Do beginners like interesting?

Recently I read about a municipality building a six hole beginner course to compliment its main golf course.  They will be using donated funds in an effort to introduce people to golf - it will cost $10 and not take very long.  This sounds great, I'd love to have someplace to bring youngsters to play, I can think of no good place in Houston.  Hopefully they will be able to use the existing golf infrastructure to keep costs minimized.
One thing puzzled me however:

"The course would be set up as a “learning center” with flat greens, flat bunkers and holes just 60 to 120 yards long, where golfers of all ages and abilities could play."

Why build flat greens?  The most famous putting course in the world, The Himalayas at St. Andrews, is also the wildest.  All ranges of people have been playing there since 1867!  Check out these pictures. It costs $3.  And it was something I was looking forward to playing when I visited St. Andrews a few years ago.

Flat greens are boring.  If I were to introduce someone to the game, I would like them to see the fun parts first.  Golf is interesting, and complex.  Why hide its best qualities?

Pictured above is the 17th green at Wolf Point - it is filled with interest - so can every green.

There is no Greatest Golf Course! - Feedback

Thomas Dunne from Out-and-Back had some very nice comments about my essay here

I was completely chuffed to receive an e-mail from someone who read my essay - in print form from Paul Daley's Book.
Here it is with the club name removed...

I have just read your article in Paul Daley's latest book. At our club we have a MacKenzie course which is rated very highly in the world. Needless to say being a MacKenzie course it fits into the enjoyable category; a sentiment confirmed by Bobby Jones in his forward to "The Spirit of St Andrews". I am a member of the Course Strategy Committee and some on the committee and a number of the club members are saying it is too easy. Of course, when I try to say MacKenzie wrote, "If you cant make a hole more enjoyable don't change it", my remarks are treated as those of an old has been, who can only hit the ball 2/3 the distance of the average single figure marker (if that).

Mike, with your permission I would like to make copies of your article and give each member a copy. With help from your article, I just might be able to save one of the most enjoyable golf courses in the world from suffering the fate of so many other enjoyable courses from the "card and pencil' players.

Thank you very much - I am deeply honored.

As an aside the above letter came from a past club champion -- I hope they listen(d) and continue to do so - he is far to valuable.

Pictured above is the very fun 17th green. I hope you can see that from above it looks like a circle - see here.

Bruce + Infierno

I'll never tire of taking pictures of players in Infierno.

Today's victim is a fine player as was his opponent Matt, who did win 2 up.
The 5th green is in the distance. Bruce did get a little confused thinking it was a par 5.

Bruce really enjoyed being able to choose from lots of options, especially around the greens.  He had the honor on the 12th tee. His stance was quite different from his play so far, as was his swing. I was completely blown away by his choice of shot without any coaching. He hit the ideal shot I envisioned during design - that could get to a front pin. He hit a knock down 9 iron short and we watched it bump up over the false front and wind up around 8 feet from the pin. Matt was swearing that he missed it, but Bruce and I knew better.

It was ideal and not perfect as the 9 is a tiny bit too much loft - which is why I hit a soft, low 7 iron that landed just short of his target getting a little more roll past his and It cozied up to 2 ft. Nice birdie thank you very much.

Matt was most psyched to see our work in anticipation of what I could do for him one day soon.

Here they are on 17 green.
They made so many great comments about the course it is hard to remember them all....

The 17th Hole - Controversy Already

To date there are only two of us that have studied the hole in great detail. So far there is one vote for it being a par 4 and one vote for it being a par 5. The USGA's yardage guidelines put the 17th hole in a par 4 catagory, but so far it is more accurately described as a par 4 1/2 that plays into the prevailing wind. The par 4 13th is actually a fair bit longer, but it plays down wind and it doesn't have a creek all along the left side of the hole.

The image above is the same one from last week, except it is rotated 180 degrees.

The members tee shot is reall cool. It plays over the 16th green and across the creek. The clearing and natural land forms are similar to the previous hole. There are a pair of small bunker that will interfere with a not well struck 2nd shot. But there is pleanty of room to run the ball on the green.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the scorecard looks in a few years -- as for now it is a par 71.

Earlier Holes Featured: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 -11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16.