Validation of Wolf Point's double green at 8 & 18

Recently I had a business round at Wolf Point.  We play the 8th as a warm up hole to get to the first tee.  The 8th and 18th share one large 14,000 sft putting surface.  In describing my hesitation to build a double green, he said "it would have been silly not to have done so".  There have been so many gimmicky, goofy, ugly and unplayable double greens built in the modern era.  


It turns out that our double green was going to prove it's authenticity today. Pictured below was the first time we played the green on our regulation round.  My guest is putting from the 18th green towards my ball near the 8th hole.  His shot drew a little too much and the swale exaggerated his miss.  I took the pic mid shot, he wound up inside my ball.  Nice pars.
(click the pictures for the bigger versions)

On the last hole of the day my approach ran a little long into the swale and my guest's ran quite a bit further, again the swale exaggerating his miss.  Below is his next to last putt of the day, from the 8th green to the 18th hole.  Proof that this green complex is no gimmick.  Both greens are in play from both holes.  Maybe next time we'll play to the opposite greens.

Double Green

I don't think much of double greens outside of St. Andrews. These double greens, 8 & 18, just evolved. I kept shifting the 8th green during the routing process to minimize the walk to 9 tee.  You can play to either one from either hole, and with the flag near the swale it is a trick shot.  Hitting an approach on 18 can run long to the swale, and a slight pull on the long par 3 8th will also find the swale.

From the other direction:

Warm Up hole

What a great way to start a round at Wolf Point.  Walkers get to use the par three 8th as a warm up hole - driver (240) to mid-iron (160) - there are a lot of tees.

If you'd like a larger digital version of this illustration please ask.

Can you see our 4-legged companion?

Clubhouse View

Here is the view from the clubhouse I mentioned yesterday. There are several tees to the 8th & 18th green around the deck just in case after a few beers someone thinks they can have another crack at the day's victor.

8th Tee Complex

Back to chronicling one of my favorite or unique features of each golf hole. The 8th hole is a long par 3 almost directly into the prevailing wind. The tee complexes at Wolf Point are very subdued, small and until we start mowing are almost indiscernible from the fairways.

The picture shown above if of 8th the tee complex – note the lush grass in the setting sun. The green plays to the left. The tees are an amorphous shaped landform with a few flat spot to start the hole. The foreground is being prepped for seeding of native grasses and wild flowers. The location will have more visitors due to the proximity of the club.

Earlier Holes Featured: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 7 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 15 .