Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Great Finishing Holes

When it comes to golf holes, architects usually save the best for last. Many of the most famous are the 18th holes. In the PGA championships these can be the holes in which the championships are won or lost. For any golfer they can be the holes in which you set a new scoring record, or alternatively fall short of your records. These are a few of golf's great finishing holes.  

18th at Pebble Beach  

The 18th at Pebble Beach Links is perhaps the most exciting finishing hole in golf. This is ranked among the top 18 golf holes in the sport by various golf magazines and books. What sets this hole apart is the left-breaking ramble along the Carmel Bay shore, that dominates the left side of the fairway. The hole stretches some 548 yards along the shoreline, and has a green surrounded by bunkers. Few finishing holes can match it, and on this hole five U.S. Opens have been won and lost.  

18th at TPC Sawgrass

This is the finishing hole of the Players Championship that is played at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course. After the 17th island green on the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course comes the 18th, which has a substantial lake along its left fairway. The water sweeps up to the left of the hole's green. The hole stretches some 447 yards, and certainly makes for a great finale at the Players Championship.

18th at Harbour Town Golf Links  

Another famous golf course of the PGA Tour is that of the Harbour Town Links. At the end of this hole is the the red-and-white striped Harbour Town lighthouse, and surrounding moored yachts. It stretches almost 500 yards, with out-of-bounds stakes on the right side of the hole, and the marsh of Calibogue Sound on the left of the fairway. Beyond that is the Port Royal Sound. Overall, it's one of the great PGA Tour holes.  

18th at Doral Resort

The finishing hole at the Doral Resort, Florida is another that is dominated by a lake. This is a 467 yard hole has a lake along the left of its fairway and green. On the right of the hole there are five notable greenside and fairway bunkers. The photo on the left includes the hole's lake fountain.  

18th at Bay Hill Club

The 18th at the Bay Hill Club is a 441 yard par-4 hole. The final third of this hole includes a lake along the right side of its fairway and green. When the lake comes into play the fairway narrows up before the green. The left of the green is dominated by sand bunkers, with the lake on the right.  

Those are some of the great finishing holes. The holes are among the most exciting on the PGA Tour.

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