The type of golf holes that I love and hate

I have played golf all over the world. There have been some stupendous courses, there have been plenty of average courses.

There have been holes that will remain in my mind for the rest of my life. And there are plenty of holes that have been instantly forgettable.

So, what is it that makes a good golf hole? Conversely, what are the characteristics that make up a hole you will never want to play again?

The Kind of Golf Holes That I Dislike

Let’s start with the latter, shall we? I have never been able to understand why anybody would design any golf hole that features a green that slopes from front to back. We are simply not good enough to land the ball on such surfaces and stop it. So it all becomes a complete lottery.

There was a par three at Aronimink, venue for the 2026 US PGA Championship, that could be stretched to almost 270 yards. In my world, that is a par four. It also turned out that way for many of the world’s best golfers.

And then there are the 475-yard par fours. I am a senior golfer. I have absolutely no chance of reaching such a hole in two blows unless a) it is downhill and the fairways are rock hard or b) there is a 40mph wind at my back.

And why is it that such holes always seem to feature water hazards, umpteen bunkers, knee-high rough and gorse bushes?

Finally, I am not a fan of 650-yard par fives. Trust me when I tell you that the average club golfer has little or no chance of getting anywhere close to the green in three blows, never mind reaching it in two. Holes like these are just a slog and provide no enjoyment whatsoever.

This is What Makes a Great Golf Hole

So, what makes a great golf hole? For me, first and foremost it needs to provide a fair challenge and I have come to set great stock on the views and scenery.

Probably my favourite golf hole of all time is the 18th at Pebble Beach. You stand on the tee with the Pacific Ocean on your left, the waves often crashing onto the fairway. Hook your drive and you are going for a swim, but there is acres of room on the right, along with a well-placed tree. It is visually stunning.

My favourite par three is the eighth hole at Royal Troon, The Postage Stamp. It only measures 123 yards. A par should be a given. But the classic design mans that unless you hit the perfect shot the chances are that you are going to end up in one of the greenside bunkers, from where it is possible to run up a cricket score.

Many people hate the 17th at the Old Course at St Andrews. But for me, The Road Hole, as it is better known, is a fabulous par four, calling for an accurate drive if you are to have any chance of finding the green in two. Adding to the difficulty is the fact that the drive is totally blind. But find the right side of the fairway and you can then hit a low draw to that wonderful green protected by a punishing bunker at the front and the road at the rear.

I adore risk-and-reward par fours which give you a straight choice - play safe or haul out the driver and hope to avoid the hazard, whether it be a lake, bunkers, trees or thick rough. Get it right and you are looking at a birdie. Get it wrong and you might be facing a double-bogey - or worse. Perhaps the classic example of such a hole is the par-four 10th at The Belfry. It measures 311 yards and is played to a green guarded by trees and a lake, but everybody who visits The Belfry is going to stand on that tee and give it a crack.

Two of my all-time favourite golf holes are at Kingsbarns. The 12th hole is a par five that will take your breath away. I defy anybody to stand on the tee and not take in the spectacular views with the coastline on the left and countryside on the right. The 15th is a spectacular par three with a green located on a ness that projects out into the sea. From the white tees it measures 185 yards so you need to hit a proper golf shot.

You will all know that there are some golf holes that just suit your eye. If you slice the ball then you are not going to be a fan of any hole where the trouble is on the right - no matter how beautiful it may be. If you have to produce a carry over water of say 190 yards and can only hit the ball 185 yards then that is a hole you are never going to want to play.

What works as my favourite golf hole may be the polar opposite for you. It is all in the eye of the beholder but the one thing we would all surely agree on is that our favourite holes offer a fair challenge and stunning scenery.