How a leven hole is one of the most strategic holes in golf - Golf.com

Welcome to A Beginner’s Guide to Golf Course Design, where we’ll dig into the history, design and meaning of golf course architecture terms you’ve probably heard before but might not fully understand. We’ll explain all of the above in an accessible Q&A format, and better yet, teach you how to identify these features and plan your attack for the next time you see one, saving you strokes along the way. In this installment, we’re breaking down leven holes.

Another template? What is this one?

A leven template hole is a shorter par-4 bursting with strategy on every shot. From the tee, there is usually a hazard on one side of the fairway or that crosses diagonally from one side to the other. If a player decides to attempt to carry the hazard or keep the shot closer to it, they are usually rewarded with a better view and angle of attack into the green. There is, of course, the option to play it safe, but the angle will be bad, and often the shot will be semi-blind over a mound, hill or high-faced bunker guarding the green. These hills often make landing short difficult or impossible, as balls that hit the front will be rejected, and balls that hit the back of the hill are sent far over the back of the green.

In his book, The Evangelist of Golf: The Story of Charles Blair Macdonald, George Behto defines a leven hole, saying:

“Fairway bunker or waste area challenges golfer to make a heroic carry for an open approach to the green. Less courageous line from the tee leaves golfer with a semiblind approach over a high bunker or sand hill to the short side of the green.”

As always, there are many versions of the hole, and some fit more closely to the original hole than others. Perhaps in description of some other great leven holes, we can see how they differ, but how the strategic elements stay similar.

2020-03-15 12:00:00Z
https://www.golf.com/travel/2020/03/15/leven-hole-golf-architecture/