News
The most iconic holes in golf…according to ChatGPT
What are the most iconic holes in golf? An iconic golf hole is typically one that is visually striking and strategically challenging, with a unique and memorable design — and the truly iconic holes in the game are the subject to endless 19th hole discussion and golf nerd internet debate.
What makes a golf hole iconic, anyway? There are plenty of possibilities, but most golfers consider the following to be important.
- A distinctive design: The hole should have a unique and memorable layout that makes it stand out from other holes on the course.
- Strategic challenges: The hole should require careful consideration of the golfer’s shot placement, taking into account hazards such as bunkers, water features, and elevation changes.
- Visual appeal: The hole should be visually stunning, with features such as scenic views, dramatic terrain, and memorable landmarks.
- Historical significance: The hole may have a special place in golf history, such as being the site of a famous shot or tournament.
- Difficulty: The hole should be challenging enough to test the skills of even the most experienced golfers, while still allowing for the possibility of a successful shot.
With this in mind, we asked the A.I. oracle ChatGPT for the most iconic holes in golf. Here is the response.
What are the most iconic holes in golf?
There are many iconic holes in golf, and different golf courses have their own signature holes that are beloved by fans and players alike. Here are a few of the most famous and iconic holes in golf:
Augusta National Golf Club, Hole 12: Known as “Golden Bell,” this is one of the most famous holes in golf and a centerpiece of the Masters Tournament. It’s a short par-3 over Rae’s Creek, with a narrow green surrounded by bunkers and swirling winds that make it a challenging and treacherous hole.
Pebble Beach Golf Links, Hole 7: This iconic par-3 overlooks the Pacific Ocean and is one of the most photographed holes in golf. It requires a precise tee shot over the ocean to a small green that’s protected by a bunker and slopes steeply toward the water.
TPC Sawgrass, Hole 17: This par-3 island green is one of the most famous holes in golf and a signature of the Players Championship. It requires a precise tee shot over water to a green that’s entirely surrounded by a bunker and has been the site of many dramatic moments in golf history.
Cypress Point Club, Hole 16: This par-3 on the Monterey Peninsula is widely considered one of the most beautiful and scenic holes in golf. It’s a downhill tee shot over the Pacific Ocean to a green surrounded by rocks, trees, and sand dunes, with breathtaking views of the ocean and coastline in the background.
These are just a few of the most iconic holes in golf, but there are many more that could be added to the list. Each golf course has its own unique and memorable holes that capture the imagination and challenge golfers to test their skills and nerve.
As a follow-up, we inquired as to what makes a golf hole design good or bad.
There are several factors that can make a golf hole design good or bad. Here are some key considerations:
- Playability: A good golf hole design should be playable for golfers of all skill levels. It should offer enough challenge to keep the game interesting, but not be so difficult that it frustrates players.
- Strategy: A well-designed golf hole should require players to think strategically about their shots. It should offer multiple options for play, with risks and rewards for each.
- Aesthetics: A good golf hole should be visually appealing and fit in well with the overall course design. It should be designed with the natural features of the landscape in mind, and not look forced or contrived.
- Safety: A well-designed golf hole should be safe for players and spectators. Hazards such as water hazards, bunkers, and trees should be strategically placed and marked clearly to prevent accidents.
- Maintenance: A good golf hole should be designed with maintenance in mind. It should be easy to mow, maintain, and repair.
- Length: The length of a golf hole should be appropriate for its difficulty level. A hole that is too long can make it difficult for many players to score well, while a hole that is too short can make it too easy.
Overall, a good golf hole design should be enjoyable for players of all skill levels, provide a fair and challenging test of golf, and fit in well with the overall course design.
What do you think about the replies, GolfWRXers?
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Morning 9: Anthony Kim speaks | New TGL team | ANWA contenders
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Valero Texas Open
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Valero Texas Open.
The event has been around since 1922, making it one of the oldest on the PGA Tour calendar. Over the years, it’s been held at a variety of courses across the Lone Star State, but it’s found its home at TPC San Antonio in recent years. Some of the biggest names in golf have taken home the title here, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, and Ben Crenshaw.
GolfWRX has its usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs and special pull-out albums. As always, we’ll continue to update the links below as more photos come in from TPC San Antonio.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Ben Taylor – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Paul Barjon – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Joe Sullivan – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Wilson Furr – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Willman – SoTex PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Jimmy Stanger – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Rickie Fowler – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Harrison Endycott – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Vince Whaley – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Kevin Chappell – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Christian Bezuidenhout – WITB (mini) – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Scott Gutschewski – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
Pullout Albums
- Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Taylor with new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Swag cover – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Greyson Sigg’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Davis Riley’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Josh Teater’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hzrdus T1100 is back – – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Mark Hubbard testing ported Titleist irons – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Tyson Alexander testing new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Cobra putters – 2024 Valero Texas Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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News
Tour Rundown: Jaeger is meister | Korda wins again
We’re getting to that time of year that all fans of golf embrace. The Augusta National Women’s Amateur begins this week, followed by the Masters at the end of the fortnight. Tours offer a full set of events, although they will take a break the week of the first men’s major of the year. The world’s tours played events this week in Texas, Singapore, Arizona, Mexico, and California. Nearly all of these competitions came down to the final stroke, on the final hole. This combination of stout play and building drama is what we weather winter for. With that season in the rearview mirror, let’s embark on another spate of Tour Rundown recollections.
PGA Tour @ Houston Open: Jåger is meister of Houston
Stephan Jåger had performed feats of magic before against the fires of competitive golf. In 2016, on the Web.Com (now Korn Ferry) Tour, he posted a first-round 58 and stayed true to that arrow to win his first tour event. On his Wikipedia page, his surname is spelled both Jåger and Jaeger. To honor his ancestry, we’ll go with the former.
This week, the stakes were higher, as he chased a first victory on the PGA Tour. Marvelous opponents sprinted with him, including former Houston Open winner Tony Finau, and the world’s top-ranked player, Scottie Scheffler. Just as eager as Jåger, were Alejandro Tosti, Thomas Detry, and Taylor Moore. Each figured in the event’s conclusion.
It’s easier to write that each of those six men posted rounds between 66 and 68 on Sunday, and that all finished within one shot of the rest, than it is to recall precisely how they did so. Finau dropped ten shots (62-72) from Friday to Saturday, or he would have added another Houston Open title to the shelf. Scheffler (the 15th), Tosti, (the 18th), and Detry (the 14th) all made a bogey over the concluding holes, or they would have joined Jåger in a playoff. As for Moore, he could have done little more than make one more birdie. His pitch to the last nearly went in, finishing inside two feet from the extension of glory.
Jåger did all his work on Sunday over the front nine. His four birdies and one bogey brought him to 12 under on the week. He proceeded to secure nine pars on the inward half, including a 20-feet save at the 13th. Only at the 17th did he putt for birdie from inside 15 feet, and that effort was too strong. Yet, he did all that he had to do, to conclude an event at the podium’s summit, and hoist a PGA Tour trophy for the first time.
CLUTCH!
Stephan Jaeger saves par to hold on to the solo lead @TCHouOpen. pic.twitter.com/FXKlaQTlXR
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 31, 2024
LPGA @ Ford Championship: Korda wins again, so watch out!
It appears that the mystery condition that derailed Nelly Korda in 2023, has run its course or been eliminated. Korda won for the second consecutive week on the LPGA circuit, and she did so in the manner that we’ve grown to know: efficiency. One week past nearly tossing a victory away, Korda was flawless on Sunday at Seville, in Gilber, Arizona. Her seven birdies and eleven pars led to a Sunday 65, and a two-shot margin of victory over England’s Hira Naveed.
Heretofore unknown at the top tier of women’s golf, Naveed posted 65-66 on the weekend to slide past a quintet of contenders, into second spot. Naveed signed for 16 birdies over the final two days, but a pair of bogeys separated her from a chance at Korda. Behind her, in third position, were Carlota Ciganda, Mi Hyang Lee, Frida Kinhult, Maja Stark, and a resurgent Lexi Thompson.
Nelly Korda began the week with birdies at four of her opening five holes. On days one and three, she posted but a single bogey over the play of the course. Friday was a bit topsy-turvey, with a trio of bogeys offset by a dramatic eagle at the fifth. When it looked as if things were slipping away, Korda closed with birdie on day two, to gain momentum at the halfway point. Her swing is efficient and consistent, and when her mental game and putting join the full move, little can stop her. The Ford Championship was her eleventh on tour, and her third of the young season.
.@NellyKorda is No. 1 for a reason ?
Nelly birdies for the solo lead with just two holes left to go ? pic.twitter.com/WimuZPK0Pf
— LPGA (@LPGA) March 31, 2024
DP World Tour @ Indian Open: Nakajima nearly romps to win
Keita Nakajima set a record of 87 consecutive weeks as the top-ranked amateur in men’s golf. He won four times on the Japan PGA tour and built a five-shot advantage over the first 54 holes of the Indian Open. When he turned in minus-three on Sunday, his advantage swelled to near-double digits. It was a coming-out party for a potential, future champion.
Things turned sour on the inward half. Don’t worry: we did not misleed with our sub-header; Nakajima won. After four solid pars to begin the trek home, the leader made a sloppy, double bogey at the 14th hole. The hole owned Nakajima all week-he played it in a combined plus-five shots to par.
The leader rebounded with birdie at the next but closed with three consecutive bogeys for an inward 40 and 73 on the day. No matter: Nakajima won by four shots over India’s Veer Ahlawat, Sweden’s Sebastian Söderberg, and the USA’s Johannes Veerman. Ahlawat managed 71 on Sunday, to move up four slots. Söderberg and Veerman posted 67 to each ascend 11 spaces.
Keita Nakajima makes yet another long putt for birdie and extends his lead to six ?#HIO24 pic.twitter.com/wG1JmL6Lls
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 31, 20 24
PGA Tour Americas @ TotalPlay: JJR wins at home
By all accounts, the merger of the PGA Tour LA and PGA Tour CA was a positive thing. Gone are the qualifying for two tours, and the uncertainty of a season-long circuit for golfers striving to reach the Korn Ferry tier. This week, the PGA Tour Americas moved to the Atlas Country Club in Guadalajara, Mexico. Those in attendance were treated to a wondrous performance by a son of the nation, José de Jesús Rodríguez. A man with a stress mark in each of his three names is specially-written, and specially gifted, after all.
Rodríguez was marvelous over the first three rounds. Scores of 68-65-67 brought him to the pole position, heading into the event’s final lap. Sunday saw an early bogey (3) and a late one (17), and a lot of grit and determination in between. Jesús Montenegro of Argentina closed within one of the leader, but 13-deep was the farthest he could advance. Derek Hitchner and Joey Vzich of the USA matched 71s on Sunday to finish at 12-under par, in a third-place tie. The title, after a 72nd-hole par, belonged to José de Jesús Rodríguez, aka El Camarón Rojo, and all of Mexico celebrated with an olé!
This close to an eagle ?@elcamaronrdgz taps in for birdie on the par 5, 15th to take a one shot lead with 3 holes to play. pic.twitter.com/izO5EyO9sE
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) March 31, 2024
PGA Tour Champions @ Galleri Classic: Goosen gets gift and glory
It’s easy to recall Retief Goosen’s twin U.S. Open titles, in 2001 and 2004. He displayed an icy disposition under pressure as those around him wilted. It’s difficult to forget his collapse at Pinehurst in 2005, as he was on the cusp of a third U.S. Open title, and a place among the game’s greats. Although three more tour titles would come his way, he was never again the same player in major events.
The senior circuit, aka PGA Tour Champions, is a second chance at many things, for many players. For Goosen, it represents an opportunity to rebuild competitive scenarios, and rekindle the fires that burn within the competitive soul. For much of the Galleri Classic this week, Goosen and others watched as Steven Alker and Ricardo González dueled in the desert. In the end, neither player stood ahead of the field.
Both Alker and González posted late bogeys. González made three of them, from holes 14 to 17, while Alker finished bogey-bogey. Each golfer concluded his week at twelve shots under par, one agonizing shot behind Goosen. How did the two-time, U.S. Open champion reach the magic number? He avoided old man bogey. Three birdies and 15 pars on day three were enough to place the South African champion in contention, and he simply held firm, as those around him fell. The win was Goosen’s third on the senior circuit, and his first since 2022.
The Goose is loose.
Retief Goosen trails by one with three to play @GalleriClassic. pic.twitter.com/MlJsFEFNUK
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 31, 2024
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Glen
Apr 24, 2023 at 8:43 am
Well if you ever wondered if the staff read the comments, wonder no more – they still haven’t fixed the “St. Andrews, Hole 18” mistake.
Chuck
Apr 6, 2023 at 2:16 pm
The Road Hole is 17 (the YouTube video got it right).
This is a cute list of some nice Par 3’s. And the Text of the article — suggesting that strategic choice is one of the essential elements of a great hole — is correct. But what is the strategy involved in the ChatGPT list of (admittedly) dramatic Par 3’s? ChatGPT; hereafter, “It.”
It didn’t mention the Redan at North Berwick (West). Shameful.
It didn’t mention the short 10th at Riviera. Quite possibly the single most interesting hole on the PGA Tour.
It mentioned the 12th at Augusta but left off the hole that best fulfills the article’s stated criteria, “strategic choice”; the famous Par-4.5, the 13th.
It made no mention of any of the other great “Template” holes in golf; Biarritz, Alps, Cape, Eden, etc. It lucked into the “Road” template seemingly by accident. All of the templates are great precisely because of risk/reward choices.
Euan Hardman
Mar 20, 2023 at 12:11 pm
Well apart from getting the commentary on the 17th at St Andrews wrong, I can’t disagree with the article. Other iconic holes?
8th at Troon – I’ve used a SW and a 5 iron on consecutive rounds and it’s only 125 yards.
3rd at Old Prestwick – You tee off heading South and play your 3rd heading North amazing par 5.
15th at Goswick Links – look it up.