Eight-Inch Holes

April 30, 2014
Jim Lee (British Columbia Golf)
 
On April 22, the Vancouver Sun carried an article by Brad Ziemer entitled A Hole Lot More Fun.
In it Brad describes an idea being played out at Redwoods GC in which on Tuesdays each green will be cut with an 8" diameter cup. Redwoods is trying this with the goal of making the game more enjoyable, particularly for those who don't golf very much. Redwood's Doug Hawley says "I don't know if we are going to get new people out playing, but we just want those who are coming out to just enjoy the game a little bit more."  He says he might try a regular size and a larger hole size on each green on some days.

The Southern California Golf Association also reports on the results of an event held at a local course using 15" diameter holes. These are really large and some of the putts are quite fun to watch. Watch the video!

As reported in the article,"If we don't do something as an industry, we're going to wake up one day and be falling off a cliff."  Those words came out of the mouth of Mark King, CEO of TaylorMade". TaylorMade hosted the event as a trial to obtain the reaction of participants.  The story and accompanying video can be found 

In the Southern California event the rules of golf were followed, other than the size of the holes.  While larger holes makes scores at the event, or anything held like this, ineligible for handicap purposes, does that matter to most golfers? Would larger holes every once in a while at a course attract more casual or infrequent golfers?  Doug Hawley says he might try a regular size and a larger hole size on each green on some days.

The Globe and Mail also recently covered this topic in this article by Margaret Gallahgher  In an interview with Joan Probert, who oversees the Vancouver Parks Board courses, she says that the Parks Board has no plans to change hole sizes at their courses, but that there are a number of other options they are looking at to increase play.

What are your thoughts?