes 2 and 6 share the same teebox on top of a large hill. One plays straight down with a huge elevation and very short, then turn a 180 and it is hole 6, a slight hyzer route that does not have much elevation change at all.

I like it! If it helps you get more out of the small area you have to work with then its great. Especially if its spread out for two different holes like the example.

 

[DavidSauls]

I didn't answer the poll, because I'm between choices. I don't think it's terribly "cool", but it could be good so I'm not "indifferent".

Isn't it really like a course with multiple pin placements, which are considerably different in play, and where there are baskets permanently installed at all placements? Just with the options better separated by trees?

 

[brutalbrutus]

Idlewild has something like this. Hole 13 has a permanent short and long basket with one tee. Short is a fairly short RHFH type of shot and long is a very challenging downhill anhy. If you play the short you have the option of going to the short or long tee for the next hole. If you play the long you pretty much have to play the long tee for 14 or walk up a blind hill to the trail near the short basket. Hole 14 has two tees to one basket with separate fairways.

 

[EricW]

Yes! Did it this year on 3 holes with a bonus.

Used same pad to two baskets a few long holes... (plus an extra middle tee pad to make an entire extra hole to the long basket).

It's super popular and people love the choice of picking a hole option themselves just because, or on a whim, or skill, time, variation, beginner friends and family, *cough* old-timers, juniors, ladies, whatever. "Wanna play red baskets today?"

Sort of the opposite of combining two short holes into a single tournament hole. The long holes have an option to play as two short holes.

IE... (a) a long Par 4 or (b) two reachable par 3's

equipment: Primary tee, short basket, small middle tee, long primary basket. Yes, it cost more money, but we started with the par 4 and added the extra basket and middle tee pad later when we got the coin.

 

[Noill]

Oops, I forgot the little diagram I made wouldn't have the spaces saved, I can't remember the BB code to preserve them. Just imagine the tee for the next hole is a little to the left of both greens, the Red FW players just have to walk ~50-100' farther than Blues'.

is there BBC code to preserve spaces? I've always used periods and the LemonChiffon color...

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Yes! Did it this year on 3 holes with a bonus.

Used same pad to two baskets a few long holes... (plus an extra middle tee pad to make an entire extra hole to the long basket).

It's super popular and people love the choice of picking a hole option themselves just because, or on a whim, or skill, time, variation, beginner friends and family, *cough* old-timers, juniors, ladies, whatever. "Wanna play red baskets today?"

Sort of the opposite of combining two short holes into a single tournament hole. The long holes have an option to play as two short holes.

IE... (a) a long Par 4 or (b) two reachable par 3's

equipment: Primary tee, short basket, small middle tee, long primary basket. Yes, it cost more money, but we started with the par 4 and added the extra basket and middle tee pad later when we got the coin.

This is an interesting concept. My only "criticism" (to be taken with a grain of salt), is that even with two tees and two baskets, it only offers the ability to play the hole 3 ways, rather than 4:
Long Tee to Short Pin = 225' par 3
Long Tee to Long Pin = 548' par 4
Short Tee to Long Pin = 200' par 3
Short Tee to Short Pin = doesn't appear to be an option

That said, I haven't seen this course. It's entirely possible given the topography and landscape of this hole, that the existing 3 options makes for better DG than trying to force-fit in the option to play short to short simply for the sake of having that alternative.